Jesus Christ

“But thou, Beth-lehem, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel” (Micah 5: 2).

“And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you” (Helaman 14: 5).

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matt. 2: 1, 2).

“When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet” (Matt. 2: 3-5).

Truth is revealed and becomes evident as efforts of evil seek to destroy that which is virtuous and lovely; so it was for the Babe of Bethlehem. To maintain the power of his throne, Herod sought to kill the child who would be “ruler in Israel.” But the king cloaked his treacherous intent against Baby Jesus by feigning a desire to worship the Child; the king directed the magi to return and tell of the Infant’s location.

“Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also” (Matt 2: 7, 8).

The wise men proceeded to follow the star that led them to a lowly manger; but being warned of God in a dream, the magi knew to dismiss Herod’s sinister request.

“When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt 2: 9-11).

Truth becomes evident as efforts of evil seek to destroy that which is good; so it is today. Some souls rejoice at the sight of His star and humbly seek to follow the Light that leads to worship the Babe of Bethlehem; while others fight against His goodness with malicious motives akin to king Herod, who sought to slay the Holy Child. The immense irony of such contrary efforts is expressed in a Mormon Hymn:

      No creature is so lowly, No sinner so depraved,
      But feels thy presence holy, And thru thy love is saved.
      Tho craven friends betray thee, They feel thy love’s embrace;
      The very foes who slay thee Have access to thy grace.

Those who truly adore the Son of God will come unto Him, bearing the gift that is most pleasing in His sight, the gift of love: returning good in the face of evil--following in the steps of the Prince of Peace, Jesus of Nazareth--the Babe of Bethlehem. Oh Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ, the Lord.

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!

When Joseph and Mary discovered that Jesus was not in the company traveling back to Nazareth, they returned to Jerusalem 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)