Jesus Before Age 30

[JJWhite]

Jesus = approx. 30 CE.

In another thread, the above quote reminded me of a question I've had in my mind for a while.

I just want one person who's studied Christian theology to share with me what distinguishes between Jesus before his 'mission?' at 30 (if that's what you call it) and after that age. Like, just a quick overview on what is said about him prior to turning 30.

Muslims and Christians, I am NOT looking forward to any back and forth debates/discussions on the issue. I'm just curious what Christianity says about it.

 

[Supreme]

I'll let someone else answer this, although there are some crazy, non-Biblical Gospels with regards to Jesus' life prior to His ministry. Take the Infancy Gospel of St Thomas, for example. During it, Jesus is portrayed as a murderer who strikes blind any who get in His way- hardly resembling the Jesus found in the Bible.

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas

Although, I think the answer to your question is that we do not know very much at all about Jesus' life before He was thirty.

 

[b&wpac4]

If I were to give the New Testament the benefit of the doubt of being exactly what it is claimed to be, the answer could be quite easy: none of the people that wrote it knew anything of Jesus' life before they met him.

 

[Under Grace]

I'll let someone else answer this, although there are some crazy, non-Biblical Gospels with regards to Jesus' life prior to His ministry. Take the Infancy Gospel of St Thomas, for example. During it, Jesus is portrayed as a murderer who strikes blind any who get in His way- hardly resembling the Jesus found in the Bible.

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas

Although, I think the answer to your question is that we do not know very much at all about Jesus' life before He was thirty.

This was found to be a gnostic source and fictional. (Harmonisation with other gospels/ today's Thomas gospel differs from a reference found in writings by Hippolytus of rome, 200AD).

 

[ProScribe]

What was known about Jesus is kept by the tradition of the orthodox catholic church.

 

[Islam_mulia]

I'll let someone else answer this, although there are some crazy, non-Biblical Gospels with regards to Jesus' life prior to His ministry. Take the Infancy Gospel of St Thomas, for example. During it, Jesus is portrayed as a murderer who strikes blind any who get in His way- hardly resembling the Jesus found in the Bible.

I wonder why the Infancy Gospel of St Thomas is considered 'crazy'?

 

[Gwenyfur]

To my knowledge there is only 1 scriptural reference to Jesus' childhood, he was 12....which is found in Luke 2:40-52

 

[JasperJackson]

To my knowledge there is only 1 scriptural reference to Jesus' childhood, he was 12....which is found in Luke 2:40-52

Wow, 8 posts before a clear, Biblical, answer was given! And from a non-Christian at that. Thanks Gwenyfur.

Yes, this passage quotes Jesus as saying he was "in his Father's house" when he was at the temple, which is an allusion to him being the Son of God.

But why do we not know any more about Jesus before his ministry? We don't need to know it. As with the whole Bible, the gospels contain just what is necessary to know enough about God.

 

[Supreme]

I wonder why the Infancy Gospel of St Thomas is considered 'crazy'?

Maybe because in it, Jesus strikes people blind, murders someone and acts an arrogant kid- He doesn't correlate with the Jesus found in the Canonical Gospels.

 

[Islam_mulia]

Maybe because in it, Jesus strikes people blind, murders someone and acts an arrogant kid- He doesn't correlate with the Jesus found in the Canonical Gospels.

Since the canonical gospels do not mention anything on Jesus childhood, what the gnostic books wrote about his infancy and childhood days might not be construed as 'untrue'?

 

[Gwenyfur]

Wow, 8 posts before a clear, Biblical, answer was given! And from a non-Christian at that. Thanks Gwenyfur.

Yes, this passage quotes Jesus as saying he was "in his Father's house" when he was at the temple, which is an allusion to him being the Son of God.

But why do we not know any more about Jesus before his ministry? We don't need to know it. As with the whole Bible, the gospels contain just what is necessary to know enough about God.

I followed Christianity for a number of years before returning to my Pagan roots...

As with all things I pursue...I studied

Which in the end is part of what led me back to being my pagan witchy self...too many things in holy scripture left to "mystery" or just plain unknown. If there's an answer to be had, it shouldn't be assumed...it should be proveable via historical accounts, legends, and yes even myths.

 

[Gwenyfur]

If a person doesn't study a subject from all sides, then they're indeed not learning, but instead being programmed.

 

[JasperJackson]

I followed Christianity for a number of years before returning to my Pagan roots...

