The Bible does not speak of Jesus' life between the ages of 12 and 30. The Gnostics who have a reputation of rewriting and perverting the Bible have jumped in to fill the Gap. A book released in November 2014 titled "The Lost Gospel: Decoding the Ancient Text that Reveals Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene" by Simcha Jacobovici and Barrie Wilson claims that Jesus wed Mary Magdelene and had two children with the alleged prostitute during these silent years. This book is based on questionable ancient manuscripts found the British Library.
Does the Bible give us any clue as to what went on during these silent years? Yes, it does.
In Luke 24:42,46 we read, "[42] And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. [46] And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions."
We then read He returned with His parents to Nazareth. Then in Luke 24:52 it says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."
Then at the age of 30 He shows up again, and He is baptized. After that, people started calling him Rabbi. Just like a lawyer goes through law school so they can legally practice law in a court, a Rabbi must go to school to teach in the synagogue. The Jewish people that first read the gospels, the same people that lived with Jesus, didn't need to be told what happened before Jesus started his public ministry. They knew he was in school training to be a Rabbi, where He increased in knowledge and wisdom, and the favor of God and man.
Most people tend to believe Jesus was a carpenter, but Matthew 13:55 makes this distinction. It calls him the son of a carpenter, not a carpenter Himself. There is a book by Dwain Miller called "Jesus the Rabbi" that defines the process one must go through to become a Rabbi.
The book says there were three steps that had to happen. First, every Jewish boy was trained by his father to memorize the book of Leviticus. At age six, he would be tested. If the boy failed to memorize Leviticus, he would be assigned to take up the profession of his father. Most of the time that meant being either a fisherman or a carpenter. The next step would begin after he was enrolled in the school of the Torah. From ages six through twelve, he would attend an elementary school. Here the Rabbis taught them the Torah, or the first five books of the Bible. Not only did he have to memorize them but he had to have a working knowledge of what they meant.
It was the job of the Rabbi to keep the conversation of God going so the people would ponder the deep things of God. When people are able to answer the deep questions about God for themselves, then no man can take away the answers from him. Jesus often taught people by asking them questions about God. This was the hallmark of how a Rabbi taught. The goal of the student was to astound the teachers. How did a student do that? By knowing the right questions to ask in order to keep the discussions about God continuing.
At the age of twelve the student would be tested. He would be brought to the temple for his examination. It was the job of the student to ask the questions not the other way around. It was his job to try to stump the rabbis, and only the best and brightest students would go on to stage three. Where was Jesus at age twelve? As we read in Luke, He was in the temple astounding the Rabbis. He was asking them questions for which they didn't know the answers, and they were amazed of His understanding of the Torah. Then again, the Bible calls Jesus the living Word of God.
The final stage happened between the ages of 12 and 30. During that time he was attending Rabbinical school known as the School of the Disciple. The selection process at this juncture was so intense that only a handful moved on to ordination as a Rabbi. At the age of 30, when he passed the final test, He was ordained in a baptismal service and He then could officially be called Rabbi Jesus.
He wasn't getting married or having children during this time. He was preparing to teach the Word of God and die for the sins of mankind so we could become God's spiritual children. So what does this have to do with end-times prophecy? A lot actually.
We read in Matthew 24:3-5, "[3] And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [4] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. [5] For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."
In the end-times there will be much deception concerning the person of Jesus Christ. The Muslims believe in their version of Jesus who they call Isa. They believe He was just a prophet. the Buddhist say He was one of the reincarnated holy Buddhas. The Hindus say He was a guru and the New Agers say He was an ascended master. Even the ancient alien and UFO followers say that he was a space brother, an advanced alien who visited earth before he was beamed back up into heaven.
Then there are people like Rick Warren who feel Yeshua, Jesus and the Muslim Isa are just names for the same Jesus of the Bible. Then there are those in the one world religion, who say this new messiah will embody everything that all world religions teach. At the end-time, this new world messiah will rise up out of the deserts of the middle east to bring peace and harmony to the region and then to the world. There are some New Agers that teach the the New Age messiah will be a descendant from the blood line of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
Jesus warns us about this further on in Matthew 24:23-27 where He says, "[23] Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. [24] For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. [25] Behold, I have told you before. [26] Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. [27] For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
It is vitally important who you believe Jesus is. Is He this new age messiah who is in the dessert performing miracles that could deceive the very elect, or is He the Jewish Rabbi of the Bible who is the real Messiah who died for our sins. When He comes back there will be no doubt about it for He will come back as the lightning that flashes in the heavens, and this one-time Rabbi who taught the laws of God will become the King who will enforce those laws as He rules from Jerusalem.
In these last days you must know who the real Messiah is. Not only so you won't be deceived, but so you can share Him with the people that need Him. He is the Jewish Messiah of the Bible and His name (Yeshua) means Yahweh saves, and he alone can bring salvation.
In Christ alone.
Sources:
Omega Frequency: Episode 9 (beginning at 34:10)
'Lost Gospel' Claims Jesus Had A Wife And Children
Other Sources:
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