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123:0.1 Owing to the [[uncertainties]] and [[anxieties]] of their [[sojourn]] in [[Bethlehem]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] did not [[wean]] the babe until they had arrived safely in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria], where the [[family]] was able to settle down to a [[normal]] life. They lived with [[kinsfolk]], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] was well able to [[support]] his [[family]] as he secured [[work]] shortly after their arrival. He was employed as a [[carpenter]] for several months and then elevated to the position of foreman of a large [[group]] of workmen employed on one of the [[public]] buildings then in [[process]] of construction. This new [[experience]] gave him the [[idea]] of becoming a contractor and builder after their return to [[Nazareth]].

123:0.1 Owing to the [[uncertainties]] and [[anxieties]] of their [[sojourn]] in [[Bethlehem]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] did not [[wean]] the babe until they had arrived safely in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria], where the [[family]] was able to settle down to a [[normal]] life. They lived with [[kinsfolk]], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] was well able to [[support]] his [[family]] as he secured [[work]] shortly after their arrival. He was employed as a [[carpenter]] for several months and then elevated to the position of foreman of a large [[group]] of workmen employed on one of the [[public]] buildings then in [[process]] of construction. This new [[experience]] gave him the [[idea]] of becoming a contractor and builder after their return to [[Nazareth]].

123:0.2 All through these early years of [[Jesus]]' helpless [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant infancy], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)  Mary] maintained one long and constant [[vigil]] lest anything befall her child which might [[jeopardize]] his welfare or in any way [[interfere]] with his [[future]] mission on [[earth]]; no [[mother]] was ever more [[devoted]] to her [[child]]. In the [[home]] where [[Jesus]] chanced to be there were two other children about his age, and among the near [[neighbors]] there were six others whose ages were sufficiently near his own to make them [[acceptable]] [[play]]-fellows. At first [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] was disposed to keep [[Jesus]] close by her side. She feared something might happen to him if he were allowed to [[play]] in the [[garden]] with the other children, but [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph], with the [[assistance]] of his kinsfolk, was able to convince her that such a [[course]] would deprive Jesus of the helpful [[experience]] of learning how to [[adjust]] himself to children of [[Peers|his own age]]. And [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary], [[realizing]] that such a [[program]] of undue [[sheltering]] and unusual protection might tend to make him [[self-conscious]] and somewhat self-centered, finally gave assent to the [[plan]] of permitting the child of [[promise]] to grow up just like any other child; and though she was [[obedient]] to this [[decision]], she made it her [[business]] always to be on watch while the little folks were at [[play]] about the house or in the [[garden]]. Only an [[affectionate]] [[mother]] can know the burden that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] carried in her [[heart]] for the safety of her son during these years of his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant infancy] and early [[childhood]].

123:0.2 All through these early years of [[Jesus]]' helpless [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant infancy], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)  Mary] maintained one long and constant [[vigil]] lest anything befall her child which might [[jeopardize]] his welfare or in any way [[interfere]] with his [[future]] mission on [[earth]]; no [[mother]] was ever more [[devoted]] to her [[child]]. In the [[home]] where [[Jesus]] chanced to be there were two other children about his age, and among the near [[neighbors]] there were six others whose ages were sufficiently near his own to make them [[acceptable]] [[play]]-fellows. At first [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] was disposed to keep [[Jesus]] close by her side. She feared something might happen to him if he were allowed to [[play]] in the [[garden]] with the other children, but [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph], with the [[assistance]] of his kinsfolk, was able to convince her that such a [[course]] would deprive Jesus of the helpful [[experience]] of learning how to [[adjust]] himself to children of [[Peers|his own age]]. And [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary], [[realizing]] that such a [[program]] of undue [[sheltering]] and unusual protection might tend to make him [[self-conscious]] and somewhat self-centered, finally gave assent to the [[plan]] of permitting the child of [[promise]] to grow up just like any other child; and though she was [[obedient]] to this [[decision]], she made it her [[business]] always to be on watch while the little folks were at [[play]] about the house or in the [[garden]]. Only an [[affectionate]] [[mother]] can know the burden that [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] carried in her [[heart]] for the safety of her son during these years of his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant infancy] and early [[childhood]].

