Why Are The Missing Years Of Jesus Missing?

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Miles
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Why Are The Missing Years Of Jesus Missing?

Post #1

Post by Miles »

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Between the ages of twelve and thirty the life of Jesus is unaccounted for. No written record and no tales told. Of course this hasn't prevented people from concocting stories about him during this period, from wild tales of him traveling to India to study with mystics to those having him appearing in North America, all extra-biblical of course.

So, is there nothing one can glean from the gospels? Well, Mark does imply he was a "blue color" worker, a carpenter; however, the parallel text of Matthew implies he's only a carpenter's son---the implication here being that because of Jesus's exalted position, mention of his father's occupation would have taken second place to the mention of Jesus occupation, unless Jesus was not a carpenter or significantly anything else. So Matthew is not supporting Mark's contention, but rather throws it in doubt.

Because it's said Jesus could read after he had turned thirty---in a synagogue he reads from the scroll of the prophets----it's likely he was at least somewhat formally educated, but aside from all the social and cultural influences and practices that all other males during this time went through, this is all one can definitely say about Jesus's life during the missing years. He learned how to read.

So, why is the bible silent about all these years? Years of the most significant person to ever have walked the earth, so it's been contended. Surmising that he was probably formally taught to read is hardly worth writing home about. So in effect, there is nothing.


What do you make of it? Have the missing years gone missing on purpose perhaps?




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bjs1
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Re: Why Are The Missing Years Of Jesus Missing?

Post #21

Post by bjs1 »

Miles wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:15 pm
bjs1 wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 2:38 pm
Miles wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:16 am
Second, those event were less important.
I take this as pure conjecture, unless, that is, you have evidence this is the case.
Perhaps it would be best to explain it in literary terms.

The four Gospels are not biographies; they are gospels. They are not telling the life of Jesus. They are telling the good news which comes from the life of Jesus.
So what?
Jesus never did anything notable during these 17 years? God in the form of his Son was just, what, contemplating his navel?

And what logic leads you to conclude that all the events in the missing years were less important than any reported prior to or later than the 17? And please don't say, "because they're missing."



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I am not saying that Jesus did not do anything notable during those 17 years. If something is worth noting or not is itself an issue of perspective. If any of the four Gospels were a biography of Jesus then I would expect more information from that time of his life.

But, again, they are not biographies. They are gospels. They fulfill their purpose, even if that purpose is not what some modern readers wish that it were.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin

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