In what respects is Jesus Christ the central figure in the Bible? How long was Christ's life on the earth? Where was it passed? Among what class of people did Jesus live? How do we know that Jesus led an active life? What is the first of the seven periods into which his life is divided? With what events does the first period begin and end? Which gospel relates the most of this period? Where was it mainly passed? How long was it? What is the second period called? What are its first and last events? By whom is it related? Where was it passed? What were its results? What is the third period called? With what events did it begin and end? By what evangelists is it related? In what province was it passed? What is the fourth period called? With what events did it begin and end? What provinces were visited during this period? What were the traits of Christ's ministry at this time? What is the fifth period called? How long was it? What in this period is related by but one evangelist? Where did its events take place? What is the sixth period called? How long was it? With what events did it begin and end? Which account is most complete? What is the seventh and last period called? What were its first and last events? Which gospel alone relates the ascension? What were the traits of Jesus during those days? FOURTH STUDY The Thirty Years of Preparation From the Birth of Jesus to His Temptation. We have before us the longest of all the divisions in the history of Jesus, embracing thirty of his thirty-three years of life, and the one concerning which we know the least. I. Let us study the =Places= connected with this period. These we group according to locality, and not in the order of their events. Beginning in the north and traveling southward we note the following places: 1. =Nazareth, his early home=, in Galilee, due west of the southern point of the Sea of Galilee. Here Joseph and Mary lived before the birth of Jesus (Luke 2. 39); here Jesus was brought up (Luke 4. 16); and here he was living up to the time of his baptism (Mark 1. 9). 2. =Bethabara= (Rev. Ver., Bethany), =the place of his baptism=. This was in the Jordan valley, south of the Sea of Galilee. (John 1. 28). 3. =The wilderness, the place of his temptation.= (Matt. 4. 1.) This was probably the rocky desolate region of Judea, near the head of the Dead Sea. 4. =Jerusalem, the place of the Temple=; the Jewish capital, due west of the northern point of the Dead Sea. Find three visits of Jesus to the temple during this period. 1.) In his infancy (Luke 2. 22). 2.) In his youth (Luke 2. 42). 3.) In his manhood (Luke 4. 9). 5. =Bethlehem, the place of his birth.= (Matt. 2. 1). This was six miles south of Jerusalem, in Judea.