Scripture Reading
Luke 2:7; Luke 2:40, 52; John 19:28; Matthew 4:2; John 4:6; Mark 10:14; John 11:35; Luke 19:41; John 19:30–34
Last time, we talked about how our early images of Jesus—whether from stained glass or Sunday school—don’t always match the living, breathing Jesus of Scripture.
But to move beyond our assumptions, we need to step into His sandals, so to speak. We need to walk the dusty streets of Nazareth, hear the hum of the synagogue, and understand the pressures of Roman rule. That’s where our journey continues today.
When you want to truly know someone, you spend time learning their story – their background, where they grew up, what shaped them, what makes them happy, and what makes them sad. Getting to know Jesus is no different. It takes time, effort, and determination. If you want to know the real Jesus of the Bible, you must understand His background, His heritage, and the world He lived in.
Life & Heritage of Jesus
Jesus was born a Jew and lived fully within Jewish culture. To truly understand Him, we must acknowledge His Jewishness, which shaped His teachings, language, and relationships. As Philip Yancey writes:
“I can no more understand Jesus apart from his Jewishness than I can understand Gandhi apart from his Indianness. I need to go back, way back, and picture Jesus as a first-century Jew…” (The Jesus I Never Knew, Zondervan, 1995, p. 50).
To picture Jesus as He really was – a first-century Jew, we first need to understand a few key aspects of Jewish life in His day.
Although Scripture gives little information about His childhood, we have no reason to believe that His life was any different than a typical, first-century Jewish boy. His education would have started in the synagogue at around age 6. He would have learned Hebrew so that He could study Scripture. His textbook would have been the Old Testament, which the Jews call the Tanakh or Written Torah. He would also have learned the Oral Torah as it was passed down from generation to generation.
Jesus and the Torah
As was a Jewish custom, at age 12, during Passover, Jesus visited the Temple with His parents, where He spent time listening to the teachers and asking questions. Even as a boy, “everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:41-51).
By age twelve, a typical Jewish boy would either continue his studies at midrash (secondary school) or go to work. The New Testament remains silent about details of Jesus’ life between His Temple visit at twelve and the beginning of His public ministry at thirty. During these ‘silent’ years, Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people” (Luke 2:52).
The fact that Jesus grew in wisdom and by the age of thirty was teaching in synagogues (Matthew 4:23, Matthew 9:35, Mark 1:21, Luke 4:15, John 6:59) suggests that during these “silent” years, He continued to study the Scriptures, listen to teachers, and prepare himself for His Father’s work.
The World Jesus Lived In
Not only is it important to understand the culture that Jesus grew up in, but it is also essential to understand the social, political, and religious climate of His time. Throughout the early first century, Israel was under harsh Roman rule. The more exacting the Roman rule became, the more the Jewish people cried out for their long-awaited Messiah.
Jesus was born during this time and grew up in Nazareth, a small farming village in Galilee. Nazareth was considered a backwater town, and just like today, there was prejudice against people from small villages – even the Messiah.
Disdain for Nazareth was shown in Nathanael’s response to Philip when he told him that he had found the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth: Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). The Jewish community expected a Messiah, but not from a hillbilly town like Nazareth. They were looking for a deliverer, someone like Moses, who would deliver them from Rome instead of Egypt.
Religious and Political Opposition in Jesus’ Day
During the first century in Israel, there was no separation between church and state; the religious leaders were also the political leaders. Jesus constantly butted heads with two major religious and political groups: the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
The Pharisees were the party of the middle class who were very passionate about the Torah, both the written and the oral. You might say they were sticklers for the law.
The Sadducees were the other major party in Israel at the time of Jesus. They represented the wealthy ruling class, and many were members of the Sanhedrin( the Jewish Supreme Court). Many were also part of the priesthood that controlled the temple in Jerusalem. The Sadducees were power-hungry and often collaborated with Rome to maintain their power. As part of the Sanhedrin and the priesthood, the Sadducees were instrumental in bringing Jesus to trial and ultimately to His death.
Why Knowing Jesus’ Background Matters
As we study the teachings of Jesus, having a basic understanding of Jesus’ Jewish background helps us understand the context of His words and actions. Understanding where He was from, what environment He was in, and what opposition He faced helps us know the real Jesus – the Jesus of the Bible – more deeply.
Questions for Reflection
- How does picturing Jesus as a boy growing up in Nazareth help you relate to Him in His humanity?
- What can you learn from the way Jesus prepared during His “silent years” before beginning His public ministry?
- How does understanding the influence of Roman rule and the religious leaders of His day deepen your grasp of His mission?
Prayer Focus
Lord, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to live and grow within a real place, culture, and time in history. As I study His life in Nazareth, His preparation during the silent years, and the world He lived in under Roman rule, help me see Him more clearly. Give me insight into His words and actions so I may know the real Jesus and follow Him faithfully. In His name I pray, Amen.
Series Navigation
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Making Him Known August 13, 2025 4:20 pm