Luke 2:51 ~ Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:51

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.


I believe we all feel a little deprived because we aren't given a lot of views of Jesus' growing up years.

We can be assured of this time and what was happening in Jesus and around Jesus:

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”



Macrobius (ca. AD 400), one of the last pagan writers in Rome, in his book Saturnalia, wrote: “When it was heard that, as part of the slaughter of boys up to two years old, Herod, king of the Jews, had ordered his own son to be killed, he, the Emperor Augustus, remarked, ‘It is better to be Herod’s pig.'

If we assume God is King of the Universe and Lord of Lords, we can assume Jesus was born in 1 A.D., He was three or four when Jesus returned to Nazareth from Egypt.

Jesus saw something of this:

The Flight Into Egypt - Frederick Goodall

By Edwin Longsden, Holy Family in Egypt

Why would Father God send His Son to Egypt?

Isaiah 19
In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”

The Lord sees Salvation as God Sized.

Acts 7:11
Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.

Mark settles in Africa. Mark founded the Church of Alexandria, one of the most important episcopal sees of Early Christianity.

Jesus in His beginning is in Egypt and continues this to feed all His Children.



Jude the Brother of Christ briefly describes this.

⁵ Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt


Jude has confidence in His Brother, Jesus.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.





And returning to Nazareth the view was this:

We know Jesus was called the carpenter's son. The Talmud, the Sadducean Council records record and report the difficulty in Luke 1 for Mary. How did she survive in a town of 300 and her parenting skills with Joseph are remembered as being seamless?

Mary had some Help! Joseph had help!

Two times in the Gospels, we are told Mary and Joseph are recognized as very good parents. Whew, we thought Jesus was left willy nilly behind.


James, the Brother of Jesus tells us how Jesus was dealing with life.

James 1
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James records what Jesus witnessed in His own Brothers:

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.



John tells us too. John witnessed Jesus say:

John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.



We can be sure, what the men who saw Jesus grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Saw This:

The different readers of the original texts say:

Mark 10:32
And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed,
in awe,
astonished.

The Bible goes on to say afraid. Angels have rehearsed what to say. "Fear Not." In all the seasons and millenniums - this is well done and to the point!



Father God,

Mark records meeting Jesus and feeling with the people, the astonishment of encountering God on earth. This is his First Gospel Chapter of Jesus. Matthew records this as well.

We thank You for the many astonishing things Jesus has given us. Rejoicing in all of Jesus' ways, knowing the names and thoughts of people, helped His Family. Rejoicing in the example of Jesus going home to visit for the Wedding in Cana.

We ask all the Blessings of Jesus continue to fall upon us. And Thank You for Your Willing Holy Spirit. We do not claw out answered prayers, but look to see where Your Holy Spirit willing blesses.

With expectation of seeing more of Your Joy, we ask for Peace, Joy, Gladness, Love, Hope, Protection and Safety, Good Health, and Give Thanks for the Blessings we know You have Given Willingly.

We lift up to you the tender hearts of the ones we love, for their comfort and joy in You. And for this Nation and the people all over the world. In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †