Amy Webster Supporter Mom, Attorney, evangelical teacher/chaplain, broker

Oh! Don't you wish His entire life was recorded in the Bible? Can you imagine reading of all the miracles and compassion and the teachings of Jesus! 33 years of amazing actions & teachings. Wow! But John tells us in his gospel of Jesus, at verse 25:
"And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen."
I think of that verse quite often and it brings me huge joy and anticipation that someday, when we are with Jesus, we will hear of all those other wonderful stories of all of Jesus' complete works. Enough to fill us for eternity! But the most important one is that of His work on the cross in dying to save a wretch like me.

September 16 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Supporter Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

In ancient times scholars did not write biographies and life histories of people like we see in modern times. They wrote about their notable achievements in whatever field they specialised in (military, philosophy, science, etc). Jesus led an ordinary life, being trained as a rabbi and helping out with his father's carpentry business. Once he was called by his Father in heaven to begin his public ministry at the age of 30, then his life became notable. His amazing teachings and incredible miracles captured everyone's attention and led to the 4 gospels being written to prove to us that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah and Saviour of the world.

But I believe there is another important reason for his obscurity for 30 years. In Hebrews 2:17 we read "Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Virtually all of us live obscure uneventful lives, so Jesus life too, had to be just like ours so he could relate to our sufferings and temptations.

There is a lot of Jesus story since his ascension into heaven that we haven't been told yet. For example, when Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he started his church, which the bible says is the body of Christ on earth. What has Jesus been doing through the church these past 2,000 years? I would love to know all the stories. 

The bible also says that Jesus will have major roles to play in the future when he comes; 1) to rapture his church, 2) to give all believers new glorious bodies, 3) to judge the church, 4) to defeat all his enemies, 5) to reign on earth for 1,000 years, and 6) to create a new heaven and new earth for all believers to spend eternity with him. 

All these events are just as much a part of Jesus life as his 33 years spent on earth as a human being. I believe that when we, as believers, meet him face to face we will instantly know everything about him that has happened in the past and we will be eyewitnesses of everything that will happen in the future since we will be united with him forever.

Since the day we accepted Jesus as our personal saviour, there has also been a story written about our lives and recorded in Jesus book of life. It will include all the good deeds we will ever do for his kingdom in our entire lives. This story will be told on the day that Jesus judges the church and gives out his eternal rewards for our faithfulness. 

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

February 11 2017 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Faith Cross Supporter Pastor/Line Supervisor at a car parts factory

This answer is in response to a question that has been merged with this one, asking why there is so little about Jesus life before age 30. The Jewish people believed that a man's life had no real significance until he was about 30 years of age. The Rabbis started their ministry at this age. It was believed that until a man had some life experience, he did not have much to offer. About this time, they would gather a following, or some disciples. Jesus chose the most unlikely of followers when he called his twelve.

Luke 3:23 makes mention of Jesus at this time. "And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli," Just previous to this, he was baptized by John and visibly verified by God when the dove came out of heaven, and the Voice said "This is my Beloved Son". Immediately He went to the desert to be tested by Satan for 40 days, and directly afterward he went to the synagogue and declared himself to be the anointed one. 

There is no doubt that these first couple of months of his ministry was a marked time to identify Him as the Messiah.

February 05 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck Supporter

How wonderful it would be if we had the entire life of Jesus in writing! I believe the four gospels were written only to support the contention that Jesus was the Messiah. All the details of his early years would not necessarily be relevant to that claim. 

There are ancient non-canonical works which appear to give a few more details about Jesus' early life. They are not necessarily trustworthy. In our own times there is even an attempt to describe Jesus' life on a year-to-year basis. This is found in a work called "The Urantia book" but it is only a fabrication, easily seen by Christians to be obviously false.

February 05 2017 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

David Bibb Supporter One crying out in the desert...

Here is how I see it. I hope it benefits you in some way...

The entire life of Christ is recorded in the Bible according to what is written in the Psalms 139:16 (NIV) Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Here are some of Jesus’ own words to confirm that his life was indeed recorded in the Old Testament. 
John 5:39 (NIV) You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
Luke 24:27 (ESV) And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke 24:44 (ESV) Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
John 1:14 (ESV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 5:46 (NIV) If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.

We have Jesus' own words to tell us how to read the Old Testament. One analogy after another is written in the Old Testament that reveals the entire life of Christ. If read long enough and with eyes that see, one may understand the pattern. 
Here is a good starting point: Realize that there is only one analogical story - the fall and restoration of man. 
Analogical reasoning is any type of thinking that relies upon an analogy. An analogical argument is an explicit representation of a form of analogical reasoning that cites accepted similarities between systems to support the conclusion that some further similarity exists.
Since we already know some of the story as documented in the New Testament, mile markers are available for reference in the Old Testament. The Old Testament progression is always the same and starts with the Fall of Man. When the analogy ends it starts over immediately.
Mile Markers:
1)Miraculous Birth.
2)Flight to Egypt
3)Temple visit at 12 years old.
4)Baptism 
5)Passion 
6)Resurrection
7)Enthronement at the right hand of The Father

With every analogy the entire life of Christ is made clearer. The details are between the mile markers (Those events, emotions, reactions not recorded in the New Testament)

Read the Old Testament as you might watch a Shakespeare play, realizing that the actors may change roles in the next scene.
Example:
Scene1-Gen 37: Joseph plays Adam in the “fall of man”- (9)he dreams his father will bow down to him, (10)is rebuked, (23)stripped of his “cloak”, (20)sentenced to die, (27)but sold into slavery. End of act 1
Scene 2-Gen38: Judah and Tamar play the Miraculous Birth Story. (Since there is no miraculous birth in the Joseph story-insert a story from Judah- the progression must be concise)
Scene 3-Gen39: Joseph plays Jesus- is tempted, falsely accused, stripped of his cloak. 
Scene 4-Gen40: The passion is played by a nameless bread baker and cup bearer. The bread Baker is hung on a tree but the cup bearer is restored. (Death and ressurection)
Scene 5-Gen41 Joseph plays Jesus as he is made ruler 2nd only to the King(God the Father) and distributes bread to all people.

There are hundreds of analogies like this. I see the entire Old Testament like this. The entire book is a revelation of the life of Christ. 

Saint Jerome says it perfectly:
I interpret as I should, following the command of Christ: Search the Scriptures, and Seek and you shall find. Christ will not say to me what he said to the Jews: You erred, not knowing the Scriptures and not knowing the power of God. For if, as Paul says, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, and if the man who does not know Scripture does not know the power and wisdom of God, then ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.

December 21 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report