This last quote from the article sums up perfectly our feelings on the subject: While we do not and probably never will know how accurate these accounts are, it is interesting to examine where Jesus possibly could have been during th[e] missing years [before his ministry]. . . . What we do know is that Jesus considered us His sheep and Himself our shepherd. He called Himself the sacrificial lamb who gave up His life for us. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. And for now, that’s enough.
Nothing is sweeter than reading about the prophecies of Christ’s birth and ministry as well as the accounts of Jesus’ birth, teachings, miracles, and resurrection. Yet, the canonized scriptures today do not mention a word about where Jesus was or what He did between the ages of 13 to 29.
A teacher and friend once told me that it is impossible to fully understand the scriptures without knowing the history in which they were written. I knew she was right and felt a light bulb turn on inside my head when I did as she suggested. But, there was more that was missing. Perhaps it is the journalist in me that led me to dig for more information.
About a decade ago, my dad became acquainted with an English lady who told him stories of Jesus being England. As Dad’s interest piqued, the woman shared her obscure copy of The Drama of the Lost Disciples by George F. Jowett. The book, which explained Jesus’ time in England more in depth, was well-researched and blew Dad’s mind; he insisted that I “had to read that book!” I ordered a copy of the book for myself from Amazon as it was no longer in print and was not found in stores. What I found was life-changing.
Joseph of Arimathea
What I learned is that Joseph of Arimathea was a huge part of the puzzle of the unknown years of Jesus.
Lead image from the Houston Chronicle of Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury, Somerset, England. This is the site where it is believed Jesus built the first Christian Church. The Abbey was later built, founded in the 7th century C.E.
To understand more about the life of the Savior, get the definitive work, James E. Talmage's Jesus the Christ! Or, check out the Church's The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos.
Since it was first published in September 1915, Jesus the Christ has been a classic text on the life and ministry of the Savior. Elder Marion G. Romney has said, “One who gets the understanding, the vision, and the spirit of the resurrected Lord through a careful study of the text Jesus the Christ by Elder James E. Talmage will find that he has greatly increased his moving faith in our glorified Redeemer.”
