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The infant Jesus and his parents escape to Egypt

(see Matthew 2:13-15) Read online
An angel warned Joseph of Herod’s plans to
murder the young children of Bethlehem. So Joseph and Mary took the baby Jesus
to Egypt and they lived there until Herod died.

In ancient times the people
of Israel sometimes sought refuge in Egypt, including Jacob and his sons, who
left the land of Israel during a time of famine. The Gospel of Matthew shows
that many events in Jewish history are similar to events in the life of Jesus,
reinforcing his role as the Messiah.

Jesus is taken back to Israel, to the town of Nazareth

(see Matthew 2:19-23) Read online
After the death of King Herod, Joseph, Mary and
Jesus returned to the land of Israel. Joseph was afraid to return to Bethlehem
because the town is near Jerusalem, where Herod Archelaus, the son of Herod, now
reigned as king. So Joseph took his family to the northern district of Galilee,
to a small town called Nazareth. This obscure town became the hometown of Jesus,
where he grew up and became an adult.

Jesus as a young child visits the Lord’s Temple

(see Luke 2:41-52) Read online
When Jesus was 12 years of age, he and his
mother Mary and stepfather Joseph traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual
Feast of the Passover. When the feast had ended, Mary and Joseph became
separated from Jesus and they searched for him. Jesus had gone to the Lord’s
Temple and conversed with the people there. The people were amazed by his depth
of understanding and by his knowledge. When Mary found Jesus at the Temple,
Jesus said to her: “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I
had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).