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Urantia Book Paper 124 The Later Childhood Of Jesus
SPIRITWEB ORG, PROMOTING SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE INTERNET.
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 ...
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Paper 124 The Later Childhood Of Jesus
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Introduction
ALTHOUGH Jesus might have enjoyed a better opportunity for schooling at
Alexandria than in Galilee, he could not have had such a splendid environment
for working out his own life problems with a minimum of educational guidance,
at the same time enjoying the great advantage of constantly contacting with
such a large number of all classes of men and women hailing from every part of
the civilized world. Had he remained at Alexandria, his education would have
been directed by Jews and along exclusively Jewish lines. At Nazareth he
secured an education and received a training which more acceptably prepared him
to understand the gentiles, and which gave him a better and more balanced idea
of the relative merits of the Eastern, or Babylonian, and the Western, or
Hellenic, views of Hebrew theology.
1. JESUS' NINTH YEAR (A.D. 3)
Though it could hardly be said that Jesus was ever seriously ill, he did have
some of the minor ailments of childhood this year, along with his brothers and
baby sister.
School went on and he was still a favored pupil, having one week each month at
liberty, and he continued to divide his time about equally between trips to
neighboring cities with his father, sojourns on his uncle's farm south of
Nazareth, and fishing excursions out from Magdala.
The most serious trouble as yet to come up at school occurred in late winter
when Jesus dared to challenge the chazan regarding the teaching that all
images, pictures, and drawings were idolatrous in nature. Jesus delighted in
drawing landscapes as well as in modeling a great variety of objects in
potter's clay. Everything of that sort was strictly forbidden by Jewish law,
but up to this time he had managed to disarm his parents' objection to such an
extent that they had permitted him to continue in these activities.
But trouble was again stirred up at school when one of the more backward pupils
discovered Jesus drawing a charcoal picture of the teacher on the floor of the
schoolroom. There it was, plain as day, and many of the elders had viewed it
before the committee went to call on Joseph to demand that something be done to
suppress the lawlessness of his eldest son. And though this was not the first
time complaints had come to Joseph and Mary about the doings of their versatile
and aggressive child, this was the most serious of all the accusations which
had thus far been lodged against him. Jesus listened to the indictment of his
artistic efforts for some time, being seated on a large stone just outside the
back door. He resented their blaming his father for his alleged misdeeds; so in
he marched, fearlessly confronting his accusers. The elders were thrown into
confusion. Some
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were inclined to view the episode humorously, while one or two seemed to think
the boy was sacrilegious if not blasphemous. Joseph was nonplused, Mary
indignant, but Jesus insisted on being heard. He had his say, courageously
defended his viewpoint, and with consummate self-control announced that he
would abide by the decision of his father in this as in all other matters
controversial. And the committee of elders departed in silence.
Mary endeavored to influence Joseph to permit Jesus to model in clay at home,
provided he promised not to carry on any of these questionable activities at
school, but Joseph felt impelled to rule that the rabbinical interpretation of
the second commandment should prevail. And so Jesus no more drew or modeled the
likeness of anything from that day as long as he lived in his father's house.
But he was unconvinced of the wrong of what he had done, and to give up such a
favorite pastime constituted one of the great trials of his young life.
In the latter part of June, Jesus, in company with his father, first climbed to
the summit of Mount Tabor. It was a clear day and the view was superb. It
seemed to this nine-year-old lad that he had really gazed upon the entire world
excepting India, Africa, and Rome.
Jesus' second sister, Martha, was born Thursday night, September 13. Three
weeks after the coming of Martha, Joseph, who was home for awhile, started the
building of an addition to their house, a combined workshop and bedroom. A
small workbench was built for Jesus, and for the first time he possessed tools
of his own. At odd times for many years he worked at this bench and became
highly expert in the making of yokes.
This winter and the next were the coldest in Nazareth for many decades. Jesus
had seen snow on the mountains, and several times it had fallen in Nazareth,
remaining on the ground only a short time; but not until this winter had he
seen ice. The fact that water could be had as a solid, a liquid, and a
vapor--he had long pondered over the escaping steam from the boiling
pots--caused the lad to think a great deal about the physical world and its
constitution; and yet the personality embodied in this growing youth was all
this while the actual creator and organizer of all these things throughout a
far-flung universe.
The climate of Nazareth was not severe. January was the coldest month, the
temperature averaging around 500 F. During July and August, the hottest months,
the temperature would vary from 750 to 900 F. From the mountains to the Jordan
and the Dead Sea valley the climate of Palestine ranged from the frigid to the
torrid. And so, in a way, the Jews were prepared to live in about any and all
of the world's varying climates.
