Ch. 6, The Adolescent Years

“Son of Man: Urantia,” 2nd edition

The Adolescent Years

As a teenager, Jesus experienced the same difficulties as everyone else growing up on a planet under spiritual quarantine. Young people morphing through these trying times can know that Jesus endured much worse, and they can take refuge in the compassion he garnered in his short time as the son of man. Jesus was now tasked with the responsibility to care for an increasingly poorer household, while at the same time he was becoming gradually aware of his past as a Creator Son before he incarnated as the human Jesus, the son of man. Overriding all else in the young man’s mind was his growing assurance that he was on Earth to reveal God his Paradise Father to humanity.

The Sixteenth Year (A.D. 10)

By sixteen years of age Jesus was a strong and handsome young man with an engaging and sympathetic smile, even if he was becoming more serious with time. He was learning to be both a friend and a divine teacher. In the biological sense his mind was developed and now prepared to progress through the same levels of mental development that do all other mortals born on the material worlds of time and space. Jesus accomplished all of this mental growth in one lifetime: for most of us it will take much longer. While more time on the planet is no guarantee of wisdom, there is maturity that cannot be gained without the needed age, desire, and experience to acquire it.

Mary still believed that Jesus was the Jewish savior, and she had told this to his sisters and brothers as the family secret. Then Jesus would deny it and confuse them. Jesus remembered that his father could never win an argument with Mary, so he let her keep her ideas but he did not support them and seldom discussed his life mission with her.

Simon started school this year and James took over teaching the three sisters, Mary, Martha, and young Ruth. The Jews only educated men in the synagogue, so Jesus insisted that his sisters were schooled at home. Like with all of the other inequalities between the sexes in Jewish life, Jesus found the separation between men’s and women’s rights to be backward and offensive.

Jesus’ skills at the carpenter bench kept him busy with plenty of work, and when he had more than he could handle James would help out. With what little free time Jesus did have, he would play with the little children. Mary was a proud mother, but sad that her son was shouldering so much responsibility at his young age.

The Seventeenth Year (A.D. 11)

Among the Jews there was a growing political group known as the Zealots. These men did not want to wait for a Jewish savior, they wanted to rebel against the Romans right then. They had many supporters in Galilee, and a group came to Nazareth recruiting more members. When they approached Jesus he declined to join and refused to say why. Jesus’ refusal to enlist influenced many of the young men in Nazareth and they followed his lead also refusing to participate in any rebellion against the Romans.

Mary had her own plans. She wanted Jesus to join the Zealots, and she was so insistent that she even suggested that by not doing so Jesus was breaking his vow to obey her. Jesus just laid a hand on his mother’s shoulder and looking into her eyes said “Mother, how could you say that?” Mary was caught off guard and let the idea drop, which was more than Joseph could ever get her to do.

But Jesus’ problems did not end with Mary. Her brother, Jesus’ uncle Simon, had joined the Zealots and was one of their leaders. James, Jesus’ brother, was urging Jesus to do the same. The young men in Nazareth were now divided because of Jesus’ refusal: about half of them supported the rebels, and the other half wanted to form a more moderate group and put Jesus in charge—an honor he also refused. Everyone in Nazareth had so much respect for Jesus that him not wanting to join the rebels left many of the Jewish men unsure about what they should do.

Somehow and unintentionally, Jesus had become stuck in the middle of political issues. He had tried to avoid this because of the difficulties for spiritual leaders when they get involved with politics. Jesus now either had to choose a side, or else give the people a sufficiently good reason why he would not. This put him in another predicament—Jesus could not tell the people that he was more than just a man. It was not yet time to publicly declare his mission. Jesus reverted to the reason he had often used in the past when he did not want to participate in some activity: he told the Zealots that he could not join them because he had to care and support his dead father’s family. When some of the people in town then offered to provide the money needed to support them, Jesus said no, that money cannot love.

The people in Nazareth had witnessed Jesus caring for his sisters and brothers after Joseph’s death, and for many of them his need to continue doing so was a good enough reason to not join the Zealots. Still, not everybody was happy with his decision. Then James, who had been rehearsed to speak by the chazan of the school, spoke up. He told the people that the only reason Jesus was not helping to liberate the Jews right then was because he, James, was still not old enough to take over responsibility for the family; he asked the people to be patient until all of his brothers were raised, and then there would be five loyal Zealots between them. This satisfied most of the people in Nazareth, but the incident was not forgotten and never again was Jesus held in full approval by the entire community. This was one of the reasons why years later he relocated to Capernaum.

