Chapter the Second. When King Herod was dead, an angel came to Joseph again, and said he might now go to Jerusalem, and not be afraid for the child's sake. So Joseph and Mary, and her Son Jesus Christ (who are commonly called the Holy Family) travelled towards Jerusalem; but, hearing on the way that King Herod's son was the new King, and fearing that he, too, might want to hurt the child, they turned out of the way, and went to live in Nazareth. They lived there until Jesus Christ was twelve years old. Then Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem to attend a religious feast which used to be held in those days, in the Temple of Jerusalem, which was a great church or cathedral; and they took Jesus Christ with them. And when the feast was over, they travelled away from Jerusalem, back towards their own home in Nazareth, with a great many of their friends and neighbours. For people used, then, to travel a great many together, for fear of robbers; the roads not being so safe and well guarded as they are now, and travelling being much more difficult altogether, than it now is.
They travelled on for a whole day, and never knew that Jesus Christ was not with them; for the company being so large, they thought He was somewhere among the people, though they did not see Him. But finding that He was not there, and fearing that He was lost, they turned back to Jerusalem in great anxiety to look for Him. They found Him, sitting in the temple, talking about the goodness of God, and how we should all pray to Him, with some learned men who were called doctors. They were not what you understand by the word "doctors" now; they did not attend sick people; they were scholars and clever men. And Jesus Christ showed such knowledge in what He said to them, and in the questions He asked them, that they were all astonished.
He went, with Joseph and Mary, home to Nazareth, when they had found Him, and lived there until He was thirty or thirty-five years old.
At that time there was a very good man indeed, named John, who was the son of a woman named Elizabeth -- the cousin of Mary. And people being wicked, and violent, and killing each other, and not minding their duty towards God, John (to teach them better) went about the country, preaching to them, and entreating them to be better men and women. And because he loved them more than himself, and didn't mind himself when he was doing them good, he was poorly dressed in the skin of a camel, and ate little but some insects called locusts, which he found as he travelled, and wild honey, which the bees left in the hollow trees. You never saw a locust, because they belong to that country near Jerusalem, which is a great way off. So do camels, but I think you have seen a camel. At all events, they are brought over here, sometimes; and if you would like to see one, I will show you one.
There was a river, not very far from Jerusalem, called the River Jordan; and in this water John baptized those people who would come to him, and promise to be better. A great many people went to him in crowds. Jesus Christ went too. But when John saw, John said, "Why should I baptize you, who are so much better than I!" Jesus Christ made answer, "Suffer it to be so now." So John baptized Him. And when He was baptized, the sky opened, and a beautiful bird like a dove came flying down, and the voice of God, speaking up in Heaven, was heard to say, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!"
Jesus Christ then went into a wild and lonely country called the wilderness, and stayed there forty days and forty nights, praying that He might be of use to men and women, and teach them to be better, so that after their deaths, they might be happy in Heaven.
When He came out of the wilderness, He began to cure sick people by only laying His hand upon them; for God had given Him power to heal the sick, and to give sight to the blind, and to do many wonderful and solemn things of which I shall tell you more bye and bye, and which are called the Miracles of Christ. I wish you would remember that word, because I shall use it again, and I should like you to know that it means something which is very wonderful and which could not be done without God's leave and assistance.
The first miracle which Jesus Christ did, was at a place called Cana, where He went to a marriage-feast with Mary His mother. There was no wine; and Mary told Him so. There were only six stone water-pots filled with water. But Jesus turned this water into wine, by only lifting up His hand; and all who were there drank of it.
For God had given Jesus Christ the power to do such wonders; and He did them, that people might know He was not a common man, and might believe what He taught them, and also believe that God had sent Him. And many people, hearing this, and hearing that He cured the sick, did begin to believe in Him; and great crowds followed Him in the streets and on the roads, wherever He went.
Copyright © 1999 by Gerald Charles Dickens
