Paper 123 Overview: The Early Childhood of Jesus

Jesus spent his early childhood in Alexandria, Egypt, where his family found safety from King Herod. Mary was very protective of Jesus, but Joseph helped convince her to let Jesus play with other children. After returning to Nazareth when Jesus was three, the family settled into their normal life with Joseph working as a carpenter.

During these early years, Jesus learned three languages, began his education, and showed great interest in nature and spiritual matters. As he grew, he formed friendships with other children, especially a boy named Jacob, and began to take on family responsibilities as his parents had more children. These formative years shaped Jesus as he learned and developed through both home instruction and his experiences exploring his surroundings.

Mary was very protective of Jesus during his infancy, watching over him constantly to keep him safe. When the family lived with relatives in Alexandria, Mary was initially worried about letting Jesus play with other children, but Joseph convinced her it would be good for him. After two years in Egypt, Joseph and Mary declined offers from friends to stay there, and they returned to Palestine in August of the year 4 B.C.

Joseph and Mary debated whether to settle in Bethlehem or return to Nazareth. Mary wanted Jesus to grow up in Bethlehem, the City of David, but Joseph was concerned about safety under Herod Archelaus. After three weeks of discussion, Joseph convinced Mary that Galilee would be safer, and they traveled to Nazareth in early October of 4 B.C.

The family arrived at their Nazareth home, which had been occupied by Joseph's brother, and they were happy to settle into their own place. Jesus was about three years old at this time and had traveled well, though he missed his playmates from Alexandria. Joseph soon found work as a carpenter, and the family was very happy in their situation.

On the way to Nazareth, Joseph had convinced Mary that they should not tell anyone that Jesus was a "child of promise." Jesus formed a close friendship with a neighbor boy named Jacob around this time. The next important event was the birth of James, Jesus' brother, on April 2, 3 B.C., which thrilled Jesus greatly.

When Jesus was nearly five years old, a Thought Adjuster came to indwell his mind on February 11, 2 B.C. This divine gift from the Paradise Father would help guide his spiritual growth, though Jesus was unaware of its presence. This important event meant that the direct supervision of Universe Rulers over Jesus' incarnation had ended, and his guardianship now rested with this indwelling Adjuster and seraphic guardians.

Jesus was very curious and asked many thoughtful questions of his parents. The arrival of his sister Miriam in July made him very happy. Jewish families had a systematic way of raising children, and when Jesus turned five, Mary formally turned his education over to Joseph, as was the custom for boys. She continued teaching him home skills while Joseph began his intellectual and religious education.

By his sixth year, Jesus had mastered the Aramaic language and was learning Greek from his father. His family owned one of only two complete Greek copies of the Hebrew Scriptures in Nazareth, which made their home popular among truth seekers. When Jesus was six, he experienced his first disillusionment when Joseph couldn't explain what caused an earthquake.

That summer, John the Baptist's family visited, and the boys enjoyed playing together. After meeting John, Jesus became very interested in Jewish history and religious celebrations. He also began praying in a personal way, talking to his "Father in heaven" as naturally as he spoke to Joseph, which concerned his parents somewhat.

Jesus' seventh year began with a great snowstorm, the heaviest he would see in his lifetime. Like other Jewish children, Jesus played games that mimicked adult activities like weddings and funerals. He and his brother James enjoyed playing in their father's carpenter shop, though Jesus sometimes had trouble understanding why certain play activities were forbidden on the Sabbath.

Jesus experienced his only real accident during this time when he fell down the stone stairs during an unexpected sandstorm. This accident worried Mary greatly, though the celestial guardians of Jesus could not have prevented this normal childhood experience. Joseph and Mary's fourth child, Joseph Jr., was born in March of this year.

At seven years old, Jesus began his formal education at the synagogue school in Nazareth. He was already fluent in Aramaic and Greek, and would now learn Hebrew. For three years, he studied the basic elements of the Law, followed by three more years of advanced study of the sacred law.

Jesus received his moral training primarily at home, but his real education came from interacting with people from many backgrounds. The Nazareth synagogue was known for its liberal interpretation of Jewish law, which exposed Jesus to diverse perspectives. When entering school, Jesus chose as his "birthday text" a passage from Isaiah about being anointed to bring good news and set prisoners free.

In his eighth year, Jesus did well enough in school to earn one week off each month. He usually spent this time either with his fisherman uncle near the Sea of Galilee or at another uncle's farm. During this year, he also met a teacher from Damascus who taught him new mathematical techniques, which Jesus enjoyed.

Jesus began teaching his brother James the alphabet and developed a strong interest in music. He arranged to trade dairy products for harp lessons and became quite skilled at playing. His third brother, Simon, was born in April of this year. A teacher named Nahor came from Jerusalem to observe Jesus and offered to take him to Jerusalem for better education, but after thoughtful consideration, Jesus decided to remain with his parents.