Paper 126 Overview: The Two Crucial Years

Jesus's fourteenth and fifteenth years were the most difficult of his life on earth. These crucial years came after he became aware of his divine nature and destiny, but before he could communicate well with his indwelling spirit. During these years, Jesus experienced many inner conflicts and faced important life adjustments while balancing his human and divine natures.

After returning to Nazareth from Jerusalem, Jesus continued to be a dutiful son. He grew increasingly aware of the problems in the Jewish religious system, especially regarding the temple priests. His family and community praised his wisdom after hearing about his discussions with the temple teachers, and they looked forward to when he would be fifteen and could read in the synagogue.

Of all Jesus's experiences on earth, the fourteenth and fifteenth years were the most challenging. These two years were a time of great testing and real temptation. This period began after Jesus returned from Jerusalem and discovered his divine nature, but before he could easily communicate with his Thought Adjuster.

After returning from Jerusalem, Jesus was at first a dutiful son. Mary was happy to have her son back, but soon realized he was spending more time with Joseph and less with her. Jesus was developing a growing dislike for the politically appointed temple priests, even though he respected sincere religious leaders.

This was the year of Jesus's fourteenth birthday. He was becoming a good maker of yokes and was developing his skills as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. He often spent time on a nearby hill for prayer and meditation, growing more aware of his special mission on earth.

From this hilltop, Jesus could see many historic places in Israel. He continued his advanced studies with the synagogue teachers and taught his younger brothers and sisters. His father Joseph made financial arrangements for Jesus to begin studies in Jerusalem the following year when he turned fifteen.

A tragic event happened on Tuesday, September 25, when Joseph was severely injured while working on the governor's residence in Sepphoris. A messenger brought the sad news, and Mary immediately went to be with her husband. Before she arrived, Joseph died from his injuries and was later buried in Nazareth.

When Joseph died, Jesus was just past fourteen years old. He now had to take on the responsibility of caring for his widowed mother and seven brothers and sisters, with another one yet to be born. This situation forced Jesus to set aside his own plans and taught him important lessons about supporting a family.

By the middle of Jesus's fifteenth year, the family savings were almost gone. They faced the need to sell one of their Nazareth houses. On April 17, A.D. 9, Ruth, the youngest child in the family, was born, and Jesus cared for her lovingly for nearly twenty years.

During this year, Jesus created the prayer that he later taught to his apostles, which became known as "The Lord's Prayer." He developed it while trying to teach his brothers and sisters to pray individually rather than reciting memorized prayers. After much thought, he wrote down this prayer, which became the family's standard prayer.

When Jesus turned fifteen, he could officially speak in the synagogue on the Sabbath. For his first sermon, the synagogue leader arranged for him to conduct the morning service. Jesus stood up and read from the scriptures, choosing passages about God's spirit, caring for the poor, and proper worship.

After reading the scriptures, Jesus sat down. The people returned to their homes thinking about his words. He had never seemed so serious, earnest, and authoritative before. That afternoon, he climbed the Nazareth hill with James, and later at home he wrote out the Ten Commandments in Greek on two boards, which Martha decorated and hung on the wall.

Jesus and his family gradually returned to the simple lifestyle of their earlier years. Their clothes and food became simpler. Although they were poor, this did not make them socially inferior among the Jews. Jesus was learning how people lived in his day by experiencing many aspects of life.

The family's financial situation became worse. Jesus could earn only about twenty-five cents a day as a carpenter. The tax collector tried to take his harp, but Jesus instead donated his Greek scriptures to the synagogue library as his maturity offering to God. He was also shocked when Herod decided that nothing was owed to his father's estate after Joseph's death.