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Plaintext
699 lines
42 KiB
Plaintext
Urantia Book Paper 124 The Later Childhood Of Jesus
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SPIRITWEB ORG, PROMOTING SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE INTERNET.
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Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
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of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
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Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
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Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
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Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
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Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
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The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
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Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
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The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
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In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
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Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
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Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
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Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
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Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
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Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
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Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
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Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
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Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
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Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
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To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem ...
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Paper 124 The Later Childhood Of Jesus
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Introduction
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ALTHOUGH Jesus might have enjoyed a better opportunity for schooling at
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Alexandria than in Galilee, he could not have had such a splendid environment
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for working out his own life problems with a minimum of educational guidance,
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at the same time enjoying the great advantage of constantly contacting with
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such a large number of all classes of men and women hailing from every part of
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the civilized world. Had he remained at Alexandria, his education would have
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been directed by Jews and along exclusively Jewish lines. At Nazareth he
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secured an education and received a training which more acceptably prepared him
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to understand the gentiles, and which gave him a better and more balanced idea
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of the relative merits of the Eastern, or Babylonian, and the Western, or
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Hellenic, views of Hebrew theology.
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1. JESUS' NINTH YEAR (A.D. 3)
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Though it could hardly be said that Jesus was ever seriously ill, he did have
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some of the minor ailments of childhood this year, along with his brothers and
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baby sister.
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School went on and he was still a favored pupil, having one week each month at
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liberty, and he continued to divide his time about equally between trips to
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neighboring cities with his father, sojourns on his uncle's farm south of
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Nazareth, and fishing excursions out from Magdala.
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The most serious trouble as yet to come up at school occurred in late winter
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when Jesus dared to challenge the chazan regarding the teaching that all
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images, pictures, and drawings were idolatrous in nature. Jesus delighted in
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drawing landscapes as well as in modeling a great variety of objects in
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potter's clay. Everything of that sort was strictly forbidden by Jewish law,
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but up to this time he had managed to disarm his parents' objection to such an
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extent that they had permitted him to continue in these activities.
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But trouble was again stirred up at school when one of the more backward pupils
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discovered Jesus drawing a charcoal picture of the teacher on the floor of the
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schoolroom. There it was, plain as day, and many of the elders had viewed it
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before the committee went to call on Joseph to demand that something be done to
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suppress the lawlessness of his eldest son. And though this was not the first
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time complaints had come to Joseph and Mary about the doings of their versatile
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and aggressive child, this was the most serious of all the accusations which
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had thus far been lodged against him. Jesus listened to the indictment of his
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artistic efforts for some time, being seated on a large stone just outside the
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back door. He resented their blaming his father for his alleged misdeeds; so in
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he marched, fearlessly confronting his accusers. The elders were thrown into
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confusion. Some
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top of page - 1367
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were inclined to view the episode humorously, while one or two seemed to think
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the boy was sacrilegious if not blasphemous. Joseph was nonplused, Mary
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indignant, but Jesus insisted on being heard. He had his say, courageously
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defended his viewpoint, and with consummate self-control announced that he
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would abide by the decision of his father in this as in all other matters
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controversial. And the committee of elders departed in silence.
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Mary endeavored to influence Joseph to permit Jesus to model in clay at home,
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provided he promised not to carry on any of these questionable activities at
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school, but Joseph felt impelled to rule that the rabbinical interpretation of
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the second commandment should prevail. And so Jesus no more drew or modeled the
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likeness of anything from that day as long as he lived in his father's house.
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But he was unconvinced of the wrong of what he had done, and to give up such a
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favorite pastime constituted one of the great trials of his young life.
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In the latter part of June, Jesus, in company with his father, first climbed to
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the summit of Mount Tabor. It was a clear day and the view was superb. It
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seemed to this nine-year-old lad that he had really gazed upon the entire world
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excepting India, Africa, and Rome.
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Jesus' second sister, Martha, was born Thursday night, September 13. Three
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weeks after the coming of Martha, Joseph, who was home for awhile, started the
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building of an addition to their house, a combined workshop and bedroom. A
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small workbench was built for Jesus, and for the first time he possessed tools
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of his own. At odd times for many years he worked at this bench and became
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highly expert in the making of yokes.
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This winter and the next were the coldest in Nazareth for many decades. Jesus
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had seen snow on the mountains, and several times it had fallen in Nazareth,
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remaining on the ground only a short time; but not until this winter had he
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seen ice. The fact that water could be had as a solid, a liquid, and a
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vapor--he had long pondered over the escaping steam from the boiling
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pots--caused the lad to think a great deal about the physical world and its
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constitution; and yet the personality embodied in this growing youth was all
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this while the actual creator and organizer of all these things throughout a
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far-flung universe.
