And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1: 14, Concordant New Testament
The young boy worked in the small carpentry shop under the watchful eye of His father. Suddenly, without noticing, the boy had struck His hand with one of the tools. His sudden exclamation of pain and displeasure was muted by the serious look from his father. It is a scene that has been repeated over thousands of years. Children learning at the feet of their parents. Yet this lad was far from the usual youngster you'd find in a family owned business. This was the boy Jesus, learning the trade of His father in the carpentry shop He no doubt knew well. Is this what you think of when you think of Jesus? The fragile young boy under the watchful eye of His own father? Or, when you think of Jesus do you skip past His growing years and see Him as the traditional, bearded man speaking to His followers. Most believers, when they think of Jesus, they immediately think of the man Savior. Yet, before Jesus became a man, He was assuredly an active young boy taking in all of the life experiences boys have done for thousands of years. Can you imagine Jesus running and playing with other children He knew? A Jesus that every so often had to be reigned in by His parents? Well, this is the boy Jesus in a nutshell. Imagine your own memories of growing up, then imagine Jesus doing some of those very same things. It really isn't such a stretch of the imagination to see that Jesus must have had some of the same growing experiences that we have ourselves. The apostle Paul refers to Him as "The Man Christ Jesus" {1 Timothy 2:5}. John tells us that He became flesh {John 1:14}. Yet the human side of Jesus is all too often a difficult concept for us to grab hold of. As a believer in the theology of Christ Jesus in me, knowing the human, flesh side of Jesus is almost paramount to understanding He who resides in me. Jesus knows me. He understands me. Jesus has been in those very same situations I've struggled through. Whatever it is that you're struggling with, you can rest assured that the Man Jesus has been there already.
Whence He ought, in all things, to be made like the brethren, that He may be becoming a merciful and faithful chief priest in that which is toward God, to make a propitiatory shelter for the sins of the people. For in what He has suffered, undergoing trial, He is able to help those who are being tried.
Hebrews 2: 17-18, Concordant New Testament
For some time, it was pretty difficult for me to wrap my understanding around the fact that Jesus had suffered the temptations of lust as I have. Director Martin Scorsese attempted to delve into the topic of the temptations of Jesus faced in his 1988 film The Last Temptation Of Christ. The film depicts how the man Jesus (William Dafoe), must have dealt with such inner temptations as fear, doubt, depression and lust. The film was largely controversial and dismissed by Christians and religious groups who refused to see their Savior Jesus in this way. Yet how are we supposed to see the early years of Jesus? We are not given much in the way of scriptural references to Christs' early years. We're told that the young Jesus grew in wisdom and favor {Luke 2:52}. But what about the rest? What about the day to day life of this child? Fortunately, we have the traditions which the population of that day surely lived by. We can assume that young Jesus lived by the traditions of His parents Jewish faith. Also, we can assume that the young Jesus most definitely spent a good deal of time in the carpentry shop of His father Joseph. This was how things were done back then. So, why is it so difficult to imagine that this young man suffered the very same temptations which we ourselves have? Why is a film that highlights the struggles Jesus must have faced seen as controversial? This is not the Jesus we want to see. We desire the kind, tender hearted Jesus who smiles and embraces us in times of trouble. Well, He's still there. Along the way, however, He suffered in the same way which we do, yet without sin {Hebrews 4:15}. The man Jesus has been through those same struggles we have, but with one important exception. I'm never alone in my struggles.
Lo! The virgin shall be pregnant and shall be bringing fourth a son, and they shall be calling His name 'Emmanuel,' which is, being construed, "God with us."
Matthew 1: 23, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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