Paper 124 Overview: The Later Childhood of Jesus

Jesus grew up in Nazareth, where he received a good education among people from many different places. His life in this normal town was better for his development than if he had lived in Alexandria in Egypt or in Jerusalem. He learned about many different cultures and ideas while living in Nazareth.

Jesus continued to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually during his later childhood. He experienced many important events, including the development of his understanding about his special purpose in life. By the time he was twelve years old, he began to realize he had a special mission to fulfill for his heavenly Father.

Jesus might have had better schooling in Alexandria, but Nazareth provided the perfect setting for his life development. In Nazareth, he could work out his own life problems with minimal guidance. He also had contact with many different types of people from all over the world.

Nazareth gave Jesus a balanced education. He learned about both Eastern (Babylonian) and Western (Greek) views of Hebrew religion. This balanced education prepared him to better understand people of all backgrounds, which was important for his later work.

Jesus had some minor childhood illnesses this year but was generally healthy. He divided his time between trips with his father to nearby cities, visits to his uncle's farm, and fishing excursions from Magdala. These activities helped him learn about the world around him.

Jesus got into trouble at school for drawing, which was forbidden by Jewish law. When questioned by the elders about his artwork, Jesus courageously defended himself but agreed to follow his father's decision on the matter. He also climbed Mount Tabor with his father and was amazed at the view, and he welcomed the birth of his sister Martha in September.

When Jesus was ten, he first spoke to his parents about his growing awareness of his special life mission. His father listened but said little, while his mother paid close attention to his words. Jesus continued to ask many questions at school, sometimes creating trouble with his curiosity.

Jesus was well-liked by other children and was often their leader, though older people found him somewhat too confident. He was disinclined to fight for himself, but his friend Jacob the stone mason's son always defended him. Jesus also spent two months fishing with his uncle on the Sea of Galilee, where he became a skilled fisherman.

Jesus continued making trips with his father and visiting his uncle's farm and Magdala for fishing. His parents wisely avoided showing him special favor, even though they knew he was a child of promise. He spent considerable time at the caravan supply shop, learning about world affairs by talking with travelers.

In June, Jesus' brother Jude was born, and his mother became very ill. This marked the end of Jesus' carefree childhood, as he had to take on many responsibilities as the eldest son. The local teacher spent one evening each week helping Jesus master the Hebrew scriptures, and he was impressed by the boy's questions.

This was an important year for Jesus as he continued his education and began working regularly in the family carpenter shop. He was allowed to manage his own earnings and learned to keep his special nature a secret to avoid drawing attention to himself. Jesus experienced periods of uncertainty about his mission, as his developing human mind tried to understand his dual nature.

Jesus got along well with most of his siblings but had some friction with Joseph and Jude. He paid more attention to music this year and noticed the different viewpoints of his parents regarding his mission. His mother thought he would be a Jewish Messiah, while his father believed his mission was more spiritual in nature.

Jesus began changing from a boy to a young man this year. His voice started to change, and he showed other signs of approaching manhood. In January, his baby brother Amos was born, adding another child to the growing family that Jesus would later care for.

By February, Jesus became certain that he was meant to perform a special mission on earth. In March, he graduated from the local synagogue school and was pronounced a "son of the commandment." His teacher believed Jesus was destined for greatness, and his family made plans for him to continue his education in Jerusalem, though these plans would later change due to unexpected events.

Jesus, now at the age of young manhood, traveled with his parents to Jerusalem for his first Passover celebration. They joined a group of 103 people from Nazareth and took the Jordan valley route to avoid going through Samaria. Along the way, they visited many historic sites and learned about Israel's history.

The journey lasted four days, and when they reached Jerusalem, Jesus was deeply moved by the sight of the Holy City and the temple. During the Passover visit, Jesus was mostly quiet and thoughtful. On the eve of the Passover Sabbath, a messenger from Salvington appeared to Jesus, telling him it was time to begin his Father's business. This marked the beginning of Jesus' awareness of his responsibilities as a universe Creator.