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The climate of Nazareth was not severe. January was the coldest month, the
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temperature averaging around 500 F. During July and August, the hottest months,
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the temperature would vary from 750 to 900 F. From the mountains to the Jordan
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and the Dead Sea valley the climate of Palestine ranged from the frigid to the
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torrid. And so, in a way, the Jews were prepared to live in about any and all
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of the world's varying climates.
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Even during the warmest summer months a cool sea breeze usually blew from the
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west from 10:00 A.M. until about 10:00 P.M. But every now and then terrific hot
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winds from the eastern desert would blow across all Palestine. These hot blasts
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usually came in February and March, near the end of the rainy season. In those
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days the rain fell in refreshing showers from November to April, but it did not
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rain steadily. There were only two seasons in Palestine, summer and winter, the
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dry and rainy seasons. In January the flowers began to bloom, and by the end of
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April the whole land was one vast flower garden.
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In May of this year, on his uncle's farm, Jesus for the first time helped with
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the harvest of the grain. Before he was thirteen, he had managed to find out
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something about practically everything that men and women worked at around
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Naza-
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top of page - 1368
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reth except metal working, and he spent several months in a smith's shop when
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older, after the death of his father.
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When work and caravan travel were slack, Jesus made many trips with his father
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on pleasure or business to nearby Cana, Endor, and Nain. Even as a lad he
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frequently visited Sepphoris, only a little over three miles from Nazareth to
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the northwest, and from 4 B.C. to about A.D. 25 the capital of Galilee and one
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of the residences of Herod Antipas.
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Jesus continued to grow physically, intellectually, socially, and spiritually.
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His trips away from home did much to give him a better and more generous
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understanding of his own family, and by this time even his parents were
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beginning to learn from him as well as to teach him. Jesus was an original
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thinker and a skillful teacher, even in his youth. He was in constant collision
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with the so-called "oral law," but he always sought to adapt himself to the
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practices of his family. He got along fairly well with the children of his age,
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but he often grew discouraged with their slow-acting minds. Before he was ten
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years old, he had become the leader of a group of seven lads who formed
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themselves into a society for promoting the acquirements of manhood--physical,
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intellectual, and religious. Among these boys Jesus succeeded in introducing
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many new games and various improved methods of physical recreation.
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2. THE TENTH YEAR (A.D. 4)
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It was the fifth of July, the first Sabbath of the month, when Jesus, while
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strolling through the countryside with his father, first gave expression to
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feelings and ideas which indicated that he was becoming self-conscious of the
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unusual nature of his life mission. Joseph listened attentively to the
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momentous words of his son but made few comments; he volunteered no
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information. The next day Jesus had a similar but longer talk with his mother.
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Mary likewise listened to the pronouncements of the lad, but neither did she
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volunteer any information. It was almost two years before Jesus again spoke to
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his parents concerning this increasing revelation within his own consciousness
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regarding the nature of his personality and the character of his mission on
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earth.
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He entered the advanced school of the synagogue in August. At school he was
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constantly creating trouble by the questions he persisted in asking.
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Increasingly he kept all Nazareth in more or less of a hubbub. His parents were
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loath to forbid his asking these disquieting questions, and his chief teacher
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was greatly intrigued by the lad's curiosity, insight, and hunger for
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knowledge.
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Jesus' playmates saw nothing supernatural in his conduct; in most ways he was
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altogether like themselves. His interest in study was somewhat above the
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average but not wholly unusual. He did ask more questions at school than others
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in his class.
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Perhaps his most unusual and outstanding trait was his unwillingness to fight
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for his rights. Since he was such a well-developed lad for his age, it seemed
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strange to his playfellows that he was disinclined to defend himself even from
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injustice or when subjected to personal abuse. As it happened, he did not
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suffer much on account of this trait because of the friendship of Jacob, a
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neighbor boy, who was one year older. He was the son of the stone mason, a
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business associate of Joseph. Jacob was a great admirer of Jesus and made it
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his business to see that no one was permitted to impose upon Jesus because of
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his aversion
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top of page - 1369
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to physical combat. Several times older and uncouth youths attacked Jesus,
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relying upon his reputed docility, but they always suffered swift and certain
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retribution at the hands of his self-appointed champion and ever-ready
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defender, Jacob the stone mason's son.
