Luke 2:52 - Jesus Increased in Stature

Luke 2:52 states "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."

The purpose of the second post in this series is to explore what it means for Jesus to increase in stature.

As I shared in the previous post, the word "increase" is the Greek word προκόπτω (prokoptō) which means to "progress" and/or "advance." Jesus progress and advanced (in His humanity) in the development of stature. The word carries a sense of striving as if to remove obstacles to obtain a goal or arrive at a destination.

Second, the word "stature" is the Greek word  ἡλικία (helikia) and in this context could mean to advance in "years," "maturity," and/or "physically." I have checked multiple commentaries to understand their interpretation, and there are various views. The most consistent view is that Jesus increased physically, which is to say his body grew and developed as a human being.

As a human being, Jesus grew physically. He ate food, he ran around as a little kid, and his body developed. His stature increased. He certainly ate and drank to the glory of God, so we can learn from his example as we seek to progress in our own physical capacity and take care of our body. We too can progress and advance in our own stature.

How can we increase in stature? How can we do all for the glory of God when it comes to eating and drinking? Tom Rath shares a helpful perspective in his book Eat. Move. Sleep. in which he offers an understandable approach to taking care of one's own body. He suffers from a rare physical condition that can be managed by proper lifestyle choices, so in the long run (like for all of us) what he does for and to his body is a matter of life and death. 

He writes: "Every bite of food either increases or decreases my odds of spending a few more years with my wife and two young children. Half an hour of exercise in the morning makes for better interactions all day. Then a sound night of sleep gives me energy to tackle the next day. I am a more active parent, a better spouse, and more engaged in my work when I eat, move, and sleep well." 

Further, in regards to habit formation for healthcare, he writes: "For your overall approach to eating, find foods with less fat, fewer carbohydrates, and as little added sugar as possible. Eating well does not need to be difficult or complicated. It is possible for healthy eating to be sustainable and even enjoyable. Set your sights on foods that are good for your near-term energy and long-term health. Making a commitment to eating the right foods every day is a lot easier than jumping from one diet to the next. Once you start eating better, give it time — a lot of time. People often bounce from diet to diet because they grow impatient. The body takes a long time to react to these dietary changes, usually a year or more, according to experts. Instead of worrying about losing 10 pounds in the next month, focus on better decisions the next time you eat. When you make better choices in the moment, it benefits your overall health and well-being."

How can we take care of our bodies and increase in our stature and physical strength? Eat properly, exercise consistently, and sleep sufficiently. It's certainly easier said than done. Most of us know what to do to progress in our physical health and overall well-being. It's actually doing the hard work that is challenging. May we, like Jesus, strive in this area and advance in physical stature as we maintain a healthy lifestyle through intentional, God-honoring choices.