Matthew 2:19-23
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Luke 2:22-52
Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn't you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
John 1:43-46
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
Most of the stories we hear about young Jesus are about His birth...We do not have many stories in the gospels about when Jesus was a Boy and growing up...After His birth, we quickly read about John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah, and the beginning of Jesus' ministry...But we do not have a lot of stories or information between His birth and the beginning of His ministry...And after Jesus' birth, we hear very little about His father Joseph, and only a few stories of Mary throughout His ministry...And none of the four gospels after age twelve of His young life tells us how He prepares or gets started in His ministry...We really do not know much of anything of what happens to young Jesus after age twelve, until He starts choosing His Disciples and meeting with His cousin John the Baptist...Only then does the story of Jesus of Nazareth start to unfold...
We do know His parents were Mary and Joseph...We know that He was born in Bethlehem and then the family moved to Nazareth...By moving to Nazareth and being a Nazarene, He would be called Jesus of Nazareth...We know that Joseph and Mary were Jewish and raised Jesus as a traditional Jewish Boy...We can believe that since the angel Gabriel visited Mary and an angel of the LORD visited Joseph before Jesus' birth, that they would always remember that and be followers of God and devout Jews...They followed the rituals and purification rites necessary as they knew them...They would offer their Firstborn Child to God...When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”...
Simeon, a righteous and devout man, had been waiting on the Messiah...When he put his eyes on young Jesus -he knew...He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him...It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah...Moved by the Holy Spirit, he went into the temple courts...When Mary and Joseph brought in the Child Jesus to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God...Simeon said, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace...For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a Light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”...The Child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about Him...Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: “This Child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed...And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”...Simeon's life must now have felt complete...
Another righteous and devout person named Anna...She was a prophet, who never left God's Temple...She was the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher...She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four...She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying...Coming up to Mary and Joseph at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem...
These two saw in Jesus something special...They saw the Messiah...They knew in the years to come that He would be something, and Someone Very Special...
Mary and Joseph raised Jesus to honor God and to have faith from His earliest of days...And by the time He was twelve years old, it seems like His faith was now ingrained in Him...At age twelve He still lived in Nazareth...They took Him to the Passover in Jerusalem and He goes to the Temple...He is very comfortable in God's Temple, and call's God's Temple, His Father's house...
Jesus must have stayed in Nazareth until He chose His Twelve Disciples...Nazareth did not have a good reputation...When Jesus called His Disciple Nathanael, he asks this of Philip, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”...Philip said come and see...And what we have have seen or read about is the most fascinating life ever to have lives on earth...The Boy who grew up in Nazareth, now Jesus of Nazareth...