Lost Years of Jesus

Lost Years Of Jesus

The unknown years of Jesus refers to the period between Jesus's childhood and the beginning of his ministry as recorded in the New Testament. The term "silent years" is sometimes used instead.

The phrase "lost years of Jesus" is also encountered in esoteric literature, but is not commonly used in scholarly literature since it is assumed that Jesus was probably working as a carpenter in Galilee from the age of twelve till thirty, so the years were not "lost years".

In the 19th and 20th centuries theories that between the ages of 12 and 30 Jesus had visited India, or had studied with the Essenes in Judea began to emerge. Modern scholarship has generally rejected these theories and holds that nothing is known about this time period in the life of Jesus.

The phrase "lost years" is also found in relation to theories arising from the "swoon hypothesis", the suggestion that Jesus survived his crucifixion. This, and the related view that he avoided crucifixion altogether, has given rise to several speculations about what happened to him in the supposed remaining years of his life.