Bible text:
John 1:1-5 MEV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.
John 5:19 NKJV Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 8:26 NKJV
I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
In the last episode we left of with Joseph and Mary presenting their babe, Jesus at the temple. Simeon had blessed them and prophesied over Jesus and Anna, the prophetess, gave thanks to the Lord and spoke to all those who were looked for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Today let’s take a look at the following events:
- Visit of the Wise Men
- Flight into Egypt and Massacre of Innocents
- From Egypt to Nazareth with Jesus
- Childhood of Jesus
- Jesus, 12 years old, visits the Temple
- 18-year account of Jesus’ adolescence and adulthood
The Visit of the Wise Men
Matthew 2:1-12 NKJV
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
In verse 3 we see that, “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” I believe it was Rick Renner that said that the reason for this statement was that Herod was a particularly cruel ruler and when things didn’t go his way, he took it out on the people of Jerusalem.
Verse 12 seems to support this in that the wise men were divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod.
Oral Roberts, My Personal Commentary, KJV Bible
He mentions about the gifts that the wise men gave were not the typical gifts given for a baby’s birth, they were appropriate for Christ.
“Gold was given to kings to recognize their lordship and authority. By giving gold to Jesus, the wise men affirmed that He is the King of kings.”
“Frankincense, was used only in worship to God. The wise men presented it to Jesus and fell down and worshiped Him. Their actions and gifts proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God.”
“Myrrh, was a spice used to embalm and prepare a body for burial; yet the wise men gave it to a newborn child. This fit foreshadowed Christ’s death on the cross. The myrrh verified that Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of God.”
Flight into Egypt and Massacre of Innocents
Matthew 2:13-18 NKJV
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”
From Egypt to Nazareth with Jesus
Matthew 2:19-23 MEV
19 But when Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Nevertheless, being warned by God in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Luke 2:39 MEV
When they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.
Isaiah 11:1 MEV
And there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible:
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene — better, perhaps, “Nazarene.” The best explanation of the origin of this name appears to be that which traces it to the word netzer in Isaiah 11:1 – the small twig, sprout, or sucker, which the prophet there says, “shall come forth from the stem (or rather, ‹stump‘) of Jesse, the branch which should fructify from his roots.” The little town of Nazareth, mentioned neither in the Old Testament nor in Josephus, was probably so called from its insignificance: a weak twig in contrast to a stately tree; and a special contempt seemed to rest upon it – “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) – over and above the general contempt in which all Galilee was held, from the number of Gentiles that settled in the upper territories of it, and, in the estimation of the Jews, debased it. Thus, in the providential arrangement by which our Lord was brought up at the insignificant and opprobrious town called Nazareth, there was involved, first, a local humiliation; next, an allusion to Isaiah‘s prediction of His lowly, twig-like upspringing from the branchless, dried-up stump of Jesse; and yet further, a standing memorial of that humiliation which “the prophets,” in a number of the most striking predictions, had attached to the Messiah.
Jesus, from childhood to 18
Luke 2:40-52 MEV
40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom. And the grace of God was upon Him.
41 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 When He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When the days of the feast were complete, as they returned, the Child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know of it. 44 But supposing Him to be in their company, they went a day’s journey. Then they searched for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for Him. 46 After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 All who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers.
48 When they saw Him, they were amazed. And His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You dealt with us like this? Look, Your father and I have anxiously searched for You.” 49 He said to them, “How is it that you searched for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the word which He spoke to them.
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. But His mother kept all these words in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men.
Oral Roberts, The New Testament Comes Alive, Vol. 1
Commentary on Luke 2:51
The increase of Jesus’ life is a remarkable demonstration for you and me to follow. Not only did He grow in His body but He grew in wisdom and He found favor with God and with people. He was busy. He obeyed His parents, He grew, He worked in the carpenter shop, He kept himself busy. As with every Jewish child, He learned a trade. He went to the synagogue schools. He went to the house of God on the sabbath days. He worshipped the Lord. He became a well-rounded human being. He grew as a whole man — in body, mind and spirit. As a follower of Christ, you should never stop growing. You should never stop learning. You should always be increasing yourself, growing in the Lord, growing in your mind, developing your health, and becoming more of a well-rounded human being every day of your life.