Christ's Youth

[CatholicZ09]

Merry Christmas to you all!

Each year, the celebration of Christmas and the birth of Christ always makes me contemplate on Christ’s youth. Obviously, the Bible doesn’t say much about the youth of Christ. Therefore, are there any extra-biblical writings that look into His youth? Are there any theories as to why the Bible doesn’t elaborate on Christ’s early years?

I know that His early years might not be important, but I just always found it interesting that the Bible doesn’t mention much.

Thank you!

 

[pianistclare]

Merry Christmas.
My (unresearched) opinion is that because He was a child, no one besides for His immediate family members generally took any notice of Him. Notice that His ministry begins at Cana, when an adult. The first realization by others is by His cousin, John the Baptizer. (Except for in his mom’s womb of course )
I can’t recall if the Gospel writers knew Jesus from childhood, or if they came to follow Him once His ministry began. I think likely, that’s the case. The Bible is a collection of books. If there had been one solitary scribe, that would have been different,
Interesting question. The facts of His life that are pertinent to salvation are the ministerial ones. There are some really good books on Christology out there. Ask your pastor to recommend some solid reading.
There’s people here very knowledgeable about Biblical writings. I’m sure they will weigh in shortly.

 

[GEddie]

Merry Christmas.
My (unresearched) opinion is that because He was a child, no one besides for His immediate family members generally took any notice of Him. Notice that His ministry begins at Cana, when an adult. The first realization by others is by His cousin, John the Baptizer. (Except for in his mom’s womb of course )
I can’t recall if the Gospel writers knew Jesus from childhood, or if they came to follow Him once His ministry began. I think likely, that’s the case. The Bible is a collection of books. If there had been one solitary scribe, that would have been different,
Interesting question. The facts of His life that are pertinent to salvation are the ministerial ones. There are some really good books on Christology out there. Ask your pastor to recommend some solid reading.
There’s people here very knowledgeable about Biblical writings. I’m sure they will weigh in shortly.

There are no “definitive” sources for material concerning our LORD’s youth.

Considering that He would have lived it tending to the BVM in Nazareth (a town then smaller than a modern shopping-center parking lot), it really should be no surprise that His youth was historically unnoticed.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Crown_of_Stars]

I’ve always thought His unmentioned youth was taken up just living a regular life, learning carpentry from His earthly father Joseph. I read a novella by Francine Rivers called “Unafraid” about Mary’s life, and the author sweetly described a scene of Jesus as a toddler, playing with a toy of a little ark and animals which Joseph carved for Him. The author wrote how He made all the little animals walk inside of the ark, then shut the door on them, and clapped His hands. I thought it was very cute. I think His life before His ministry began was meant to be “normal”. He was allowed several years just to be a regular child and young boy. Just my thought.

 

[patrick457]

Merry Christmas to you all!

Each year, the celebration of Christmas and the birth of Christ always makes me contemplate on Christ’s youth. Obviously, the Bible doesn’t say much about the youth of Christ. Therefore, are there any extra-biblical writings that look into His youth? Are there any theories as to why the Bible doesn’t elaborate on Christ’s early years?

I know that His early years might not be important, but I just always found it interesting that the Bible doesn’t mention much.

Thank you!

Well, there’s the Infancy Gospel of Thomas from the 2nd century (not to be confused with the other Gospel of Thomas), which shows Jesus as being both a child prodigy and a holy brat of sorts: one-upping his teachers and smiting folks who cross Him. Two other Christian writings which try to imagine what Jesus’ childhood must have been like is the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and the Arabic/Syriac Infancy Gospel (6th century), both of which draw from both the Protoevangelium of James and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas.