Articles
Jesus the Carpenter
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"Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him. (Mk. 6:3)
"Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Matt. 13:55)
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We are accustomed to talking about Jesus the master teacher, or Jesus the Savior, or Jesus the miracle worker, or Jesus the Son of God. But for the first fifteen years or so of his adult life Jesus worked as carpenter, a trade that he learned from his earthly father, which was typical of Jewish families. Jesus, in other words, was just an ordinary working-class guy who labored with His hands.
That detail in His background reveals a great deal about how He was so successful in His later ministry. As a carpenter, Jesus learned several important life skills. For example:
He learned a strong work ethic. He knew what it was like to get up early, work hard, get His hands dirty, have his body caked with sweat and sawdust, and meet deadlines. When it came time to begin His ministry, His blue-collar work habits served Him well.
Jesus learned how to deal with people. He no doubt had frequent contact with customers, vendors, and co-workers. His work involved all the usual hassles that come with dealing with people, giving Him an appreciation for what others have to put up with in their daily lives. Jesus was no ivory-tower academic.
As a carpenter, Jesus learned patience. Anyone who has worked with wood can testify to the frustrations that usually accompany that craft. Different species of wood have different properties requiring different techniques to shape. Splits, splinters, and smashed thumbs just come with the territory. Jesus learned how to put up with all of it, to the goal of making something useful.
Jesus also enjoyed the satisfaction of creating things. We have no idea what He built. Houses? Carts? Furniture? Tools? Whatever His product line, Jesus knew the gratification of taking a stack of raw materials and creating something that others could use and admire.
It was the ordinariness of Jesus' occupation that offended so many people. How could a man from such an humble background be an authoritative rabbi? So when they rejected Him, it seems fitting that He would die on a Roman cross--an implement of wood fashioned by a carpenter.
Even in death, Jesus' greatest construction project was yet to come. It was Jesus the carpenter who said, "I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). Drawing on all the skills He learned as a carpenter, He built it, and two thousand years later it is still going strong.
What other carpenter can say that about his handiwork?
--David
