Jesus

[nightman]

What I want to do is post a private theory as a question. Here it is.
Do you believe the reason there is so little information on Jesus from the age of puberty until his forty day trial in the desert at the age of thirty is because of the carnal urges , the stress of the teen age years, and peer pressure that human beings go through at that time of life? There are stories of Jesus as a boy bringing birds back to life, healing his playmates, and cursing his neighbors. These stories, since not found in the bible are considered hearsay and looked on as blasphemous by some, although some of them were written by one of the Apostles’ themselves.
THANK YOU,
NIGHTMAN

 

[awalt]

Nope - I have heard theologians (most recently Tim Gray on EWTN) say the reason Jesus had only a limited public life of 3 years is that He knew His life would be at great risk if he went longer, that three years would be about the limit before the bad guys came after Him. Now of course He could avoid that, but He would have to do it displaying even greater powers that would dilute God’s interest in us believing by faith and making choice.

It’s the same reaosn you see Jesus moving around at night, and staying away from the center of town etc. in the Word.

 

[Fox]

You can ask Jesus Himself when you see Him on what he did as a child and growing up. I personally believe he did what any child/teenager did at the time. You know hung out with his friends, played games, ran about, had fun. He also worked with St Joseph alot as a handyman learning His craft from him. Of course He never fell to carnal pleasures or sinned.

 

[Dredgemate]

awalt:

Nope - I have heard theologians (most recently Tim Gray on EWTN) say the reason Jesus had only a limited public life of 3 years is that He knew His life would be at great risk if he went longer, that three years would be about the limit before the bad guys came after Him.

That doesn’t make sense, how could his life have been MORE in danger after 3 years?

nightman:

Do you believe the reason there is so little information on Jesus from the age of puberty until his forty day trial in the desert at the age of thirty is because of the carnal urges , the stress of the teen age years, and peer pressure that human beings go through at that time of life?

The reason (in my opinion) Christ’s life as a young man is hidden from us is that it does not provide any benefit to His teaching.

 

[marvin]

The stories you relate are of dubious origin. I believe the one about the birds is from the Gospel of Thomas which is a gnostic gospel. Some of the gnostic gospels were written after the fact in order to support Gnostic teachings. As far as I know, it cannot be historically attributed to the Apostle Thomas nor can any of the other New Testament “apocrypha” be to any of the other apostles. In any event, you might want to do some research.
Follow this link to get you started.
newadvent.org/cathen/10601a.htm

God bless.

 

[nightman]

Yes, you were right the tales, stories, legends, or accounts of the childhood of Jesus are found in the works of Thomas. I mean no disrespect to the Bible at all. I’m simply pointing out that it is missing eighteen years of history of the man. From his Bar Mitzvah to his temptation trial from Satan. I feel short changed by the group of Priest that put the Bible together. They intentionally left so much matieral out of their editing sessions. When asked why they claim the other writings were not verifiable. What about the tale,story,or account of Peter and the fish found in Matthew the 17 chapter and the twenty seventh verse how do you verify that tid-bit? Was it easier for those Priests to believe Peter caught a fish with money in it’s mouth, then Jesus making sparrows as a child? I just believe that the moral attitude of those days was vastly different then now. In todays society Joseph would be prosecuted for statutory rape of Mary!
THANK YOU,
NIGHTMAN

 

[Catholic_Dude]

A priest on EWTN said that the reason why there is so little info on Jesus during His early years is because He was demonstrating that most of life is supposed to be spent out of the spot light quietly doing God’s Will every day in your daily family life.

 

[Bobby_Jim]

If you read a biography of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, most of it will be about things that happened once they became “public” figures. You might read about some anecdotes from childhood, but not much - just broad sketches. Sometimes you will hear that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, although that is of dubious authenticity.

So too with the Gospels… except they aren’t intended as biography, the way we think of it. They’re more like catechisms, to teach you something. Maybe including details of Jesus’ “hidden life” didn’t add much to the Evangelists’ message.

If there can be apocryphal stories about George Washington, and scholars later decide which stories are likely to be true and which ones aren’t, I think the early church fathers could just also determine that the stories of Jesus bringing birds to life and such were of doubtful authenticity.

 

[Malachi4U]

Every time I make the sign of the cross I touch my thumb, index and middle finger together while at the same time I tuck under and hold together my ring and pink finger. Why? The three fingers remind me I pray to the Trinity our God. The two fingers remind me every time of both the divine and HUMAN nature of Jesus. I thank my Eastern Rite brothers for this great symbol.

Jesus was totally human and as such had all the human problems we would have had to deal with. I am sure He got cuts, stomach cramps, tested His mothers authority and a whole range of other things. This is what God wanted, His Son to be human, one of us.

It is not wrong in anyway to thing Jesus had human problems or feelings. If He was not attracted to women then He would not be human (He was not gay either for you jokesters out there:tsktsk: ).

The Bible teaches us key events, stories and theology. It is not even close to complete and says so itself. The NT just relates to us something about His birth and then some stories from the time He began His three year teaching.

 

[nightman]

I want to thank everyone for their (name removed by moderator)ut on my last post. It sure is nice to see you have prompted responses to a thought. So here is some more FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
First let’s go back to the book of Exodus. Ex. 8 :15 says But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite,HE HARDENED HIS HEART, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. Then in Ex.8:32 we read . And Pharaoh HARDENED HIS HEARTat this time also, neither would he let the people go. Next let’s read Ex.9:34
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and HARDENED HIS HEART, he and his servants.
Now let’s pay close attention to what we read in chapter 10 of Exodus. For our whole theory pro or con on the issue is addressed. Ex 10:1 says
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I HAVE HARDENED HIS HEART AND THE HEART OF HIS SERVANTS , that I might shew these my signs before him
How much plainer can it be? God choreographs his own plays.
THANK YOU, NIGHTMAN

 

[thistle]

I want to thank everyone for their (name removed by moderator)ut on my last post. It sure is nice to see you have prompted responses to a thought. So here is some more FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
First let’s go back to the book of Exodus. Ex. 8 :15 says But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite,HE HARDENED HIS HEART, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. Then in Ex.8:32 we read . And Pharaoh HARDENED HIS HEARTat this time also, neither would he let the people go. Next let’s read Ex.9:34
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and HARDENED HIS HEART, he and his servants.
Now let’s pay close attention to what we read in chapter 10 of Exodus. For our whole theory pro or con on the issue is addressed. Ex 10:1 says
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I HAVE HARDENED HIS HEART AND THE HEART OF HIS SERVANTS , that I might shew these my signs before him
How much plainer can it be? God choreographs his own plays.

                          THANK YOU, NIGHTMAN

If you want to pursue a different topic you cannot do it in this thread. You will have to open a separate thread for a new topic.