Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 12/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Thurman,
I've always been curious about something and this is a good time of year to ask. According to the Bible, it was a huge "to do" when Jesus was born; in fact, monumental according to the Gospels. How, then, was Jesus able to live in almost total anonymity for so many years thereafter (until he started preaching)? I realize that there were no photos, news stories, etc. but surely it seems there would have been a huge amount of interest in knowing what happened to him after he was in infant. Why did people lose interest so quickly and so completely? I appreciate your thoughts!!

ANSWER: Dear Charlie,

Thank you for your question about the lack of interest in Jesus after His birth.

Read the story in the first 3 gospels (John doesn’t cover Jesus birth). Then notice some of the following information:

1. Jesus was born in a stable (probably a cave).

2. The angels sang, but only the shepherds heard them because they seemed to be the only people in the vicinity who sincerely wanted Him to come. From what I gather, throughout Scripture, God generally doesn’t reveal Himself to those who are not desiring His presence. Most people in Jesus’ time, and even in our time, sad to say, aren’t really desirous of the Second Coming of Jesus, because it would ruin their own plans. Most of those who wanted Him to come had their own agenda and would have been unwilling to accept a “king” born in a stable.

3. 40 days after Jesus was born His parents took Him to the temple for the dedication—required of all first born sons—and offered the required sacrifice. Since they were poor, they presented doves instead of a lamb. Nobody would have taken any notice of the child of a poor family. Anna and Simeon recognized Him, but others, perhaps even those who were close enough to hear them, probably didn’t understand what it was all about. Just poor people playing with a baby.

4. Jesus’ parents were probably living in a rented house by the time the wise men came (after Jesus was dedicated at the Temple). It seems that Joseph had decided to make their home there, since it was David’s city, and Jesus—the Messiah—, he thought, should grow up there.

5. After the wise men came, an angel warned Joseph in a dream that Herod would try to kill Jesus, so they left town. God had evidently planned that the gifts of the wise men would supply the money the little family needed for their trip to, and their stay in Egypt.

6. Joseph, Mary and Jesus stayed for some time in Egypt, until Herod died, before coming back to Judah. Joseph wanted to go live in Bethlehem, but because Herod’s son Archaleus reigned (worse than his father), he decided to go back to their home town of Nazareth.

7. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, an insignificant little town with a bad reputation. No one would suspect that the Messiah would grow up in such a place.

So you see, there are many reasons why Jesus was unknown and soon forgotten. And I think it was God’s plan that He should grow up in obscurity. God wanted Him to grow up in a place where Joseph and Mary could train Him in the Scripture so He could understand God’s plan of salvation. And in that way God could introduce His Son to the world as a mature Man with a perfect character and a charismatic personality.

If you have any questions or suggestions on this, or any other topic, feel free to write me at my personal address: PettyPress@gmail.com

Get close to Jesus and stay there. That’s the only way to let the Light of the world shine in your life.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.

Check out my web site, www.PettyPress.com, where I’ve posted 20 e-books, 42 Bible Study Guides, and much more. (One of the books on my site is my favorite life of Christ--"The Desire of Ages.")


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you, so much, for such a thoughtful and insightful answer. I thought it made very good sense and seemed quite logical. I have never been one to accept the bible as being totally, literally accurate. Realistically, it seems extremely likely that very few people would have even known he was born, given that travel was difficult, people were illiterate and news would have traveled very slowly...if at all. I think it's also filled with a great deal of exaggeration and also stories that were never intended to be anything other than a means of making an important moral point. I'd be interested to know if you agree with that or if you think everything happened exactly as reported? Thanks again, Thurman!!

Answer
Dear Charlie,

The Bible does have flaws, as would any document written by man. But the Bible is the message of God that He sent through His prophets—people He chose to deliver His messages.

Repeatedly the Bible has been tested to see if it’s reliable as a historical document, and every time archaeology, ancient history and other ancient documents touch on the events of the Bible, it has been found to be accurate. Some of the prophecies are testable—scholars can check them out to see if they were fulfilled accurately. In this too, the Bible has been found to be on target.

If the Bible checks out in every way that we can test it and stands true, then I believe that it’s also true in the areas that we cannot test. If the history of the Bible is accurate, then the message can logically be considered accurate as well.

Yes, I believe that everything happened exactly as reported. And, as I’ve found in my study, a large percentage of the people were not illiterate, but able to read and understand what God had written.

I suggest that you go to my web site, www.PettyPress.com, and click on “Bible Study Guides;” Then click on “3. DANIEL 2: God's Multi-metal Image.” This is a study of a prophesy given to Daniel in the 6th century BC. It has proven to be accurate to this very day.

Seriously, you owe it to yourself to read this study guide. You will need a Bible so you can read it for yourself. It may well change the way you see that old Book.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
PettyPress@gmail.com