The Life of Christ

Matthew, one of the twelve disciples of Christ, addressed his good news to the Jewish believers. He depicted Christ's earthly life, not as an independent event as such, but as an end and fulfilment of a historical and prophetic chain of events which had started long before. It is the book of the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. Matthew keeps referring to the Old Testament to show how the prophecies have been fulfilled in Christ. Christ is the one who fulfilled all righteousness. In other words, he fulfilled the revealed Word of God found in the writings of Moses and the prophets. Matthew quotes seventy-five verses from the Old Testament which indicate that Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of all the divine promises to Abraham and his descendants. He came to lay the foundation of the kingdom of heaven, correcting the Jewish view that the coming Messiah would establish a political kingdom with Jerusalem as its centre.

Mark was not one of the twelve. His name is never mentioned in the four accounts of the Gospel. His Hebrew name was John and his Greek or Roman name, Mark. He was mentioned for the first time a few years after the ascension of Christ. He was the son of a woman called Mary, who also believed in Christ (Acts 12:12). She was the sister of Barnabas, the Cypriot Levite who became famous for his preaching. The Apostle Peter referred to Mark as "my son" (1 Peter 5:13). This is an indication that he accepted the faith through Peter. The writings of the early Christian fathers agree that Mark was a disciple of Peter and wrote his gospel under his direction. That is why Peter did not write an account of the Gospel in his own name.

The introduction to Mark reads: The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It shows us that the story of Christ is the Gospel, a threefold "good news" which is apparent in the triune name in the introduction -- Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This triune name is explained as follows:

JESUS: Christ was given this name by the angel Gabriel. It means "saviour". Nearer his birth, the angel confirmed this name, explaining its meaning: ...She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). His salvation was to be an everlasting one.

CHRIST: Jesus is Christ because he is the Son of David, promised since Adam. God anointed him prophet, priest, and king. He was sent to the world, in fulfilment of the precious prophecies given to the patriarchs and the prophets in successive generations.

SON OF GOD: He is truly the Son of God, for he did not acquire this kingly name from man but by a divine revelation from an angel who proclaimed to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God would make him king, as his ancestor David had been (Luke 1:32). When Mary asked for confirmation of this seemingly impossible event, Gabriel repeated his declaration, thus settling the matter. In all of human history, there has been no other news more deserving of the title Gospel than that of the coming of Christ. He is indeed the Good News! No wonder the prophet Isaiah, who preceded Christ by some seven hundred years, said of him:

It is no wonder that the angel, when announcing his birth to the shepherds near Bethlehem, said, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people'' (Luke 2:10). This brief introduction to the Gospel according to Mark summarises what we need to know about Jesus Christ.

Like Mark, Luke the Evangelist is not mentioned in the four accounts of the Gospel. There are glimpses of his life in his second book, The Acts of the Apostles, showing that he accompanied the Apostle Paul on some of his journeys. We also know from one of the letters to the churches that he was a "beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). He appears to be well-educated because his Greek language is rather refined. His introduction is a short message to his friend, Theophilus, a believer in Christ, where he shows that his purpose in writing this account of the Gospel was to confirm the new faith of Theophilus. He assures him that he took great care to investigate thoroughly the information about Christ. He said: ... so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught (Luke 1:4).

The fourth evangelist is the Apostle John. He was previously a disciple of John the Baptist, and one of the first two to follow Jesus Christ. He earned the title, the disciple whom Jesus loved(John 13:23). Although a fisherman, he was not poor, for his father Zebedee owned boats and had workers. His mother, Salome, accompanied Jesus and his followers, and supported them with her money. Christ favoured him in many ways. He reclined against Jesus during the Last Supper (John 13:23) and, before he died, Jesus committed Mary, his Mother, to John's care (John 19:27). His account of the Gospel overflows with love and kindness.

John wrote twenty or thirty years later than Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The humanity of Christ had become a well-established fact in the minds of the believers. There was no fear of it being shaken. However, since fanaticism is a human tendency, especially in religion, many had started to proclaim that Christ was only a man, and denied his deity. So, in his narrative, John found it necessary to include much about the divinity of Christ. He hoped to correct the error which had crept into the Church.

The prologue of the Gospel according to John is considered one of the grandest and most famous of Gospel sayings. It has a great impact on any lover of religion. Although Genesis 1:1 says that In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, the Apostle John writes about a beginning which supersedes this one, for he states: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1-3).

