John Calvin Commentary Luke 2:51

"And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept all [these] sayings in her heart." — Luke 2:51 (ASV)

And he was subject to them. It was for our salvation that Christ took upon himself this low estate: that the Lord and head of angels voluntarily became subject to mortal creatures.

Such was the purpose of God, that Christ should remain, for some time, under a shadow, bearing the name of Joseph.

Though this subjection on Christ's part arose from no necessity he could have avoided, yet, since he had taken upon himself human nature on the condition of being subject to parents and had assumed the character both of a man and of a servant—with respect to the office of Redeemer, this was his lawful condition.

Therefore, everyone ought to bear the yoke which the Lord has been pleased to lay upon him all the more cheerfully.²⁴²

²⁴² “D’autant plus faut-il que chacun de nous s’assujettisse de bon coeur, st ploye le col sous le joug auquel il plaira a Dieu de nous soumettre.” — “So much the more must every one of us submit heartily, and bend the neck under the yoke, to which it shall please God to subject us.”.” — “So much the more must every one of us submit heartily, and bend the neck under the yoke, to which it shall please God to subject us.”