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Thursday, September 16, 2010

New Testament Homework; Jesus is Amazing

I am currently taking a online religion class and I have learned BOAT LOADS of things that I have never took into consideration before when reading the New Testament.
the scriptures I had to read were Luke 2:40–52, Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 3:24–26, and Doctrine and Covenants 93:12–14:
1. In Luke, I read the story of how Christ, as a child, went with his family to Jerusalem for the Passover. When his family left they didn't realize that they had left him behind. When Mary and Joseph finally found Jesus, he was in a temple and he was having a discussion with doctors. Mary and Joseph were not very happy with Jesus, as most parents would be if they had been frantically searching for their child for more than a day. Jesus's explanation to his parents distress was "
How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?"(Luke 2:49). His parents at first didn't understand what he was saying. One of the things God sent Jesus to do while he was her on earth was to gain as much knowledge as he possibly could. Thus, when he was having a discussion with the doctors he was trying to gain knowledge because God (His Father) wanted him to.
2. In JST Matthew 3:24-26 it talks about how Christ grew up with his brothers and sisters. During his childhood the Father was with him a lot because he was teaching Jesus things that would be important to his ministry in his later years. Jesus didn't need to learn the things of man, because the things of God were a more perfect form of all the knowledge that men have to offer.
3. In D&C 93:12-14, Joseph Smith reiterates teachings of John the Beloved. John teaches that Christ had to learn things gradually. Heavenly Father taught Jesus the importance of certain doctrines and principles gradually from the time he was younger until he was right about to start his ministry. Heavenly Father taught Jesus these things so he could teach those he would minister to. Jesus also went through all the same trials, and tribulations so he could understand why he need to be our Savior and Redeemer.
I also read the stories in the institute manual called, “Jesus Had to Overcome the Veil” (pp. 24–25) and “As a Child, Jesus Sought to Learn from His Father” (pp. 25–26). From these two stories, I learned what I had learned from the scriptures I read. Something I didn't learn from the scriptures but from the the stories I read, was that Jesus didn't have the veil lifted from him from birth. I had always thought that he hadn't had the veil when he was living on earth but I guess he did! I also learned that Jesus Christ didn't receive the ability to have the Holy Ghost until right before he started his ministry.
Christ example can be an inspiration to me because he had the ability to be perfect despite the fact that he didn't have the veil lifted from him, and he had all the same trials and tribulations that we have in our lives. I feel as though by his example of striving to live obedient despite the fact that at first he doesn't know why he has to do something can apply to my life. I often question things, especially if I have a shallow understanding of what it is pertaining to. Thus, if I apply his example I will be able to accept things and be more obedient to the laws and commandments of God.

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