Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart.
Luke 2:51-52 NET
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.
What would it have been like to grow up with Jesus as a sibling or friend? What would he have been like? Was he any different than the other kids, or just one of them?
We can do no more than speculate on what Jesus’ early life was like. Very little is said about him in the canonical gospels before his baptism and public ministry when he was thirty (Luke 3:23). But there are some hints.
We have birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, but they do not tell us what Jesus was like. The only glimpse into his early life that we have comes from Luke 2:41-52. This is the story of Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem when he was twelve. This story finds him in the temple courts, listening to the teachers, asking them questions, and answering their questions. And the teachers were astonished at his answers and understanding.
Normal Development
The narrative concludes by saying that Jesus, as he grew, increased in both wisdom and stature. While he showed unusual insight into the Scripture, he went through a normal process of physical and mental development.
Jesus seemed to have an early understanding of his identity and mission. When Mary chided him for staying behind, he responded that he needed to be in his Father’s house. What he knew about his relationship with God the Father and why he had come is unclear. But he did have at least some awareness of it. Potentially because of what his mother may have told him concerning his birth.
Luke 2:52 concludes by saying that Jesus also grew in favor with God and people. Growing in favor with God would indicate a growing spiritual awareness. As he grew physically, his relationship with God was also growing.
And he was well thought of by the people he encountered as a child, a youth, and as an adult. There is no indication in the canonical gospels that Jesus did anything extraordinary before his baptism. He was one of them—the village carpenter (Mark 6:1-3).
So, for thirty years, Jesus grew into a man, developing spiritually and physically, until the time was right and he was revealed to the world. Initially, as a rabbi and miracle worker. But, ultimately, as the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God, who had come to save us from our sins.
