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Instruction 4

The principal events in Christ’s life

Father S. This evening we are going to discuss the life of Christ, at least the important events. Most of our instruction will deal with Him, His teachings, and what He means to us. Soon we shall prove that He was truly God. But now I should like to ask how much you know about His life while He was on earth.

Mr. J. I know something, because after your suggestion, I read Saint Luke’s Gospel.

Father S. We derive our historical knowledge of Christ chiefly from the books of the Bible which, besides being the inspired word of God, can be proved to be reliable historical records.¹ The Bible makes mention of only a few incidents up to the time He began His public teaching, when He was thirty years old. But nearly the whole New Testament is concerned with Him, His teachings, His miracles, etc., from His thirtieth to His thirty-third year. You know where He was born, Mr. Jackson?

Mr. J. Near a little town called Bethlehem, in Palestine. But, Father, didn’t Mary live at Nazareth?

Father S. Yes. I suppose you are not acquainted with the sad circumstances associated with the birth of the Savior. It must be remembered that He came from heaven not only to teach man, and to give to the human race divine helps for the attainment of salvation, but He came to atone for sin by suffering; and He wanted that suffering to begin with His entrance into the world, and continue uninterruptedly until He would die in acute agony on the cross. Hence, it was providentially arranged that He should be born away from home — be born in a stable or cave outside the town of Bethlehem, whose every house on the day was filled with people, who like Joseph and Mary, went to register their names for the census. The census then was not taken up like it is here in our country. Instead of agents going from house to house to get the information, people went to what we might call the “county seat” and registered. Bethlehem was the town to which Joseph had to go; Mary went with him, and whilst away on this mission, the birth of Jesus took place. Do you know how heaven showed its interest in the birth of the Savior (Lk 2:1-20)?

Mr. J. Do you refer to the appearance of an angel to the shepherds, and the coming from heaven of a multitude of angels to honor Jesus in the crib?

Father S. Exactly. And the angel announced that this event gave great glory to God, and would give peace to men on earth. It was the first time since the dawn of creation that God was fittingly honored on earth; it was an infinite honor. And it opened the way for peace between the human race and God.

Mr. J. How do you explain all the wars which have taken place since?

Father S. By the evil will of people, who still rebel against God. However, absence of war is not what the angel meant by “peace.” He meant peace in the hearts of men, and among all men if they would love one another as brothers.

Mr. J. Did not the Son of God do enough by the mere act of assuming human nature, without subjecting Himself to thirty-three years more of humiliation and suffering following His birth?

Father S. It would have been sufficient to redeem man, but not to satisfy God’s love. God would furnish further proof of His unlimited love for man, and impress on us forcibly the lesson of the awful malice of sin. Hardly was Christ born when there was scheming for His death. King Herod, who ruled over Judea at the time, fearing that Jesus wanted to become an earthly king, who might dethrone him, ordered a massacre of all infant boys as a sure way of killing the child Jesus. Mary and Joseph received a warning from heaven to this effect, and escaped with the Child from Herod’s frightful anger. They went over into Egypt, where they endured the terrible affliction of living for several years amid pagan wickedness, and where they likely suffered the severest poverty and privations.² It is true that Christ could have prevented all this, but it was part of His plan for a superabundant reparation for the sins of mankind. Now, Mr. Jackson, what is the next reference to Christ in the Gospel story?

Mr. J. I believe it bears on His coming up to Jerusalem with His parents at the age of twelve (Lk 2:42-52).

Father S. Yes, and His stay there for three days after Joseph and Mary had left for home. He intentionally allowed Himself to be lost from them.

Mr. J. What was His purpose in doing this?

Father S. The Savior wished to teach people for all time that his “Father’s business” must have our attention before anything else, even if we must slight our nearest relatives or our dearest friends. It was the Father’s will that Jesus should avail Himself of this opportunity to prove to the Doctors of the Jewish Law that it was time for the appearance of the Messiah, by which name the Jews referred to Him Who was to come. It was also the Father’s will that He should teach all of us how we should love to spend time in the house of God.³

Mr. J. But I cannot understand how Joseph and Mary could have gone far without missing Jesus?