Even during the warmest summer months a cool sea breeze usually blew from the
west from 10:00 A.M. until about 10:00 P.M. But every now and then terrific hot
winds from the eastern desert would blow across all Palestine. These hot blasts
usually came in February and March, near the end of the rainy season. In those
days the rain fell in refreshing showers from November to April, but it did not
rain steadily. There were only two seasons in Palestine, summer and winter, the
dry and rainy seasons. In January the flowers began to bloom, and by the end of
April the whole land was one vast flower garden.
In May of this year, on his uncle's farm, Jesus for the first time helped with
the harvest of the grain. Before he was thirteen, he had managed to find out
something about practically everything that men and women worked at around
Naza-
top of page - 1368
reth except metal working, and he spent several months in a smith's shop when
older, after the death of his father.
When work and caravan travel were slack, Jesus made many trips with his father
on pleasure or business to nearby Cana, Endor, and Nain. Even as a lad he
frequently visited Sepphoris, only a little over three miles from Nazareth to
the northwest, and from 4 B.C. to about A.D. 25 the capital of Galilee and one
of the residences of Herod Antipas.
Jesus continued to grow physically, intellectually, socially, and spiritually.
His trips away from home did much to give him a better and more generous
understanding of his own family, and by this time even his parents were
beginning to learn from him as well as to teach him. Jesus was an original
thinker and a skillful teacher, even in his youth. He was in constant collision
with the so-called "oral law," but he always sought to adapt himself to the
practices of his family. He got along fairly well with the children of his age,
but he often grew discouraged with their slow-acting minds. Before he was ten
years old, he had become the leader of a group of seven lads who formed
themselves into a society for promoting the acquirements of manhood--physical,
intellectual, and religious. Among these boys Jesus succeeded in introducing
many new games and various improved methods of physical recreation.
2. THE TENTH YEAR (A.D. 4)
It was the fifth of July, the first Sabbath of the month, when Jesus, while
strolling through the countryside with his father, first gave expression to
feelings and ideas which indicated that he was becoming self-conscious of the
unusual nature of his life mission. Joseph listened attentively to the
momentous words of his son but made few comments; he volunteered no
information. The next day Jesus had a similar but longer talk with his mother.
Mary likewise listened to the pronouncements of the lad, but neither did she
volunteer any information. It was almost two years before Jesus again spoke to
his parents concerning this increasing revelation within his own consciousness
regarding the nature of his personality and the character of his mission on
earth.
He entered the advanced school of the synagogue in August. At school he was
constantly creating trouble by the questions he persisted in asking.
Increasingly he kept all Nazareth in more or less of a hubbub. His parents were
loath to forbid his asking these disquieting questions, and his chief teacher
was greatly intrigued by the lad's curiosity, insight, and hunger for
knowledge.
Jesus' playmates saw nothing supernatural in his conduct; in most ways he was
altogether like themselves. His interest in study was somewhat above the
average but not wholly unusual. He did ask more questions at school than others
in his class.
Perhaps his most unusual and outstanding trait was his unwillingness to fight
for his rights. Since he was such a well-developed lad for his age, it seemed
strange to his playfellows that he was disinclined to defend himself even from
injustice or when subjected to personal abuse. As it happened, he did not
suffer much on account of this trait because of the friendship of Jacob, a
neighbor boy, who was one year older. He was the son of the stone mason, a
business associate of Joseph. Jacob was a great admirer of Jesus and made it
his business to see that no one was permitted to impose upon Jesus because of
his aversion
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to physical combat. Several times older and uncouth youths attacked Jesus,
relying upon his reputed docility, but they always suffered swift and certain
retribution at the hands of his self-appointed champion and ever-ready
defender, Jacob the stone mason's son.
Jesus was the generally accepted leader of the Nazareth lads who stood for the
higher ideals of their day and generation. He was really loved by his youthful
associates, not only because he was fair, but also because he possessed a rare
and understanding sympathy that betokened love and bordered on discreet
compassion.
This year he began to show a marked preference for the company of older
persons. He delighted in talking over things cultural, educational, social,
economic, political, and religious with older minds, and his depth of reasoning
and keenness of observation so charmed his adult associates that they were
always more than willing to visit with him. Until he became responsible for the
support of the home, his parents were constantly seeking to influence him to
associate with those of his own age, or more nearly his age, rather than with
older and better-informed individuals for whom he evinced such a preference.