James graduated school this year and took over Jesus’ job making yokes and plows in the carpenter shop. This allowed Jesus to leave his bench and build cabinets for the people’s houses in town. During this time Jesus was continuing to organize his mind and harmonize his human and divine natures. Jesus made progress just like we do: through following the guidance of his Thought Adjuster in all of his decisions. Jesus’ journey to perfection, as ours will be, was earned at every point along the way.

The Eighteenth Year (A.D. 12)

Over this year the family sold most of their remaining possessions. With the money they paid taxes, bought James some new tools, and paid off part of their old carpenter shop near the caravan lot.

Jesus took James to his first Passover. As they walked along the road, Jesus, like his father had done with him when he was a child, told James the historical events along the way. They talked about the problems in the family and the troubles brewing between the Jews and the Romans. Jesus did his best to prepare James for the horror he would witness at Passover, but when it was all over and done with James was less shocked by the events than his older brother had been. James did not know any more about Jesus’ mission than anyone else. Still, he was anxious to grow up and take over Jesus’ job as head of the family so his elder brother could begin his work.

Simon of Bethany had died, so for the Passover feast Jesus brought the lamb from the temple and acted as the head of the household for the ceremony. James looked down with wonder on Jerusalem just like Jesus had done his first time standing on Mount Olivet, and in the temple James went through the normal rites to become a full citizen in the community. Instead of returning to Nazareth the next day, Jesus and James stayed another night because James wanted to hear Jesus speak in the temple. But Jesus remained quiet the entire time. James was confused by Jesus’ attitude, and when he asked Jesus why was not participating in the discussions all he would say is that his hour had not yet come. As Jesus sat there watching the events in the temple, he pitied his fellow Jews for their backward ways.

Back in Nazareth Jesus returned to work in the family’s old repair shop. There he met and talked with ordinary people from many different parts of the world. Jesus loved people for who they were, not for what they had. He empathized with different types of people at the many levels of mental development through which we all, stage by stage, progress. At times Jesus would read the scriptures at the synagogue on Saturday mornings, and weather permitting then take walks in the countryside with his sisters and brothers. He joined a young men’s philosophical club and he had a strong group of friends. After four years of decreasing income, by September the family was broke.

Zacharias, John’s father, had died so Elizabeth took John to Nazareth to visit Jesus’ family and plan for the future. John and Jesus had many private talks during their time together. Eventually they decided that John should return to his family’s farm and care for his mother until God the Father called them both to their missions. This they did, and John did not see Jesus again until the day that Jesus presented himself to the future John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

Later that year on December 3^rd baby Amos died from a high fever. With his father dead, Jesus had to support Mary through her grief acting as both her son and as the head of the household. Jesus managed this situation so well that Mary never again questioned his leadership. The extra expense of Amos’ funeral made life more difficult for everyone, but Jesus was not discouraged. He told the family that they would survive and to trust in better days ahead. His optimism held everyone together, and the experience helped to strengthen his sisters and brother’s developing characters.

Jesus taught by example. He had patience that never wavered except if someone attempted to sway him from his Father’s will, and then they would see the righteous indignation that he had inherited from his mother. His patience and optimism allowed him to withstand the hardships of the mortal life: Jesus lived as if he was in the actual presence of God at all times.

The Nineteenth Year (A.D. 13)

Jesus used a positive form of teaching telling people what they should do, not what they should not do: he said to do good instead of saying not to do wrong. This way of encouraging people was the opposite of the Jews method of forbidding evil acts based on ancient taboos.

Most of Jesus’ siblings were well behaved and seldom had to be punished; Jude was the exception. He was more rebellious than his sisters and brothers from the beginning, and at times Jesus had to punish him. When he did, it was always with Jude’s permission and in agreement with the others. But Jesus was also fair: he understood that rules and justice were not static and that each case had to be judged in context of the situation. Jesus earned his family’s admiration and they often came to him for advice.

With the boys, James was a good student and balanced in personality although not as spiritually inclined as Jesus. Joseph was a bit slower than the rest of the children, but he was a good worker. Simon tended to be the well-intentioned dreamer of the bunch, and that caused its own problems. But it was Jude who was the hot-headed idealist, and that never changed.

Among the girls, Miriam stood out in every way. She was one of the most beautiful and well-balanced women in Nazareth with a strong appreciation for spiritual matters. Martha was more like Joseph in that she was not as bright as the rest, but she was also well-behaved like her brother. Baby Ruth was the family’s doll, and she worshiped everything about Jesus. The family followed the Jewish laws and customs when in town, but inside the house Jesus was teaching them a more liberal way to worship God than just obeying obsolete rules.

Jude started school this year and Jesus sold his harp to pay for his admission. While Jesus missed relaxing at night with his music, he comforted himself knowing that at least the Roman tax-collector did not have his harp.

