Ben Wilson

The only story we know from Jesus's childhood comes from when he is 12 years old. His family travels to Jerusalem to worship at the temple and And then they go back and on the return journey, his parents look around and discover to their horror that Jesus is not with the group.

The only story we know from Jesus's childhood comes from when he is 12 years old. His family travels to Jerusalem to worship at the temple and And then they go back and on the return journey, his parents look around and discover to their horror that Jesus is not with the group.

So in a frenzy, they turn around and go back to the temple where they find him in the temple, deep in discussion with the elders who are, of course, amazed by the boy's precocious wisdom. And he responds, how is it that you sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business? Okay. In other words, didn't you know, you know, so he's already referring to God as his father.

So in a frenzy, they turn around and go back to the temple where they find him in the temple, deep in discussion with the elders who are, of course, amazed by the boy's precocious wisdom. And he responds, how is it that you sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business? Okay. In other words, didn't you know, you know, so he's already referring to God as his father.

And he's essentially saying to his parents, didn't you know I would be in the temple? You know, and this shows the connectedness of the Jewish world and the education that someone from a class like Jesus would be able to speak with elders and read scripture and understand it. Paul Johnson writes, we can be sure he was well instructed.

And he's essentially saying to his parents, didn't you know I would be in the temple? You know, and this shows the connectedness of the Jewish world and the education that someone from a class like Jesus would be able to speak with elders and read scripture and understand it. Paul Johnson writes, we can be sure he was well instructed.

Virtually all clever Jewish children were, if circumstances permitted, and Jesus came from a comfortable home. We know he could read, for his deep and still more skeptical knowledge of the scriptures is evidence of constant study of the texts from an early age. By age 12, he was perfectly capable of taking part in a learned discussion of their meaning. Okay, so he can read and write.

Virtually all clever Jewish children were, if circumstances permitted, and Jesus came from a comfortable home. We know he could read, for his deep and still more skeptical knowledge of the scriptures is evidence of constant study of the texts from an early age. By age 12, he was perfectly capable of taking part in a learned discussion of their meaning. Okay, so he can read and write.

He's clearly a clever young man. Then we basically miss Jesus's entire young adulthood. We know nothing about his life from the time he is 12, and that story happens, until he is 30 years old. We can make some guesses at what he was doing at that time. You know, probably he was employed. I think it likely that he took up his father's trade and was a carpenter.

He's clearly a clever young man. Then we basically miss Jesus's entire young adulthood. We know nothing about his life from the time he is 12, and that story happens, until he is 30 years old. We can make some guesses at what he was doing at that time. You know, probably he was employed. I think it likely that he took up his father's trade and was a carpenter.

Paul Johnson suggests that he worked in agriculture because he uses so many metaphors in his teachings about crops and farming. I mean, who knows? In either case, judging by the types of stories he would eventually tell, we do know that he was a keen observer of nature and the world around him. But that's kind of it.

Paul Johnson suggests that he worked in agriculture because he uses so many metaphors in his teachings about crops and farming. I mean, who knows? In either case, judging by the types of stories he would eventually tell, we do know that he was a keen observer of nature and the world around him. But that's kind of it.

Again, those 12 years from when he's a boy to when he starts teaching 18 years later are just a complete black box. So from the gospel's perspective, the narrative now moves to John the Baptist. John the Baptist is a teacher. He is part of a popular wave of people saying that Israel needs to get ready for the return of the Messiah. Many people think that John, in fact, is the Messiah.

Again, those 12 years from when he's a boy to when he starts teaching 18 years later are just a complete black box. So from the gospel's perspective, the narrative now moves to John the Baptist. John the Baptist is a teacher. He is part of a popular wave of people saying that Israel needs to get ready for the return of the Messiah. Many people think that John, in fact, is the Messiah.

He's very popular. And his big thing, as his name would suggest, is baptism. Okay, so John did not invent baptism. In the Jewish context of the early first century, baptism would have been seen as a ritual washing. But John's innovation seems to have been to tie it to the idea of repentance, of changing, of being more righteous.

He's very popular. And his big thing, as his name would suggest, is baptism. Okay, so John did not invent baptism. In the Jewish context of the early first century, baptism would have been seen as a ritual washing. But John's innovation seems to have been to tie it to the idea of repentance, of changing, of being more righteous.

So not just purifying yourself from contamination from the outside world, but from your own sinfulness. So this guy, John the Baptist, is the cousin of Jesus. So they have this pre-existing family connection. The most famous story about John is when he baptizes Jesus. And according to all the biblical accounts, this is accompanied by a miraculous display of God's approval of Jesus.

So not just purifying yourself from contamination from the outside world, but from your own sinfulness. So this guy, John the Baptist, is the cousin of Jesus. So they have this pre-existing family connection. The most famous story about John is when he baptizes Jesus. And according to all the biblical accounts, this is accompanied by a miraculous display of God's approval of Jesus.

And that is really where Jesus' story begins, after his baptism by John. After he's baptized, he goes off into the wilderness for 40 days where he is tempted by the devil, but he overcomes it. He's tempted with worldly power.

And that is really where Jesus' story begins, after his baptism by John. After he's baptized, he goes off into the wilderness for 40 days where he is tempted by the devil, but he overcomes it. He's tempted with worldly power.