Luke 2; Matthew 3
Far far Away on Judea’s Plains
How well do you know the Christmas
story?
1. Shepherds saw the star and followed it to Bethlehem. (Luke 2:9-16)
2. The number of wise men who came to see Jesus was three. (Matthew 2:1)
3. The wise men followed the star from the east to Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:1-2, 910)
4. The wise men came to see Jesus on the night of His birth. (Matthew 2:11)
5. As soon as the shepherds had seen the babe they kept it secret so Herod wouldn’t
learn about it. (Luke 2:17)
6. Joseph was the foster-father or guardian of Jesus. (Matthew 1:25)
7. Jesus had brothers and sisters. (Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3)
8. King Herod had all babies in Bethlehem and the surrounding area who were two
years old and younger killed. (Matthew 2:16)
9. After Jesus was 40 days old the Holy Family returned directly from Bethlehem to
Nazareth to live. (Luke 2:39)
10. When He was a boy, Christ would have been called Jesus by his mother. (Luke
1:31)
Christ’s Boyhood
Christ’s Boyhood
What do we know about Christ’s
boyhood?
Christ’s Boyhood
What do we know about Christ’s
boyhood?
• Matthew 3:24-26 (JST)
• Luke 2:40-52
• Hebrews 4:15
• D&C 93:12-14
What do we know about his mortality as a
youth?
Though Jesus was the literal Son of
God, as a young child he needed to be
taught and cared for much like other
children. This would be necessary
because "over his mind had fallen the
veil of forgetfulness
common to all who are born to earth, by
which the remembrance of primeval
existence is shut off" (James E.
Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 111).
Jesus’ Development was
Accelerated (Matthew 3:24-26JST)
…for His development was
unretarded by the dragging
weight of sin; He loved and
obeyed the truth and therefore
was free. (James E. Talmage,
Jesus the Christ [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1983], 106.)
Jesus as a boy
“When still a boy, He had all the intelligence
necessary to enable Him to rule and govern the
kingdom of the Jews, and could reason with
the wisest and most profound doctors of law
and divinity, and make their theories and
practice to appear like folly compared with the
wisdom he possessed; but He was a boy only,
and lacked physical strength even to defend
His own person; and was subject to cold, to
hunger and to death” (TPJS, p. 392).
Grace to Grace (D&C 93:12-14)
The Child grew, and with growth there came to Him
expansion of mind, development of faculties, and
progression in power and understanding. His
advancement was from one grace to another, not
from gracelessness to grace; from good to greater
good, not from evil to good, from favor with God to
greater favor, not from estrangement because of sin
to reconciliation through repentance and propitiation.
(James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ: A Study of the
Messiah and His Mission According to Holy
Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1983], 105.)
Pre-Mortal Foundations
He was so highly endowed with talents and abilities, so
spiritually sensitive, so in tune with the Infinite, that his
learning and wisdom soon excelled that of all his
fellows. His knowledge came to him quickly and easily
because he was building—as is the case with all men—
upon the foundations laid in preexistence. He brought
with him from that eternal world the talents and
capacities, the inclinations to conform and obey, and the
ability to recognize truth that he had there acquired.
…Jesus, when yet a child had spiritual talents that no
other man in a hundred lifetimes could obtain” (Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, p. 369).
“Neither could he be
taught…”(Matthew 3:24-26—JST;
Luke 2:46-7—JST)
He was “subject” to his Mother
and Father (Luke 2:51)
Christ’s Baptism
Tell the story
Christ’s Baptism
Matthew 3:13-16 contains three lessons
regarding baptism
• By authority (3:13; Article of Faith 5,
Hebrews 5:4)
• Due Process—by immersion (3:16; Romans
6:3-6)
• Nobody is above the law (3:15; 2 Nephi
31:5-12)