Rebecca, Ezra’s Daughter

Being a smart, robust, and handsome young man Jesus was catching the notice of the young women in town. One young lady, Rebecca the daughter of Ezra who was one of Nazareth’s wealthier merchants, went so far as to tell Miriam that she was falling in love with Jesus. Miriam then told Mary, who was not pleased with this turn of events. Mary thought the situation was bad enough for the family as it was, without now having to worry about some woman taking Jesus away from them: Mary was intent on not letting that happen, and she and Miriam made a plan to stop the idea even before Jesus realized that Rebecca was in love with him.

Mary and Miriam told Rebecca their family’s secret about Jesus hoping that it would persuade her to look elsewhere for a husband. It did not. In fact, everything Mary and Miriam told her about Jesus just excited Rebecca more—in other words, if Jesus was a messiah he was going to need a good wife and it should be her. As for Mary’s concerns about supporting the rest of the family, Rebecca said that her father would provide the money. But this did not convince Mary and Miriam, and they still refused to help her. Rebecca was unfazed and decided to take her idea straight to Jesus. She talked her plan over with her father, received his support, and then they invited Jesus to their house for dinner on Rebecca’s seventeenth birthday.

Jesus accepted the invitation and at the dinner he listened to Rebecca’s proposal. Afterwards, Jesus said that concerning the money needed to support his family no amount could take the place of his obligation to be with them. He told Rebecca and her father that the most sacred trust that people have is to remain loyal to their own flesh and blood. When Ezra heard this he left the table and let Jesus and Rebecca talk alone. But as he was leaving the room he quietly told his wife that Jesus was too noble for their family, and that he would not be joining them.

Once they were alone, Rebecca told Jesus her love for him. This was a different experience for Jesus. Up until then he had not given much thought to girls, other than being friends with them like he was with the boys. When Rebecca was done speaking, Jesus thanked her for her words but said he could not be anything more than a just friend to her or to anyone else until he had met his obligations to his family. Furthermore, if he really was a child of destiny he would have to follow his father’s will. But Rebecca loved and worshipped Jesus as the most wonderful man on Earth, and nothing he said that night changed her feelings for him in the least. Rebecca was distraught and eventually forced her father to move their family away to Sepphoris. For the rest of her life Rebecca never accepted another man’s hand in marriage; she remained devoted to Jesus throughout his life and she was with Mary and the other women as he hung dying on the cross.

His Twentieth Year (A.D. 14)

Everyone in Nazareth learned that Jesus had rejected Rebecca’s offer of marriage, and he was never again put into that position. But the story of Rebecca’s love was not soon forgotten in Nazareth. To ease his mind, Jesus decided to go to the Passover in Jerusalem and visit with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus who were like his second family. Their parents were both dead now, and Lazarus being the same age as Jesus was the head of their household. Martha was a year older than Jesus, and Mary was two years younger.

Jesus did not tell Lazarus that he was coming for the Passover dinner, and Lazarus had already made plans for the family to go to a friend’s house located a way down the road to Jericho. But when Jesus arrived he suggested that they all remain there at the family’s house for supper. Lazarus objected, and said they could not have the Passover at his house because he did not have the sacrificial lamb from the temple. Jesus then took the opportunity to explain to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus that killing animals to please God was a gross, backward, and childlike practice from the days of Moses. Jesus said that the other Jews could do what they wanted, and that they probably should. But for this family, Jesus said they had seen the light of God and they now lived in the knowledge of eternal love: they would no longer worship God the Father through the darkness of death. And Mary, Martha, and Lazarus agreed with him.

That night was the first Passover feast in the world without the sacrificial lamb. Jesus called the hard bread that the Jews ate on Passover the bread of life, and the wine they drank the water of life. From then on Lazarus and his family celebrated the Passover without the lamb. But back at Jesus’ house in Nazareth, to please his mother they continued to eat the Passover according to the laws of Moses.

The family sold the last of Joseph’s property in Capernaum to a boat builder named Zebedee. Joseph graduated school and took up his spot at the carpenter bench. With three of the boys now working the family was making enough money to survive.

Jesus had matured. He was both offering guidance as a human father and receiving advice from his heavenly Father. Through the hardships he had learned to face injustice, brave disappointment, and meld his divine side with the demands of mortal life. Like with all people, Jesus had to learn how to both plan for the future and deal with the problems in the present. At this point in his life he had almost mastered the technique of using spiritual energy to fuel material achievements, and he was turning his difficulties into victories to guide humanity throughout eternity.

During his time on Earth, Michael lived as we do to the fullest possible extent. These experiences deepened his love and understanding for humanity—mortals living their first short and confusing lives in the flesh. Born as a babe of the material realm, Jesus had now passed through young adulthood and is prepared to go forth revealing God to mortals and leading mortals to God.