Father S. The city of Jerusalem was surrounded by a wall, as were almost all cities at that time, and there were roads which went out over the country from different gates; and it was customary for the men and women to go in separate groups. Joseph was with the men and Mary with the women. The children could go with either parent, and Joseph surely thought that Jesus was with Mary, as Mary thought that He was with Joseph, until they met at some point after having walked a whole day. Then upon discovering that Jesus had not accompanied either, they returned together to Jerusalem, probably stopping at every house to inquire whether a boy answering His description had been seen. “Sorrowing” they sought Him in vain until they had returned to the temple, where Jesus was enlightening by His heavenly wisdom, men who were supposed to be well versed in the Old Testament Scripture, etc. Just as it was the Father’s will that Jesus should have remained there for a purpose, so now it was the Father’s will that He should teach the lesson of obedience and respect to parents by returning home with them; in fact, the Bible sums up the home life of Jesus by the words: “He was subject to them” — His parents (Lk 2:51). After this there is no allusion to Our Lord — until when?

Mr. J. Until, if I remember correctly, He was baptized by Saint John in the river Jordan,⁴ after which He spent forty days fasting in the desert. I do see, Father, that Christ was most severe with Himself, and of course, for our sake, because He personally stood in no need of such works of penance.

Father S. That’s right. And after that, what did Christ do?

Mr. J. He began a public ministry lasting three years.

Father S. That’s correct. During this time it was not so much His aim to be a true teacher, and assist the people with whom He came in contact, as to prove His divinity and prepare the way for the instruction and sanctification of the people of every nation until the end of the world. We shall treat of this later. Do you know some of the ways in which Jesus proved that He was God?

Mr. J. Yes, if they can be believed.

Father S. Why, you startle me, Mr. Jackson. You have already expressed your firm belief that Christ was the Son of God in human form.

Mr. J. Yes, Father, and I am not beginning to doubt it now.

Father S. You are, in effect; for you do not know whether to believe that He changed water into wine, multiplied the loaves, cured the blind, the crippled, the deaf and dumb, raised the dead to life, etc.⁵

Mr. J. It does seem that if He was God, He could do these things as well as He could have fashioned the universe. But I have often heard that there are no such things as miracles.

Father S. You wish, therefore, to be convinced that Christ actually wrought the miracles ascribed to Him. How about letting proof of Christ’s divinity and of His miracles go until our next instruction? For the present, let us suppose that the New Testament relates true history. What does it say about Christ’s death?

Mr. J. It tells us that He went freely to His death; that He sweat blood caused especially by mental agony; that He was scourged, His head crowned with thorns; that He was mocked, and cursed, and bore a cross to Mount Calvary, was nailed to it, and died on it, hanging between thieves, after three hours of intense suffering.⁶

Father S. And after His death, what?

Mr. J. He arose again, remained on earth forty days, then ascended to heaven.⁷

Father S. Where did His soul go when He died?

Mr. J. The Apostles’ Creed says it went to hell, but that seems unreasonable.

Father S. Well, that needs some explanation. You have already learned that heaven was closed against all people until Christ’s death; that those who, before His coming, lived holy lives, believed in the Redeemer to come, and dedicated themselves to Him, would not be lost. Since their souls went neither to heaven nor to hell, there must have been another place to which the good went, where they were happy, but did not enjoy the supernatural heaven, the vision of God. Saint Peter called them “the souls in prison.” To them Christ’s soul descended to bring the happy tidings that they were now redeemed and were ready for heaven. The Apostles’ Creed means that place by the word “hell.”⁸

Mr. J. One last question, Father. What does the Creed mean when it says that Christ sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty?

Father S. By those words we profess our belief that in heaven, Christ as God is equal in power to the Father Almighty and that as man He shares the power and glory of His Father above all the Saints and exercises the supreme authority of King over all creatures forever. This will be especially manifest to all on the last day when He will judge every one whoever lived in this world.⁹