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righteous indignation would have blossomed into action within a short period of time, for, at the age of 13 he was posing such questions to the scribes and teachers as, "If God is a father who loves his children, why all this slaughter of animals to gain divine favor--has the teaching of Moses been misunderstood? .... Since the temple is dedicated to the worship of the Father in heaven, is it consistent to permit the presence of those engaged in secular barter and trade?" (1382)
Furthermore, "His training as a man of the realm had to be completed before he could enter upon his career of teaching and preaching as the perfected God-man of the divine and posthuman phases of his Urantia bestowal." (1411) And it was not considered that he had reached this stage until he began his public career. It was obviously the desire of God that Jesus receive an intense training in "how man lived and wrought out his existence on Urantia," which appears in excess of the requirements of his bestowal mandate. (1424)
When he returned from his trip around the Mediterranean basin the only trade he had not come in contact with was that of mining and, later in his public career, he corrected this deficit whilst he and the apostles were in Iron. (1643)
Again, it is postulated that, had he been required to attend the Jerusalem schools that his indignation against the religious leaders would have developed to the point of placing his life at threat. One thing Jesus never failed to respond to was the genuine question as to who he was. (1983;1991)
Next, his bestowal mandate forbade him becoming involved in politics, and he was forced to use his need to care for his family as an excuse in not joining a nationalistic cause because, "he could not intimate that he was more than a man; he could not disclose his idea of the mission which awaited his attainment of a riper manhood." (1397).
Similarly with Rebecca's proposal he used his family responsibilities as an excuse but added, "if I am a son of destiny, I must not assume obligations of lifelong duration until such time as my destiny shall be made manifest." (1403)
However, from Joseph's perspective, in dying prematurely, what did he gain or lose?
We are advised that by Jesus' 12th year, "Joseph entertained a growing belief in the spiritual nature of Jesus' mission. And but for other and more important reasons it does seem unfortunate that he could not have lived to see the fulfillment of his concept of Jesus' bestowal on earth." (1372)
However, "The larger part of Joseph's family became believers in the teachings of Jesus, but very few of Mary's people ever believed in him until after he departed from this world. Joseph leaned more toward the spiritual concept of the expected Messiah, but Mary and her family, especially her father, held to the idea of the Messiah as a temporal deliverer and political ruler." (1349)
Joseph is described as being, "subject to periods of mild spiritual discouragement," when Jesus was a child but, "These temperamental manifestations were greatly improved just before his untimely death and after the economic conditions of his family had been enhanced by his advancement from the rank of carpenter to the role of a prosperous contractor." (1348)
No light can be shed on the question of what Joseph gained or lost as a result of his untimely death. However, he died loving his son, being convinced of his spiritual mission, and had overcome his own spiritual discouragement.
Further information about parental influences on Jesus informs us:
Jesus derived much of his unusual gentleness and marvelous sympathetic understanding of human nature from his father.…
in emotional reactions to his adult-life environment, Jesus was at one time like his father, meditative and worshipful, sometimes characterized by apparent sadness; but more often he drove forward in the manner of his mother's optimistic and determined disposition..…
From Joseph, Jesus secured his strict training in the usage of the Jewish ceremonials and his unusual acquaintance with the Hebrew Scriptures; from Mary he derived a broader viewpoint of religious life and a more liberal concept of personal spiritual freedom. (1348)
And so: "Jesus naturally loved his people; he loved his family, and this natural affection had been tremendously augmented by his extraordinary devotion to them. The more fully we bestow ourselves upon our fellows, the more we come to love them; and since Jesus had given himself so fully to his family, he loved them with a great and fervent affection." (1319)
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