John gave Christ a new title. He called him "the Word," a very appropriate description because words manifest a person's thinking. In this way, Jesus who appeared in the flesh, revealed God who sees but is unseen. Jesus Christ manifested, in behaviour and words, such divine attributes as power, wisdom, goodness, and holiness. It is therefore not surprising that one of his titles is the Word.

In Arabic, the term kalima (Greek: logos) is grammatically feminine. Yet, John applied it to Jesus, a male. (By using masculine pronouns and verbs in conjunction with the word, kalima, the usage of the word was changed to make it a title representing an actual person, Jesus Christ.)

John ended his prologue by affirming that God is unseen and is manifested by his only Son, the Word, who is fit for this task because he dwells in the bosom of God and knows him intimately. To make him manifest, he became a man and dwelt among us: ...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth(John 1:14).

Matthew, the writer of this genealogy of Christ, was originally a Jewish tax collector. His Hebrew name was Levi, his Greek name was Matthew, and his father was called Alphaeus. He served in the Roman government and therefore had a competent knowledge of financial and commercial matters. He was also a rich man.

In his introduction, Matthew begins with the words: A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.... Then, he mentions forty men and women, the last being a man called Joseph, having taken Mary, of whom Jesus, called Christ, was born. While a casual reader might find this list boring, the wise reader realises its great importance, for it contains important insights into the human origins of this wonderful person, the one who became flesh and lived among us. He is the only person whose recorded genealogy goes back to Adam, the first man. He is also the only person whose worth, in addition to his divine essence, depends on his line of ancestry, for he is the Son of David from whom the expected Messiah was to come.

The genealogy of Luke appears to differ somewhat from that of Matthew. We can say that the two agree that the last link is Joseph, husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Both also agree in the chain that runs from Abraham to David and in the names of Shealtiel and Zerubbabel of the Babylonian exile. However, they differ in a way which has intrigued the critics. For example, Matthew takes the descent of Jesus back to Abraham while Luke takes it back to Adam. Matthew follows the chain starting from Solomon, the son of David, while Luke follows it starting from Nathan, another son of David. Matthew mentions that Joseph (the husband-to-be of Mary) is a son of Jacob while Luke makes him the son of Heli, the father of Mary (the Jews used to trace the line of genealogy through one's wife's father, as in the case of Berzalai in Ezra 2:61 and in Nehemiah 7:63). The chain from David to Joseph, in Matthew, is much shorter than in Luke; it is obvious that some links in the chain are omitted. This is because the words "son of" and "father of" are used in a broad sense, such as saying that Jesus is the Son of David, or the Son of Abraham. Matthew mentions only four links between Rahab and David covering the days of the Judges, a period of 450 years. Also, the genealogy in Luke concerns Mary while the other concerns Joseph; however, both are necessary.

These two accounts of the Gospel help clarify the divine origin of Christ. Matthew does not write that Joseph begot Jesus, but rather: "Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." Luke begins his genealogical account of Christ by saying that it was supposed that Jesus was the son of Joseph.

Now, if anything in the two genealogies deserved attack or objection, the Jewish leaders would not have spared either from the start, especially as the genealogies go back to David, making Jesus Christ the coming Messiah. The silence of the Jews is proof of the reliability of the genealogies.

One concludes from the mention of Ruth, the Moabite, that the poor and foreigners in Israel had a share in the royal, Messianic genealogy. The names of Rahab, a former prostitute, Tamar, and Bathsheba also indicate that sinners who repent have a place in this honourable list, irrespective of their past. Christ cares for the weak and forgives those who are far from righteous. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick (Matthew 9:12); For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10).

The whole Gospel revolves around these inspired words of the Apostle John: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.Since the only source of the story of Christ is the Gospel and since the four accounts agree on his divinity, it is only fair to explain the events of his life in the light of his divine nature.

What did Joseph think when he learned that his wife-to-be was pregnant? We do not know how Joseph came to know about this, but he wanted to believe the story despite its strangeness. At the same time, he had no doubts about the integrity of Mary from what he knew of her.

He, as her future husband, had to protect her against any disgrace. He would be wronging her, were he publicly to leave her. Besides, it would be the greatest of honours to have the Saviour born in his house. On the other hand, being a just man and, therefore, a careful follower of the divine Law with its holy commandments regarding honour and good reputation, he had to punish her accordingly. How great was his predicament and agitation! However, after thinking about it, his love and courtesy drove him to choose the lightest penalty, which was to divorce her quietly.

At this point, divine providence intervened. An angel (it may have been Gabriel) visited him during his sleep and disclosed the whole truth. This convinced Joseph that it would be better to wed Mary rather than to put her away. What he had thought was a disgrace would become, in reality, the greatest honour for both of them. This is often true of men of God who have to bear a certain offence because of circumstances around them.

