A.T. Robertson Commentary Luke 1:80

"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel." — Luke 1:80 (ASV)

Grew (ηυξανε). Imperfect active, was growing.

Waxed strong (εκραταιουτο). Imperfect again. The child kept growing in strength of body and spirit.

His shewing (αναδειξεως αυτου). Here alone in the N.T. It occurs in Plutarch and Polybius. The verb appears in a sacrificial sense. The boy, as he grew, may have gone up to the passover and may have seen the boy Jesus (Luke 2:42–52), but he would not know that he was to be the Messiah. So these two boys of destiny grew on with the years, the one in the desert hills near Hebron after Zacharias and Elisabeth died, the other, the young Carpenter up in Nazareth, each waiting for "his shewing unto Israel."