THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.
The Incarnation of the Son of God, presents us with an example of
condescension and humiliation, only equalled by the exaltation of its
subjects. He came to earth, that he might exalt us to heaven. His
sufferings and death, clothe us, who are dead in sin, with immortality,
and secure to us the bliss of an eternal Paradise. To trace the
footsteps of Jesus, God Incarnate, and to present the words that dropped
fresh from his wise and holy lips, while on his mission of mercy to this
sin-stricken world, will be the object of these pages.
The child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the
grace of God was upon him. But his first _word_, on record, was uttered
at the age of twelve years. A multitude had assembled at Jerusalem. The
eight days' worship being ended, the crowds disperse and scatter to
their homes in the distant countries round about. The parents, supposing
"the child Jesus" to be among their relatives and acquaintances in the
great throng, pass on a day's journey, when they seek him but find him
not.
They return, anxious and sorrow stricken, to Jerusalem, where they find
him still in the Temple, sitting with the Doctors of the law, and
astonishing the multitude with his understanding and answers. His
mother, though amazed at his wisdom, gently chides her son for his lack
of filial fidelity, saying, "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us?
behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." And he said unto
them,
How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about
my Father's business?
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went
down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them; but his
mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Eighteen years now pass away without the record of another word. While
he honored his earthly parents, and was diligent in his daily toil, he
was doubtless ever busy in the work assigned him by his Father in
heaven. Multitudes may have been charmed by his youthful eloquence,
confounded by his wisdom, and melted under his sweet spirit of love. But
to us it is one great blank. This brief sentence among the doctors in
the temple, in answer to the question of the anxious mother, is like
some blazing comet, which for a brief space lights the starry vault with
its radiance, and then shoots off, in its eccentric course, to be seen
no more for years to come. During these silent years, multitudes had
passed to their reward. "Seed time and harvest, summer and winter, day
and night," had succeeded each other, in regular order; while the "bow
in the cloud" had constantly reminded the world of the gracious promise
of God to Noah. But not a word is preserved from the lips of this
wonderful child. Not a footprint marks his journeyings.
At the age of thirty he suddenly appears again on the page of history.
Let us now follow his footsteps, and listen to his words.