Paper 126 Overview: The Two Crucial Years

Jesus's fourteenth and fifteenth years were the most challenging and critical periods of his earthly life. These years represented a crucial transition as he became self-conscious of his divinity and destiny, yet had not fully established clear communication with his indwelling Thought Adjuster. During this time, he experienced what could be called his great test or real temptation, navigating the complex transition from childhood to young manhood while also reconciling his human and divine natures.

After returning from Jerusalem to Nazareth, Jesus found himself facing new responsibilities following his father's unexpected death. He shouldered the burden of becoming the family provider and postponed his educational plans in Jerusalem. Throughout these challenging years, he developed his philosophy of life, contemplated his future mission, and established his relationship with the heavenly Father while simultaneously fulfilling his earthly obligations with unwavering dedication and steadfast determination.

The fourteenth and fifteenth years of Jesus's life were the most crucial of all his earth experiences. These two years, after becoming self-conscious of his divinity and destiny but before achieving substantial communication with his indwelling Adjuster, constituted the most trying period of his eventful life on Urantia. This period marked his true temptation as he transitioned from childhood to young manhood.

After returning from Jerusalem, Mary was initially happy to have her dutiful son back home, but she gradually became disillusioned as Jesus spent more time with Joseph and less with her. Both parents increasingly failed to understand his frequent shifts between worldly affairs and contemplation of his Father's business. Meanwhile, Jesus's compassion for the Jewish people deepened, yet he developed growing resentment toward the politically appointed temple priests, maintaining respect for sincere religious leaders while holding hypocritical ones in contempt.

This was the calendar year of Jesus's fourteenth birthday, during which he developed into a skilled yoke maker and continued to advance as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. He frequently visited a hill northwest of Nazareth for prayer and meditation, increasingly becoming self-conscious of the nature of his bestowal on earth. From this hilltop, he could view significant historical sites throughout the countryside, reflecting on important events in Jewish history.

Jesus continued his advanced reading courses under the synagogue teachers while also educating his siblings as they reached appropriate ages. His father Joseph arranged to set aside income from their properties to fund Jesus's planned course of study in Jerusalem the following year when he would turn fifteen. Despite Jesus's remarkable qualities, his parents sometimes doubted his destiny because he performed no miracles or supernatural acts, though their economic situation improved, allowing for more writing materials and music lessons.

Tragedy struck on Tuesday, September 25, when Joseph was severely injured by a falling derrick while working on the governor's residence in Sepphoris. A messenger brought the devastating news first to Jesus at the workshop, and together they informed Mary. Though she rushed to Sepphoris, Joseph died before she arrived, and the following day, he was laid to rest with his ancestors in Nazareth.

This sudden loss changed everything for the fourteen-year-old Jesus, who now recognized that he must fulfill his obligation to care for his widowed mother and seven siblings, with another child yet to be born. He cheerfully accepted these responsibilities thrust upon him and carried them faithfully to the end. One benefit of this tragic situation was that he no longer needed to attend the schools in Jerusalem—he would now learn directly from life experience rather than from human teachers, allowing him to develop his unique understanding of truth regardless of its source.

By mid-year, the family's savings had nearly disappeared, and they faced the necessity of selling one of their Nazareth properties. On April 17, A.D. 9, Ruth, the baby of the family, was born, and Jesus devotedly cared for her as a father would for the next twenty years. During this year, Jesus formulated the prayer that he later taught to his apostles, commonly known as "The Lord's Prayer," which evolved from his efforts to help his siblings express themselves individually in prayer.

This year brought Jesus much confused thinking as family responsibilities effectively eliminated any immediate plans to fulfill the Jerusalem directive to "be about his Father's business." He discovered a passage in the Book of Enoch that influenced his later adoption of the term "Son of Man" for his bestowal mission. After thoroughly considering the Jewish Messiah concept, he firmly concluded he was not to fulfill that role, yet he recognized elements of truth in the Book of Enoch about a Son of Man who would bring salvation to mankind.

With his fifteenth birthday, Jesus could officially occupy the synagogue pulpit on the Sabbath. For his first sermon, the synagogue leader arranged for him to conduct the morning service. After selecting scripture passages, Jesus stood before the faithful in Nazareth and read texts emphasizing God's spirit upon him, bringing good news to the meek, binding up the brokenhearted, and proclaiming liberty to captives.

His selections included powerful messages about seeking good rather than evil, washing away wrongdoing, and questioning the value of meaningless sacrifices compared to dealing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. The readings emphasized God's strength for the weak and encouragement not to fear. After completing these readings, Jesus sat down, and the people returned home pondering his words, having never before seen him so magnificently solemn, earnest, decisive, and authoritative.

Gradually, Jesus and his family returned to the simpler lifestyle of their earlier years, with plainer clothes and food. Though their standard of living steadily declined, among Jews, poverty did not imply social inferiority. Jesus gained comprehensive understanding of contemporary life through these experiences, which later informed his teachings about human experiences in the home, field, and workshop.

The Nazareth synagogue leader continued to believe Jesus would become a great teacher, possibly succeeding the renowned Gamaliel in Jerusalem. Despite his seemingly thwarted plans and uncertain future, Jesus did not falter or become discouraged. He faithfully performed his daily duties and responsibilities, providing comfort to all disappointed idealists through his example. The pay for a carpenter was diminishing, and by year's end, Jesus could earn only about twenty-five cents a day, making tax payments increasingly difficult.