In what James Talmage describes as “impressive brevity,” very little is written about young Jesus in scripture. It is understandable that a good parent would strive to protect the privacy of a tender child; it follows that early details of this precious Son were made private by His loving Father.
In the book “Jesus the Christ,” Talmage writes: “With hallowed silent do the inspired scribes honor the boyhood of their Lord.” With little revealed about His youthful years, it is important to pay attention to what has been revealed about the boyhood of Jesus, and see the significance.
From the day of His birth to the day Jesus began His magnificent mission, only two events about His early years are described with significant detail. Both events occurred in His Father’s house–the temple.
The first visit to His Father’s house happened when Jesus was an infant. Because Joseph and Mary faithfully followed Jewish law (Exodus 13: 2, 3), they traveled to the temple at Jerusalem “to present [Jesus] to the Lord” (Luke 2: 22-32).
The second visit to His Father’s house–the single event that directly describes the young Boy of Nazareth–happened when Mary and Joseph again sojourned to Jerusalem to observe the annual feast of the passover. While at Jerusalem, at the tender age of twelve, Jesus set out on his own, returning to His Father’s house to do His Father’s business:
“they found him in the temple, 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” (Luke 2: 46, 47).
Appropriately, the scarce details about the young life of Jesus do acknowledge essential Jewish traditions:
1) Circumcision: a sacred rite that represents receiving the Abrahamic covenant.
2) Bar Mitzvah: the milestone when a Jewish youth comes of age and is accountable for living the laws of God.
Bar Mitzvah means “son of the commandment” or “son of the law.” On the day that Jesus was found teaching in the temple, he clearly demonstrated His covenant to being a “son of the law,” but more importantly, He demonstrated His complete commitment to being the Son of the Lawgiver!
and found Him teaching in the temple:
“And when they 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 said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2: 48, 49).
The single event recorded about His boyhood points to one central and solid theme: “I do always those things that please Him.”
With so little written about His boyhood, it is a precious privilege to read the following few words from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible; words that describe His youthful years:
“And it came to pass that Jesus grew up with his brethren, and waxed strong, and waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come. And he served under his father, and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him. And after many years, the hour of his ministry drew nigh” (Matt. 3: 24-26 JST)
