Kapitel 123		Paper 123
Jesu Tidlige Barndom		The Early Childhood of Jesus
123:0.1 (1355.1) PÅ GRUND af usikkerheden og uro under deres ophold i Betlehem fravænnede Maria ikke sit barn, indtil de var ankommet sikkert til Alexandria, hvor familien kunne slå sig ned til et normalt liv. De boede hos slægtninge, og Josef var i stand til at forsørge familien godt, da han fik arbejde kort efter deres ankomst. Han arbejdede som tømrer i flere måneder og derefter ophøjet til stilling som formand for en større gruppe af arbejdstagere, der var ansat i den igangværende opførelse af en offentlig bygning. Denne nye oplevelse gav ham idéen om at blive en entreprenør og bygherre efter deres tilbagevenden til Nazaret.		123:0.1 (1355.1) OWING to the uncertainties and anxieties of their sojourn in Bethlehem, Mary did not wean the babe until they had arrived safely in Alexandria, where the family was able to settle down to a normal life. They lived with kinsfolk, and Joseph was well able to support his family as he secured work shortly after their arrival. He was employed as a carpenter for several months and then elevated to the position of foreman of a large group of workmen employed on one of the public buildings then in process of construction. This new experience gave him the idea of becoming a contractor and builder after their return to Nazareth.
123:0.2 (1355.2) I løbet af alle disse år, da Jesus var et hjælpeløst lille barn opretholdt Maria en lang og konstant vagt over deres barn, så at intet ville ske, der kunne true hans velfærd eller på nogen måde forstyrrer hans fremtidige mission på jorden. Ingen mor var mere hengiven til sit barn. I hjemmet, hvor Jesus opholdt sig var der to andre børn, der var omtrent på hans alder, og blandt de nærmeste naboer var der seks andre, hvis aldre var tilstrækkeligt nær hans egen til at gøre dem til egnede legekammerater. Til en begyndelse var Maria tilbøjelig til altid at holde Jesus tæt ved sig. Hun var bange for, at noget ville ske med ham, hvis han legede i haven med de andre børn, men det lykkedes Josef, med hjælp af hans slægtninge, at overbevise hende om, at en sådan tilgang ville fratage Jesus de nyttige erfaringer med at lære at tilpasse sig børn på hans egen alder. Så Maria indså, at en sådan omsorgsfuldhed, som involverede en overdrevent afskærmning og usædvanlig beskyttelse kunne føre til, at han blev selvbevidst og noget selvcentreret, samtykkede hun til sidst til planen om at tillade det lovende barn at vokse op ligesom alle andre børn. Selv om hun holdt sig til denne beslutning, så hun det som sin opgave altid at holde øje med de små, når de legede rundt i huset eller i haven. Kun en kærlig mor kan forstå den byrde, som Maria bar i sit hjerte for sin søns sikkerhed under disse hans spædbarns- og tidlige barndomsår.		123:0.2 (1355.2) All through these early years of Jesus’ helpless infancy, Mary maintained one long and constant vigil lest anything befall her child which might jeopardize his welfare or in any way interfere with his future mission on earth; no mother was ever more devoted to her child. In the home where Jesus chanced to be there were two other children about his age, and among the near neighbors there were six others whose ages were sufficiently near his own to make them acceptable play-fellows. At first Mary was disposed to keep Jesus close by her side. She feared something might happen to him if he were allowed to play in the garden with the other children, but Joseph, with the assistance of his kinsfolk, was able to convince her that such a course would deprive Jesus of the helpful experience of learning how to adjust himself to children of his own age. And Mary, realizing that such a program of undue sheltering and unusual protection might tend to make him self-conscious and somewhat self-centered, finally gave assent to the plan of permitting the child of promise to grow up just like any other child; and though she was obedient to this decision, she made it her business always to be on watch while the little folks were at play about the house or in the garden. Only an affectionate mother can know the burden that Mary carried in her heart for the safety of her son during these years of his infancy and early childhood.
123:0.3 (1355.3) Gennem de to år, de tilbragte i Alexandria, var Jesus ved godt helbred, og fortsatte med at vokse normalt. Med undtagelse af et par venner og slægtninge fortalte man ingen, at Jesus var et "løftets barn." En af Josefs slægtninge afslørede imidlertid dette for nogle venner i Memphis, efterkommere af den gamle Ikhnaton, og de samles med en lille gruppe af troende fra Alexandria i det fornemme hjem, der var ejet af Josefs slægtninge og velgører, en kort tid, før familien fra Nazaret vendte tilbage til Palæstina, for at ønske dem fremgang og hylde barnet. Ved denne lejlighed præsenterede de forsamlede venner som en gave til Jesus en komplet kopi af den græske oversættelse af de hebraiske skrifter. Denne kopi af de jødiske hellige skrifter fik Josef ikke i hans hænder, indtil både han og Maria til sidst havde afslået invitationen fra deres venner fra Memphis og Alexandria om at bo i Egypten. Disse troende insisterede på, at skæbnebarnet kunne udøve en langt større indflydelse i verden, som hjemmehørende i Alexandria, end hvis han levede et bestemt sted i Palæstina. Disse forsøg på overtalelse forsinkede for en tid deres afrejse til Palæstina, efter at de havde modtaget nyheden om Herodes død.		123:0.3 (1355.3) Throughout the two years of their sojourn at Alexandria, Jesus enjoyed good health and continued to grow normally. Aside from a few friends and relatives no one was told about Jesus’ being a “child of promise.” One of Joseph’s relatives revealed this to a few friends in Memphis, descendants of the distant Ikhnaton, and they, with a small group of Alexandrian believers, assembled at the palatial home of Joseph’s relative-benefactor a short time before the return to Palestine to wish the Nazareth family well and to pay their respects to the child. On this occasion the assembled friends presented Jesus with a complete copy of the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures. But this copy of the Jewish sacred writings was not placed in Joseph’s hands until both he and Mary had finally declined the invitation of their Memphis and Alexandrian friends to remain in Egypt. These believers insisted that the child of destiny would be able to exert a far greater world influence as a resident of Alexandria than of any designated place in Palestine. These persuasions delayed their departure for Palestine for some time after they received the news of Herod’s death.
123:0.4 (1356.1) Josef og Maria forlod endelig Alexandria på en båd, der tilhørte deres ven Ezraeon og som var på vej til Jaffa. De ankom til havnen i slutningen af august år 4. f.Kr. og gik direkte til Betlehem, hvor de tilbragte hele september måned for at rådføre sig med deres venner og slægtninge om de skulle forblive der eller vende tilbage til Nazaret.		123:0.4 (1356.1) Joseph and Mary finally took leave of Alexandria on a boat belonging to their friend Ezraeon, bound for Joppa, arriving at that port late in August of the year 4 b.c. They went directly to Bethlehem, where they spent the entire month of September in counsel with their friends and relatives concerning whether they should remain there or return to Nazareth.
123:0.5 (1356.2) Maria havde aldrig helt opgivet tanken om, at Jesus burde vokse op i Betlehem, Davids by. Josef troede ikke rigtig på, at deres søn ville blive en konge, der befriede Israel. Desuden vidste han, at han ikke selv var en sand efterkommer af David, men at han kun blev regnet til Davids efterkommere, fordi en af hans forfædre var adopteret ind i en familie som nedstammede fra David. Maria tænkte selvfølgelig at Davids by var det mest hensigtsmæssige sted at opdrage den nye kandidat til Davids trone, men Josef foretrak hellere at prøve lykken med Herodes Antipas end med hans bror Arkelaus. Han var meget bekymret for barnets sikkerhed i Betlehem eller nogen anden by i Judæa, og formodede, at Arkelaus ville være mere tilbøjelig end Antipas i Galilæa til at forfølge sin far Herodes truende politik. Ud over alle disse grunde, holdt Josef ikke op med at mene, at Galilæa var et bedre sted at opdrage og uddanne barnet, men det tog tre uger at overvinde Marias indvendinger.		123:0.5 (1356.2) Mary had never fully given up the idea that Jesus ought to grow up in Bethlehem, the City of David. Joseph did not really believe that their son was to become a kingly deliverer of Israel. Besides, he knew that he himself was not really a descendant of David; that his being reckoned among the offspring of David was due to the adoption of one of his ancestors into the Davidic line of descent. Mary, of course, thought the City of David the most appropriate place in which the new candidate for David’s throne could be reared, but Joseph preferred to take chances with Herod Antipas rather than with his brother Archelaus. He entertained great fears for the child’s safety in Bethlehem or in any other city in Judea, and surmised that Archelaus would be more likely to pursue the menacing policies of his father, Herod, than would Antipas in Galilee. And besides all these reasons, Joseph was outspoken in his preference for Galilee as a better place in which to rear and educate the child, but it required three weeks to overcome Mary’s objections.
