Life of Jesus from the age of 12 to 30?

Joseph was a carpenter, i.e., in construction. Jesus most likely took up this profession to earn money for food, etc. with His Mom, Mary. In those days they would have to take raw wood, turn it into useable 2x4's or whatever, break up rocks into a size useful for building. One can imagine that He is an exceptional learner and had no difficulty with memorizing significant parts of the Scripture of the time, our Old Testament. He was physical strong as it would come from His work. The Sabbath at the synagogue for learning. Few scrolls were available, they were hand written, as that must have been expensive. This requires a person to memorize. He voices Psalm 22, the 1st line, and every Jew could know the rest of it. We see Islamic kids do this w/the Koran although books are cheap and can be used for discussion. These kids waste time memorizing wham they could be learning other stuff. There were few books in those days and thus the need to remember the important one, Scripture. His Mother knew what He was capable of doing as She told Him, "They have no more wine." then, "Do as He tells you." We do not know when or under what circumstance She learned of His powers although Gabriel told Her of the significance of His Conception. I think a person can logically infer about His life from Scripture.

There is the Infancy Gospel of James which is of interest because of its early date and having been cross referenced earlier on etc

Infancy Gospel of James

It also fuses or confounds the two Census stories.

There was a roman empire Augustus census around 6BC but it excluded Judea that was technically not part of it.

After the incorporation of Judea into the roman empire in 6AD there was a census in Judea {only} the census of Quirinius; standard roman ‘doomsday book’ type practice.

It is possible that Luke was told that JC was born during a full Roman Empire census ie 6AD.

Checked the history of Josephus, found the mention of the 6AD Quirinius census.

And went on to say mistakenly as he did that JC was born during the time of a full Roman Empire census; which he had "assumed" was done by Quirinius.

Luke says that he draws his material from several sources.

The author of acts who is assumed to be Luke appears to directly lift material from Josephus in a couple of places I think.

There is another the Infancy Gospel of Thomas:

Infancy Gospel of Thomas

I seem to remember that there is a reference in Koran to JC turning clay into a bird.

Life of Jesus from Age 12 to 30

Answer

The last appearance of Jesus in the Gospel is when He was lost in the company of Joseph & Mary for three days and found in the Temple.

The Boy Jesus at the Temple (Luke2:41-52) 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Meditations on the scene, why would Mary's heart be anxious and troubled? Let us remember that Mary knew the Mission of Jesus as the Old Simeon prophesied to Her in the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke2:34)

If you were the Blessed Virgin Mary, wouldn't you be troubled for a 12 year old boy eager to start His public ministry and eager to fulfill His God given Mission without receiving yet the Holy Spirit "Anointing"?

Jesus young body is not yet ready to face His mission undergoing His passions & crucifixion his young body will not endure the physical demands of the "Way of the Cross".

So, the 12 year old Jesus body must be built first for stamina and strength and must develop it's muscle in preparation for His passions & crucifixion. The job of a carpenter is a perfect job to tone Jesus muscle and equip His hands & body to lift heavy objects and suffer exhaustion as carpentry demands physical strength. And by doing carpentry job for 18 long years Jesus physical body was built and developed fully gaining strength and stamina.

The important lesson we can see from the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, is that during that time Jesus is the one eager to start preaching or sharing His knowledge about God, but in the Wedding at Cana Jesus attitude was way different. Jesus now knew that His time has not yet come. So, Jesus answers reveals that He really gain wisdom as he no longer act based on His human will alone but He is waiting for God's inspiration.

But, Mary the Mother of Jesus is the one eager now for Jesus to start His Redemptive Mission, eventhough Jesus already had said "my hour has not yet come" we can see that Mary being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and had offered Her Fiat are docile to the Voice of the Holy Spirit, showing Her intercessory role in the Mission of Christ.

"And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what has this to do with me? My hour has not yet come." (John 2:4)

In closing, the 18 years hidden life of Jesus is a preparation for Him to grow in wisdom and prepare His body to mature in order to endure His Redemptive Mission that would culminate At the Foot of the Cross. And Jesus for the first time had called Her Mother "Woman" but Mary did not ponder this calling in Her heart anymore, Why?

Mary knew the scriptures prophecy and Her Role as the Woman in the Book of Genesis.

"And I will put enmity between thee and the **Woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."** ( Genesis 3:15, KJV) Protevangelium is a compound word of two Greek words, protos meaning "first" and evangelion meaning "good news" or "gospel".

Scripture does mention about the life of Jesus between 10 to 30 years.

Luke 2:41-51 (NIV)

"Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

The custom during the time was that men would prepare and study to become a rabbi. Throughout the New Testament Jesus is referred to as "rabbi" and "teacher" such as in John 3:2

2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus was preparing himself to become a rabbi so that he could lead His people to salvation.