Hidden years offer some clues

People often speculate about Jesus' life prior to His public ministry. A hint is provided in the Gospel of Luke (2:41-52) in the story of a 12-year-old Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem without His parents permission. That glimpse may be all that we'll ever have, say scholars.

"If we really want to be honest about it, we know nothing of these years," said Rev. Dennis Tamburello, OFM, professor of religious studies at Siena College in Loudonville. "We might never have a complete picture of His humanity."

In discussing the historical Jesus and His human life on earth, Father Tamburello said a central belief is that Jesus was fully human. "It is a doctrinal teaching from the Council of Chalcedon," he said. "Just as Jesus is as much God as the Father, He is as much human as we are."

PersonalityBY reading Scripture, Catholics can learn some things about Jesus' personality, Father Tamburello said, noting that Jesus was not a member of the political parties of His time, nor was He an elitist.

"He was basically one of the people of the land. He was not a part of the cliques or groups of His time," the priest said.

Jesus was also insightful, witty and compassionate. "He was very witty," Father Tamburello explained. "He had a good comeback when people challenged Him. I see Him as a person with great insight. He had the ability to read situations, like the prophets of old. He had a strong sense of compassion."

Difficult topic

Brennan Hill, professor of religious education and theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, a former staff member of the Albany diocesan Office of Religious Education and author of "Jesus, the Christ: Contemporary Perspectives," agrees about the difficulty in learning about Jesus' life before His public ministry.

One way to find out what His childhood, teen and young adult years were like is to look at His adult years and reflect. "He had to learn Hebrew and carpentry," Dr. Hill said. "He didn't just pop out of Nazareth as a teacher-healer."

Through studying Jewish history and writings, scholars can get an impression of the sociological and political world Jesus lived in, he continued, adding that "from there, we can make assumptions."

Childhood

Dr. Hill explained that both Mary and Joseph played important roles in Jesus' education. Contrary to popular thought, he said, Joseph probably was alive for longer than previously believed. In order for Jesus to have learned carpentry, Dr. Hill said, "Joseph had to have been around a fair amount."

While women in Jesus' time were oppressed, Mary played an important role in Jesus' life, Dr. Hill said.

"She was a very strong woman and He learned much from her. There is much Mary in Jesus," he stated. He speculates, for example, that Jesus learned prayerfulness from Mary.

Traveling

In his book, Dr. Hill explains the life of craftsmen during Jesus' time:

"Craftsmen would work in their own villages as long as there were things to be made and repaired, but often they would have to go to the neighboring cities, such as Tiberias and Sephoris, where building projects would be more likely. It is even possible that Jesus moved to Capernaum as a young adult partly because there was not enough work in Nazareth to make a living."

Dr. Hill explained that it was difficult to find wood during that time because the woodlands of Galilee had been plundered by armies. Carpenters had to be strong and hardy in order to use the primitive tools.

Life at home

Life in Galilee and the village of Nazareth was simple, according to Dr. Hill. The small, square, one-roomed houses were gathered close together in order to share limited resources. Each house had a small yard to keep a few animals. The closeness of the houses led to the development of a spirit of neighborliness as well the development of close family ties.

Water was not readily available and needed to be brought in daily, Dr. Hill reported. Bathing was only common during the rainy season.

Education was important for Jews, even those living in small villages like Nazareth, Dr. Hill said.

"Jesus would have to attend the village school daily from early childhood until age 12 or 13," Dr. Hill explained. "There, He would learn the books of the Bible and the basic knowledge needed to live as a devout Jew. Once this period of formal learning was finished, Jesus and the other students could move on to study with the local sage or teacher of the law and could join regularly in the village with other adults who studied the Torah while working in the fields, in their spare time, or on the rooftops in the cool of the evening."

(Dr. Hill's book "Jesus the Christ: Contemporary Perspectives" costs $14.95 and is available through Twenty-Third Publications, PO Box 180, Mystic, CT 06355. Call 1-800-321-0411.)

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