123:0.6 (1356.3) Omkring den første oktober havde Josef overbevist Maria og alle deres venner, at det var bedst for dem at vende tilbage til Nazaret. Derfor i begyndelsen af oktober i år 4 f.Kr. begav de sig på vej væk fra Betlehem til Nazaret og rejste gennem Lydda og Scythopolis. De startede ud tidligt en søndag morgen. Maria og barnet red på deres nyerhvervede lastedyr, mens Josef og fem ledsagende mandlige slægtninge rejste til fods. Josefs slægtninge nægtede at give dem mulighed for at foretage turen til Nazaret alene. De turde ikke gå til Galilæa via Jerusalem og Jordandalen, og de vestlige ruter var ikke helt sikkert for to enlige rejsende med et lille barn.		123:0.6 (1356.3) By the first of October Joseph had convinced Mary and all their friends that it was best for them to return to Nazareth. Accordingly, early in October, 4 b.c., they departed from Bethlehem for Nazareth, going by way of Lydda and Scythopolis. They started out early one Sunday morning, Mary and the child riding on their newly acquired beast of burden, while Joseph and five accompanying kinsmen proceeded on foot; Joseph’s relatives refused to permit them to make the trip to Nazareth alone. They feared to go to Galilee by Jerusalem and the Jordan valley, and the western routes were not altogether safe for two lone travelers with a child of tender years.
1. Tilbage i nazaret ^top		1. Back in Nazareth ^top
123:1.1 (1356.4) På den fjerde dag af rejsen nåede gruppen sikkert frem til deres bestemmelsested. De ankom uanmeldt til hjemmet i Nazaret, der i over tre år havde været beboet af en af Josefs gifte brødre, som faktisk var overrasket over at se dem; så stille og roligt havde de håndteres deres anliggender at hverken Josef eller Marias familie vidste, at de havde forladt Alexandria. Den næste dag flyttede Josefs bror ud med sin familie, og for første gang siden fødslen af Jesus slog Maria sig ned med sin lille familie til at nyde livet i deres eget hjem. Inden for mindre end en uge fik Josef arbejde som tømrer, og de var meget glade.		123:1.1 (1356.4) On the fourth day of the journey the party reached its destination in safety. They arrived unannounced at the Nazareth home, which had been occupied for more than three years by one of Joseph’s married brothers, who was indeed surprised to see them; so quietly had they gone about their business that neither the family of Joseph nor that of Mary knew they had even left Alexandria. The next day Joseph’s brother moved his family, and Mary, for the first time since Jesus’ birth, settled down with her little family to enjoy life in their own home. In less than a week Joseph secured work as a carpenter, and they were supremely happy.
123:1.2 (1356.5) Jesus var omkring tre år og to måneder gamle på tidspunktet for deres tilbagevenden til Nazaret. Han havde udholdt alle disse rejser meget godt, var i fremragende sundhed og fuld af barnets glæde og iver efter at få sit eget område at løbe rundt i og nyde. Men han savnede meget sine alexandrinske legekammeraters selskab.		123:1.2 (1356.5) Jesus was about three years and two months old at the time of their return to Nazareth. He had stood all these travels very well and was in excellent health and full of childish glee and excitement at having premises of his own to run about in and to enjoy. But he greatly missed the association of his Alexandrian playmates.
123:1.3 (1356.6) Under turen til Nazaret havde Josef overtalt Maria, at det ville være uklogt at sprede viden blandt deres venner og slægtninge i Galilæa, at Jesus var et løftets barn. De blev enige om ikke at sige noget om disse ting til nogen. De var begge meget tro mod dette løfte.		123:1.3 (1356.6) On the way to Nazareth Joseph had persuaded Mary that it would be unwise to spread the word among their Galilean friends and relatives that Jesus was a child of promise. They agreed to refrain from all mention of these matters to anyone. And they were both very faithful in keeping this promise.
123:1.4 (1357.1) Hele Jesu fjerde år var en periode med normal fysiske udvikling og en usædvanlig mental aktivitet. I mellemtiden var han blevet meget knyttet til en nabo dreng, der var omkring hans egen alder ved navn Jacob. Jesus og Jakob legede altid gerne sammen, og de voksede op til at blive de bedste venner og trofaste kammerater.		123:1.4 (1357.1) Jesus’ entire fourth year was a period of normal physical development and of unusual mental activity. Meantime he had formed a very close attachment for a neighbor boy about his own age named Jacob. Jesus and Jacob were always happy in their play, and they grew up to be great friends and loyal companions.
123:1.5 (1357.2) Den næste vigtige begivenhed i livet i denne Nazaret familie var fødslen af deres andet barn, Jakob i de tidlige morgentimer den 2. april år 3 f.Kr. Jesus var fascineret og glad ved tanken om, at han havde en lillebror, og han kunne stå i timevis på stedet bare for at observere barnets aktiviteter.		123:1.5 (1357.2) The next important event in the life of this Nazareth family was the birth of the second child, James, in the early morning hours of April 2, 3 b.c. Jesus was thrilled by the thought of having a baby brother, and he would stand around by the hour just to observe the baby’s early activities.
123:1.6 (1357.3) Ved midsommertid samme år byggede Josef et lille værksted tæt ved landsbyens kilde og karavanernes hvilested. Fra da af tog han meget lidt daglønnet tømmerarbejde. Han havde som medarbejdere to af sine brødre og flere andre håndværkere, som han sendte ud for at arbejde, mens han opholdt sig i værkstedet til fremstilling af åg og plove samt andet træværk. Han lavede også en del læderarbejde samt med reb og lærred. Da Jesus voksede op og ikke var i skole, delte han sin tid ligeligt mellem at hjælpe sin mor med hjemmearbejde og at være opmærksom på, hvordan hans far arbejdede i værkstedet, mens han samtidig lyttede til diskussionerne og sladderen blandt karavaneførerne og de rejsende fra de fire verdenshjørner.		123:1.6 (1357.3) It was midsummer of this same year that Joseph built a small workshop close to the village spring and near the caravan tarrying lot. After this he did very little carpenter work by the day. He had as associates two of his brothers and several other mechanics, whom he sent out to work while he remained at the shop making yokes and plows and doing other woodwork. He also did some work in leather and with rope and canvas. And Jesus, as he grew up, when not at school, spent his time about equally between helping his mother with home duties and watching his father work at the shop, meanwhile listening to the conversation and gossip of the caravan conductors and passengers from the four corners of the earth.
123:1.7 (1357.4) I juli dette år, en måned før Jesus var fire år, sprede en ondartet tarm influenza sig over hele Nazaret, et udbrud forårsaget af smitte fra karavanerejsende. Maria blev så foruroliget over faren for at Jesus kunne være inficeret med denne epidemi sygdom, at hun pakkede begge sine børn op og flygtede til sin brors gård på landet, omkring otte kilometer syd for Nazaret på vej til Megiddo nær Sarid. De vendte ikke tilbage til Nazaret før over to måneder senere. Jesus havde stor glæde i denne hans første oplevelse på en gård.		123:1.7 (1357.4) In July of this year, one month before Jesus was four years old, an outbreak of malignant intestinal trouble spread over all Nazareth from contact with the caravan travelers. Mary became so alarmed by the danger of Jesus being exposed to this epidemic of disease that she bundled up both her children and fled to the country home of her brother, several miles south of Nazareth on the Megiddo road near Sarid. They did not return to Nazareth for more than two months; Jesus greatly enjoyed this, his first experience on a farm.
2. Det femte år (2 f.kr.) ^top		2. The Fifth Year (2 B.C.) ^top
123:2.1 (1357.5) Lidt over et år efter tilbagekomsten til Nazaret nåede drengen Jesus en alder for hans første personlige og helhjertet moralsk beslutning. Så kom Tankeretteren for at bo hos ham, en guddommelig gave fra Paradisfaderen. Denne Retter havde tidligere tjent med Makiventa Melkisedek, og dermed fået erfaring i at samarbejde med inkarnationen af en overmenneskelig skabning, som levede i kødet. Denne begivenhed fandt sted den 11. februar i år 2 f.Kr. Jesus var ikke mere bevidste om den guddommelige Ledsagers ankomst end de millioner og atter millioner af andre børn før og efter denne dag, der også modtaget en Tankeretter til at bo i deres sind, og som arbejder for den afgørende åndeliggørelse af deres sind og den evige overlevelse af deres udviklende udødelige sjæle.		123:2.1 (1357.5) In something more than a year after the return to Nazareth the boy Jesus arrived at the age of his first personal and wholehearted moral decision; and there came to abide with him a Thought Adjuster, a divine gift of the Paradise Father, which had aforetime served with Machiventa Melchizedek, thus gaining the experience of functioning in connection with the incarnation of a supermortal being living in the likeness of mortal flesh. This event occurred on February 11, 2 b.c. Jesus was no more aware of the coming of the divine Monitor than are the millions upon millions of other children who, before and since that day, have likewise received these Thought Adjusters to indwell their minds and work for the ultimate spiritualization of these minds and the eternal survival of their evolving immortal souls.