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Jesus was the generally accepted leader of the Nazareth lads who stood for the
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higher ideals of their day and generation. He was really loved by his youthful
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associates, not only because he was fair, but also because he possessed a rare
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and understanding sympathy that betokened love and bordered on discreet
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compassion.
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This year he began to show a marked preference for the company of older
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persons. He delighted in talking over things cultural, educational, social,
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economic, political, and religious with older minds, and his depth of reasoning
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and keenness of observation so charmed his adult associates that they were
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always more than willing to visit with him. Until he became responsible for the
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support of the home, his parents were constantly seeking to influence him to
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associate with those of his own age, or more nearly his age, rather than with
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older and better-informed individuals for whom he evinced such a preference.
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Late this year he had a fishing experience of two months with his uncle on the
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Sea of Galilee, and he was very successful. Before attaining manhood, he had
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become an expert fisherman.
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His physical development continued; he was an advanced and privileged pupil at
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school; he got along fairly well at home with his younger brothers and sisters,
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having the advantage of being three and one-half years older than the oldest of
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the other children. He was well thought of in Nazareth except by the parents of
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some of the duller children, who often spoke of Jesus as being too pert, as
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lacking in proper humility and youthful reserve. He manifested a growing
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tendency to direct the play activities of his youthful associates into more
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serious and thoughtful channels. He was a born teacher and simply could not
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refrain from so functioning, even when supposedly engaged in play.
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Joseph early began to instruct Jesus in the diverse means of gaining a
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livelihood, explaining the advantages of agriculture over industry and trade.
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Galilee was a more beautiful and prosperous district than Judea, and it cost
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only about one fourth as much to live there as in Jerusalem and Judea. It was a
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province of agricultural villages and thriving industrial cities, containing
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more than two hundred towns of over five thousand population and thirty of over
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fifteen thousand.
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When on his first trip with his father to observe the fishing industry on the
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lake of Galilee, Jesus had just about made up his mind to become a fisherman;
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but close association with his father's vocation later on influenced him to
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become a carpenter, while still later a combination of influences led him to
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the final choice of becoming a religious teacher of a new order.
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3. THE ELEVENTH YEAR (A.D. 5)
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Throughout this year the lad continued to make trips away from home with his
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father, but he also frequently visited his uncle's farm and occasionally went
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over to Magdala to engage in fishing with the uncle who made his headquarters
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near that city.
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Joseph and Mary were often tempted to show some special favoritism for Jesus or
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otherwise to betray their knowledge that he was a child of promise, a
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top of page - 1370
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son of destiny. But both of his parents were extraordinarily wise and sagacious
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in all these matters. The few times they did in any manner exhibit any
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preference for him, even in the slightest degree, the lad was quick to refuse
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all such special consideration.
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Jesus spent considerable time at the caravan supply shop, and by conversing
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with the travelers from all parts of the world, he acquired a store of
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information about international affairs that was amazing, considering his age.
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This was the last year in which he enjoyed much free play and youthful
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joyousness. From this time on difficulties and responsibilities rapidly
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multiplied in the life of this youth.
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On Wednesday evening, June 24, A.D. 5, Jude was born. Complications attended
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the birth of this, the seventh child. Mary was so very ill for several weeks
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that Joseph remained at home. Jesus was very much occupied with errands for his
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father and with many duties occasioned by his mother's serious illness. Never
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again did this youth find it possible to return to the childlike attitude of
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his earlier years. From the time of his mother's illness--just before he was
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eleven years old--he was compelled to assume the responsibilities of the
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first-born son and to do all this one or two full years before these burdens
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should normally have fallen on his shoulders.
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The chazan spent one evening each week with Jesus, helping him to master the
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Hebrew scriptures. He was greatly interested in the progress of his promising
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pupil; therefore was he willing to assist him in many ways. This Jewish
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pedagogue exerted a great influence upon this growing mind, but he was never
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able to comprehend why Jesus was so indifferent to all his suggestions
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regarding the prospects of going to Jerusalem to continue his education under
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the learned rabbis.
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About the middle of May the lad accompanied his father on a business trip to
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Scythopolis, the chief Greek city of the Decapolis, the ancient Hebrew city of
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Beth-shean. On the way Joseph recounted much of the olden history of King Saul,
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the Philistines, and the subsequent events of Israel's turbulent history. Jesus
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was tremendously impressed with the clean appearance and well-ordered
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arrangement of this so-called heathen city. He marveled at the open-air theater
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and admired the beautiful marble temple dedicated to the worship of the
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"heathen" gods. Joseph was much perturbed by the lad's enthusiasm and sought to
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counteract these favorable impressions by extolling the beauty and grandeur of
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the Jewish temple at Jerusalem. Jesus had often gazed curiously upon this
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magnificent Greek city from the hill of Nazareth and had many times inquired
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about its extensive public works and ornate buildings, but his father had
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always sought to avoid answering these questions. Now they were face to face
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with the beauties of this gentile city, and Joseph could not gracefully ignore
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Jesus' inquiries.
