View source for 127:3 The Eighteenth Year (A.D. 12)

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The last piece of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capernaum Capernaum] property (except an [[equity]] in one other), already mortgaged, was sold. The proceeds were used for [[taxes]], to buy some new tools for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James], and to make a payment on the old family supply and repair shop near the [[caravan]] lot, which [[Jesus]] now proposed to buy back since James was old enough to [[work]] at the house shop and help [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] about the [[home]]. With the [[financial]] [[pressure]] thus eased for the time being, [[Jesus]] decided to take [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] to the [[Passover]]. They went up to [[Jerusalem]] a day early, to be alone, going by way of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaria Samaria]. They walked, and [[Jesus]] told James about the historic places en route as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph his father] had taught him on a similar [[journey]] five years before.

127:3.2 In passing through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaria Samaria], they saw many [[strange]] sights. On this [[journey]] they talked over many of their [[problems]], [[personal]], [[family]], and [[national]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] was a very [[religious]] type of lad, and while he did not fully [[agree]] with his mother regarding the little he knew of the [[plans]] concerning [[Jesus]]' lifework, he did look forward to the time when he would be able to [[assume]] [[responsibility]] for the [[family]] so that [[Jesus]] could begin his mission. He was very [[appreciative]] of Jesus' taking him up to the [[Passover]], and they talked over the [[future]] more fully than ever before.

127:3.3 [[Jesus]] did much [[thinking]] as they [[journeyed]] through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaria Samaria], particularly at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel Bethel] and when drinking from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob%27s_Well Jacob's well]. He and his [[brother]] discussed the [[traditions]] of [[Abraham]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac Isaac], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob Jacob]. He did much to [[prepare]] James for what he was about to [[witness]] at [[Jerusalem]], thus seeking to lessen the [[shock]] such as he himself had [[experienced]] on his first [[visit]] to the [[temple]]. But [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] was not so [[sensitive]] to some of these sights. He commented on the perfunctory and heartless [[manner]] in which some of the [[priests]] performed their [[duties]] but on the whole greatly enjoyed his [[sojourn]] at [[Jerusalem]].

127:3.4 [[Jesus]] took [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] for the [[Passover]] supper. Simon had been laid to rest with his fathers, and [[Jesus]] presided over this household as the head of the Passover [[family]], having brought the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschal_lamb paschal lamb] from the [[temple]].

127:3.5 After the [[Passover]] supper [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_of_Bethany Mary] sat down to talk with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha Martha], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus Lazarus], and [[Jesus]] talked together far into the night. The next day they attended the [[temple]] services, and James was received into the [[commonwealth]] of [[Israel]]. That morning, as they paused on the brow of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Olivet Olivet] to view [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_temple the temple], while James exclaimed in [[wonder]], [[Jesus]] gazed on [[Jerusalem]] in [[silence]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] could not [[comprehend]] his [[brother]]'s demeanor. That night they again returned to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany Bethany] and would have departed for [[home]] the next day, but James was insistent on their going back to visit the [[temple]], explaining that he wanted to hear the [[teachers]]. And while this was true, [[secretly]] in his [[heart]] he wanted to hear [[Jesus]] [[participate]] in the [[discussions]], as he had heard his [[mother]] tell about. Accordingly, they went to the [[temple]] and heard the [[discussions]], but Jesus asked no questions. It all seemed so puerile and insignificant to this [[awakening]] [[mind]] of man and God—he could only [[pity]] them. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] was [[disappointed]] that [[Jesus]] said nothing. To his [[inquiries]] [[Jesus]] only made reply, " My hour has not yet come. "

127:3.6 The next day they [[journeyed]] [[home]] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho Jericho] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Valley_%28Middle_East%29 Jordan valley], and [[Jesus]] recounted many things by the way, including his former trip over this road when he was thirteen years old.

127:3.7 Upon returning to [[Nazareth]], [[Jesus]] began [[work]] in the old family repair shop and was greatly cheered by being able to meet so many people each day from all parts of the country and surrounding districts. [[Jesus]] truly loved people—just common folks. Each month he made his payments on the shop and, with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James]'s help, continued to [[provide]] for the [[family]].

