Lessons for life from the silent years of Jesus:

What are these so-called silent years? They are the years between the birth of Jesus and his first public ministry. Nothing much has been written about this time and therefore they are called the “silent years”. Yet there is enough information in the Scriptures to help us understand how Jesus as a young person increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

While living in obscurity, the surroundings of Nazareth and their connections to prior events recorded in the Scriptures formed an important part of his education. He also learnt from helping Joseph in his trade as a craftsman and from careful observation of nature in Galilee. God was teaching him “morning by morning” from His Word, with the result that when he visited the Temple in Jerusalem at age 12, he amazed the Jewish teachers with his understanding. His life up to age 30 was totally devoted to preparing for the great purpose assigned to him by God, the salvation of all those who would follow him. As young people, we have much to learn from Christ in these key years of our lives.