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It so happened that just at this time the annual competitive games and public
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demonstrations of physical prowess between the Greek cities of the Decapolis
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were in progress at the Scythopolis amphitheater, and Jesus was insistent that
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his father take him to see the games, and he was so insistent that Joseph
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hesitated to deny him. The boy was thrilled with the games and entered most
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heartily into the spirit of the demonstrations of physical development and
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athletic skill. Joseph was inexpressibly shocked to observe his son's
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enthusiasm as he beheld these exhibitions of "heathen" vaingloriousness. After
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the games were finished,
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top of page - 1371
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Joseph received the surprise of his life when he heard Jesus express his
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approval of them and suggest that it would be good for the young men of
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Nazareth if they could be thus benefited by wholesome outdoor physical
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activities. Joseph talked earnestly and long with Jesus concerning the evil
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nature of such practices, but he well knew that the lad was unconvinced.
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The only time Jesus ever saw his father angry with him was that night in their
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room at the inn when, in the course of their discussions, the boy so far forgot
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the trends of Jewish thought as to suggest that they go back home and work for
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the building of an amphitheater at Nazareth. When Joseph heard his first-born
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son express such un-Jewish sentiments, he forgot his usual calm demeanor and,
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seizing Jesus by the shoulder, angrily exclaimed, "My son, never again let me
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hear you give utterance to such an evil thought as long as you live." Jesus was
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startled by his father's display of emotion; he had never before been made to
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feel the personal sting of his father's indignation and was astonished and
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shocked beyond expression. He only replied, "Very well, my father, it shall be
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so." And never again did the boy even in the slightest manner allude to the
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games and other athletic activities of the Greeks as long as his father lived.
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Later on, Jesus saw the Greek amphitheater at Jerusalem and learned how hateful
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such things were from the Jewish point of view. Nevertheless, throughout his
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life he endeavored to introduce the idea of wholesome recreation into his
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personal plans and, as far as Jewish practice would permit, into the later
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program of regular activities for his twelve apostles.
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At the end of this eleventh year Jesus was a vigorous, well-developed,
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moderately humorous, and fairly lighthearted youth, but from this year on he
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was more and more given to peculiar seasons of profound meditation and serious
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contemplation. He was much given to thinking about how he was to carry out his
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obligations to his family and at the same time be obedient to the call of his
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mission to the world; already he had conceived that his ministry was not to be
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limited to the betterment of the Jewish people.
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4. THE TWELFTH YEAR (A.D. 6)
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This was an eventful year in Jesus' life. He continued to make progress at
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school and was indefatigable in his study of nature, while increasingly he
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prosecuted his study of the methods whereby men make a living. He began doing
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regular work in the home carpenter shop and was permitted to manage his own
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earnings, a very unusual arrangement to obtain in a Jewish family. This year he
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also learned the wisdom of keeping such matters a secret in the family. He was
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becoming conscious of the way in which he had caused trouble in the village,
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and henceforth he became increasingly discreet in concealing everything which
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might cause him to be regarded as different from his fellows.
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Throughout this year he experienced many seasons of uncertainty, if not actual
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doubt, regarding the nature of his mission. His naturally developing human mind
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did not yet fully grasp the reality of his dual nature. The fact that he had a
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single personality rendered it difficult for his consciousness to recognize the
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double origin of those factors which composed the nature associated with that
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selfsame personality.
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From this time on he became more successful in getting along with his brothers
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and sisters. He was increasingly tactful, always compassionate and considerate
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of their welfare and happiness, and enjoyed good relations with them
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top of page - 1372
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up to the beginning of his public ministry. To be more explicit: He got along
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with James, Miriam, and the two younger (as yet unborn) children, Amos and
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Ruth, most excellently. He always got along with Martha fairly well. What
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trouble he had at home largely arose out of friction with Joseph and Jude,
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particularly the latter.
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It was a trying experience for Joseph and Mary to undertake the rearing of this
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unprecedented combination of divinity and humanity, and they deserve great
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credit for so faithfully and successfully discharging their parental
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responsibilities. Increasingly Jesus' parents realized that there was something
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superhuman resident within this eldest son, but they never even faintly dreamed
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that this son of promise was indeed and in truth the actual creator of this
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local universe of things and beings. Joseph and Mary lived and died without
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ever learning that their son Jesus really was the Universe Creator incarnate in
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mortal flesh.
