St. John the Evangelist also provides us with testimony that Christ never distanced Himself from His homeland.
"Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying,‘How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?’" (Jn. 7:14-15).
Clearly, the Jews were aware that Christ had never learned how to read. Their amazement is marvelous testimony that Jesus did not distance Himself from His home. Had he been absent from His country for eighteen lengthy years, the Jews would have neither been surprised nor would they have confirmed that
He was illiterate.
The Lord desiring to answer and to release them of their skepticism responded thus:"Jesus answered them, and said, ‘My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent Me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself’" (Jn. 7:16-17).
In other words, He was saying to them, "You are surprised and scandalized that I am able to speak and preach without having gone to school and without having received an education? This very fact should make you realize that the things I am saying and preaching are not from this world but from Heaven. If you firmly resolve to keep the commandments of God (of My Father) Who has sent Me to the earth, you will understand that I am speaking the truth, and that all the things I teach and do are from Heaven above."
It can therefore be concluded from the narrative of this Evangelist that Christ never distanced Himself from Nazareth,and that His fellow countrymen as well as His supposed brothers disbelieved and rejected Him because they knew well of His life, upbringing, and lack of education: "For neither did his brethren
believe in Him" (Jn. 7:5).
Behold how all the four Evangelists provide testimony on this "controversial" topic! They who arrogantly maintain that the Gospel remains silent on the life of Christ during the ages of twelve and thirty inadvertently reveal that, in fact, they are ignorant of the Scriptures, their claims are void of sound reasoning, and, deep down inside, they reject the divinity of Christ. Jesus Christ was not only the son of the Virgin Mary, but also the Son of God.
Consequently, He had no need of obtaininghuman wisdom or acquiring magical powers in
eastern lands.
