Jesus' Fourth Year 

After Herod’s death, the king responsible for the massacre of all boy babies under two years of age in an attempt to kill baby Jesus, the family returned quietly to Nazareth. They arrived unannounced at the Nazareth home, which had been occupied for more than three years by one of Joseph's married brothers, who was surprised to see them; they had gone about their business so quietly that neither Joseph's nor Mary's families were aware they had even left Alexandria. The next day, Joseph's brother relocated his family, and Mary settled down with her small family for the first time since Jesus' birth to enjoy life in their own home. Joseph found work as a carpenter in less than a week, and they were overjoyed.

The entire fourth year of Jesus' life was one of normal physical development and unusual mental activity. Meanwhile, he had developed a strong attachment to a neighbor boy his own age named Jacob. Jesus and Jacob were always having a good time when they were playing, and they grew up to be great friends and loyal companions.

The birth of the second child, James, in the early morning hours of April 2, 3 BCE, was the next significant event in the life of this Nazareth family. Jesus was overjoyed at the prospect of having a baby brother, and he would spend hours just watching the baby's early activities.

Joseph built a small workshop near the village spring and the caravan parking lot in midsummer of the same year. He did very little carpentry work after that. He had two of his brothers as associates, as well as several other mechanics, whom he sent out to work while he stayed at the shop making yokes and plows and doing other woodwork. He also did some leather, rope, and canvas work. As he grew up and not otherwise in school, Jesus split his time between helping his mother with housework and watching his father work at the shop, while listening to the conversation and gossip of the caravan conductors and passengers from all over the world.

In July of this year, one month before Jesus turned four, an outbreak of malignant intestinal trouble spread throughout Nazareth as a result of contact with caravan travelers. Mary became so concerned about Jesus being exposed to this epidemic of disease that she gathered both of her children and fled to her brother's country home several miles south of Nazareth on the Megiddo road near Sarid. They did not return to Nazareth for more than two months and Jesus thoroughly enjoyed his first farm experience.