Sunday: The Early Days
Scripture gives us little information about the early years of Jesus. A few verses, however, tell us something about those conditions and the kind of world the Savior entered.
Read Luke 2:7, Luke 2:22-24 (see also Leviticus 12:6-8) and Matthew 2:1-18. What do we see in these verses that gives us an indication of the kind of life Jesus faced from the start?
Image © Rolf Jansson at Goodsalt.com
Of course, Jesus was not the first person to live in poverty or to face those who wanted to kill Him, even from an early age. There is, however, another element that helps us understand the uniqueness of what Christ suffered from the earliest times.
Read John 1:46. What element does this add to help us understand what sufferings the young Jesus had faced?
With the exception of Adam and Eve before the Fall, Jesus was the only sinless person who ever lived on the earth. In His purity, in His sinlessness, He was immersed in a world of sin. What a torture it must have been, even as a child, for His pure soul constantly to be in contact with sin. Even in our hardness because of sin, we ourselves often shrink away from exposure to sins and evil that we find repulsive. Imagine what it must have been like for Christ, whose soul was pure, who wasn’t the least bit tainted by sin. Think of the sharp contrast between Himself and others around Him in that regard. It must have been exceedingly painful for Him.
| Ask yourself, “How sensitive am I to the sins that exist all around us? Do they bother me, or am I hardened to them?” If you are hardened to them, could it be because of the things you read, watch, or even do? Think about it. |
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The child Jesus grew as every son and daughter of Adam must grow - gradually becoming aware of His mission. From childhood, Christ's mother trained Him to love the Scriptures and live in its Holy-Spirit-inspired atmosphere. Thus it was that His soul shrank from the evil in His surroundings - and there must have been plenty of it, since Nazareth had such a bad reputation.
It reminds me of the words of Alexander Pope which so perfectly captured a law of our minds:
So the question is: Are we training our minds to love the atmosphere of heaven and shrink from evil, as Christ did, or are we preparing to embrace the values of this world?
What does this imply for what we watch on our electronic screens? Is factual material always good? Or do we also have to avoid the evil "facts" of this world?
At the same time, we know that Christ sought out the company of sinners in order to bring the Good News to them, and He was not polluted by the contact. It reminds me of Ellen White's counsel of being social to save. I believe that while we are on Christ's mission, He will shield us from the evil of the surroundings into which He sends us. What a challenge!
I am again reminded that I must seek God first in the morning if I want Him to guide me through the day ...
[See also The Desire of Ages, Chapter 7, "As a Child."]
In reflecting on today's lesson, Isaiah 53:3 comes to mind: "... a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief...". Yes, it is true that Jesus's "pure soul" would have experienced distress from exposure to sin. But I suspect the main source of His distress was not so much the impact of this exposure itself. Rather, I believe it was the "sorrow" and "grief" of the destruction that each and every individual of the majority of His creation was embracing (and in turn inflicting on others) when He had instead created humans for the purpose of experiencing and promoting abundant life. Matthew 23:37 is an expression of what I am proposing - which also echoes the experience of Genesis 6:5-6.
Which is the greater sorrow? Your own distress or witnessing the distress of those you love?
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For those who are interested, Ellen White provides additional comment on Jesus early life in chapters 5 and 6 of The Story of Jesus.
Jesus came into our world through the lowest door. No one, poor or rich, can truly say Jesus cannot relate to their circumstances. He was born to a teenage mother, who could only afford 2 turtledoves as an offering. I grew up poor in Jamaica, but I didn't know I was poor, because we were so rich in other ways. My siblings and I were raised by loving parents, who had worship in the mornings and evenings each day. We walked to church each Sabbath and stayed the entire day. Jesus had a similar simple life despite the rough environment. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth."? Absolutely! The story of Jesus' early years can give hope to any young child growing up in poverty, but rich in the love of God and family. Let's get back to family worship, which can help to mitigate tough circumstances, and keep families focused on what's important and also preparing for the second coming of Jesus.
When the second Person of the Godhead chose to come to this planet to redeem souls who had sold themselves to Satan, He chose to be born into the poorest class of society. More people could thus identify with Him.
It makes me think that has implications of how we present ourselves to the world. Perhaps it is often better to appear in work clothes than dressed in the latest fashion?
[You can read more in Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 401 ff.]
It was no choice of Christ to be born in poverty and to suffer the burden of sinners. Yet he never complained and he had compassion for those suffering. Do I look at His example to feel for the poor and the needy? Do I spend all my energy complaining because of perhaps a self-inflicted crucible or any crucible I am going through? Indeed, we need to learn of the character of God to humble ourselves through the crucibles we go through in life.
I do wonder about the final sentence: "It must have been exceedingly painful for Him." I have no doubt that seeing the effects of sin was exceedingly painful. It is for us as well. But the author makes it sound like being *around* sinners was painful, and I don't know if I agree with that. The Bible records so many stories of Jesus mingling with people and being in crowds.
Most of us have volunteered at one time or another. Knowing people's needs can hurt, but being with them and assisting them gives a warm feeling. It's not supposed to hurt to be around other people, particularly when you're able to help and fellowship. I'm not sure what the author meant by that sentence, and I wish they had been clearer.