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This year Jesus paid more attention than ever to music, and he continued to
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teach the home school for his brothers and sisters. It was at about this time
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that the lad became keenly conscious of the difference between the viewpoints
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of Joseph and Mary regarding the nature of his mission. He pondered much over
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his parents' differing opinions, often hearing their discussions when they
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thought he was sound asleep. More and more he inclined to the view of his
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father, so that his mother was destined to be hurt by the realization that her
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son was gradually rejecting her guidance in matters having to do with his life
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career. And, as the years passed, this breach of understanding widened. Less
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and less did Mary comprehend the significance of Jesus' mission, and
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increasingly was this good mother hurt by the failure of her favorite son to
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fulfill her fond expectations.
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Joseph entertained a growing belief in the spiritual nature of Jesus' mission.
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And but for other and more important reasons it does seem unfortunate that he
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could not have lived to see the fulfillment of his concept of Jesus' bestowal
|
||
on earth.
|
||
|
||
During his last year at school, when he was twelve years old, Jesus
|
||
remonstrated with his father about the Jewish custom of touching the bit of
|
||
parchment nailed upon the doorpost each time on going into, or coming out of,
|
||
the house and then kissing the finger that touched the parchment. As a part of
|
||
this ritual it was customary to say, "The Lord shall preserve our going out and
|
||
our coming in, from this time forth and even forevermore." Joseph and Mary had
|
||
repeatedly instructed Jesus as to the reasons for not making images or drawing
|
||
pictures, explaining that such creations might be used for idolatrous purposes.
|
||
Though Jesus failed fully to grasp their proscriptions against images and
|
||
pictures, he possessed a high concept of consistency and therefore pointed out
|
||
to his father the essentially idolatrous nature of this habitual obeisance to
|
||
the doorpost parchment. And Joseph removed the parchment after Jesus had thus
|
||
remonstrated with him.
|
||
|
||
As time passed, Jesus did much to modify their practice of religious forms,
|
||
such as the family prayers and other customs. And it was possible to do many
|
||
such things at Nazareth, for its synagogue was under the influence of a liberal
|
||
school of rabbis, exemplified by the renowned Nazareth teacher, Jose.
|
||
|
||
Throughout this and the two following years Jesus suffered great mental
|
||
distress as the result of his constant effort to adjust his personal views of
|
||
religious practices and social amenities to the established beliefs of his
|
||
parents. He was distraught by the conflict between the urge to be loyal to his
|
||
own convictions
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1373
|
||
|
||
and the conscientious admonition of dutiful submission to his parents; his
|
||
supreme conflict was between two great commands which were uppermost in his
|
||
youthful mind. The one was: "Be loyal to the dictates of your highest
|
||
convictions of truth and righteousness." The other was: "Honor your father and
|
||
mother, for they have given you life and the nurture thereof." However, he
|
||
never shirked the responsibility of making the necessary daily adjustments
|
||
between these realms of loyalty to one's personal convictions and duty toward
|
||
one's family, and he achieved the satisfaction of effecting an increasingly
|
||
harmonious blending of personal convictions and family obligations into a
|
||
masterful concept of group solidarity based upon loyalty, fairness, tolerance,
|
||
and love.
|
||
|
||
5. HIS THIRTEENTH YEAR (A.D. 7)
|
||
|
||
In this year the lad of Nazareth passed from boyhood to the beginning of young
|
||
manhood; his voice began to change, and other features of mind and body gave
|
||
evidence of the oncoming status of manhood.
|
||
|
||
On Sunday night, January 9, A.D. 7, his baby brother, Amos, was born. Jude was
|
||
not yet two years of age, and the baby sister, Ruth, was yet to come; so it may
|
||
be seen that Jesus had a sizable family of small children left to his watchcare
|
||
when his father met his accidental death the following year.
|
||
|
||
It was about the middle of February that Jesus became humanly assured that he
|
||
was destined to perform a mission on earth for the enlightenment of man and the
|
||
revelation of God. Momentous decisions, coupled with far-reaching plans, were
|
||
formulating in the mind of this youth, who was, to outward appearances, an
|
||
average Jewish lad of Nazareth. The intelligent life of all Nebadon looked on
|
||
with fascination and amazement as all this began to unfold in the thinking and
|
||
acting of the now adolescent carpenter's son.