Late this year he had a fishing experience of two months with his uncle on the
Sea of Galilee, and he was very successful. Before attaining manhood, he had
become an expert fisherman.
His physical development continued; he was an advanced and privileged pupil at
school; he got along fairly well at home with his younger brothers and sisters,
having the advantage of being three and one-half years older than the oldest of
the other children. He was well thought of in Nazareth except by the parents of
some of the duller children, who often spoke of Jesus as being too pert, as
lacking in proper humility and youthful reserve. He manifested a growing
tendency to direct the play activities of his youthful associates into more
serious and thoughtful channels. He was a born teacher and simply could not
refrain from so functioning, even when supposedly engaged in play.
Joseph early began to instruct Jesus in the diverse means of gaining a
livelihood, explaining the advantages of agriculture over industry and trade.
Galilee was a more beautiful and prosperous district than Judea, and it cost
only about one fourth as much to live there as in Jerusalem and Judea. It was a
province of agricultural villages and thriving industrial cities, containing
more than two hundred towns of over five thousand population and thirty of over
fifteen thousand.
When on his first trip with his father to observe the fishing industry on the
lake of Galilee, Jesus had just about made up his mind to become a fisherman;
but close association with his father's vocation later on influenced him to
become a carpenter, while still later a combination of influences led him to
the final choice of becoming a religious teacher of a new order.
3. THE ELEVENTH YEAR (A.D. 5)
Throughout this year the lad continued to make trips away from home with his
father, but he also frequently visited his uncle's farm and occasionally went
over to Magdala to engage in fishing with the uncle who made his headquarters
near that city.
Joseph and Mary were often tempted to show some special favoritism for Jesus or
otherwise to betray their knowledge that he was a child of promise, a
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son of destiny. But both of his parents were extraordinarily wise and sagacious
in all these matters. The few times they did in any manner exhibit any
preference for him, even in the slightest degree, the lad was quick to refuse
all such special consideration.
Jesus spent considerable time at the caravan supply shop, and by conversing
with the travelers from all parts of the world, he acquired a store of
information about international affairs that was amazing, considering his age.
This was the last year in which he enjoyed much free play and youthful
joyousness. From this time on difficulties and responsibilities rapidly
multiplied in the life of this youth.
On Wednesday evening, June 24, A.D. 5, Jude was born. Complications attended
the birth of this, the seventh child. Mary was so very ill for several weeks
that Joseph remained at home. Jesus was very much occupied with errands for his
father and with many duties occasioned by his mother's serious illness. Never
again did this youth find it possible to return to the childlike attitude of
his earlier years. From the time of his mother's illness--just before he was
eleven years old--he was compelled to assume the responsibilities of the
first-born son and to do all this one or two full years before these burdens
should normally have fallen on his shoulders.
The chazan spent one evening each week with Jesus, helping him to master the
Hebrew scriptures. He was greatly interested in the progress of his promising
pupil; therefore was he willing to assist him in many ways. This Jewish
pedagogue exerted a great influence upon this growing mind, but he was never
able to comprehend why Jesus was so indifferent to all his suggestions
regarding the prospects of going to Jerusalem to continue his education under
the learned rabbis.
About the middle of May the lad accompanied his father on a business trip to
Scythopolis, the chief Greek city of the Decapolis, the ancient Hebrew city of
Beth-shean. On the way Joseph recounted much of the olden history of King Saul,
the Philistines, and the subsequent events of Israel's turbulent history. Jesus
was tremendously impressed with the clean appearance and well-ordered
arrangement of this so-called heathen city. He marveled at the open-air theater
and admired the beautiful marble temple dedicated to the worship of the
"heathen" gods. Joseph was much perturbed by the lad's enthusiasm and sought to
counteract these favorable impressions by extolling the beauty and grandeur of
the Jewish temple at Jerusalem. Jesus had often gazed curiously upon this
magnificent Greek city from the hill of Nazareth and had many times inquired
about its extensive public works and ornate buildings, but his father had
always sought to avoid answering these questions. Now they were face to face
with the beauties of this gentile city, and Joseph could not gracefully ignore
Jesus' inquiries.
It so happened that just at this time the annual competitive games and public
demonstrations of physical prowess between the Greek cities of the Decapolis
were in progress at the Scythopolis amphitheater, and Jesus was insistent that
his father take him to see the games, and he was so insistent that Joseph
hesitated to deny him. The boy was thrilled with the games and entered most
heartily into the spirit of the demonstrations of physical development and
athletic skill. Joseph was inexpressibly shocked to observe his son's
enthusiasm as he beheld these exhibitions of "heathen" vaingloriousness. After
the games were finished,
top of page - 1371
Joseph received the surprise of his life when he heard Jesus express his
approval of them and suggest that it would be good for the young men of
Nazareth if they could be thus benefited by wholesome outdoor physical
activities. Joseph talked earnestly and long with Jesus concerning the evil
nature of such practices, but he well knew that the lad was unconvinced.