127:3.8 Several times a year, when [[visitors]] were not present thus to [[function]], [[Jesus]] continued to read the [[Sabbath]] [[scriptures]] at the [[synagogue]] and many times offered comments on the lesson, but usually he so selected the passages that comment was unnecessary. He was skillful, so arranging the order of the [[reading]] of the various passages that the one would [[illuminate]] the other. He never failed, [[weather]] permitting, to take his brothers and sisters out on [[Sabbath]] afternoons for their [[nature]] strolls.

127:3.9 About this time the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chazaon chazan] [[inaugurated]] a young men's club for [[philosophic]] [[discussion]] which met at the [[homes]] of different members and often at his own home, and [[Jesus]] became a prominent member of this [[group]]. By this means he was enabled to regain some of the local [[prestige]] which he had lost at the time of the recent [[nationalistic]] [[controversies]].

127:3.10 His [[social]] life, while restricted, was not wholly neglected. He had many warm [[friends]] and stanch admirers among both the [[Youth|young men and the young women]] of [[Nazareth]].

127:3.11 In September, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_(Biblical_person) Elizabeth] and [[John the Baptist|John]] came to visit the [[Nazareth]] [[family]]. John, having lost his father, intended to return to the Judean hills to engage in [[agriculture]] and sheep raising unless [[Jesus]] advised him to remain in [[Nazareth]] to take up [[carpentry]] or some other line of work. They did not know that the [[Nazareth]] [[family]] was practically [[Poverty|penniless]]. The more [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_(Biblical_person) Elizabeth] talked about their sons, the more they became convinced that it would be good for the two young men to [[work]] [[together]] and see more of each other.

127:3.12 [[Jesus]] and [[John the Baptist|John]] had many talks together; and they talked over some very [[intimate]] and [[personal]] matters. When they had finished this [[visit]], they decided not again to see each other until they should meet in their [[public]] [[service]] after " the heavenly Father should call " them to their work. [[John the Baptist|John]] was tremendously impressed by what he saw at [[Nazareth]] that he should return [[home]] and [[labor]] for the [[support]] of his [[mother]]. He became convinced that he was to be a part of [[Jesus]]' life [[mission]], but he saw that [[Jesus]] was to occupy many years with the rearing of his [[family]]; so he was much more content to return to his [[home]] and settle down to the care of their little [[farm]] and to minister to the needs of his [[mother]]. And never again did [[John the Baptist|John]] and [[Jesus]] see each other until that day by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_river Jordan] when the Son of Man presented himself for [[baptism]].

127:3.13 On Saturday afternoon, December 3, of this year, [[death]] for the second time struck at this [[Nazareth]] [[family]]. Little Amos, their baby [[brother]], died after a week's illness with a high fever. After passing through this time of [[sorrow]] with her first-born son as her only [[support]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] at last and in the fullest sense [[recognized]] [[Jesus]] as the real head of the [[family]]; and he was truly a [[worthy]] head.

127:3.14 For four years their [[standard of living]] had steadily declined; year by year they felt the pinch of increasing [[poverty]]. By the close of this year they faced one of the most [[difficult]] [[experiences]] of all their uphill struggles. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus James] had not yet begun to earn much, and the expenses of a [[funeral]] on top of everything else staggered them. But [[Jesus]] would only say to his [[anxious]] and [[grieving]] [[mother]]: " [[Mother-Mary]], sorrow will not help us; we are all doing our best, and [[mother]]'s smile, perchance, might even [[inspire]] us to do better. Day by day we are strengthened for these tasks by our [[hope]] of better days ahead. " His sturdy and [[practical]] [[optimism]] was truly [[contagious]]; all the [[children]] lived in an [[atmosphere]] of [[anticipation]] of better times and better things. And this hopeful [[courage]] contributed mightily to the [[development]] of strong and [[noble]] [[characters]], in spite of the depressiveness of their [[poverty]].

127:3.15 [[Jesus]] [[possessed]] the [[ability]] effectively to mobilize all his [[powers]] of [[mind]], [[soul]], and [[body]] on the task immediately in hand. He could [[concentrate]] his deep-[[thinking]] [[mind]] on the one problem which he wished to solve, and this, in [[connection]] with his untiring [[patience]], enabled him serenely to [[endure]] the [[trials]] of a difficult [[mortal]] [[existence]]—to live as if he were " seeing Him who is invisible. "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Letters_to_the_Hebrews#The_Letter_to_the_Hebrews.2C_XI]

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[[Category:Paper 127 - The Adolescent Years]]
[[Category: Poverty]]