|
||
|
||
On the first day of the week, March 20, A.D. 7, Jesus graduated from the course
|
||
of training in the local school connected with the Nazareth synagogue. This was
|
||
a great day in the life of any ambitious Jewish family, the day when the
|
||
first-born son was pronounced a "son of the commandment" and the ransomed
|
||
first-born of the Lord God of Israel, a "child of the Most High" and servant of
|
||
the Lord of all the earth.
|
||
|
||
Friday of the week before, Joseph had come over from Sepphoris, where he was in
|
||
charge of the work on a new public building, to be present on this glad
|
||
occasion. Jesus' teacher confidently believed that his alert and diligent pupil
|
||
was destined to some outstanding career, some distinguished mission. The
|
||
elders, notwithstanding all their trouble with Jesus' nonconformist tendencies,
|
||
were very proud of the lad and had already begun laying plans which would
|
||
enable him to go to Jerusalem to continue his education in the renowned Hebrew
|
||
academies.
|
||
|
||
As Jesus heard these plans discussed from time to time, he became increasingly
|
||
sure that he would never go to Jerusalem to study with the rabbis. But he
|
||
little dreamed of the tragedy, so soon to occur, which would insure the
|
||
abandonment of all such plans by causing him to assume the responsibility for
|
||
the support and direction of a large family, presently to consist of five
|
||
brothers and three sisters as well as his mother and himself. Jesus had a
|
||
larger and longer experience rearing this family than was accorded to Joseph,
|
||
his father; and he did measure up to the standard which he subsequently set for
|
||
himself: to become a wise,
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1374
|
||
|
||
patient, understanding, and effective teacher and eldest brother to this
|
||
family--his family--so suddenly sorrow-stricken and so unexpectedly bereaved.
|
||
|
||
6. THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM
|
||
|
||
Jesus, having now reached the threshold of young manhood and having been
|
||
formally graduated from the synagogue schools, was qualified to proceed to
|
||
Jerusalem with his parents to participate with them in the celebration of his
|
||
first Passover. The Passover feast of this year fell on Saturday, April 9, A.D.
|
||
7. A considerable company (103) made ready to depart from Nazareth early Monday
|
||
morning, April 4, for Jerusalem. They journeyed south toward Samaria, but on
|
||
reaching Jezreel, they turned east, going around Mount Gilboa into the Jordan
|
||
valley in order to avoid passing through Samaria. Joseph and his family would
|
||
have enjoyed going down through Samaria by way of Jacob's well and Bethel, but
|
||
since the Jews disliked to deal with the Samaritans, they decided to go with
|
||
their neighbors by way of the Jordan valley.
|
||
|
||
The much-dreaded Archelaus had been deposed, and they had little to fear in
|
||
taking Jesus to Jerusalem. Twelve years had passed since the first Herod had
|
||
sought to destroy the babe of Bethlehem, and no one would now think of
|
||
associating that affair with this obscure lad of Nazareth.
|
||
|
||
Before reaching the Jezreel junction, and as they journeyed on, very soon, on
|
||
the left, they passed the ancient village of Shunem, and Jesus heard again
|
||
about the most beautiful maiden of all Israel who once lived there and also
|
||
about the wonderful works Elisha performed there. In passing by Jezreel, Jesus'
|
||
parents recounted the doings of Ahab and Jezebel and the exploits of Jehu. In
|
||
passing around Mount Gilboa, they talked much about Saul, who took his life on
|
||
the slopes of this mountain, King David, and the associations of this historic
|
||
spot.
|
||
|
||
As they rounded the base of Gilboa, the pilgrims could see the Greek city of
|
||
Scythopolis on the right. They gazed upon the marble structures from a distance
|
||
but went not near the gentile city lest they so defile themselves that they
|
||
could not participate in the forthcoming solemn and sacred ceremonies of the
|
||
Passover at Jerusalem. Mary could not understand why neither Joseph nor Jesus
|
||
would speak of Scythopolis. She did not know about their controversy of the
|
||
previous year as they had never revealed this episode to her.
|
||
|
||
The road now led immediately down into the tropical Jordan valley, and soon
|
||
Jesus was to have exposed to his wondering gaze the crooked and ever-winding
|
||
Jordan with its glistening and rippling waters as it flowed down toward the
|
||
Dead Sea. They laid aside their outer garments as they journeyed south in this
|
||
tropical valley, enjoying the luxurious fields of grain and the beautiful
|
||
oleanders laden with their pink blossoms, while massive snow-capped Mount
|
||
Hermon stood far to the north, in majesty looking down on the historic valley.