123:2.2 (1357.6) På denne dag i februar ophørte den direkte og personlig tilsyn af universets herskere i forbindelse med ukrænkeligheden af Mikaels barnlige inkarnation. Fra da af og videre under hele den menneskelige udvikling af inkarnationen var beskyttelsen af Jesus bestemt til at hvile hos denne Retter i hans sind og hos hans serafiske værger, suppleret lejlighedsvis med mellemvæseners omsorg, som har fået overdraget udførelsen af meget specifikke opgaver i henhold til instruktionerne af deres planetariske foresatte.		123:2.2 (1357.6) On this day in February the direct and personal supervision of the Universe Rulers, as it was related to the integrity of the childlike incarnation of Michael, terminated. From that time on throughout the human unfolding of the incarnation, the guardianship of Jesus was destined to rest in the keeping of this indwelling Adjuster and the associated seraphic guardians, supplemented from time to time by the ministry of midway creatures assigned for the performance of certain definite duties in accordance with the instruction of their planetary superiors.
123:2.3 (1357.7) Jesus fyldte fem år i august dette år, og vi vil derfor henvise til dette som hans femte leveår (kalender) år. I dette år 2 f.Kr., lidt mere end en måned før hans femte fødselsdag, blev Jesus meget glad over at have fået en søster, Miriam, der blev født om natten den 11. juli. I løbet af aftenen den følgende dag havde Jesus en lang snak med sin far om, hvordan forskellige grupper af levende væsener kommer til verden som individer. Jesus modtog den mest værdifulde del af hans tidlige uddannelse fra sine forældre som svar på hans tankevækkende og søgende spørgsmål. Josef undlod aldrig at gøre sin fulde pligt i at tage besværet med at give sig selv tid til at besvare drengens mange spørgsmål. Fra det tidspunkt da Jesus var fem år, indtil han var ti, var han et kontinuerligt spørgsmålstegn. Mens Josef og Maria ikke altid kunne besvare hans spørgsmål, var de altid parate til fuldt ud at drøfte hans forespørgsler, og på alle andre mulige måde at hjælpe ham i hans søgen efter at finde en tilfredsstillende løsning på problemet, som hans vågent sind havde rejst.		123:2.3 (1357.7) Jesus was five years old in August of this year, and we will, therefore, refer to this as his fifth (calendar) year of life. In this year, 2 b.c., a little more than one month before his fifth birthday anniversary, Jesus was made very happy by the coming of his sister Miriam, who was born on the night of July 11. During the evening of the following day Jesus had a long talk with his father concerning the manner in which various groups of living things are born into the world as separate individuals. The most valuable part of Jesus’ early education was secured from his parents in answer to his thoughtful and searching inquiries. Joseph never failed to do his full duty in taking pains and spending time answering the boy’s numerous questions. From the time Jesus was five years old until he was ten, he was one continuous question mark. While Joseph and Mary could not always answer his questions, they never failed fully to discuss his inquiries and in every other possible way to assist him in his efforts to reach a satisfactory solution of the problem which his alert mind had suggested.
123:2.4 (1358.1) Lige siden de vendte tilbage til Nazaret havde deres husstand haft nok at gøre, og Josef havde været usædvanligt optaget af at bygge sit nye værksted og få sit erhverv i gang igen. Så optaget var han, at han ikke havde haft nogen tid til at bygge en vugge til James, men denne mangel blev rettet længe før Miriam ankom, så hun havde en meget komfortabel kravleseng, hvor hun kunne holde til, mens familien beundrede hende. Barnet Jesus deltog med hele sit hjerte i disse naturlige og normale hjemlige begivenheder. Han var meget glad for sin lillebror og sin lillesøster og var til stor hjælp for Maria med at håndtere dem.		123:2.4 (1358.1) Since returning to Nazareth, theirs had been a busy household, and Joseph had been unusually occupied building his new shop and getting his business started again. So fully was he occupied that he had found no time to build a cradle for James, but this was corrected long before Miriam came, so that she had a very comfortable crib in which to nestle while the family admired her. And the child Jesus heartily entered into all these natural and normal home experiences. He greatly enjoyed his little brother and his baby sister and was of great help to Mary in their care.
123:2.5 (1358.2) Der var få hjem i den ikke-jødiske verden på den tid, der kunne give et barn en bedre intellektuel, moralsk og religiøs opdragelse, end det jødiske hjem i Galilæa. Disse jøder havde et systematisk program til at uddanne og undervise deres børn. De delte et barns liv i syv faser:		123:2.5 (1358.2) There were few homes in the gentile world of those days that could give a child a better intellectual, moral, and religious training than the Jewish homes of Galilee. These Jews had a systematic program for rearing and educating their children. They divided a child’s life into seven stages:
123:2.6 (1358.3) 1. Det nyfødte barn, de første otte dage.		123:2.6 (1358.3) 1. The newborn child, the first to the eighth day.
123:2.7 (1358.4) 2. Det ammende barn.		123:2.7 (1358.4) 2. The suckling child.
123:2.8 (1358.5) 3. Det afvænnede barn.		123:2.8 (1358.5) 3. The weaned child.
123:2.9 (1358.6) 4. Perioden, hvor barnet var afhængigt af moderen, som varede indtil udgangen af det femte år.		123:2.9 (1358.6) 4. The period of dependence on the mother, lasting up to the end of the fifth year.
123:2.10 (1358.7) 5. Barnets spirende uafhængighed, og når det gjaldt sønnerne, overtog faderen ansvar for deres uddannelse.		123:2.10 (1358.7) 5. The beginning independence of the child and, with sons, the father assuming responsibility for their education.
123:2.11 (1358.8) 6. Ungdomstidens drenge og piger.		123:2.11 (1358.8) 6. The adolescent youths and maidens.
123:2.12 (1358.9) 7. De unge mænd og unge kvinder.		123:2.12 (1358.9) 7. The young men and the young women.
123:2.13 (1358.10) Det var skik blandt jøderne i Galilæa, at moderen var ansvarlig for et barns opvækst, indtil barnet var fem år og derefter, hvis barnet var dreng, blev hans far holdt ansvarlig for drengens uddannelse fra den tid fremad. Derfor kom Jesus i år i den femte etape i en jødisk barns liv i Galilæa, og derfor overførte Maria ham formelt til Josef den 21. august for yderligere vejledning.		123:2.13 (1358.10) It was the custom of the Galilean Jews for the mother to bear the responsibility for a child’s training until the fifth birthday, and then, if the child were a boy, to hold the father responsible for the lad’s education from that time on. This year, therefore, Jesus entered upon the fifth stage of a Galilean Jewish child’s career, and accordingly on August 21, 2 b.c., Mary formally turned him over to Joseph for further instruction.
123:2.14 (1358.11) Selvom Josef nu overtog det direkte ansvar for Jesu intellektuelle og religiøse uddannelse, fortsatte hans mor stadig for hans uddannelse i hjemmets gøremål. Hun lærte ham at kende og passe de vinstokke og blomster, der voksede ved havens vægge, som indhegnede hele ejendomsgrunden. Hun satte også op på taget (soveværelset for sommeren) lave kasser med sand, hvor Jesus tegnede kort og gjorte mange af sine første øvelser i skriftligt aramæisk, græsk og senere hebraisk, for med tiden lærte han at læse, skrive og tale alle tre sprog flydende.		123:2.14 (1358.11) Though Joseph was now assuming the direct responsibility for Jesus’ intellectual and religious education, his mother still interested herself in his home training. She taught him to know and care for the vines and flowers growing about the garden walls which completely surrounded the home plot. She also provided on the roof of the house (the summer bedroom) shallow boxes of sand in which Jesus worked out maps and did much of his early practice at writing Aramaic, Greek, and later on, Hebrew, for in time he learned to read, write, and speak, fluently, all three languages.
123:2.15 (1358.12) Jesus viste sig at være fysisk tæt på et perfekt barn, og han fortsatte med at udvikle sig normalt i den mentalt og følelsesmæssigt respekt. Ved slutningen af sit femte (kalender) år fik han en mild fordøjelsesbesvær, hans første mindre sygdom.		123:2.15 (1358.12) Jesus appeared to be a well-nigh perfect child physically and continued to make normal progress mentally and emotionally. He experienced a mild digestive upset, his first minor illness, in the latter part of this, his fifth (calendar) year.
123:2.16 (1359.1) Selvom Josef og Maria ofte talte om deres ældste søns fremtid, ville du, hvis du havde været der, kun have observeret opvæksten af et normal, sund, ubekymrede, men overordentlig nysgerrigt barn af den tid og sted.		123:2.16 (1359.1) Though Joseph and Mary often talked about the future of their eldest child, had you been there, you would only have observed the growing up of a normal, healthy, carefree, but exceedingly inquisitive child of that time and place.