123:0.3 Throughout the two years of their [[sojourn]] at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria], [[Jesus]] enjoyed good [[health]] and continued to [[grow]] [[normal]]ly. Aside from a few [[friends]] and [[relatives]] no one was told about [[Jesus]]' being a " child of [[promise]]. " One of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph]'s [[relatives]] revealed this to a few friends in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Egypt|Memphis], descendants of the distant [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhnaton Ikhnaton], and they, with a small [[group]] of Alexandrian believers, assembled at the palatial [[home]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph]'s [[relative]]-[[benefactor]] a short time before the return to [[Palestine]] to wish the [[Nazareth]] [[family]] well and to pay their respects to the [[child]]. On this occasion the assembled [[friends]] presented [[Jesus]] with a complete [[copy]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagint Greek translation] of the [[Hebrew scriptures]]. But this copy of the [[Jewish]] [[sacred]] [[writings]] was not placed in Joseph's hands until both he and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] had finally declined the invitation of their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Egypt Memphis] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandrian] friends to remain in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Egypt]. These believers insisted that the [[child]] of [[destiny]] would be able to exert a far greater world [[influence]] as a resident of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria] than of any designated place in [[Palestine]]. These [[persuasions]] delayed their departure for Palestine for some time after they received the news of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Archelaus Herod]'s [[death]].

123:0.3 Throughout the two years of their [[sojourn]] at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria], [[Jesus]] enjoyed good [[health]] and continued to [[grow]] [[normal]]ly. Aside from a few [[friends]] and [[relatives]] no one was told about [[Jesus]]' being a " child of [[promise]]. " One of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph]'s [[relatives]] revealed this to a few friends in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Egypt|Memphis], descendants of the distant [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhnaton Ikhnaton], and they, with a small [[group]] of Alexandrian believers, assembled at the palatial [[home]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph]'s [[relative]]-[[benefactor]] a short time before the return to [[Palestine]] to wish the [[Nazareth]] [[family]] well and to pay their respects to the [[child]]. On this occasion the assembled [[friends]] presented [[Jesus]] with a complete [[copy]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septuagint Greek translation] of the [[Hebrew scriptures]]. But this copy of the [[Jewish]] [[sacred]] [[writings]] was not placed in Joseph's hands until both he and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] had finally declined the invitation of their [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Egypt Memphis] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandrian] friends to remain in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Egypt]. These believers insisted that the [[child]] of [[destiny]] would be able to exert a far greater world [[influence]] as a resident of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria Alexandria] than of any designated place in [[Palestine]]. These [[persuasions]] delayed their departure for Palestine for some time after they received the news of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Archelaus Herod]'s [[death]].

123:0.4 [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_122#122:1._JOSEPH_AND_MARY Joseph and Mary] finally took leave of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria] on a boat belonging to their friend Ezraeon, bound for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffa|Joppa], arriving at that port late in August of the year [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_BC 4 B.C.] They went directly to [[Bethlehem]], where they spent the entire month of September in [[counsel]] with their [[friends]] and [[relatives]] concerning whether they should remain there or return to [[Nazareth]].

123:0.4 [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_122#122:1._JOSEPH_AND_MARY Joseph and Mary] finally took leave of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria] on a boat belonging to their friend Ezraeon, bound for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffa|Joppa], arriving at that port late in August of the year [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_BC 4 B.C.] They went directly to [[Bethlehem]], where they spent the entire month of September in [[counsel]] with their [[friends]] and [[relatives]] concerning whether they should remain there or return to [[Nazareth]].

