he son of Joseph and Mary, whose home was at Nazareth.
It marks also the beginning of his own public ministry, for which he
evidently had been in preparation for a considerable time.

It seems strange that we know so little of the early life of one
destined to exert such a powerful influence upon the thought and the
life of the world. In the gospel of Mark, probably the most reliable,
because the nearest to his time, there is no mention whatever of his
early life. The first account is where he appears at John's meetings.
Almost immediately thereafter begins his own public ministry.

In the gospel of Luke we have a very meagre account of him. It is at the
age of twelve. The brief account gives us a glimpse into the lives of
his father and his mother, Joseph and Mary; showing that at that time
they were not looked upon as in any way different from all of the
inhabitants of their little community, Nazareth, the little town in
Galilee--having a family of several sons and daughters, and that Jesus,
the eldest of the family, grew in stature and in knowledge, as all the
neighbouring children grew; but that he, even at an early age, showed
that he had a wonderful aptitude for the things of the spirit. I
reproduce Luke's brief account here:

"Now, his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the
passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem,
after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as
they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem: and Joseph
and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in
the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their
kinsfolk and acquaintances. And when they found him not, they turned
back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass that after
three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard
him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

"And when they saw him they were amazed: and his mother said unto him,
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