#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
