Consider Jesus: Carpenter, Carpenter’s Son

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

Mark 6:3,4“And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon?  Are not His sisters here with us?”  And they took offense at Him.”

Matt. 13:54-56“And coming to His home town He began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they became astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these miraculous powers? 55Is not this the carpenter’s son?  Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

The Messiah did not come in the way that the Jews expected. He did not come from a palace, or from among the priests in the Temple, or from the rabbinical schools. He came from a common family in a common trade and from a nowhere place.  

The Jews should have learned that His power was from God since there was no earthly explanation for these things. A second lesson to draw from this is the dignity of labor. It was to a tradesman that God entrusted the Savior of us all when He was a babe, and before our Lord began His public ministry He was trained and employed in the same trade as His earthly father.