3. Hændelser under det sjette år (1 f.kr.) ^top		3. Events of the Sixth Year (1 B.C.) ^top
123:3.1 (1359.2) Med hjælp fra sin mor, havde Jesus allerede lært sig den galilæiske dialekt af aramæisk sprog, og nu begyndte hans far at undervise ham i græsk. Maria talte lidt græsk, men Josef var flydende i både aramæisk og græsk. Lærebogen for studiet af det græske sprog var en kopi af de hebraiske skrifter - en komplet udgave af loven og profeterne, herunder Salmerne - som de havde modtaget som en gave, da de forlod Egypten. Der var kun to fuldstændige kopier af Skriften på græsk i hele Nazaret, og da den ene var hos tømrerens familie var Josefs hjem en efterspurgt sted og gjorte det muligt for Jesus, da han voksede op, for at møde en næsten endeløs procession af seriøse studerende og oprigtige sandhedssøgere. Inden året var omme, havde Jesus påtaget sig ansvaret af dette uvurderlige manuskript, efter at han på sin fødselsdag, da han fyldte seks år havde fået at vide, at denne hellige bog var blevet givet som en gave til ham af venner og slægtninge i Alexandria. Inden for meget kort tid kunne han nemt læse den.		123:3.1 (1359.2) Already, with his mother’s help, Jesus had mastered the Galilean dialect of the Aramaic tongue; and now his father began teaching him Greek. Mary spoke little Greek, but Joseph was a fluent speaker of both Aramaic and Greek. The textbook for the study of the Greek language was the copy of the Hebrew scriptures—a complete version of the law and the prophets, including the Psalms—which had been presented to them on leaving Egypt. There were only two complete copies of the Scriptures in Greek in all Nazareth, and the possession of one of them by the carpenter’s family made Joseph’s home a much-sought place and enabled Jesus, as he grew up, to meet an almost endless procession of earnest students and sincere truth seekers. Before this year ended, Jesus had assumed custody of this priceless manuscript, having been told on his sixth birthday that the sacred book had been presented to him by Alexandrian friends and relatives. And in a very short time he could read it readily.
123:3.2 (1359.3) Det første store chok i Jesu unge liv opstod, da han endnu ikke var fyldt seks år. Det havde forekommet drengen, at hans far - i hvert fald hans far og mor tilsammen - vidste alt. Forestil jer derfor overraskelse som dette nysgerrige barn oplevede, da han spurgte sin far om årsagen til et mindre jordskælv, der netop havde fundet sted, og hørte Josef sige: "Min søn, jeg ved det virkelig ikke." Således begyndte den lange og foruroligende desillusion, i løbet af hvilken Jesus lærte, at hans forældre ikke havde uendelig visdom og var alvidende.		123:3.2 (1359.3) The first great shock of Jesus’ young life occurred when he was not quite six years old. It had seemed to the lad that his father—at least his father and mother together—knew everything. Imagine, therefore, the surprise of this inquiring child, when he asked his father the cause of a mild earthquake which had just occurred, to hear Joseph say, “My son, I really do not know.” Thus began that long and disconcerting disillusionment in the course of which Jesus found out that his earthly parents were not all-wise and all-knowing.
123:3.3 (1359.4) Josefs første tanke var at fortælle Jesus, at jordskælvet var forårsaget af Gud, men et øjebliks refleksion fortalte ham, at et sådant svar straks ville føre til yderligere og endnu mere bekymrende spørgsmål. Allerede under Jesu tidligste år, var det svært at besvare hans spørgsmål om fysiske og sociale fænomener ved tankeløst at sige til ham, at det nogle gange var Gud, undertiden djævelen der var ansvarlig. I tråd med den fremherskende tro, blandt det jødiske folk, var Jesus længe villig til at acceptere læren om gode og onde ånder som mulig forklaring på mentale og åndelige fænomener, men han begyndte meget tidligt at betvivle, at sådanne usete påvirkninger var ansvarlige for de fysiske begivenheder i den naturlige verden.		123:3.3 (1359.4) Joseph’s first thought was to tell Jesus that the earthquake had been caused by God, but a moment’s reflection admonished him that such an answer would immediately be provocative of further and still more embarrassing inquiries. Even at an early age it was very difficult to answer Jesus’ questions about physical or social phenomena by thoughtlessly telling him that either God or the devil was responsible. In harmony with the prevailing belief of the Jewish people, Jesus was long willing to accept the doctrine of good spirits and evil spirits as the possible explanation of mental and spiritual phenomena, but he very early became doubtful that such unseen influences were responsible for the physical happenings of the natural world.
123:3.4 (1359.5) Før Jesus var fyldt seks år, i forsommeren år 1 f.Kr., kom Zakarias, Elizabeth, og deres søn Johannes på besøg hos familien i Nazaret. Jesus og Johannes havde det sjovt sammen under dette besøg som blev det første de kunne huske. Selvom gæsterne kun kunne bo et par dage, diskuterede forældrene meget igennem, som berørte deres sønners fremtidsplaner. Mens de således var optaget legede drengene med byggeklodser i sandet på taget og havde det sjovt på mange andre måder som drenge normalt har.		123:3.4 (1359.5) Before Jesus was six years of age, in the early summer of 1 b.c., Zacharias and Elizabeth and their son John came to visit the Nazareth family. Jesus and John had a happy time during this, their first visit within their memories. Although the visitors could remain only a few days, the parents talked over many things, including the future plans for their sons. While they were thus engaged, the lads played with blocks in the sand on top of the house and in many other ways enjoyed themselves in true boyish fashion.
123:3.5 (1359.6) Da Jesus havde mødt Johannes, der kom fra området nær Jerusalem, begyndte han at udvise en usædvanlig interesse i Israels historie og stille meget detaljerede spørgsmål om betydningen af sabbattens ritualer og prædikener i synagogerne og tilbagevendende mindehøjtideligheder. Hans far forklarede ham alle disse højtidelige fester. Den første var den midvinter lys festival, som varede i otte dage, begyndende med et lys den første nat og stigende med et lys hver nat derefter. Det blev fejret til minde om templets indvielse, efter at Judas Mackabæus havde genoprettet den mosaiske tempeltjeneste. Så kom den tidlige forårs fejring af Purim, festen til minde om Esther og Israels udfrielse gennem hende. Derefter fulgte den højtidelige påske, som de voksne fejret i Jerusalem når det er muligt, mens børnene derhjemme ville huske, at de ingen syret brød fik at spise hele ugen. Senere kom festen for de første frugter, høstfest, og sidst, den mest højtidelige af dem alle, nytårsfesten, forsoningsdagen. Selv om en del af disse fester og ceremonier var sværere for Jesu unge sind til at forstå, overvejede han dem alvorligt og gik helt ind i glæden ved løvhyttefesten, den årlige ferietid for hele det jødiske folk, det tidspunkt, hvor de boede ude i løvhytter og gav sig hen til munterhed og glæde.		123:3.5 (1359.6) Having met John, who came from near Jerusalem, Jesus began to evince an unusual interest in the history of Israel and to inquire in great detail as to the meaning of the Sabbath rites, the synagogue sermons, and the recurring feasts of commemoration. His father explained to him the meaning of all these seasons. The first was the midwinter festive illumination, lasting eight days, starting out with one candle the first night and adding one each successive night; this commemorated the dedication of the temple after the restoration of the Mosaic services by Judas Maccabee. Next came the early springtime celebration of Purim, the feast of Esther and Israel’s deliverance through her. Then followed the solemn Passover, which the adults celebrated in Jerusalem whenever possible, while at home the children would remember that no leavened bread was to be eaten for the whole week. Later came the feast of the first-fruits, the harvest ingathering; and last, the most solemn of all, the feast of the new year, the day of atonement. While some of these celebrations and observances were difficult for Jesus’ young mind to understand, he pondered them seriously and then entered fully into the joy of the feast of tabernacles, the annual vacation season of the whole Jewish people, the time when they camped out in leafy booths and gave themselves up to mirth and pleasure.
123:3.6 (1360.1) I løbet af dette år havde Josef og Maria problemer med Jesus, da det kom til hans bønner. Han holdt fast på at tale med sin himmelske Fader meget som han ville tale til Josef, hans jordiske far. Denne afvigelse fra den mere højtidelig og ærbødig måde at kommunikere med Guddommen var noget forvirrende for hans forældre, især hans mor, men overtale ham til eventuelle ændringer kunne man ikke. Han fortsatte med at sige sine bønner ligesom han havde lært, hvorefter han insisterede på at have "bare en lille snak med min Fader i himlen."		123:3.6 (1360.1) During this year Joseph and Mary had trouble with Jesus about his prayers. He insisted on talking to his heavenly Father much as he would talk to Joseph, his earthly father. This departure from the more solemn and reverent modes of communication with Deity was a bit disconcerting to his parents, especially to his mother, but there was no persuading him to change; he would say his prayers just as he had been taught, after which he insisted on having “just a little talk with my Father in heaven.”
