#11 Jesus' Childhood and Youth

#11 Jesus’ Childhood and Youth

Please first read: Luke 2; JST Matthew 3:24-26

Apostle John Taylor:

“It is necessary, then, that we pass through the school of suffering, trial, affliction, and privation, to know ourselves, to know others, and to know God. Therefore, it was necessary, when the Savior was upon the earth, that he should be tempted in all points, like unto us, and “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” to comprehend the weaknesses and strength, the perfections and imperfections of poor fallen human nature. And having accomplished the thing he came into the world to do; having had to grapple with the hypocrisy, corruption, weakness, and imbecility of man; having met with temptation and trial in all its various forms, and overcome, he has become a “faithful High Priest” to intercede for us in the everlasting kingdom of His Father. He knows how to estimate and put a proper value upon human nature, for he having been placed in the same position as we are, knows how to bear with our weaknesses and infirmities, and can fully comprehend the depth, power, and strength of the afflictions and trials that men have to cope with in this world, and thus understandingly and by experience, he can bear with them as a father and an elder brother.

“It is necessary also, inasmuch as we profess that we are aiming at the same glory, exaltation, power, and blessings in the eternal world, that we should pass through these same afflictions, endure the same privations, conquer as he conquered, and overcome as he did, and thus by integrity, truth, virtue, purity, and a high-minded and honorable course before God, angels, and men, secure for ourselves an eternal exaltation in the eternal world, as he did.”

Prophet Joseph Smith:

“Our lives have already become jeopardized by revealing the wicked and bloodthirsty purposes of our enemies; and for the future we must cease to do so. All we have said about them is truth, but it is not always wise to relate all the truth. Even Jesus, the Son of God had to refrain from doing so, and had to restrain His feelings many times for the safety of Himself and His followers, and He had to conceal the righteous purposes of His heart in relation to many things pertaining to His Father's kingdom. When still a boy He had all the intelligence necessary to enable Him to rule and govern the kingdom of the Jews, and could reason with the wisest and most profound doctors of law and divinity, and make their theories and practice to appear like folly compared with the wisdom He possessed; but He was a boy only, and lacked physical strength even to defend His own person; and was subject to cold, to hunger and to death.” (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” page 392)                         

President Spencer W. Kimball:

“Paul indicated that we all could attain this abundant life by perfecting ourselves. The fact that most of us are far from perfection is not to say we cannot, but we don't. Christ became perfect.

He overcame.   He suffered hunger, thirst, cold, heat, pain, sorrow, and all that life has to offer in suffering. Each time he overcame, he became more nearly perfect. Paul said, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”  (Hebrews 5:9) “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10)

President Joseph Fielding Smith:

           

“Christ Began Mortality As Men Do. Our Savior was a God before he was born into this world, and he brought with him that same status when he came here. He was as much a God when he was born into the world as he was before. But as far as this life is concerned it appears that he had to start just as all other children do and gain his knowledge line upon line. Luke says he "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” John records that “he received not of the fullness at the first,” but had to progress “from grace to grace, until he received a fullness.” Paul wrote, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by all the things which he suffered.”

“How He Gained Light and Truth. Evidently, before he was twelve years old – for then he astonished the doctors and wise men in the temple – he had learned a great deal about his Father's business. This knowledge could come to him by revelation, by the visitation of angels, or in some other way. But his knowledge, so far as this life was concerned, had to come line upon line and precept by precept. Without question he was in communication, from time to time, with his Heavenly Father.

“The Joseph Smith translation of the Bible tells us that “Jesus grew up with his brethren, and waxed strong, and waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come. And he served under his father, and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him. And after many years, the hour of his ministry drew nigh.”

                                

“How He Did What He Had Seen The Father Do. The statement of our Lord that he could do nothing but what he had seen the Father do, means simply that it had been revealed to him what his Father had done. Without doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to the same condition as was required of each of us – he forgot everything, and had to grow from grace to grace. His forgetting, or having his former knowledge taken away, would be requisite just as it is in the case of each of us, to complete the present temporal existence.

                                 

“Christ Gained Fullness After Resurrection. The Savior did not have a fullness at first, but after he received his body and the resurrection all power was given unto him both in heaven and in earth. Although he was a God, even the Son of God, with power and authority to create this earth and other earths, yet there were some things lacking which he did not receive until after his resurrection. In other words, he had not received the fullness until he got a resurrected body, and the same is true with those who through faithfulness become sons (and daughters) of God. Our bodies are essential to the fullness and the continuation of the seeds forever." (Section titled “Christ Worked Out His Own Salvation.”)

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie:

“We believe that Jesus was involved in the normal earthly activities of others of his time. His talents and spirituality far exceeded those of any other person ever. Although he was obedient and sinless in all things, yet in all points was he tempted as other men are.”

President J. Rueben Clark:

“Regarding the event at the temple when Jesus was twelve years of age and his parents leaving for home, and having to return to Jerusalem to find him...his mother asks him ‘why?’ In the language of that day, his reply to her was not discourteous. He said ‘Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?’ This is the first expression we have from Jesus regarding his Messiah-ship.”

Glenn R. McGettigan

January 2012; Revised August 2014