As with all things I pursue...I studied

Which in the end is part of what led me back to being my pagan witchy self...too many things in holy scripture left to "mystery" or just plain unknown. If there's an answer to be had, it shouldn't be assumed...it should be proveable via historical accounts, legends, and yes even myths.

That's interesting. So was it a philosophical objection? As in do you think there should be no unknowns when it comes to God. Or were there key, specific things about Christianity/the Bible that are not known that you were uncomfortable with?
I agree that there are unknown things about God. I think the Bible paints an incomplete but sufficient picture of God. I know enough about him to put my faith in him but I don't know everything about him... yet. How boring would it be if you knew everything about someone before you even met them?

 

[bling]

We do have little of Jesus before age 30, but there is always a good reason for everything God or Jesus does. I think we have added up all the specific days we do have about Jesus and it is 90 total. John tells us:
John20:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. And John 21: 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written
We have what we need
The Jewish scholars in the first century might explain this better, but it seems that a rabbi was not considered worthy of following until he was old enough. 30 years might have been that age at that time.
If Christ and God did not want Christ to start His healing and teaching ministry until Christ was 30, God might have intentionally held back some of Christ’s powers. Knowing Christ the way I do, would suggest if He had the power to heal with a touch he would feel the need to use it and heal people from an early age. This would have confused things. Christ could still pray for them and serve them, but the healing would not be seen as miraculous until after Christ was baptized and the spirit descended on Him. Luke 3:
21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

 

[Gwenyfur]

That leads to the 2nd mystery of the ministry of Christ...
Part of being a rabbi...is that the rabbi *has* to be married...
??????

 

[Gwenyfur]

That's interesting. So was it a philosophical objection? As in do you think there should be no unknowns when it comes to God. Or were there key, specific things about Christianity/the Bible that are not known that you were uncomfortable with?
I agree that there are unknown things about God. I think the Bible paints an incomplete but sufficient picture of God. I know enough about him to put my faith in him but I don't know everything about him... yet. How boring would it be if you knew everything about someone before you even met them?

Philosophical, intellectual, and physical actually...
The picture may be complete enough for you, that being the case, I'm glad you're content and happy in your faith. For me, not so much. Too many unanswered questions, contradictions of scripture, tradition, doctrine etc... (see previous post for just one example)

There were many factors that led to my return to my pagan roots and it's a decision I do not regret in the least.

 

[Wicked Willow]

Interestingly enough, the Qur'an references some of the apocryphal stories from the infancy gospels, if memory serves. (Probably because the Arabian peninsula was on the outskirts of the Christian world, and thus more likely escaped the purges that pretty much took place everywhere else.)

There are several good reasons to dismiss the infancy gospels as ahistorical, not just the circular reasoning of pointing to the church canon and back again. The most obvious of these is, of course, their late composition date, coupled with their common attribution to famous individuals who supposedly served as eyewitnesses.


Personally, I think that even the stuff included in the New Testament canon is an interpolation, a case of "reverse engineering" that was deemed necessary in order to show that the Messianic prophecies had been fulfilled. It's clearly pious fraud, though possibly written in good faith, based on the logic of "as he was the messiah, this is how it must have happened".

 

[A_maize]

Since the canonical gospels do not mention anything on Jesus childhood, what the gnostic books wrote about his infancy and childhood days might not be construed as 'untrue'?

Well, according to the text, Jesus cured a boy who grew up to be Judas Iscariot(the betrayer), he kills a couple of other boys, molds clay doves and gives them life, etc etc.

It could be true, I guess, in that I could write a book saying Mohammed and Paul were both dinosaur bone hunters, and have it discovered in the future, for future board members to debate the truth.

 

[Pure760]

I've read the gospel of thomas, at least some of it and havnt seen anything about jesus striking people blind and killing people, so please quote these parts and link to where you got them. The gospel of thomas I've read contains much wisdom indeed. Also there are many translations, apt to be incorrect in english...

here is one of the translations i'm aware of http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html ..not my favorite but still nothing about him doing foul deeds.

 

[Supreme]

I've read the gospel of thomas, at least some of it and havnt seen anything about jesus striking people blind and killing people, so please quote these parts and link to where you got them. The gospel of thomas I've read contains much wisdom indeed. Also there are many translations, apt to be incorrect in english...

here is one of the translations i'm aware of The Gospel of Thomas Collection -- Translations and Resources ..not my favorite but still nothing about him doing foul deeds.

You're reading the Gospel of Thomas, not the Infancy Gospel of St Thomas. They are similar, but not to be confused, pal.

Also, link to the gospel on previous page.