The Childhood of Jesus Christ

Hi everyone! 
This week I have started another religion class and this semester I am studying the First half of the New Testament (The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).

This week we read mostly about Christ's birth as well as John the Baptist's birth and learned a little about his childhood. The Share and Report section of class requires (as before) that I share something I've learned or share what I am studying. I decided to focus on learning about Christ's childhood because it is so rarely talked about and I find the subject to be fascinating. Written below is what I've learned from my readings.


The Childhood of Jesus Christ

The focus we get on Jesus Christ is often of his birth and of his ministry, but so often we forget how he got from one place to another. By reading specifically about his childhood there are many things that I have been able to learn. 

First off, the most recognized phrase about Christ's childhood (for me) is in Luke chapter 2:

52." And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, 

and in favor with God and man." 

Something this tells me (along with other scriptures which I will share) is that Christ wasn't just born with all the knowledge needed for his ministry, he learned as he grew. In the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of Matthew 3:24-26 it says “…and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him.” In Doctrine and Covenants 93: 12-14 John the Baptist gives revalation to Joseph Smith saying:

12. “And I, John saw that he [Jesus] received not of the 

fullness at the first, but received grace for grace;

13. And he received not of the fullness at first, but continued from 

grace to grace until he received a fullness:

14. And thus he was called the Son of God, because

 he received not of the fullness at the first.”

There was a reason his ministry was later in life. It was when he was ready. While the world did not teach Christ, his Heavenly Father did. Little by little, as Christ was ready, Heavenly Father would teach him what he needed to know.  That shows to me that it is important to take my challenges and my spiritual learning one step at a time. That it is okay to learn little by little and focus on what I’ve learned and perfect that before I bury myself in knowledge that I’m just not ready for. 

I also noticed that throughout each of the scriptures and insight read, that Christ shows small instances here and there where he followed certain commandments. While we know that he always followed the commandments it was just interesting insight to me. For example, in the JST of Matthew 3:25 it says “And he served under his father.” It is safe to assume that since father is not capitalized that it is referring to Joseph. To me this is interesting simply because even as a child, know as much as he did, Jesus still respected and honored his earthly father.  I think we can all learn from that seeing as we are not perfect. Even if we think we know more than our parent’s do (which being imperfect, sometimes we just don’t) it is important to honor them and respect them. 

      Likewise in the first scripture I shared above in Luke it says that he grew in stature with not only God but with man. This tells me that people liked him because he was kind and willing to help and was there for others. 

Christ learned little by little and kept the commandments of God. While we are not perfect we can learn from Christ and take from it how we ourselves can learn the gospel and remain close to our Heavenly Father. 

♥