Our Glorious Savior: From Ordinary Life to Miraculous Ministry

From twelve years old to approximately thirty, the Bible provides us with no information concerning Jesus’ life. We can only speculate what his life may have been like. Considering that the New Testament makes no further mention of Joseph, most scholars speculate that Joseph died sometime between Jesus’ early teenage years and the beginning of his ministry. Being the oldest son, the responsibility to provide for his family would have fallen primarily on his shoulder, working as a carpenter like his adoptive father Joseph. Jesus would have experienced being a first century tradesman, dealing with many of the same work hassles and frustrations we face – complaining customers, slow-paying and no-paying clients, physical fatigue and perhaps lazy co-workers. Whatever the situation, he never sinned – not even an unkind thought. Jesus did not live a monk-like existence until his ministry. The Scriptures tell us he was tempted in every way, yet was without sin.

It’s fascinating to ponder other unknown aspects Jesus’ life. What did Jesus look like? Did the fact that Jesus never sinned create jealousy amongst his siblings? Who were his best friends? How, when and where did Jesus study the Scriptures? As a carpenter, what did Jesus build and how comparatively skilled was he? When did he fully grasp his true identity and earthly mission? Precisely, how did Jesus know when or how to begin his ministry?

Although we aren’t informed exactly when (in terms of age) or how Jesus transitioned from normal life to Messianic ministry, we know it began with his baptism – the grand inauguration, if you will. This event was of such importance, God ensured it was recorded in all three synoptic Gospel accounts. However, the precise reasons why Jesus was baptized have long been discussed and debated amongst Bible scholars. From the mouth of our Savior, we know it had something to do with “fulfilling all righteousness.” Jesus’ words were in response to John the Baptist’s reluctance to baptize him, saying conversely that he should be baptized by Christ. There are undoubtedly a few important distinctions between the Son’s baptism and both John the Baptist’s or believers’ baptism. First, John’s baptism was to denote repentance from sin, and we know this was not the case concerning Jesus. Believer’s baptism signifies identity with Christ and the new life we’ve received in him. For obvious reasons this baptismal significance cannot fit the basis for Jesus being baptized, but does initiate a future ordinance for his followers.

Therefore, it’s most likely that Christ’s baptism served at least two purposes. Foremost, the Father supernaturally identified his Son with open heavens and an approving voice from heaven, and the Spirit descended on Jesus in a bodily form like a dove. For those God gave the spiritual ears and eyes to see, this was an unequivocal revelation that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah. Second, Jesus fulfilled all of the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf in order to die in our place as the perfect sacrificial Lamb. He tells us in Matthew 5:17 that he came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. John’s baptism was unquestionably from God, preparing the way for the Messiah. It then seems that Jesus submitting to John’s baptism, although unnecessary in the sense that he had no sin from which to repent, satisfied a righteous requirement that God deemed important to fulfill.

From biblical accounts it appears that perhaps immediately after his baptism, Jesus ventured into the desert for a forty day fast. After facing and resisting temptation from Satan, Jesus then begins teaching, preaching, proclaiming, ministering and displaying miraculous signs of his Messianic identity. Jesus’ words drew large crowds, including curiosity from the high of society and lowliest of sinners. His wisdom astounded. His arms comforted. His hands healed. His words rebuked, revealed, encouraged, provided hope, and gave life – both spiritually and physically. He turned water into wine and fed over five thousand people with a lunch packed for a boy. He commanded the wind and waves. He cursed a fig tree that did not bear fruit, causing it to wither. His spoken words knocked men to the ground. We’ll return to Jesus’ words and works, but before doing so, we’ll investigate their source. Like it once did me, it may surprise you!