The angel repeated to him what he had already told Mary: the name of the child was to be Jesus. Normally, the father had the right to choose the name of the child, but Joseph also had to understand the will of God concerning this name. The name Jesus had to coincide with and confirm his special service.

The name Jesus is like Joshua; both are the same ancient and revered Jewish name meaning "Saviour". It is therefore one of the noblest names of humanity, for it denotes the highest work among men: saving them from their sins. The one named Jesus is the Great Physician, for he heals men from the deadly disease of Sin, a disease from which all mankind suffers.

The Jews used to speak to their children of the coming Messiah, of the tribe of Judah, and of the house of David who would deliver them from the calamities of the world, such as poverty, disease, toil, and humiliation, and from the power of their enemies. This expectation had been the cause of bloody revolts led by false messiahs, driven by delusions, personal ambitions, or greed. The results were always catastrophic to the nation. The words of the angel swept aside these base expectations, revealing the true function of the promised Messiah and his work which would be much greater than anything they had imagined. He would fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah that the Messiah would be born of a virgin and,. by reason of his supernatural character, would have the title lmmanuel which means "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14).

Joseph obeyed the words of the angel of the Lord and took Mary as his legitimate wife. He had no union with her until she gave birth to her first child. Accordingly, everyone assumed that Jesus was the son of Joseph as well as Mary, and in this way Joseph preserved his honour and that of his wife as well as the child's during the time that they lived in Nazareth. How fortunate Joseph was in choosing a spouse with a rich character, even though she had no material wealth. Because he obeyed the heavenly instruction -- despite the difficulty of not having tangible proof -- he believed God even as his ancestor Abraham had done, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Mary paid a visit to Elizabeth to see for herself if what the angel had said was true about her being pregnant in her old age; and to confirm the truth of the good news delivered to her personally. In any case, she wanted to congratulate her cousin as well as share her new experiences with her.

The journey from Nazareth to the city of Judah took five days. Mary found Elizabeth in her sixth month of pregnancy. Now that the disgrace of barrenness had been removed, she was better thought of in the community. As soon as Mary greeted her, the child moved in her womb. This was a sign to her that the person who pronounced the greeting was the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. The Holy Spirit descended on her, enlightened her mind, and released her tongue. Then, she delivered a greeting similar in spirit to that which the angel had given Mary: Blessed is the child you will bear! Elizabeth congratulated Mary on the great faith she showed in accepting the message of the angel.

The fact that Elizabeth congratulated Mary shows her great humility. Her words were divinely inspired, for she said, But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Elizabeth was not glorifying Mary, but her child whose divine merits she had recognised. After Elizabeth had finished her greeting, the Holy Spirit filled Mary too. "And Mary said:

Mary sang one of the most beautiful and sublime of all Scriptural poems. It demonstrated the intelligence and spiritual sensitivity that God had given her. She reminds us of Miriam, sister of Moses, who rejoiced after the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea. The Virgin Mary used terms which are far from boastful, filled with humility. She felt her insignificance and knew that it would be God who would receive the glory in her situation. She also admitted that she, like others, needed a Saviour and that she would take refuge in God for her personal salvation. One cannot therefore expect her to save others, as some would believe.

Mary said, My soul glorifies the Lord. Here she admits that she does not deserve the divine gift; yet, God chose her and elevated her to the highest state ever granted to a human, and she was the first to admit this gracious dealing, for she added, he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. These words prove the greatness of Mary. She had never performed a miracle, her name was not often mentioned, she did not make any important statements after this event and no special honour was addressed to her. Even after the resurrection of Christ, the Scriptures hardly mention her. She was mentioned casually as one of the 120 disciples who met in the Upper Room for prayer.

We should learn from the self-denial of Mary. Even in her moment of greatest glory, she said, ...holy is his name. She thought only of God, happy at what he did. She proclaimed that he is not partial in his dealings with people. He works only according to his divine thought which is unlike the thoughts of man. He lifts up the lowly and humbles the proud. He refuses those who believe they deserve his special attention and accepts those who are counted as undeserving. The Christian Church rightly takes pride in Mary's Magnificat (the name of her song) and considers it to be a most precious evangelic hymn.

The Jews were dispersed all over the world during the thousand years from David to Christ. At the time of this census, all those, originally from Bethlehem, living in the Syrian province of the Roman Empire returned to their hometown. Among them were Joseph and Mary. The area became so crowded that there was no place for them to stay, and no one invited them into their home because of their apparent poverty. Also, the young couple was Galilean and the Judeans despised these people; so, they had to spend the night with some animals near one of the inns.

