The Childhood of Jesus

Matthew 2:13-23

GOLDEN TEXT: “Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest.”—Genesis 28:15

OUR lesson picks up the story of Jesus’ childhood immediately following the appearance of the “wise men.” They had been warned in a dream not to visit Herod on their return to the East., and God knowing what was in Herod’s heart to do, now warned Joseph to flee into Egypt and take the young child with him in order to escape Herod’s wrath and save Jesus from destruction.

The words of the Golden Text, addressed to Jacob at the time he fled from the wrath of Esau, applied in principle to Jesus, even as they do to all of God’s people. God had promised Jacob that his seed would bless all the families of the earth, and Jesus had come to earth in fulfillment of that promise. Satan was on the alert to destroy the promised seed which God had warned would bruise his head. It was in order to forestall Satan’s effort that God protected Jesus by asking Joseph to take the child into Egypt.

Jesus was at this time about two years old. This seems evident from the fact that Herod’s edict that all children of two years old or less should be killed, the age limit being established “according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.” (Matt. 2:16) The wise men did not visit Jesus in the manger where the shepherds found Him, but in a “house.” (Matt. 2:11) It was following this visit of the wise men that Joseph took Him into Egypt. The prophecy of Jeremiah concerning the voice of a weeping mother in Ramah is cited as having a fulfillment in Bethlehem when Herod’s command to kill the children was carried out. Yes, it was a fulfillment, but not the only one. Millions of mothers have wept over the loss of their little ones, and to all these millions the message of comfort given by the prophet applies, “Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.”—Jeremiah 31:15-17

The promise that the children shall come again to their “own border” simply means they will be restored to life upon the earth. In this prophecy death is described as the “land of the enemy,” and these who go into death as being held captives in the enemy’s land. Those who die, therefore, cross over the border which separates the land of the living from the land of death, the “land of the enemy.” To return to their own “border” denotes their restoration to life and their rehabilitation in the land of the living.

When Herod died and there was no further necessity for Jesus to remain in hiding in Egypt, God again spoke to Joseph in a dream instructing him to return to the land of Israel. Nevertheless, Archelaus, Herod’s son, who took his place as ruler, was not to be trusted, so Joseph decided to make his home in Nazareth. This was overruled by God in the carrying out of His purpose. Jesus was actually born in the honorable city of Bethlehem, but He was to be known as a Nazarene.—Matt. 2:23

The question, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) indicates the ill repute in which the city was held. Apparently Judeans had little confidence in teachers who came from Nazareth. This is as God wanted it to be. It was His desire that those who accepted Jesus as the Messiah should do so because of His teachings and His work, not on account of the city from which. He came. This is a very important principle, the principle of accepting things and persons upon the basis of merit rather than upon background and tradition.

The Scriptures tell us nothing of the childhood of Jesus after His, return from Egypt until He was twelve years of age. At that age, we are told, His parents found Him in the Temple engaged in a discussion with the doctors of the law. When chided by His parents for not remaining with them, Jesus asked, “Wist ye not that I must; be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) This indicates that He knew God had a special mission for Him to perform.

Probably His mother had told Him many times concerning the miraculous circumstances of His birth and earlier childhood days. It was but natural, therefore, that Jesus should desire to learn all He could concerning the divine purpose for Him. It was not proper, under the law, for Him to commence His ministry until He was thirty years of age, so He was content to remain at home with His parents until then; meanwhile increasing: in knowledge and favor with God as His maturing mind turned more and more toward His Heavenly Father.—Luke 2:52

QUESTIONS:

About how old was Jesus when Joseph took Him to Egypt?

Why did God permit Jesus to be called a Nazarene?

Did Jesus know, prior to His baptism that He was to perform a special service for God?

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