The only time Jesus ever saw his father angry with him was that night in their
room at the inn when, in the course of their discussions, the boy so far forgot
the trends of Jewish thought as to suggest that they go back home and work for
the building of an amphitheater at Nazareth. When Joseph heard his first-born
son express such un-Jewish sentiments, he forgot his usual calm demeanor and,
seizing Jesus by the shoulder, angrily exclaimed, "My son, never again let me
hear you give utterance to such an evil thought as long as you live." Jesus was
startled by his father's display of emotion; he had never before been made to
feel the personal sting of his father's indignation and was astonished and
shocked beyond expression. He only replied, "Very well, my father, it shall be
so." And never again did the boy even in the slightest manner allude to the
games and other athletic activities of the Greeks as long as his father lived.
Later on, Jesus saw the Greek amphitheater at Jerusalem and learned how hateful
such things were from the Jewish point of view. Nevertheless, throughout his
life he endeavored to introduce the idea of wholesome recreation into his
personal plans and, as far as Jewish practice would permit, into the later
program of regular activities for his twelve apostles.
At the end of this eleventh year Jesus was a vigorous, well-developed,
moderately humorous, and fairly lighthearted youth, but from this year on he
was more and more given to peculiar seasons of profound meditation and serious
contemplation. He was much given to thinking about how he was to carry out his
obligations to his family and at the same time be obedient to the call of his
mission to the world; already he had conceived that his ministry was not to be
limited to the betterment of the Jewish people.
4. THE TWELFTH YEAR (A.D. 6)
This was an eventful year in Jesus' life. He continued to make progress at
school and was indefatigable in his study of nature, while increasingly he
prosecuted his study of the methods whereby men make a living. He began doing
regular work in the home carpenter shop and was permitted to manage his own
earnings, a very unusual arrangement to obtain in a Jewish family. This year he
also learned the wisdom of keeping such matters a secret in the family. He was
becoming conscious of the way in which he had caused trouble in the village,
and henceforth he became increasingly discreet in concealing everything which
might cause him to be regarded as different from his fellows.
Throughout this year he experienced many seasons of uncertainty, if not actual
doubt, regarding the nature of his mission. His naturally developing human mind
did not yet fully grasp the reality of his dual nature. The fact that he had a
single personality rendered it difficult for his consciousness to recognize the
double origin of those factors which composed the nature associated with that
selfsame personality.
From this time on he became more successful in getting along with his brothers
and sisters. He was increasingly tactful, always compassionate and considerate
of their welfare and happiness, and enjoyed good relations with them
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up to the beginning of his public ministry. To be more explicit: He got along
with James, Miriam, and the two younger (as yet unborn) children, Amos and
Ruth, most excellently. He always got along with Martha fairly well. What
trouble he had at home largely arose out of friction with Joseph and Jude,
particularly the latter.
It was a trying experience for Joseph and Mary to undertake the rearing of this
unprecedented combination of divinity and humanity, and they deserve great
credit for so faithfully and successfully discharging their parental
responsibilities. Increasingly Jesus' parents realized that there was something
superhuman resident within this eldest son, but they never even faintly dreamed
that this son of promise was indeed and in truth the actual creator of this
local universe of things and beings. Joseph and Mary lived and died without
ever learning that their son Jesus really was the Universe Creator incarnate in
mortal flesh.
This year Jesus paid more attention than ever to music, and he continued to
teach the home school for his brothers and sisters. It was at about this time
that the lad became keenly conscious of the difference between the viewpoints
of Joseph and Mary regarding the nature of his mission. He pondered much over
his parents' differing opinions, often hearing their discussions when they
thought he was sound asleep. More and more he inclined to the view of his
father, so that his mother was destined to be hurt by the realization that her
son was gradually rejecting her guidance in matters having to do with his life
career. And, as the years passed, this breach of understanding widened. Less
and less did Mary comprehend the significance of Jesus' mission, and
increasingly was this good mother hurt by the failure of her favorite son to
fulfill her fond expectations.
Joseph entertained a growing belief in the spiritual nature of Jesus' mission.
And but for other and more important reasons it does seem unfortunate that he
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,
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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
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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
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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
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