Mary gave birth to her child that night and she placed him in a manger. What greater poverty could there be? But it was in accordance with the divine plan for the Incarnation which demonstrated the wonderful love that led God to become a man in order to save sinners.

At that time, everyone knew of the census which brought many to Bethlehem, whereas only a few knew of the birth of the child. Today, the tables have been turned; all would have forgotten the census of Caesar, except for its connection with the birth of Christ, whereas many people hurry to visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.

In reflecting on the manger, we can ask, "Is that poor child the same one who, after two thousand years, is still the object of worship and adoration of some of the great monarchs, wealthy people, and famous scholars of the world?" They are proud to kneel before his Cross, to belong to him, and to obey his teachings.

It is true to say that Jesus was the "second Adam", coming into the world without a human father, free from sin, to reverse what the first Adam had done by his fall (I Corinthians 15:45-49). He also came to renew a spiritual generation and to regain paradise for our wretched world.

The birth of Christ was accompanied with many heavenly events, and great heavenly activity was observed. It was the only recorded time that God sent a visible legion of angels to earth and that singing was heard in the heavens.

Who were these people who had this privilege of seeing the angels and hearing their song? They were not the rich nor the educated; neither were King Herod nor the High Priest involved. Rather, it was poor people whom God chose, similar in their earthly circumstances to the new-born child; this served to emphasise the humility which marked the coming down of God in order to save mankind.

At the creation of the world, the morning stars sang together (Job 38:7), but there was no human ear to hear them. However, when the foundation and cornerstone of redemption were laid (the incarnate, eternal Son of God), a song was heard over the plains of Bethlehem. It was the adoration of the angels of God ringing in the ears of some shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks by night.

When the glory of God shone around them, they were afraid, but the angel told them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. This was greater news than Zacharias and Mary had heard; it had actually taken place and all of God's people would be blessed by it.

The angel told the shepherds the same thing he had said to Mary and Joseph when he called the babe "Saviour." Now he told the shepherds, Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you.... He explained to them that this Saviour was from the city of David; therefore, he was one of David's descendants. He was also the long-awaited Messiah and Lord, not a mere man. Then, they were given a sign to enable them to recognise him when they saw him.

As soon as the angel finished these words, an army of angels appeared to confirm this announcement. They were glorifying God and their task was not to announce a new message but to repeat the first one and confirm it: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. This marvellous statement agrees, in spirit, with the words of the Apostle Paul: ...For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit(Romans 14:17).

Because heavenly beings do not remain with humans, however much people may desire their presence, these angels returned to heaven. As a result of their visit, the shepherds hurried to the town, according to the directions given them. They took in with their eyes the glory and humility of the Baby Jesus. Thus, they became eye-witnesses of the angelic visit and of the reality of the child's origin which was not obvious from his external circumstances. Who could prevent such humble folk from visiting Christ's birthplace? No guards were there as in worldly places! Had Jesus been born in a royal palace, these poor shepherds would never have had this great honour. They hurried to look and saw exactly what the angels had described. When they related their vision to Mary, Joseph, and the others, they were surprised. As for Mary, the happy mother, this news was very important because it confirmed what the angel had told her concerning her wonderful child.

The shepherds returned to their flocks, praising God as the angels had done before. They were the first to spread the news of the birth of the Saviour, the Shepherd of souls and the great Head of the Church.

One can imagine that those shepherds were among the pious who were poor; they neglected many of the religious ceremonies, some of which were burdensome. It may well be that they took care of the lambs to be presented as holy sacrifices in the Temple service in Jerusalem. Here we see a tender relation between the sheep being offered for the Temple and this new babe, whom John the Baptist called "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29), and to whom the Apostle John referred as a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain (Revelation 5:6).

On his eighth day of life on earth, the Baby Jesus was circumcised, as decreed by God to Abraham, to signify the covenant sign of God's special people. This occasion was one of many others he followed when he, as the founder of the New Covenant, submitted to the ordinances of the Old Covenant in order to link in his person the two, Old and New. In the same way, he united in himself the two natures, Creator and created.