|
||
A little over three hours' travel from opposite Scythopolis they came upon a
|
||
bubbling spring, and here they camped for the night, out under the starlit
|
||
heavens.
|
||
|
||
On their second day's journey they passed by where the Jabbok, from the east,
|
||
flows into the Jordan, and looking east up this river valley, they recounted
|
||
the days of Gideon, when the Midianites poured into this region to overrun the
|
||
land. Toward the end of the second day's journey they camped near the base of
|
||
the highest mountain overlooking the Jordan valley, Mount Sartaba, whose
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1375
|
||
|
||
summit was occupied by the Alexandrian fortress where Herod had imprisoned one
|
||
of his wives and buried his two strangled sons.
|
||
|
||
The third day they passed by two villages which had been recently built by
|
||
Herod and noted their superior architecture and their beautiful palm gardens.
|
||
By nightfall they reached Jericho, where they remained until the morrow. That
|
||
evening Joseph, Mary, and Jesus walked a mile and a half to the site of the
|
||
ancient Jericho, where Joshua, for whom Jesus was named, had performed his
|
||
renowned exploits, according to Jewish tradition.
|
||
|
||
By the fourth and last day's journey the road was a continuous procession of
|
||
pilgrims. They now began to climb the hills leading up to Jerusalem. As they
|
||
neared the top, they could look across the Jordan to the mountains beyond and
|
||
south over the sluggish waters of the Dead Sea. About halfway up to Jerusalem,
|
||
Jesus gained his first view of the Mount of Olives (the region to be so much a
|
||
part of his subsequent life), and Joseph pointed out to him that the Holy City
|
||
lay just beyond this ridge, and the lad's heart beat fast with joyous
|
||
anticipation of soon beholding the city and house of his heavenly Father.
|
||
|
||
On the eastern slopes of Olivet they paused for rest in the borders of a little
|
||
village called Bethany. The hospitable villagers poured forth to minister to
|
||
the pilgrims, and it happened that Joseph and his family had stopped near the
|
||
house of one Simon, who had three children about the same age as Jesus--Mary,
|
||
Martha, and Lazarus. They invited the Nazareth family in for refreshment, and a
|
||
lifelong friendship sprang up between the two families. Many times afterward,
|
||
in his eventful life, Jesus stopped in this home.
|
||
|
||
They pressed on, soon standing on the brink of Olivet, and Jesus saw for the
|
||
first time (in his memory) the Holy City, the pretentious palaces, and the
|
||
inspiring temple of his Father. At no time in his life did Jesus ever
|
||
experience such a purely human thrill as that which at this time so completely
|
||
enthralled him as he stood there on this April afternoon on the Mount of
|
||
Olives, drinking in his first view of Jerusalem. And in after years, on this
|
||
same spot he stood and wept over the city which was about to reject another
|
||
prophet, the last and the greatest of her heavenly teachers.
|
||
|
||
But they hurried on to Jerusalem. It was now Thursday afternoon. On reaching
|
||
the city, they journeyed past the temple, and never had Jesus beheld such
|
||
throngs of human beings. He meditated deeply on how these Jews had assembled
|
||
here from the uttermost parts of the known world.
|
||
|
||
Soon they reached the place prearranged for their accommodation during the
|
||
Passover week, the large home of a well-to-do relative of Mary's, one who knew
|
||
something of the early history of both John and Jesus, through Zacharias. The
|
||
following day, the day of preparation, they made ready for the appropriate
|
||
celebration of the Passover Sabbath.
|
||
|
||
While all Jerusalem was astir in preparation for the Passover, Joseph found
|
||
time to take his son around to visit the academy where it had been arranged for
|
||
him to resume his education two years later, as soon as he reached the required
|
||
age of fifteen. Joseph was truly puzzled when he observed how little interest
|
||
Jesus evinced in all these carefully laid plans.
|
||
|
||
Jesus was profoundly impressed by the temple and all the associated services
|
||
and other activities. For the first time since he was four years old, he was
|
||
too much preoccupied with his own meditations to ask many questions. He did,
|
||
however, ask his father several embarrassing questions (as he had on previous
|
||
occasions) as to why the heavenly Father required the slaughter of so many
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1376
|
||
|
||
innocent and helpless animals. And his father well knew from the expression on
|
||
the lad's face that his answers and attempts at explanation were unsatisfactory
|
||
to his deep-thinking and keen-reasoning son.
