Paper 127 Overview: The Adolescent Years

As Jesus entered his adolescent years, he shouldered the tremendous responsibility of being the head and sole support of his large family following his father's death. During these years from fifteen to twenty, he faced the most challenging trials of his earthly life, balancing his awareness of his divine purpose with the practical demands of supporting his family. These experiences provided him with profound insight into human struggles, especially those of young people growing up.

Through these difficult adolescent years, Jesus gained firsthand knowledge of mortal existence that would later enable him to be a compassionate guide to troubled individuals throughout his universe. His daily experiences with family responsibilities, financial hardship, and personal development shaped him into both a capable provider and a spiritual leader. By living through these common human challenges while maintaining his spiritual focus, Jesus earned the right to become sovereign of his universe through actual experience rather than through privilege.

After his father's death, Jesus found himself as the head and sole provider for a large family while still a teenager. During this period, he became increasingly aware of his pre-existence and his divine mission to reveal the Paradise Father to humanity. No adolescent who has ever lived or will live on any world has faced more difficult problems or more complex situations than Jesus encountered during these challenging years from fifteen to twenty.

By experiencing these adolescent struggles firsthand, Jesus gained complete knowledge about the lives of young people across his realm of Nebadon. This personal experience qualified him to be an understanding refuge for troubled adolescents of all ages and on all worlds throughout his local universe. Through these ordinary human experiences, the divine Son was gradually earning the right to become the unquestioned sovereign of his universe, developing into a compassionate ruler who thoroughly understood the challenges faced by those he would govern.

Jesus had successfully navigated the challenging transition from childhood to young manhood and was now entering the adolescent phase of his life. He had developed into a strong, attractive young man with a kind yet penetrating gaze and a voice that was both musical and authoritative. His personality consistently displayed a unique combination of sympathetic friend and authoritative teacher, with evidence of both human and divine traits even in ordinary encounters.

As time progressed, his family found it increasingly difficult to understand him, especially when he contradicted their assumptions about his future as a Jewish Messiah. Mary had privately shared her expectations that Jesus would become the deliverer of the Jewish people, which confused his siblings when he denied such intentions. Despite these misunderstandings, Jesus proved to be an excellent father figure to the family, spending all possible time with the children who truly loved him. His mother grieved to see him working so hard at the carpenter's bench instead of studying with the rabbis in Jerusalem as they had planned.

Political tensions were rising throughout Judea as nationalist sentiment grew against Roman taxation. When organizers from Jerusalem arrived in Galilee recruiting for their cause, Jesus listened carefully but declined to join, a decision that influenced many young men in Nazareth to also refrain from participating. This created a division among the town's youth, with approximately half joining the nationalist movement and the other half forming a moderate patriot group expecting Jesus to lead them.

Jesus faced a significant temptation when Isaac, a wealthy moneylender, offered financial support for his family if he would lead these moderate patriots. Though only seventeen, Jesus handled this complex political situation with wisdom beyond his years. When pressured by his mother, uncle, and brother James to join the nationalist cause, Jesus delivered a thoughtful response to the town committee explaining that his primary duty was to his widowed mother and eight siblings. His diplomatic address acknowledged his "life mission" while emphasizing that loyalty to his deceased father required him to prioritize family responsibilities over political activism.

During this year, the family sold their last piece of property in Capernaum, using the proceeds for taxes, new tools for James, and a payment on the family repair shop. With financial pressure temporarily eased, Jesus decided to take James to the Passover festival in Jerusalem. They walked together through Samaria, with Jesus relating historical stories about their people and preparing James for what they would experience in Jerusalem.

While in Jerusalem, Jesus took James to stay with their friends in Bethany for the Passover meal. James was excited to visit the temple, but Jesus did not participate in the discussions there as he had at age twelve. When James asked why Jesus remained silent, Jesus simply replied, "My hour has not yet come." Upon returning to Nazareth, Jesus resumed work in the family repair shop, making monthly payments and continuing to provide for the family. He occasionally read the Sabbath scriptures at the synagogue and regularly took his siblings on nature walks, building a balanced life of work, community participation, and family time.

By this year, Jesus and his mother had developed a better relationship. Mary now viewed him less as a son and more as a father to her children as they worked together to support and raise the family of four boys and three girls. Jesus had successfully convinced his mother to adopt his positive approach to child training, emphasizing "doing good" rather than the traditional Jewish method of "forbidding to do evil."

Jesus showed remarkable wisdom in disciplining his brothers and sisters, establishing rules early that required little enforcement and gaining their willing obedience. On the rare occasions when punishment was necessary for Jude's deliberate violations of family rules, it was determined by unanimous decree of the older children and accepted by Jude himself. The children frequently consulted Jesus about their problems, and he provided individualized guidance to each, showing great understanding of their different personalities and needs. Jesus created an atmosphere of fairness and personal consideration that endeared him to all his siblings.

Despite his modest circumstances, Jesus was highly regarded in Nazareth, particularly among young women. Rebecca, the eldest daughter of Ezra, a wealthy merchant, discovered she was falling in love with Jesus and confided in his sister Miriam. When Mary learned of this, she became concerned about losing her son, who had become indispensable to the family. Mary and Miriam attempted to discourage Rebecca, explaining their belief that Jesus was a "child of promise" with a special destiny.

Rebecca remained determined and arranged, with her father's help, to meet with Jesus on her seventeenth birthday. Jesus listened sympathetically to her expressions of affection but explained that his primary responsibility was raising his father's family. He gently but firmly told her that he could not consider marriage until his family obligations were fulfilled, adding that if he was indeed a "son of destiny," he must not assume lifelong commitments until his mission became clear. Though heartbroken, Rebecca treasured her love for Jesus throughout her life, following his public ministry from afar and standing among the women near the cross during his crucifixion.

The story of Rebecca's love for Jesus spread throughout the region, affecting how others related to him. Many women came to love Jesus with devotion and adoration rather than romantic interest. His sister Miriam, knowing how he had sacrificed for the family, developed a deep affection for him as both brother and father figure. Despite family responsibilities, Jesus made time to visit Jerusalem for the Passover, primarily to spend time with his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany.

During this visit, Jesus established a meaningful precedent by celebrating a Passover meal without the traditional lamb sacrifice. He explained to his friends that the Father in heaven was not concerned with "childlike and meaningless rituals," though he continued to observe the traditional Passover with his family at home. This year, Jesus continued developing his unique personality by weaving together his mortal and divine natures. The family finances improved slightly with the sale of property in Capernaum, and Joseph prepared to begin work at the carpenter's bench as Jesus neared the end of his direct family leadership role.