WHEN Herod died, Joseph brought our blessed Lord and His mother back from Egypt, and went to live at Nazareth. We do not know any more about Him till He was twelve years old, and then He went up with Joseph and His mother to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of the Passover. That great feast the Jews always kept in remembrance of the night when God delivered them out of their troubles in Egypt.
KILLING THE MALE CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OLD.—Matt. 2:16.
When the time came for going home, the blessed Mary and Joseph could not find the Child Jesus. They thought at first that He was among the other boys of the company who had come up from Nazareth, and they went on a day's journey; but when He did not come back to them in the evening, they turned back to Jerusalem to seek Him. They looked for Him during three days all round the city, and found Him at last in the Temple, among the boys who came to be taught by the learned men there.
Everybody who listened was astonished at His understanding and His answers; but when His mother came to call Him, He went home with her directly; and He obeyed her and Joseph in everything, and helped and worked for them, though He was really their God and King.
JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE.—Luke 2:46, 47.
That was to teach us all how good children should behave at home to their fathers and mothers, for Joseph was like a father to Him, though His real Father is God. And as He grew older He lived on with them, and worked as a carpenter with them till He was thirty years old. So, you see, He knows just what it is to be one of us, and a poor hard-working man. For God from heaven came to be one of us men, and just like us.
QUESTIONS.
1. When did our blessed Lord come back from Egypt? 2. Where did He go and live? 3. How old was He when we hear about Him again? 4. Where did He go then? 5. What feast did they go to? 6. What was the Passover to put people in mind of? 7. What happened when it was time to go home? 8. How long was He lost? 9. Where was He found? 10. What was He doing there? 11. What was everyone surprised at? 12. What did He do when He was called? 13. How can you do like Him when you are called from what you like? 14. How did He always behave to His mother and Joseph? 15. How can you try to be like Him?