123:3.7 (1360.2) I juni i år overgav Josef sit værksted i Nazaret til sine brødre, og begyndte officielt at arbejde som bygherre. Inden året var omme, havde familiens indkomst mere end tredoblet. Aldrig igen, før efter Josefs død, følte familien i Nazaret fattigdommens pres. Familien blev større, og de brugte mange penge på ekstra uddannelse og rejser, men altid holdt Josefs stigende indtægter trit med de voksende udgifter.		123:3.7 (1360.2) In June of this year Joseph turned the shop in Nazareth over to his brothers and formally entered upon his work as a builder. Before the year was over, the family income had more than trebled. Never again, until after Joseph’s death, did the Nazareth family feel the pinch of poverty. The family grew larger and larger, and they spent much money on extra education and travel, but always Joseph’s increasing income kept pace with the growing expenses.
123:3.8 (1360.3) De næste par år arbejdede Josef meget i Kana, Betlehem (i Galilæa), Magdala, Nain, Sepphoris, Kapernaum, og Endor samt på mange bygninger i og i nærheden af Nazaret. Da Jakob voksede op til at være gammel nok til at hjælpe sin mor med husarbejdet og pleje af de yngre børn, foretog Jesus hyppige rejser væk fra hjemmet med sin far til disse omkringliggende byer og landsbyer. Jesus var en ivrig observatør og fik meget praktisk viden på disse ture uden for hjemmet. Han samlede ihærdigt kendskab til mennesker og deres måde at leve på jorden.		123:3.8 (1360.3) The next few years Joseph did considerable work at Cana, Bethlehem (of Galilee), Magdala, Nain, Sepphoris, Capernaum, and Endor, as well as much building in and near Nazareth. As James grew up to be old enough to help his mother with the housework and care of the younger children, Jesus made frequent trips away from home with his father to these surrounding towns and villages. Jesus was a keen observer and gained much practical knowledge from these trips away from home; he was assiduously storing up knowledge regarding man and the way he lived on earth.
123:3.9 (1360.4) I dette år gjorde Jesus store fremskridt med at tilpasse sine stærke følelser og livlige impulser til de krav, samarbejde inden for familien og disciplinen i hjemmet krævede. Maria var en kærlig mor, men hun holdt en temmelig streng disciplin. På mange måder udøvede Josef dog en større indflydelse på Jesus, da han plejede at sidde ned med drengen og fuldt ud forklare de reelle og underliggende årsager til nødvendigheden af disciplinære begrænsninger af personlige præferencer af hensyn til hele familiens trivsel og fred. Når situationen var blevet forklaret for Jesus, var han altid intelligent og villigt til samarbejde med forældrenes ønsker og familiens regler.		123:3.9 (1360.4) This year Jesus made great progress in adjusting his strong feelings and vigorous impulses to the demands of family co-operation and home discipline. Mary was a loving mother but a fairly strict disciplinarian. In many ways, however, Joseph exerted the greater control over Jesus as it was his practice to sit down with the boy and fully explain the real and underlying reasons for the necessity of disciplinary curtailment of personal desires in deference to the welfare and tranquillity of the entire family. When the situation had been explained to Jesus, he was always intelligently and willingly co-operative with parental wishes and family regulations.
123:3.10 (1360.5) Meget af sin fritid - når hans mor ikke havde brug for hans hjælp i husstanden - brugte han til at observere blomster og planter om dagen og stjernerne om natten. Han viste en besværlig forkærlighed for at ligge på ryggen og stirrede forundret op i stjernehimlen længe efter sin sædvanlige sengetid i denne velordnede Nazaret husstand.		123:3.10 (1360.5) Much of his spare time—when his mother did not require his help about the house—was spent studying the flowers and plants by day and the stars by night. He evinced a troublesome penchant for lying on his back and gazing wonderingly up into the starry heavens long after his usual bedtime in this well-ordered Nazareth household.
4. Det syvende år (1 e.kr.) ^top		4. The Seventh Year (A.D. 1) ^top
123:4.1 (1361.1) Dette var bestemt et begivenhedsrigt år i Jesu liv. I begyndelsen af januar, kom der en kæmpe snestorm i Galilæa. Sneen faldt over en halv meter dyb, det tungeste snefald Jesus oplevet i hans levetid og en af de mest udbredte i Nazaret i hundrede år.		123:4.1 (1361.1) This was, indeed, an eventful year in Jesus’ life. Early in January a great snowstorm occurred in Galilee. Snow fell two feet deep, the heaviest snowfall Jesus saw during his lifetime and one of the deepest at Nazareth in a hundred years.
123:4.2 (1361.2) De lege, som de jødiske børn legede i Jesu tid var ret begrænset. Alt for ofte bestod deres leg af de mere alvorlige gøremål som de så ældre mennesker udføre. De legede ofte bryllupper og begravelser, ceremonier, som de ofte så og som var så spektakulære. De dansede og sang, men havde få organiserede lege og spil, såsom børn af senere tider så godt kan lide.		123:4.2 (1361.2) The play life of Jewish children in the times of Jesus was rather circumscribed; all too often the children played at the more serious things they observed their elders doing. They played much at weddings and funerals, ceremonies which they so frequently saw and which were so spectacular. They danced and sang but had few organized games, such as children of later days so much enjoy.
123:4.3 (1361.3) Jesus, i selskab med en nabo dreng og senere sin bror James, kunne godt lide at lege i det fjerneste hjørne af familiens tømrer butik, hvor de havde en masse sjov blandt spåner og træklodser. Det var altid svært for Jesus at forstå den skade af visse lege, der blev forbudt på sabbatten, men han rettede sig altid efter sine forældres ønsker. Han havde en evne for humor og leg, der havde ringe mulighed for at komme til udtryk i hans tids og generations omgivelser, men op til fjorten års alder var han for det meste munter og ubekymret.		123:4.3 (1361.3) Jesus, in company with a neighbor boy and later his brother James, delighted to play in the far corner of the family carpenter shop, where they had great fun with the shavings and the blocks of wood. It was always difficult for Jesus to comprehend the harm of certain sorts of play which were forbidden on the Sabbath, but he never failed to conform to his parents’ wishes. He had a capacity for humor and play which was afforded little opportunity for expression in the environment of his day and generation, but up to the age of fourteen he was cheerful and lighthearted most of the time.
123:4.4 (1361.4) Maria havde et dueslag på taget af dyrestalden som stødte op til hjemmet, og de brugte overskuddet fra salget af duer som en særlig velgørende fond, som Jesus administrerede, efter at han først havde fratrukket tienden og overladt det til synagogens tjenestemand.		123:4.4 (1361.4) Mary maintained a dovecote on top of the animal house adjoining the home, and they used the profits from the sale of doves as a special charity fund, which Jesus administered after he deducted the tithe and turned it over to the officer of the synagogue.
123:4.5 (1361.5) Den eneste virkelige ulykke Jesus havde op til dette tidspunkt var et fald ned af baghavens stentrappe, der førte op til soveværelset med et tag af lærred. Dent skete under en uventet juli sandstorm fra øst. De varme vinde, som bragte vindstød af fint sand, blæste som regel i regntiden, især i marts og april. Det var usædvanligt at have sådan en storm i juli. Da stormen brød ud legede Jesus som sædvanlig oppe på hustaget, for i en stor del af tørketiden, var taget hans sædvanlige legeplads. Han blev blændet af sandet på vej ned ad trappen og faldt. Efter denne ulykke byggede Josef et gelænder langs begge sider af trappen.		123:4.5 (1361.5) The only real accident Jesus had up to this time was a fall down the back-yard stone stairs which led up to the canvas-roofed bedroom. It happened during an unexpected July sandstorm from the east. The hot winds, carrying blasts of fine sand, usually blew during the rainy season, especially in March and April. It was extraordinary to have such a storm in July. When the storm came up, Jesus was on the housetop playing, as was his habit, for during much of the dry season this was his accustomed playroom. He was blinded by the sand when descending the stairs and fell. After this accident Joseph built a balustrade up both sides of the stairway.
123:4.6 (1361.6) Der var ingen måde, hvorpå denne ulykke kunne have været forhindret. Den kunne ikke henføres til de midlertidige mellemvæseners vagters omsorgssvigt - den ene en første gradens og den anden en andens gradens mellemvæsen - der var blevet udpeget til at våge over drengen; serafvogterne kunne heller ikke holdes ansvarlig for ulykken. Den kunne simpelthen ikke have været undgået. Men dette lille uheld, der indtraf mens Josef var væk fra hjemmet i Endor, forårsagede en stor angst til at udvikle sig i Maria, at hun i nogle måneder uklogt forsøgte at holde Jesus konstant tæt ved sin side.		123:4.6 (1361.6) There was no way in which this accident could have been prevented. It was not chargeable to neglect by the midway temporal guardians, one primary and one secondary midwayer having been assigned to the watchcare of the lad; neither was it chargeable to the guardian seraphim. It simply could not have been avoided. But this slight accident, occurring while Joseph was absent in Endor, caused such great anxiety to develop in Mary’s mind that she unwisely tried to keep Jesus very close to her side for some months.