|
||
|
||
On the day before the Passover Sabbath, flood tides of spiritual illumination
|
||
swept through the mortal mind of Jesus and filled his human heart to
|
||
overflowing with affectionate pity for the spiritually blind and morally
|
||
ignorant multitudes assembled for the celebration of the ancient Passover
|
||
commemoration. This was one of the most extraordinary days that the Son of God
|
||
spent in the flesh; and during the night, for the first time in his earth
|
||
career, there appeared to him an assigned messenger from Salvington,
|
||
commissioned by Immanuel, who said: "The hour has come. It is time that you
|
||
began to be about your Father's business."
|
||
|
||
And so, even ere the heavy responsibilities of the Nazareth family descended
|
||
upon his youthful shoulders, there now arrived the celestial messenger to
|
||
remind this lad, not quite thirteen years of age, that the hour had come to
|
||
begin the resumption of the responsibilities of a universe. This was the first
|
||
act of a long succession of events which finally culminated in the completion
|
||
of the Son's bestowal on Urantia and the replacing of "the government of a
|
||
universe on his human-divine shoulders."
|
||
|
||
As time passed, the mystery of the incarnation became, to all of us, more and
|
||
more unfathomable. We could hardly comprehend that this lad of Nazareth was the
|
||
creator of all Nebadon. Neither do we nowadays understand how the spirit of
|
||
this same Creator Son and the spirit of his Paradise Father are associated with
|
||
the souls of mankind. With the passing of time, we could see that his human
|
||
mind was increasingly discerning that, while he lived his life in the flesh, in
|
||
spirit on his shoulders rested the responsibility of a universe.
|
||
|
||
Thus ends the career of the Nazareth lad, and begins the narrative of that
|
||
adolescent youth--the increasingly self-conscious divine human--who now begins
|
||
the contemplation of his world career as he strives to integrate his expanding
|
||
life purpose with the desires of his parents and his obligations to his family
|
||
and the society of his day and age.
|
||
|
||
top of page - 1377
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Subjects Archive The Urantia Book Urantia Book PART IV: The Life and Teachings
|
||
of Jesus : The Bestowal Of Michael On Urantia The Times Of Michael's Bestowal
|
||
Birth And Infancy Of Jesus The Early Childhood Of Jesus The Later Childhood Of
|
||
Jesus Jesus At Jerusalem The Two Crucial Years The Adolescent Years Jesus'
|
||
Early Manhood The Later Adult Life Of Jesus On The Way To Rome The World's
|
||
Religions The Sojourn At Rome The Return From Rome The Transition Years John
|
||
The Baptist Baptism And The Forty Days Tarrying Time In Galilee Training The
|
||
Kingdom's Messengers The Twelve Apostles The Ordination Of The Twelve Beginning
|
||
The Public Work The Passover At Jerusalem Going Through Samaria At Gilboa And
|
||
In The Decapolis Four Eventful Days At Capernaum First Preaching Tour Of
|
||
Galilee The Interlude Visit To Jerusalem Training Evangelists At Bethsaida The
|
||
Second Preaching Tour The Third Preaching Tour Tarrying And Teaching By The
|
||
Seaside Events Leading Up To The Capernaum Crisis The Crisis At Capernaum Last
|
||
Days At Capernaum Fleeing Through Northern Galilee The Sojourn At Tyre And
|
||
Sidon At Caesarea-philippi The Mount Of Transfiguration The Decapolis Tour
|
||
Rodan Of Alexandria Further Discussions With Rodan At The Feast Of Tabernacles
|
||
Ordination Of The Seventy At Magadan At The Feast Of Dedication The Perean
|
||
Mission Begins Last Visit To Northern Perea The Visit To Philadelphia The
|
||
Resurrection Of Lazarus Last Teaching At Pella The Kingdom Of Heaven On The Way
|
||
To Jerusalem Going Into Jerusalem Monday In Jerusalem Tuesday Morning In The
|
||
Temple The Last Temple Discourse Tuesday Evening On Mount Olivet Wednesday, The
|
||
Rest Day Last Day At The Camp The Last Supper The Farewell Discourse Final
|
||
Admonitions And Warnings In Gethsemane The Betrayal And Arrest Of Jesus Before
|
||
The Sanhedrin Court The Trial Before Pilate Just Before The Crucifixion The
|
||
Crucifixion The Time Of The Tomb The Resurrection Morontia Appearances Of Jesus
|
||
Appearances To The Apostles And Other Leaders Appearances In Galilee Final
|
||
Appearances And Ascension Bestowal Of The Spirit Of Truth After Pentecost The
|
||
Faith Of Jesus
|
||
|
||
<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
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