Joseph and Mary took Christ to the Temple in Jerusalem according to the Law. This visit of the Lord of the Temple to the Temple of the Lord did not pass without events confirming the signs and miracles which preceded it. Simeon, the godly old man, filled with the Holy Spirit, had received a revelation that he would not die before seeing the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Accordingly, that day he felt the Spirit leading him to the Temple. He went there and met Joseph, Mary, and the baby whom he recognised as the Blessed One. He took him up in his arms, as if presenting him to God and blessed the Lord, saying, ... as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation.... In concluding his prayer, he signified that this salvation was to be for all people, for he said, ...a light for revelation to the Gentiles...

When Mary and Joseph showed astonishment at Simeon's words which showed that he knew the rank of the child, Simeon blessed them, as an older person to a younger. Then, he revealed to Mary a deep and important secret pertaining to the person and work of Christ; namely, that as a Saviour he would lift up many and be the downfall of many. He would also be the subject of much opposition and persecution and would reveal the inner thoughts of man. Finally, she, as his mother, would have her share of his suffering, which would be likened to a sword piercing her heart.

After Simeon had spoken, the old prophetess, Anna, came forward too, praising the Lord. Thus, she became the first recorded woman who believed in Christ after his birth, as well as the first of that army of honourable women who have served Christ down through the ages.

After this visit to the Temple, the family of three returned to Bethlehem, the city of their forefathers. By that time, the crowds which had come for the census had left, and so they were able to find a more suitable place to stay than with the animals.

The Gospel according to Matthew says that as soon as the Magi left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a second dream to tell him to take the child and his mother, escape to Egypt, and remain there until told to return. Joseph, realising the danger the child was in, obeyed this order and left for Egypt immediately.

No doubt, the inhabitants of Bethlehem began to respect the Holy Family as a result of the visit of the Magi whose view was that this was the new king of Israel. Maybe they also brought him gifts of significant value. Without the valuable presents given to the child, Joseph could not have afforded the expenses of the long trip to Egypt. These arrived as a beautiful proof of the awesome providence of God when there was a need to fulfil his holy will.

If we try to imagine what happened in the palace of Herod after the Magi had left, we can see him waiting impatiently for their return in order to decide what to do with the child. But the Magi did not return. When the time agreed upon for them to report back to him had passed, he must have sent a messenger after them. When he discovered that the Magi had tricked him, he was very angry at having missed his opportunity to locate the child.

He tried to find out from the townspeople which house had been visited by the Magi, but all they would tell him was that the family was Galilean and that they had departed in an unknown direction. This made him even more angry because he suspected that they were hiding something from him in the hope of saving their own children. He determined to destroy the child by any means and wanted to punish the people of Bethlehem for their deception and possible conspiracy with the Magi. Thus, he sent his men to kill all the boys two years and under in Bethlehem and its suburbs, just to make sure that no one would escape.

Matthew sees in this horrible Herodian atrocity a fulfilment of the prophecy of Jeremiah: A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping... (Jeremiah 31:15). Because these children were slaughtered because of Christ, some have considered them the first of the Christian martyrs.

It wasn't long before the bloody and wicked tyrant, Herod, received his just reward. He died in his palace in Jericho. One can imagine just how troubled his conscience must have been when he died. He thought that, by killing the infants of Bethlehem, he would live on, for the boy who had threatened his throne was dead. But later, Herod himself was in his grave, while Jesus was alive and safe. Since that time, the fame and honour of Christ, the perfect man, has been steadily increasing right up to the present day.

The stay of the Holy Family in Egypt was brief, for an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take the boy and his mother and return to the land of Israel since the one who sought to kill the child was dead. Joseph immediately obeyed.

We imagine that Joseph and Mary wanted to settle in Bethlehem', the town of their forefathers, the beautiful and honoured city of David. It was close to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and also to the reputable religious schools. Here they hoped to bring the child up as heir to the throne of David. But since Archelaus, the son of Herod, ruled in his father's place, Joseph feared that he might harm the child Jesus. This king, after a good start, turned out to be just as cruel as his father, Herod. Although he had some hesitation, Joseph went to live in Nazareth as a result of another heavenly vision. Matthew sees in this decision yet another fulfilment of prophecy: He will be called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23).

The childhood of Jesus was unique in many ways: the timing of his birth, the age-old prophecies, the earthly and heavenly events and manifestations, and the extraordinary utterances which accompanied it.

The announcements miraculously fulfilled Old Testament prophecies in minute detail, with the angels proclaiming the glad tidings about to happen, followed by the unusual testimonies and songs of Elizabeth, Zacharias, and Mary.

