O.O.D.E.  Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiry

A common and popular argument among speculating theorists regarding the Person of Christ is this: "So, where was He between the ages of 12 and 30, when He appears to begin teaching?" Speculations regarding these 18 years include various scenarios — such as time spent in India, Egypt, or Tibet — where He supposedly studied oriental philosophy and the occult. These are stories that have gained huge popularity, perhaps because the premise involves "latent" elements that can capture the imagination.

Superficial and shallow theories

To begin with, the argument regarding this "disappearance" stems from a superficial reading of the Gospels. Clearly, the person responsible for this rumor had drawn their conclusion without any careful study.

A final answer to this question can be summarized as follows:

1. Even if the Gospels did not state where Christ was (although they do, as we shall see), speculations that include India, Egypt, Tibet, the occult, and so forth are clearly arbitrary and baseless; they are the product of speculating theorists, who have provided no evidence or even the slightest indication to support their theories.

2. In the passages cited below, the following are clearly mentioned:

- At the age of 12, He possessed far more than sufficient knowledge to engage in lengthy discussions with the teachers of that era. They were in fact astonished by the correctness and wisdom with which He spoke. 

- Following this incidenr, it is recorded that He went with His parents to Nazareth, where He remained with them, living in obedience to them.

- He Himself had said that those who heard Him teach looked down on Him, saying that "a prophet is not honored in his own country and in his own house" - thus explicitly identifying the place  He resided.

- The Evangelist Luke clearly speaks of Nazareth being the place "where He was nurtured" - that is, the place where He was raised! A very clear statement.

- There are repeated mentions of  the surprise expressed by His fellow townsmen, who - knowning that Christ was Himself a carpenter;  the son (protegee) of the elderly carpenter Joseph; Maria’s Son;  a  “brother” to James, Jude, etc. (the widower Joseph’s natural children) – and yet wondering : "How does this man know letters, without having ever learned?"

In other words, His countrymen were insisting that He had never received formal schooling to have obtained such serious knowledge,  which clearly indicates that it was something they KNEW  (and precisely why they were so surprised).

Therefore, the passages we are about to examine give us absolutely no grounds to suggest that He might have moved away from his home.

Passages indicating Christ's presence in Nazareth:

Luke 2:46-47, 51

"⁴⁶ And it came to pass after three days that they found Him in the holy temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers  listening to Him and asking Him questions; ⁴⁷ and all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. [...] ⁵¹ and He went down with them (=Mary and Joseph - who were looking for Him) and came to Nazareth, and was subordinate to them."

Luke 4:16, 22

"¹⁶ And He came to Nazareth, where He was nurtured, and He entered -according to His custom on the day of the sabbaths – the temple, and stood up to read...

²² And everyone witnessed Him and wondered at the words of Grace that proceeded from His mouth, saying, 'Isn’t this the son of Joseph’?"

Mark 6:2-4

"² And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and many on hearing Him were surprised, saying, 'From where did He get all this? And whose is the wisdom given to Him, and the mighty powers that are done by His hands? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t His sisters here with us?' And they were scandalized in Him. ⁴ But Jesus said to them, 'No prophet is dishonored, except in his homeland, and among his relatives, and in his house.'"

Matth. 13:54-58

"⁵⁴ And coming to His homeland, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and saying: 'From where is his  wisdom and these powers? ⁵⁵ Isn’t He the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Mary and His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ And aren’t all of His sisters with us? From where then did He acquire all these things?' ⁵⁷ And they were scandalized in Him. But Jesus said to them: 'There is no dishonored prophet, except only in his homeland and in his home.' ⁵⁸ And He did not do many powers there because of their disbelief."

John 7:14-15

"¹⁴ With the feast already half way along, Jesus went up into the temple and taught.¹⁵ And the Jews wondered, saying: 'How does this one know letters, having never learned?'"

As clearly evident to anyone, these passages of the Holy Bible leave no gaps as to where Jesus Christ was raised,  lived, spoke in the temple, and worked as a carpenter, living together with His Mother and his elderly protector Joseph, and among many townspeople who also recognized Him.

As such, all the fanciful theories about supposed journeys abroad (and in far-off lands!) - during this “doubtful” period when He is presumed missing or absent – belong only to those who are ignorant of the Holy Scriptures and only read them carelessly, without any genuine interest in locating answers to their curiosity...

Translation: AN