Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 2:48

"And when they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing." — Luke 2:48 (ASV)

Luke vividly describes the parents’ emotions, the first of which is astonishment and awe (cf. v.33). His mother’s natural concern then issues very humanly in a hint of scolding. Next she indicates their anxious pain as they hunted for him.