123:4.7 (1361.7) Himmelske personligheder griber ikke vilkårligt ind i materielle ulykker, banale forekomster af en fysisk karakter. Under almindelige omstændigheder kan kun mellemvæsnerne gribe ind i materielle forhold for at beskytte de personer som er skæbnebestemte mænd og kvinder, og selv i særlige tilfælde, kan disse væsener kun handle i lydighed til deres overordnede udtrykkelige ordrer.		123:4.7 (1361.7) Material accidents, commonplace occurrences of a physical nature, are not arbitrarily interfered with by celestial personalities. Under ordinary circumstances only midway creatures can intervene in material conditions to safeguard the persons of men and women of destiny, and even in special situations these beings can so act only in obedience to the specific mandates of their superiors.
123:4.8 (1361.8) Dette var kun en af en række af disse mindre uheld som senere ramte denne nysgerrige og eventyrlystne unge. Hvis du forestiller dig den gennemsnitlige barndom og ungdomstid som en energisk dreng har, får du en ganske god idé om Jesu liv i en ung alder, og du kan mere eller mindre forestille sig, hvor meget angst, han forårsagede sine forældre, især hans mor.		123:4.8 (1361.8) And this was but one of a number of such minor accidents which subsequently befell this inquisitive and adventurous youth. If you envisage the average childhood and youth of an aggressive boy, you will have a fairly good idea of the youthful career of Jesus, and you will be able to imagine just about how much anxiety he caused his parents, particularly his mother.
123:4.9 (1362.1) Det fjerde barn i familien i Nazaret, Josef, blev født onsdag morgen den 16. marts i år 1 e.Kr.		123:4.9 (1362.1) The fourth member of the Nazareth family, Joseph, was born Wednesday morning, March 16, a.d. 1.
5. Skoleårene i nazaret ^top		5. School Days in Nazareth ^top
123:5.1 (1362.2) Jesus var nu syv år, den alder, hvor jødiske børn skulle begynde deres officielle uddannelse i synagogen. Derfor begyndte han i august dette år sin begivenhedsrige skolegang i Nazaret. Knægten kunne allerede flydende læse, skrive og tale to sprog, aramæisk og græsk. Han skulle nu i gang med opgaven at lære at læse, skrive og tale hebraisk. Med iver så han frem til det nye skoleliv, der ventede ham.		123:5.1 (1362.2) Jesus was now seven years old, the age when Jewish children were supposed to begin their formal education in the synagogue schools. Accordingly, in August of this year he entered upon his eventful school life at Nazareth. Already this lad was a fluent reader, writer, and speaker of two languages, Aramaic and Greek. He was now to acquaint himself with the task of learning to read, write, and speak the Hebrew language. And he was truly eager for the new school life which was ahead of him.
123:5.2 (1362.3) I tre år - indtil han var ti - deltog han i folkeskolen ved synagogen i Nazaret. I løbet af disse tre år studerede han de grundlæggende elementer i Lovens bog, som den blev afsagt på hebraisk. I løbet af de følgende tre år studerede han i den højere skole, og ved at gentage højt, lærte sig udenad den hellige lovs dybere betydninger. Han afsluttede sine studier ved synagogen i løbet af sin trettende år og blev overdraget til hans forældre, af synagogens ledere som en uddannet "søn af bud" - herefter en ansvarlig borger i det israelitiske samfund, som i stigende grad indebar hans tilstedeværelse ved påske festlighederne i Jerusalem. Derfor deltog han i år med sin far og mor i deres første påske.		123:5.2 (1362.3) For three years—until he was ten—he attended the elementary school of the Nazareth synagogue. For these three years he studied the rudiments of the Book of the Law as it was recorded in the Hebrew tongue. For the following three years he studied in the advanced school and committed to memory, by the method of repeating aloud, the deeper teachings of the sacred law. He graduated from this school of the synagogue during his thirteenth year and was turned over to his parents by the synagogue rulers as an educated “son of the commandment”—henceforth a responsible citizen of the commonwealth of Israel, all of which entailed his attendance at the Passovers in Jerusalem; accordingly, he attended his first Passover that year in company with his father and mother.
123:5.3 (1362.4) I Nazaret sad eleverne i en halvcirkel på gulvet, mens deres lærer, chazan, som foretog tjeneste på synagogen, sad overfor dem. De startede med Tredje Mosebog, Leviticus, gik videre til at lære resten af lov bøgerne, hvorefter fulgte studiet af Profeterne og Salmerne. Synagogen i Nazaret ejede en komplet kopi af Skriften på hebraisk. Intet andet end Skriften blev studeret før det tolvte år. I sommermånederne blev skoledagen forkortet betragteligt.		123:5.3 (1362.4) At Nazareth the pupils sat on the floor in a semicircle, while their teacher, the chazan, an officer of the synagogue, sat facing them. Beginning with the Book of Leviticus, they passed on to the study of the other books of the law, followed by the study of the Prophets and the Psalms. The Nazareth synagogue possessed a complete copy of the Scriptures in Hebrew. Nothing but the Scriptures was studied prior to the twelfth year. In the summer months the hours for school were greatly shortened.
123:5.4 (1362.5) Jesus lærte tidligt at mestre hebraisk meget godt, og da han var en ung mand - og hvis der ikke var prominente gæster på besøg i Nazaret - ville man ofte bede ham læse de hebraiske skrifter til de troende samlet i synagogen på de regelmæssige Sabbat gudstjenester.		123:5.4 (1362.5) Jesus early became a master of Hebrew, and as a young man, when no visitor of prominence happened to be sojourning in Nazareth, he would often be asked to read the Hebrew scriptures to the faithful assembled in the synagogue at the regular Sabbath services.
123:5.5 (1362.6) Disse synagoge skoler havde naturligvis ingen lærebøger. I undervisningen ytrede chazan en sætning, mens de studerende på en gang gentog den efter ham. Når eleven havde adgang til lovens skrevne bøger, lærte han sin lektie ved at læse højt og gentage det læste hele tiden.		123:5.5 (1362.6) These synagogue schools, of course, had no textbooks. In teaching, the chazan would utter a statement while the pupils would in unison repeat it after him. When having access to the written books of the law, the student learned his lesson by reading aloud and by constant repetition.
123:5.6 (1362.7) Ud over sin mere formelle skolegang, begyndte Jesus at komme i kontakt med den menneskelige natur fra de fire verdenshjørner, når mennesker fra mange lande passerede gennem hans fars værksted. Da han var lidt ældre bevægede han sig frit mellem karavanerne, når de standsede nær brønden for at hvile og spise. Da han talte flydende græsk, havde han ingen større vanskeligheder med at diskutere med de fleste karavanerejsende og -førerne.		123:5.6 (1362.7) Next, in addition to his more formal schooling, Jesus began to make contact with human nature from the four quarters of the earth as men from many lands passed in and out of his father’s repair shop. When he grew older, he mingled freely with the caravans as they tarried near the spring for rest and nourishment. Being a fluent speaker of Greek, he had little trouble in conversing with the majority of the caravan travelers and conductors.
123:5.7 (1362.8) Nazaret var en holdeplads på karavanevejen og et mødested for rejsende, for en stort dels ikke-jødisk i sin befolkning. Mens den almindeligt var kendt som et centrum for liberal fortolkning af den traditionelle jødiske lov. I Galilæa blandede jøder sig mere frit med ikke-jøder end var sædvane i Judæa. Af alle byer i Galilæa var Nazarets jøder kendetegnet som var mest liberale i deres fortolkning af de sociale restriktioner baseret på frygten for infektion som følge af kontakt med ikke-jøder. Disse forhold gav anledning til, at man i Jerusalem sagde, "Kan noget godt komme fra Nazaret?"		123:5.7 (1362.8) Nazareth was a caravan way station and crossroads of travel and largely gentile in population; at the same time it was widely known as a center of liberal interpretation of Jewish traditional law. In Galilee the Jews mingled more freely with the gentiles than was their practice in Judea. And of all the cities of Galilee, the Jews of Nazareth were most liberal in their interpretation of the social restrictions based on the fears of contamination as a result of contact with the gentiles. And these conditions gave rise to the common saying in Jerusalem, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”
123:5.8 (1363.1) Jesus fik sin moralske undervisning og åndelig kultur hovedsageligt i sit eget hjem. Han sikrede sig meget af sin intellektuelle og teologisk uddannelse fra sin lærer, chazan. Men hans rigtige uddannelse - det udstyr som i sindet og hjertet er nødvendig for den virkelige prøve til at kæmpe med livets vanskelige problemer - fik han igennem at omgås med sine medmennesker. Det var dette tætte samarbejde med sine medmennesker, unge og gamle, jøder og ikke-jøder, som gav ham mulighed for at kende den menneskelige race. Jesus var højtuddannede i, at han grundigt forstod mennesker og hengivent elskede dem.		123:5.8 (1363.1) Jesus received his moral training and spiritual culture chiefly in his own home. He secured much of his intellectual and theological education from the chazan. But his real education—that equipment of mind and heart for the actual test of grappling with the difficult problems of life—he obtained by mingling with his fellow men. It was this close association with his fellow men, young and old, Jew and gentile, that afforded him the opportunity to know the human race. Jesus was highly educated in that he thoroughly understood men and devotedly loved them.
