8. Jesus in the Temple
The tale of Jesus in the Temple, drawing the admiration and awe of the scholars for his knowledge and wisdom despite being only twelve years of age, is reported in Luke, and is amplified upon in the Apocrypha. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas describes the event, and resounds on the importance of Mary, “Blessed are you among women, because God has blessed the fruit of your womb” (Infancy Gospel of Thomas). The Arabic Infancy Narrative also describes the twelve-year-old’s visit to the Temple, and provides much more detail into the specific subjects Jesus discussed, which included the Torah, the meaning of the Messiah and the house from which he would appear (David) and astronomy.
Jesus also discusses, according to the Arabic Infancy Narrative, the subject of medicine in response to questions from the scribes and scholars, demonstrating a knowledge vastly superior to theirs. The same holds true for the subjects of physics, metaphysics, human anatomy, psychology, and morals, as well as related subjects, and reveals a knowledge which vastly exceeded, “any created intellect”. As in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a great deal of the credit for the intellectual capacity of her son is given to his mother, Mary, who is told, “Blessed are you, O Mary, who have brought forth such a son” (Arabic Infancy Narrative, 50-53).