123:0.5 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] had never fully given up the [[idea]] that [[Jesus]] ought to [[Mature|grow up]] in [[Bethlehem]], the City of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David David]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] did not really [[believe]] that their son was to become a kingly deliverer of [[Israel]]. Besides, he knew that he himself was not really a descendant of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David David]; that his being reckoned among the [[offspring]] of David was due to the [[adoption]] of one of his [[ancestors]] into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David#David.27s_succession Davidic line of descent]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary], of course, thought the City of David the most appropriate place in which the new [[candidate]] for David's throne could be reared, but [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] preferred to take [[chances]] with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas Herod Antipas] rather than with his [[brother]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Archelaus Archelaus]. He entertained great fears for the [[child]]'s [[safety]] in [[Bethlehem]] or in any other [[city]] in [[Judea]], and surmised that Archelaus would be more likely to pursue the menacing [[policies]] of his father, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great Herod], than would [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas Antipas] in [[Galilee]]. And besides all these reasons, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] was outspoken in his preference for [[Galilee]] as a better place in which to rear and [[educate]] the child, but it required three weeks to overcome [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary]'s objections.

123:0.5 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] had never fully given up the [[idea]] that [[Jesus]] ought to [[Mature|grow up]] in [[Bethlehem]], the City of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David David]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] did not really [[believe]] that their son was to become a kingly deliverer of [[Israel]]. Besides, he knew that he himself was not really a descendant of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David David]; that his being reckoned among the [[offspring]] of David was due to the [[adoption]] of one of his [[ancestors]] into the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David#David.27s_succession Davidic line of descent]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary], of course, thought the City of David the most appropriate place in which the new [[candidate]] for David's throne could be reared, but [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] preferred to take [[chances]] with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas Herod Antipas] rather than with his [[brother]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Archelaus Archelaus]. He entertained great fears for the [[child]]'s [[safety]] in [[Bethlehem]] or in any other [[city]] in [[Judea]], and surmised that Archelaus would be more likely to pursue the menacing [[policies]] of his father, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great Herod], than would [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_Antipas Antipas] in [[Galilee]]. And besides all these reasons, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] was outspoken in his preference for [[Galilee]] as a better place in which to rear and [[educate]] the child, but it required three weeks to overcome [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary]'s objections.

123:0.6 By the first of October [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] had convinced [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] and all their [[friends]] that it was best for them to return to [[Nazareth]]. Accordingly, early in October, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_BC 4 B.C.], they departed from [[Bethlehem]] for [[Nazareth]], going by way of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lod Lydda] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythopolis Scythopolis]. They started out early one Sunday morning, Mary and the child riding on their newly acquired [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_animal beast of burden], while [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] and five accompanying kinsmen proceeded on foot; Joseph's [[relatives]] refused to permit them to make the trip to [[Nazareth]] alone. They feared to go to [[Galilee]] by [[Jerusalem]] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Valley_(Middle_East) Jordan valley], and the western routes were not altogether [[safe]] for two lone [[travelers]] with a [[child]] of tender years.

123:0.6 By the first of October [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] had convinced [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] and all their [[friends]] that it was best for them to return to [[Nazareth]]. Accordingly, early in October, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_BC 4 B.C.], they departed from [[Bethlehem]] for [[Nazareth]], going by way of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lod Lydda] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythopolis Scythopolis]. They started out early one Sunday morning, Mary and the child riding on their newly acquired [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_animal beast of burden], while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] and five accompanying kinsmen proceeded on foot; Joseph's [[relatives]] refused to permit them to make the trip to [[Nazareth]] alone. They feared to go to [[Galilee]] by [[Jerusalem]] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Valley_(Middle_East) Jordan valley], and the western routes were not altogether [[safe]] for two lone [[travelers]] with a [[child]] of tender years.

<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_123 Go to Paper 123]</center>

<center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_123 Go to Paper 123]</center>

<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center>

<center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center>

[[Category: Paper 123 - The Early Childhood of Jesus]]

[[Category: Paper 123 - The Early Childhood of Jesus]]