What did Jesus do from the time he was old enough to read, write and talk intelligently? The Bible does not tell us much. We do know of one incident when he was forgotten by his parents in Jerusalem after celebrating Passover. Somehow Joseph and Mary didn't realize their twelve year old son was missing for a day. They went back to Jerusalem and went to all their friends and relatives homes looking for him. After three days they finally found him in the temple. Luke 2:46b-49 says:
"Sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions.
And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
And when they (Joseph and Mary) saw him they were amazed; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold , thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
And he (Jesus) said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
And they understood not this saying which he spake unto them."
The phrase "about my Father's business" could perhaps better be translated "in my Father's house". That is where Jesus logically should have been considering who he was and what his destiny involved. After this, they went to Nazareth and verse 51 says that Jesus was "subject unto them" as an obedient and dutiful child. Mary kept these sayings in her heart, pondering them for what turned out to be 18 years. All we know about Jesus from the time he was 12 until when he was 30 years old is recorded in one verse. Luke 2:52 summarizes 18 years of Jesus life:
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
For 18 years Jesus grew in both soul and body becoming the perfect "man". Biblically, a male was not considered a "man" until he was 30 years old. Unlike today, a 28 year old was not considered an adult in Biblical culture. A person was looked upon as a child until they were 12, and then for the next 18 years they were to grow up physically and mentally. Finally, when they became 30, they were granted all the privileges of adulthood. Thus, Jesus could not start his "ministry" until he was 30 years old. He, along with everyone else, had to first "grow up" before being allowed the responsibility of teaching and serving others.
Not only did Jesus grow up physically and mentally during those 18 years, but he grew in favor with God and man. He carried out his duties, whatever they were, perfectly during all those years. He was godly, benevolent, kind, humble, obedient and diligent. Both God and man regarded him with increasing favor. We can only assume that Jesus spent hours upon hours reading the scrolls of the Old Testament. He spent hours and hours at the feet of the elders learning the meaning of the words he read. He had to have spent hours and hours meditating upon what he had read and heard.
We also know that Jesus had to have spent hours and hours in prayer, for that was the culture of the time. We know that Jesus worked as a carpenter in his physical father's business. He was the "good kid" all the other parents wished their kid was like. He did as he was told by both his Heavenly Father as well as his earthly parents. He grew and became more mature each year until he was finally old enough to accept the responsibility of leading others.
So many of the problems we encounter in our society are brought on by kids being in a rush to "grow up". Somehow we now consider someone who is 18, old enough to be granted almost every privilege of adulthood (except drinking hard liquor). By the time a person is 21 they are considered an adult and expected to be married, have children, work at a profession etc. I am quite aware that the biggest difference between the Biblical culture and the current one is education. In Bible times, there was no public education that kids went to for 12 years. There were "colleges" for the privileged, but not for the vast majority of people.
Kids were taught by their parents, grandparents and religious leaders. They became apprentices at their family business and worked and learned about life for many years. Biblically, most kids got married when teenagers and continued to live with their parents long after getting married. Biblical culture was centered on what was practical not what was fun, wild and crazy and could generate the latest "high".
Jesus led, by today's standards, the most boring and lonely life of anyone on earth. He lived with his parents until he was 30. He never married nor had kids. He worked as a carpenter most of his life. His main interest was in studying the scrolls of the Torah and learning from his elders what it all meant. His "free time" was spent in prayer, study and meditation. He probably went to bed soon after sunset and awoke before sunrise to go pray.
If teenagers were subject to this kind of lifestyle today they would scream "child abuse". If twenty-something young adults were expected to live this kind of disciplined quiet lifestyle, they would revolt and flat out refuse. If newly married couples lived with their parents for years after they were married today; the parents would rebel and leave. If unmarried children lived at home until they were 30; they would be looked upon as "freeloaders".
What was then was for then and what is now will not be changed. Cultures have changed, and what the western culture has become cannot be reversed. But in our rush to educate and then force young people on to the fast track for financial prosperity before they have matured; we have, as a society, created a generation of leaders who are too immature to really lead. We have pushed countless young people into levels of management, and the related stress, that their lack of experience and maturity cannot handle.
Throw into this mix the drive to be number one in everything, and the total devotion to business success that motivates many under 30 and what you end up with are people "burned out" before they hit 40. So much of life's energy is spent receiving education for 16-20 years and then running the first few years after graduation like a 100 yard dash, that when people realize it is a marathon; they do not have the stamina to stay in the race. Because of these things, the phenomena of people wanting to "retire" when they are 50 years old or less have evolved.
Jesus spent 30 years preparing for a 3 ½ year ministry. He never went to "seminary" to learn how to be the world's greatest teacher, counselor, evangelist, prophet or leader. He never attended a day of "school" in his life. There is no record of Jesus making a fortune in his years as a carpenter apprentice. He was content to spend years learning and growing so as to be ready when his ministry began.
When Jesus "graduated" at his 30th birthday, he immediately left home and began a lifestyle that by everyone's standards was considered impoverished. He never bought a home, or even had a home for that matter. He never worked a job, started a company or lived off of Joseph's inheritance. Jesus himself said that foxes had holes and birds had nests, but the Son of man had nowhere to lay his head.
Jesus Christ, the son of God, was by today's standards—HOMELESS AND UNEMPLOYED. There is no other way to put it. Thus, Jesus spent 30 years preparing to live the rest of his life in the most deplorable state men judge other men to ever end up in—the state of having no home, no job and no wife or children. By the world's standards, Jesus was the perfect example of FAILURE.
An associate of mine is a medical doctor. Years ago, he closed his practice and devoted his life to taking medical teams of Christians to the remotest parts of Siberia in Russia to provide free medical care and to preach the Gospel. Every year he takes a team, by dog sled, to small villages in the Arctic to administer medical care and share the good news of Jesus Christ. This man is the happiest, most fulfilled and satisfied person I have ever known. He lives off his Social Security and demands nothing more. He is truly content to look at his life and all his training as a gift to others as opposed to a stepping stone to untold riches and fame.
Another associate of mine recently stepped aside from an executive position making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to run a non-profit community outreach program for NOTHING. Asked if they felt bad for "squandering" all their years of education and training, they said; "Absolutely not; all those years were preparation for their life's true calling." This person is happy, blessed and totally at peace with himself.
Life is more than making money and establishing a name for yourself. All the wealth and honor in this world cannot bring true happiness or contentment. Those things come only with fulfilling one's life's destiny through giving of oneself in service to others.
Jesus ended up being the most contented man who ever lived even though he did absolutely nothing, by the world's standards, to ever distinguish himself as a success. Through his complete failure to live up to the world's standards of success, he established himself as the greatest person who ever walked on this earth. That is why I want to be like Jesus and find my greatest joy in following His example.
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