Many extraordinary events happened before the birth of Jesus: the appearance of the angel to Zacharias and his temporary muteness, the extraordinary pregnancy of his wife Elizabeth, the orders given to Joseph in dreams, the timing of the imperial census, Joseph's ancestral home being Bethlehem (the prophesied place of the Messiah's birth), the appearance of the angels to the shepherds, the visit of the Magi from the Orient, and the presentation in the Temple.

All creation participated in welcoming Christ. The angels represented the heavenly creatures, the priest represented the clergy, the shepherds represented the poor, Mary and Elizabeth represented the young and the old, Simeon represented the pious Jews, Anna represented the prophets, the star in the East represented creation, and the Magi represented the rich, noble, and wise Gentiles.

The timing of the birth of Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, and the Apostle Paul said: But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law (Galatians 4:4). Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came at a unique time of peace in history. Transportation was easy and secure all over the Roman Empire, which made the spreading of the Good News by the apostles relatively easy. Under Roman law, there was freedom of religion. Greek language and culture was widespread over the whole area. All of this made communication even simpler, especially as the Jews had already translated the Scriptures from Hebrew to Greek.

The birth of the Saviour coincided with a period when morals were at their lowest in order to highlight the need of mankind for a saviour who would bring adequate redemption with sufficient authority to save all. The hearts of the few pious Jews had started to despair. The Jewish people were scattered over the face of the earth, expecting and proclaiming the coming Saviour. They were still the people who clung to the only God, thus giving the apostles of Jesus a wide opportunity to begin with their evangelisation, and then go on to the heathen.

All the conditions were ripe for the spread of the Gospel, starting with the Jews and extending to the evangelisation of the pagans. To some extent, Roman rule initially protected the young Church from the fanaticism of the Jews who wanted to kill Christianity the way they had its founder.

In view of all the foregoing, is it any wonder that Mark begins his account of the Gospel with the words, The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

When Jesus was twelve years old, he visited the Temple in Jerusalem in the company of Mary and Joseph. Following this incident, eighteen years elapsed about which the divine revelation is completely silent. How is one to interpret this strange silence that is present in all four accounts of the Gospel unless it was definitely prompted by the Spirit who inspired these Scriptures? Some Christians during the Dark Ages did not like this silence. They started to invent stories and wrote fictitious gospels and accounts of what took place during this period, according to their whims and imaginations. They thought that this would add more honour to the name of Christ. In fact, these fabrications only reflect the foolishness of their efforts.

Yet, the following question remains: Why this silence, despite the access to information which was available at that time? In reply, one can say that the events of Christ's early childhood showed essential features of his being Saviour. It was therefore necessary for these features to be veiled sufficiently long for the display of his true humanity. Moreover, his divinity was veiled from his people during his thirty years of preparation until he was manifested for service. Then, the signs of his divinity resurfaced for the remainder of his earthly life.

The silence is a strong proof against the error of thinking that the greatest work of Christ was to be an example for people to follow. If this were true, it would have been necessary for the apostles to have written down all his deeds and words during the entire period when he lived the normal life of a carpenter in Nazareth.

The purpose of those who wrote the accounts of the Gospel was not to document an historical biography. Rather, it was to witness of Christ as a reformer and a Saviour. That is why they were content to record the history of his life, dealing primarily with his public ministry. However, the details of his earthly life, which they omitted, would doubtless have attracted much public interest had they been recorded for us.

Although Nazareth was a comparatively humble town, it was the perfect place for Jesus to live. Groups of priests made Nazareth the place of meeting from where they travelled to the Temple in Jerusalem. The ones who could not make the journey used to spend their week of service in Nazareth, performing religious duties there. Jesus must have observed them and learned from them. Nazareth was also on the main caravan routes from Phoenecia to Egypt and between the Mediterranean Sea and the interior. This gave Jesus an opportunity to observe different cultural trends and customs. By living in a poor village like Nazareth, Jesus was nurtured in the virtues of humility and religious simplicity, for he was far removed from the centres of Jewish religious life in Jerusalem where hypocrisy, sophistication, and traditionalism prevailed. These characteristics stifled true piety and choked the religious spirit due to excessive adherence to the letter of the Law. In fact, this would be the place where Christ would later express strong opinions about some of these issues, even judging the leaders with stinging words.

During the boyhood years of Jesus, his divine origin tended to fade from the minds of his parents. They had come to regard him as only human, for his life as a boy was basically the same as that of most others his own age. That was probably a good thing because otherwise he would have missed a variety of normal human experiences, especially if his parents felt bound to obey him, which would have been awkward while bringing him up. As it was, he mingled normally with his contemporaries, sharing in their experiences and trials until his public life started.

