What Do We Know About Jesus Life as a Child?

While Jesus Christ’s adult life is well documented in the Bible, there is very little information about his childhood. The Gospels provide only a few glimpses into Jesus’s early years, leaving many questions unanswered. Nonetheless, let’s explore what we do know about the life of Jesus as a child.

The Birth of Jesus

The story of the birth of Jesus is one that is well known. According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for the census.

There was no room for them in the inn, so they stayed in a stable where Jesus was born. Angels appeared to shepherds nearby, announcing the birth of the Savior.

Jesus’s Circumcision and Presentation at the Temple

According to Jewish custom, male infants were circumcised eight days after their birth. This ceremony marked them as members of God’s covenant people. After Jesus was circumcised, Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to God.

At the temple, they met two elderly people: Simeon and Anna. Simeon had been promised by God that he would see the Messiah before he died. When he saw Jesus, he took him in his arms and declared that he could now die in peace since he had seen God’s salvation.

The Flight to Egypt

After Jesus was born, King Herod heard from wise men that a new king had been born in Bethlehem. In order to eliminate any threat to his throne, Herod ordered all male children under two years old in Bethlehem killed.

An angel warned Joseph in a dream about Herod’s plan and instructed him to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt until it was safe to return home.

Life in Nazareth

The Gospels offer very little information about Jesus’ childhood after his family returned from Egypt. We know that he grew up in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee. The Gospel of Luke tells us that “the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the details about Jesus’s childhood may be limited, but what we do know is significant. His birth was miraculous, and even as a child, he was recognized as the Son of God by Simeon at the temple. We also learn that his family had to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath.

While there may be many unanswered questions about Jesus’s childhood, these glimpses into his early life help us better understand the remarkable life of the man who would go on to change the world forever.