Harmony of the Gospels
-4 BC-
Nazareth
(15) Childhood of Jesus
Luke 2:40, 51
God has chosen not to tell us much about Jesus, until He begins His ministry at about thirty years of age. We are only given a couple of events from those early years, but I believe that they were important to Him. Those were years when He experienced humanity to the fullest extent. He lived in a fishbowl for the final three years of His life; but I believe Jesus had a normal childhood and then as a young man that He set at a table and wondered how he could pay his taxes, with his income as a carpenter. I believe that He was a good carpenter. I think that He worked hard and that He was well liked. I don’t like the pictures that show a thin, effeminate Savior. He must have been a strong, impressive, handsome man. There is no way you can prove me wrong, so I can believe what I want about these things and I guess that you can too. Now let’s see what Luke said about His childhood.
And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.” (Luke 2:40)
The grace of God was on Him, and He grew physically, spiritually and mentally. All children grow, but all children do not have the grace of God on them. Later on, some would be amazed because He could read and because He knew scripture and that He spoke as no one ever before. He was uneducated, but He had the grace of God on Him.
Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:15)
I believe that Mary and Joseph would say, “He is a good son.” He was obedient to them. Today, young people are rude and rebellious and parents are afraid to discipline them, because society says that spanking may damage their fragile self-esteem.
It is remarkable to me that Jesus, the Son of God, obeyed His parents and was subject to them.