We do not doubt that he, as a boy, was full of warmth, concern, and pity for the suffering of others. For this reason, one is astonished at the patience and emotional restraint he must have suffered during those private years in Nazareth while awaiting the start of his life's service for which he had come down from heaven.

Jesus had to work as a carpenter and earn his living. Because of this, others thought of him merely as "the carpenter", or "the son of Mary". He learned to be content with his lot and to submit to his elders. In support of our conclusion that his earthly life was ordinary is the fact that his brothers did not believe in him, and his fame had not even reached the surrounding villages. Nathanael, in nearby Cana of Galilee, had not heard about him all these years, neither had the people of Capernaum or Bethsaida which were further away from Cana. The history of the life of Jesus can be summarised in what Luke the Evangelist said: And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him (Luke 2:40). These words from Luke show that Jesus developed in a natural way, and earned the favour of both God and man. We can imagine how people loved him, for he was always ready to serve them. He never hurt any one, and repaid unkindness with love. The hour for openly confronting the forces of evil had not yet arrived. This would be at a time when Jesus' fame and prominence would incite the hatred and jealousy of the wicked and great people of his day.

When Jesus was twelve years old, he travelled from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Joseph, as the official head of the family, had to visit the Temple at Jerusalem every year, ideally during the Passover. Mary, and women in general, were not expected to go, and neither were boys under the age of twelve who were not yet obliged to "carry the yoke of the Law."

That year, Passover came on the eighth of Nisan (approximately April), so his parents took him to Jerusalem for the first time. It is possible to visualise the preparations for the journey as well as the journey itself which this wonderful boy took. Caravans could go one of two ways: either pass through Samaria and be exposed to violence from the Samaritans, or take the longer way, east of the river Jordan, thus crossing it twice. Pious Jews preferred the latter route. In either case, the trip to Jerusalem took four to five days.

Doubtless, Jesus must have leaped for joy at seeing the magnificent Temple and listening to the people from all parts of the world singing hymns and psalms on their way up to Jerusalem. Later, he would watch the ministry of the priests and high priests on behalf of repentant sinners and begin to appreciate their role. Every individual seeking to make his peace with God had to offer his sacrifice at the hands of these priests.

Joseph, Mary, and the boy spent their days in the city like other pilgrims, carefully attending the prayers and other Temple rituals of this Feast, especially the offerings and sacrifices. Jesus must have known that all the details of this great Feast symbolised him, the Lamb of God. He must have also been conscious that through him, all the rituals which had lasted fifteen hundred years were coming to an end. Certainly, his own spirit must have been touched with great joy and expectation to be participating, for the first time, in the ceremonies of this Feast.

All those who interacted with this boy in Jerusalem were far from realising that this was their promised Messiah. It was good that they did not know this, for had they known, they would not have let him return to Nazareth after the Feast, and consequently, he could not have been able to prepare himself for his great work.

It seems likely that Jesus kept away from his parents during that day, but this did not worry them, for they were confident of his character. He spent the day in the religious classes where the best teachers preached and taught, his only interest being to benefit and learn. He must have been amazed at the great difference between his own thinking and the superficial teachings of these great rabbis. He must have felt the great need for new spiritual instruction which would lead to true piety and upright conduct.

The feast days were over and the family travelled back to Nazareth without anyone being aware that Jesus was not in their company. He had stayed behind to listen and ask questions of the rabbis. When night came without any signs of him, his parents returned to the city very worried and upset. They looked in all the likely places but did not find him. At last, on the third day, they discovered him sitting among the scholars of their nation, having earned their respect and attention with his piercing questions and illuminating thoughts. Naturally, Mary, his mother, though relieved to find him, reprimanded him, saying, Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you!

One couldn't blame any mother for acting this way in this sort of situation. However, knowing his exceptional mental and moral powers, she should have refrained from scolding him. A mild reproach was implied in his response when he said, Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?He didn't apologise or ask for forgiveness. He simply stated that his work was to do the will of the Father, even before the will of his earthly parents. Joseph was not his real father. His Father was the one of whose Spirit he was born. One should add that if he had been an ordinary boy, he would have deserved blame for his behaviour. A twelve-year-old should not normally have acted in this fashion in a strange place, and should have informed his parents that he was staying behind in Jerusalem; he also should not have answered his worried mother the way he did, implying that she was ignorant: Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?

Mary was the only source of this information. It seems she had not understood exactly what her son meant, but she kept all this "in her heart". Why did she later on reveal this incident that embarrassed her? Why did Luke the Evangelist present us with the profile of a boy who appeared to have disobeyed his parents?