123:5.9 (1363.2) I løbet af sine år i synagogen, var Jesus en strålende student, som havde en stor fordel, af at han mestrede tre sprog. Chazan i Nazaret bemærkede også til Josef på det tidspunkt, hvor Jesus afsluttede sin uddannelse på skolen, at han frygtede, at "han havde lært mere fra Jesu søgende spørgsmål", end han havde "været i stand til at undervise knægten."		123:5.9 (1363.2) Throughout his years at the synagogue he was a brilliant student, possessing a great advantage since he was conversant with three languages. The Nazareth chazan, on the occasion of Jesus’ finishing the course in his school, remarked to Joseph that he feared he “had learned more from Jesus’ searching questions” than he had “been able to teach the lad.”
123:5.10 (1363.3) Gennem hele sin uddannelse lærte Jesus en masse og fik meget inspiration fra de regelmæssige Sabbat prædikener i synagogen. Det var almindeligt at spørge de vigtige gæster, der opholdt sig i løbet af sabbatten i Nazaret, at tale i synagogen. I løbet af sin barndom, hørte Jesus mange store tænkere i hele den jødiske verden udtrykke deres synspunkter, og selv mange, der næppe var ortodokse jøder, siden synagogen fra Nazaret var et avanceret og liberalt centrum i hebraisk tænkning og kultur.		123:5.10 (1363.3) Throughout his course of study Jesus learned much and derived great inspiration from the regular Sabbath sermons in the synagogue. It was customary to ask distinguished visitors, stopping over the Sabbath in Nazareth, to address the synagogue. As Jesus grew up, he heard many great thinkers of the entire Jewish world expound their views, and many also who were hardly orthodox Jews since the synagogue of Nazareth was an advanced and liberal center of Hebrew thought and culture.
123:5.11 (1363.4) Når de studerende startede skolen i syv år alderen (dengang havde jøderne for nylig indført en lov om obligatorisk undervisning), var det almindeligt, at de valgte en "fødselsdag tekst," en slags gylden regel, der ville lede dem i hele deres studier, og at de ofte ville uddybe sig om, når de holdt taler ved deres afslutning, når de var tretten år. Den tekst, som Jesus valgte var fra profeten Esajas: "Herren Gud er over mig, fordi Herren har salvet mig; Han har sendt mig for at forkynde godt budskab til de sagtmodige, for at helbrede dem, der har et knust hjerte, at forkynde frihed for de fangne og løslade dem, der er åndeligt bundet."		123:5.11 (1363.4) When entering school at seven years (at this time the Jews had just inaugurated a compulsory education law), it was customary for the pupils to choose their “birthday text,” a sort of golden rule to guide them throughout their studies, one upon which they often expatiated at their graduation when thirteen years old. The text which Jesus chose was from the Prophet Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to set the spiritual prisoners free.”
123:5.12 (1363.5) Nazaret var et af de fireogtyve præstecentre, der eksisterede i den hebraiske nation. Præsteskabet i Galilæa, var imidlertid mere liberale i deres fortolkning af de traditionelle love end de skriftkloge og rabbinere i Judæa. I Nazaret var de også liberale med hensyn til iagttagelsen af sabbat. Derfor havde Josef som skik at tage Jesus ud på gåture på sabbat eftermiddage, en af deres vigtigste fornøjelser var at forcere den høje bakke i nærheden af deres hjem, hvorfra de havde en fantastisk udsigt over hele Galilæa. I nordvest, kunne de på klare dage se Karmelbjergets lange bjergkæde løbe helt ned til havet. Mange gange hørte Jesus sin far fortælle historien om Elias, en af de første i den lange række af hebraiske profeter, som irettesatte Akab og afslørede Baals præster. I nord rejst Mount Hermon sin sneklædte top i majestætisk pragt og domineret horisonten, mens næsten tusind meter af de øverste skråninger glinsende hvidt af den konstante sne. Langt væk mod øst kunne de skelne Jordandalen, og endnu længere væk Moabs stenede bakker. I syd og øst, kunne de også se de græsk-romerske byer i Decapolis, med deres amfiteatre og prætentiøse templer, når solen skinnede på marmor væggene. Når de dvælede mod solnedgangen kunne de skimte sejlskibene på det fjerne Middelhav i vest.		123:5.12 (1363.5) Nazareth was one of the twenty-four priest centers of the Hebrew nation. But the Galilean priesthood was more liberal in the interpretation of the traditional laws than were the Judean scribes and rabbis. And at Nazareth they were also more liberal regarding the observance of the Sabbath. It was therefore the custom for Joseph to take Jesus out for walks on Sabbath afternoons, one of their favorite jaunts being to climb the high hill near their home, from which they could obtain a panoramic view of all Galilee. To the northwest, on clear days, they could see the long ridge of Mount Carmel running down to the sea; and many times Jesus heard his father relate the story of Elijah, one of the first of that long line of Hebrew prophets, who reproved Ahab and exposed the priests of Baal. To the north Mount Hermon raised its snowy peak in majestic splendor and monopolized the skyline, almost 3,000 feet of the upper slopes glistening white with perpetual snow. Far to the east they could discern the Jordan valley and, far beyond, the rocky hills of Moab. Also to the south and the east, when the sun shone upon their marble walls, they could see the Greco-Roman cities of the Decapolis, with their amphitheaters and pretentious temples. And when they lingered toward the going down of the sun, to the west they could make out the sailing vessels on the distant Mediterranean.
123:5.13 (1364.1) Jesus kunne observere karavane togene i fire retninger, når de bugtede sig ind og ud af Nazaret, og i syd, kunne han få et overblik over Esdraelons brede og frugtbare sletter, der strakte sig ud mod Mount Gilboa og Samaria.		123:5.13 (1364.1) From four directions Jesus could observe the caravan trains as they wended their way in and out of Nazareth, and to the south he could overlook the broad and fertile plain country of Esdraelon, stretching off toward Mount Gilboa and Samaria.
123:5.14 (1364.2) Når de ikke klatrede op i højderne for at kigge over landskabet i det fjerne, strejfede de gennem landskabet og undersøgte, hvordan naturens stemninger ændrede sig efter årstiden. Den tidligste undervisning, som Jesus fik, bortset fra den der kom fra hjemmets arne, var en ærbødig og sympatisk kontakt med naturen.		123:5.14 (1364.2) When they did not climb the heights to view the distant landscape, they strolled through the countryside and studied nature in her various moods in accordance with the seasons. Jesus’ earliest training, aside from that of the home hearth, had to do with a reverent and sympathetic contact with nature.
123:5.15 (1364.3) Før Jesus var otte år gammel, var han kendt af alle mødre og unge kvinder i Nazaret, der havde mødt ham og talte med ham ved brønden, som ikke lå langt væk fra hans hjem, og som var en af hele byens sociale centre for kontakt og generel snak. Dette år lærte Jesus at malke familiens ko og pleje de andre dyr. I denne og de følgende år lærte han også at lave ost og at væve. Da han var ti år gammel var han ekspert i at bruge væven. Det var omkring dette tidspunkt, at Jesus og naboens dreng Jakob blev gode venner med pottemageren der arbejdede nær den rindende kilde. Da de så Nathans behændig fingre behandle leret på drejeskiven, besluttede de begge mange gange sig for at blive keramikere, når de voksede op. Nathan var meget glad for drengene og gav dem ofte ler til at lege med, mens han forsøgte at stimulere deres kreative fantasi ved at foreslå konkurrencedygtige opgaver på forme af forskellige objekter og dyr.		123:5.15 (1364.3) Before he was eight years of age, he was known to all the mothers and young women of Nazareth, who had met him and talked with him at the spring, which was not far from his home, and which was one of the social centers of contact and gossip for the entire town. This year Jesus learned to milk the family cow and care for the other animals. During this and the following year he also learned to make cheese and to weave. When he was ten years of age, he was an expert loom operator. It was about this time that Jesus and the neighbor boy Jacob became great friends of the potter who worked near the flowing spring; and as they watched Nathan’s deft fingers mold the clay on the potter’s wheel, many times both of them determined to be potters when they grew up. Nathan was very fond of the lads and often gave them clay to play with, seeking to stimulate their creative imaginations by suggesting competitive efforts in modeling various objects and animals.
