On His Tracks

Little is written in the Bible about Jesus’ early life.

Although He was raised in a God-fearing home, He grew up in a rough town, surrounded by temptation. The reputation of Jesus’ hometown was bad enough to cause Nathanael to ask, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).

Jesus’ biggest challenges began when He entered full-time ministry. Having not been educated in the rabbinical schools, Jesus’ purity and wisdom were a constant rebuke to the religious establishment. They were so outraged that they “persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him” (John 5:16). Another time, a whole congregation “rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff ” (Luke 4:29).

Civil leaders were also offended by Jesus, who received a warning to “get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill you” (Luke 13:31).

Jesus’ life was in constant jeopardy.

But even when Jesus appeared safe from threats of physical violence, He was still the target of wicked schemes and plans.

The leaders were continually “lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him” (Luke 11:54).

We can only imagine how mentally, physically, and emotionally draining that sort of existence must have been. How would you react if you had people tracking your every move and listening to your every word to find a reason to condemn you? Jesus was constantly opposed. Yet He was also constantly triumphant, refusing to fall into sin even by a thought. Jesus endured a relentless barrage of opposition, and He did so out of love for you. Experiencing the loathing of virtually an entire society, He faced his persecutors daily because He knew that in doing so, you could have everlasting life. The constant opposition Jesus faced could not distract Him from His mission.