What Did Jesus Do Before He Started His Ministry At Age 30?

What was it that Jesus did before He started His earthly ministry?

Student of Scripture

After Jesus’ parents returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee, “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40) and as the Jews customarily did, “his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom” (Luke 2:41-42). Apparently it was “according to custom” that at age twelve, Jewish boys were presented to Jewish leaders of the temple as this marked the passage from childhood to adulthood. For Jewish boys, this took place at age twelve, abut for some Orthodox and Conservative congregations, it was age thirteen.

Missing Jesus

After Jesus’ parents had returned home, they noticed that He was missing (Luke 2:43) and returned to Jerusalem (Luke 2:44-45). It was only after “three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:46-47). Can you imagine your child being lost? And for three days! They found Him “sitting among the teachers” and “listening to them and asking them questions” but everyone “who heard him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.” Obviously, Jesus grew up as a student of Scripture but little did they know that He was also God. In fact, He is the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). This explains Jesus’ only response to His parents asking where He was and why He did that to them; “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house” (Luke 2:49b)?

Builder of Buildings

In time, “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). The Greek word used for “stature” is “hēlikia” and this doesn’t mean size but refers to His age in years. Since carpentry was His step-father Joseph’s occupation, He must have known it well and others knew about it too as once “on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him” (Mark 6:2-3). The Greek word used for “carpenter” is “tektōn” so it could mean any of the following; a (house) “builder, a worker in wood, a craftsman,” or “a joiner” but if Jesus were a carpenter or builder, that meant working with your hands in cutting timbers and stone which were the most common building materials in that day. That meant Jesus must have been a very strong Man because they had to lift and push, pull and saw, and move building materials to the site. It took great effort to construct these ancient buildings.

The Word of God

Of course, Jesus amazed His listeners everywhere He went, even age twelve (Luke 2:47), “and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands” (Mark 6:2) but the truth comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable so some “took offense at him” (Mark 6:3c). Even the officers who went to take Him back to the chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) couldn’t arrest Him, saying “No one ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46)! The truth sets people free or it makes them angry. Just as the Jewish religious leaders suppressed the knowledge of God then, they still do it now “who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom 1:18b). When a person repents and trusts in Christ, they can really know God for the very first time but unbelievers willingly suppress the creation’s revelation of God as Creator and so “what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20). No wonder it’s foolish for someone to say “I don’t believe in God” (Psalm 14:1).

Conclusion

We know that Jesus was well acquainted with the Scriptures; He amazed them even at age twelve; and He had wisdom that none had ever known before but the wisest thing you could ever do is to repent and believe (Mark 1:15). Let Jesus’ own words compel you to make a choice today: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.