6. Hans åttende år (2 e.kr.) ^top		6. His Eighth Year (A.D. 2) ^top
123:6.1 (1364.4) Det var et interessant år i skolen. Selvom Jesus ikke var en enestående studerende, var han flittig og tilhørte den mere progressive tredjedel af klassen, og han gjorde sit arbejde så godt, at han blev fritaget for fremmøde en uge hver måned. Den uge tilbragte han som regel enten hos sin onkel, der var fisker, ved Genesaret nær Magdala eller på gården hos en anden onkel (hans mors bror) omkring otte kilometer syd for Nazaret.		123:6.1 (1364.4) This was an interesting year at school. Although Jesus was not an unusual student, he was a diligent pupil and belonged to the more progressive third of the class, doing his work so well that he was excused from attendance one week out of each month. This week he usually spent either with his fisherman uncle on the shores of the Sea of Galilee near Magdala or on the farm of another uncle (his mother’s brother) five miles south of Nazareth.
123:6.2 (1364.5) Selv om hans mor var blevet urimeligt bekymrede over hans helbred og sikkerhed, forsonede hun sig med tiden med disse ture væk fra hjemmet. Jesu onkler og tanter var meget glade for ham, og der opstod en livlig konkurrence blandt dem om at have ham hos dem på disse månedlige besøg i hele dette og de næste par år. Hans første ugelange besøg til sin onkels gård (siden spædbarnstiden) var i januar i år; den første ugelange erfaring med fiskeri på Genesaret sø, fandt sted i maj.		123:6.2 (1364.5) Although his mother had become unduly anxious about his health and safety, she gradually became reconciled to these trips away from home. Jesus’ uncles and aunts were all very fond of him, and there ensued a lively competition among them to secure his company for these monthly visits throughout this and immediately subsequent years. His first week’s sojourn on his uncle’s farm (since infancy) was in January of this year; the first week’s fishing experience on the Sea of Galilee occurred in the month of May.
123:6.3 (1364.6) På dette tidspunkt mødte Jesus en underviser i matematik fra Damaskus, og lærte derefter nogle nye måder at regne, han tilbragte meget tid gennem flere år med matematik. Han udviklede en skarp sans for tal, afstande og proportioner.		123:6.3 (1364.6) About this time Jesus met a teacher of mathematics from Damascus, and learning some new techniques of numbers, he spent much time on mathematics for several years. He developed a keen sense of numbers, distances, and proportions.
123:6.4 (1364.7) Jesus begyndte at trives meget godt i sin bror Jakobs selskab, og i slutningen af året begyndte han at lære Jakob alfabetet.		123:6.4 (1364.7) Jesus began to enjoy his brother James very much and by the end of this year had begun to teach him the alphabet.
123:6.5 (1364.8) Dette år indgik Jesus aftale om at udveksle mejeriprodukter mod lektioner på harpe. Han havde en usædvanlig smag for alt musikalsk. Senere, gjorde han meget for at fremme interessen for sang blandt hans unge kammerater. I en alder af elleve, var han en dygtig harpenist og kunne lide at underholde familie og venner med sine usædvanlige fortolkninger og dygtige improvisationer.		123:6.5 (1364.8) This year Jesus made arrangements to exchange dairy products for lessons on the harp. He had an unusual liking for everything musical. Later on he did much to promote an interest in vocal music among his youthful associates. By the time he was eleven years of age, he was a skillful harpist and greatly enjoyed entertaining both family and friends with his extraordinary interpretations and able improvisations.
123:6.6 (1365.1) Mens Jesus fortsatte med at gøre misundelsesværdige fremskridt i skolen, så forløb alt ikke så nemt for hverken forældre eller lærere. Han fortsatte ihærdigt med at stille mange vanskelige spørgsmål om både videnskab og religion, især med hensyn til geografi og astronomi. Han var især insisterende på at finde ud af, hvorfor der var en tør sæson, og en regntid i Palæstina. Gentagne gange søgte han forklaringen på de store temperaturforskelle mellem Nazaret og Jordandalen. Han stoppede simpelthen aldrig med at spørge sådanne intelligente, men forvirrende spørgsmål.		123:6.6 (1365.1) While Jesus continued to make enviable progress at school, all did not run smoothly for either parents or teachers. He persisted in asking many embarrassing questions concerning both science and religion, particularly regarding geography and astronomy. He was especially insistent on finding out why there was a dry season and a rainy season in Palestine. Repeatedly he sought the explanation for the great difference between the temperatures of Nazareth and the Jordan valley. He simply never ceased to ask such intelligent but perplexing questions.
123:6.7 (1365.2) Hans tredje bror, Simon, blev født fredag eftermiddag 14. april i år, 2 AD		123:6.7 (1365.2) His third brother, Simon, was born on Friday evening, April 14, of this year, a.d. 2.
123:6.8 (1365.3) I februar kom Nahor, en af underviserne ved det rabbinske akademi i Jerusalem til Nazaret for at observere Jesus, da han havde været på en lignende mission til Zacharias hjem nær Jerusalem. Han kom til Nazaret på foranledning af Johannes far. Selvom han i begyndelsen var noget chokeret over Jesu oprigtighed og utraditionel måde at forholde sig til religiøse spørgsmål, betragtede han dog dette til at Galilæa var så fjerntliggende fra centrene for hebraiske læring og kultur og rådede Josef og Maria til at lade ham tage Jesus med sig tilbage til Jerusalem, hvor han ville have fordel af undervisning og uddannelse ved det jødiske kulturcenter. Maria var næsten overtalt til at give sit samtykke. Hun var overbevist om, at hendes ældste søn ville blive Messias, den jødiske befrier. Josef tøvede. Han var lige så overbevist om, at Jesus ville vokse op til at blive en mand med skæbnen, men hvad den skæbne ville vise sig at være, var han dybt i tvivl om. Han tvivlede dog aldrig på, at hans søn ville komme til at udføre nogen stor mission på jorden. Jo mere han tænkte over Nahors råd, jo mere satte han spørgsmålstegn ved visdommen i det foreslåede ophold i Jerusalem.		123:6.8 (1365.3) In February, Nahor, one of the teachers in a Jerusalem academy of the rabbis, came to Nazareth to observe Jesus, having been on a similar mission to Zacharias’s home near Jerusalem. He came to Nazareth at the instigation of John’s father. While at first he was somewhat shocked by Jesus’ frankness and unconventional manner of relating himself to things religious, he attributed it to the remoteness of Galilee from the centers of Hebrew learning and culture and advised Joseph and Mary to allow him to take Jesus back with him to Jerusalem, where he could have the advantages of education and training at the center of Jewish culture. Mary was half persuaded to consent; she was convinced her eldest son was to become the Messiah, the Jewish deliverer; Joseph hesitated; he was equally persuaded that Jesus was to grow up to become a man of destiny, but what that destiny would prove to be he was profoundly uncertain. But he never really doubted that his son was to fulfill some great mission on earth. The more he thought about Nahor’s advice, the more he questioned the wisdom of the proposed sojourn in Jerusalem.
123:6.9 (1365.4) På grund af denne uenighed mellem Josef og Maria, bad Nahor, om tilladelse til at præsentere hele sagen for Jesus. Jesus lyttede opmærksomt, talte med Josef, Maria og en nabo, stenhugger Jacob, hvis søn var hans bedste legekammerat, og derefter rapporterede han to dage senere, at fordi der var så delte opfattelse blandt sine forældre og rådgivere, og da han ikke selv følte sig kompetent til at tage ansvaret for en sådan beslutning, fordi han ikke føler stærkt for det ene eller det andet, havde han med hensyn til hele situationen til sidst besluttet at "tale med sin himmelske Fader." Selv om han ikke var helt sikker på svaret, føltes det næsten som om han skulle blive hjemme "med sin far og mor." Han tilføjede, at "de, som elsker mig så meget skal være i stand til at gøre mere for mig og vejlede mig sikrere end fremmede, der kun kan se min krop og observere mit sind, men næppe virkelig kender mig." De undrede sig alle, og Nahor gik sin vej tilbage til Jerusalem. Det tog mange år inden spørgsmålet, om at Jesus skulle væk fra hjemmet igen kom op til overvejelse.		123:6.9 (1365.4) Because of this difference of opinion between Joseph and Mary, Nahor requested permission to lay the whole matter before Jesus. Jesus listened attentively, talked with Joseph, Mary, and a neighbor, Jacob the stone mason, whose son was his favorite playmate, and then, two days later, reported that since there was such a difference of opinion among his parents and advisers, and since he did not feel competent to assume the responsibility for such a decision, not feeling strongly one way or the other, in view of the whole situation, he had finally decided to “talk with my Father who is in heaven”; and while he was not perfectly sure about the answer, he rather felt he should remain at home “with my father and mother,” adding, “they who love me so much should be able to do more for me and guide me more safely than strangers who can only view my body and observe my mind but can hardly truly know me.” They all marveled, and Nahor went his way, back to Jerusalem. And it was many years before the subject of Jesus’ going away from home again came up for consideration.