Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/how-the-ordinary-becomes-holy/
This an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org
We say Jesus began his ministry at thirty—but the Greek text never says that.
Luke 3:23 reads, “Jesus, when he began, was about thirty years of age…” Most English translations fill in that beginning with the word “ministry.” You’ll find it in the NIV, the ESV, even the Reina Valera in Spanish. But here’s what most people don’t realize: the word “ministry” doesn’t appear in the original Greek. What Luke actually says is much simpler—Jesus was about thirty years old when He began, after His baptism.
Now, I think I get why the translators added the word. After all, it’s right after Jesus is baptized that He starts preaching, teaching, healing, calling disciples. But Jesus’ baptism only marked the beginning of His public ministry.
So we ought to be careful with that kind of language, because it risks giving the impression that the first thirty years of His life didn’t really count for God. As if He were just biding His time in a workshop, waiting for His real ministry to begin.
But Jesus didn’t see life that way—and neither should we.
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