If we recognise that the child, as portrayed in the Gospel, was not only human but divine, we no longer have a problem. In that case, we understand his reaction to the words of his mother, "Your father and I...." for he reminded her that his Father was God and not Joseph. He was therefore under no obligation to Mary or Joseph as others would be, owing to his divine origin. From his reply, Luke the Evangelist wanted us to understand that Jesus knew that he was the Son of God, a thing that his parents perhaps did not recognise.

We should pay great attention to these words of Jesus, for they were his first recorded statement. One infers from the words, "I must be about My Father's business", a most appropriate introduction for the rest of his life. It is the principle he adopted for himself. He did not once deviate from it from the beginning of his self-awareness until he completed his life's work and ascended into heaven.

The time for the appearance of Christ had come. He was to initiate the redemption of man. He mingled with the poor in the crowd, and went to John the Baptist, asking to be baptised by him.

Jesus saw the people coming to confess their sins and to accept baptism as a sign of forgiveness. He heard the Baptist giving them good advice. He saw how the people respected John. Jesus asked to be baptised without the usual condition: confession and repentance. John was aware of Christ's holy perfection and refused to baptise him. He tried to make him change his mind, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? (Matthew 3:14).

John was of noble origin. He came from excellent priestly ancestry in Judea, the greatest region in the Holy Land. Even so, one need not be astonished to find him addressing Christ with humility. He knew that he was speaking to the Messiah whose advent he had proclaimed. John was meek and humble before Jesus, even though he was very stern with the Jewish leaders. On one occasion, he addressed them, saying: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(Matthew 3:7). How could he humble himself in front of a simple carpenter, saying that he needed to be baptised by him?

John the Baptist, despite his piety, zeal, and successful ministry, showed by these words that he knew he was a sinner. He knew he needed someone to baptise him for repentance. Such humility is proof of his greatness, for a keen sense of Sin is evidence of outstanding piety. Jesus replied with wisdom and sincerity, as a teacher speaking to his student. He said, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).

It is worthwhile to stop and reflect on this expression since it is the first saying of Jesus as an adult that is recorded for us. From the words, "it is fitting", we understand that he wanted to be baptised, not because he needed it, but because it was the correct thing to do. Unlike the Baptist, he did not say that he needed to be baptised by him, but he submitted to this rite to encourage the ministry of John, enhance his influence among people, and encourage others to hear his preaching and ask for baptism. In this way, he would be helping John to fulfil his task of preparing the way for Christ.

John's baptising was meaningful in two ways: it was a symbol of purification from sin, and it referred to a ministry in the new kingdom which Jesus would establish, leading to a new life that those who were baptised could enjoy.

In the first sense, Christ was not baptised for his own Sin, but substitutionally and symbolically, for he took the place of every sinner when he took on himself our body of Sin; yet, he was without Sin. Like the Jewish belief that considers something pure as impure when touched by something unclean, so too Christ, when he took on a human body, was counted unclean. He was numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12). Thus, he shared in the baptism of repentance as our representative. The Apostle Paul said: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

In the second sense, the setting apart for service, this baptism was applicable to Christ, for now he was entering his ministry publicly as Saviour and King of the new kingdom, establishing and ruling it. Others have entered into this new life as a result of what he has accomplished for them. The significance of this new period in the life of Christ was that he now had the authority to give new life to people. So, in his baptism, he was officially anointed as prophet, priest, and king.

After John baptised Jesus in the water, Christ came up, conscious of the importance of that hour in his earthly life and for the future of mankind. However, his thoughts dwelt on another baptism. As the Son of Man, he also needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a foundation for the baptism of all Christians. He emerged from the water, in total unity with the Father as he prayed. From the response he received, we can infer that he prayed for the Holy Spirit to descend on him. This actually happened when the heavens were opened and his request was granted.

It seems that John was promised a sign by which he would recognise Christ. John had said, ...The one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God (John 1:33,34). This promise was sufficient reason for the Holy Spirit to take the form of a dove. As soon as the Baptist saw the dove, he knew without a doubt that the man standing in front of him was the one who would come after him -- the one who was also before him and who would baptise with the Holy Spirit.

A voice was heard simultaneously with the appearance of the dove. It said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased(Matthew 3:17). It was the first of three occasions when the voice of the Father was heard from heaven, witnessing about his Son.

With this voice, the three persons of the Trinity were present, clearly and movingly, at the consecration of the Saviour. On this basis, we find Jesus commanding his disciples to baptise all who believe in him in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).