[b]serfofChrist92 wrote:[/b] [quote]There are several "gospels" not included in the canon; a google search of non-canonical gospels will yield a plethora of information on them. While the canonized gospels are considered trustworthy and their authors are considered to be who they say they are, other gospels don't look to have the same reliability (at least that was my takeaway when I researched the topic for a paper several years ago). There are books about Jesus' childhood but they're kind of goofy (Jesus using magical powers and whatnot, as if that wouldn't give him a bunch of attention) and made me think that the author was making it up as he went. As for why there are no authentic accounts in the NT, I'd guess it's because either those with first-hand accounts didn't write anything or because Jesus stayed under the radar until He formally began ministry and as such, accounts of everyday life weren't necessary.[/quote] Anne Rice wrote a fictional book about Jesus' young life in Egypt as well as Nazareth before he was 12 years old. According to the story, he had to stay under the radar due to some of the Egyptian Jews that lived near them as well as their Jewish family didn't understand Jesus at all or why he would manifest such innocent power. read the book for the rest. The radar meant that he could be known well before he grew up and/or ready for the ministry.