Jesus the Carpenter?

I visited my former church today, and the sermon was a really good one. The message started with a monologue with the speaker playing a poker game and talking to Jesus, who happened to show up and suggest a different game-one in which the poker player was forced to go "all in" to match Jesus's bet. Later in the message the speaker was relating the story of Jesus's calling of the first disciples in Luke 5:1-11 , and how Simon (Peter) went "all in" and left a huge catch of fish, his nets, his boat, and his family to follow Jesus.

I won't go through every little detail, but the speaker speculated that the reason Simon made the commitment to leave everything behind to follow Jesus was that he was amazed that this carpenter, "a guy who probably never wet a hook," (the speaker is an avid outdoorsman) could direct him to a spot where Simon Peter and his partners were able to fill two boats with fish after they (the professional, expert fishermen) had caught nothing the night before.

The speaker did a masterful job of creating a story which demonstrated the commitment, not only of Jesus, but also of the disciples. It demonstrated the need for us, in modern times, to commit ourselves to God's purpose for our lives and go "all in" as well. If by chance he reads this, I want to express that I think this sermon was the best I have ever heard him preach. I enjoyed it very much.

I was thinking during this sermon...which often seems to lead me to alternatives to the traditions we are taught in church. I've actually had this thought before, but the sermon today seemed to bring it to the forefront of my mind. Jesus WASN'T a just a simple carpenter. The mention of Jesus as a carpenter occurs only in Mark 6:3. In Matthew 13:55 Jesus is described as "the carpenter's son." At first these passages seem like clear and convincing evidence of Jesus's trade (if you don't consider that we read our Bibles in English instead of Greek).

However, when we look at Mark 6:3 in the original language the evidence is a little less convincing. In Greek the word translated as "carpenter," is τέκτων (tektōn). As is often the case, something is lost is the translation. As is also the case in The Bible, passages frequently have multiple levels and layers of meaning in the original language that are not apparent at first glance, especially after they have been translated into English. A τέκτων could be a carpenter, but the word's literal meaning, craftsman, denotes someone with a mastery of their trade; it also opens up a whole host of vocations in which Jesus might have been employed.

Jesus might have been a carpenter, but the likelihood that He was a carpenter of the sort you and I are familiar with is very slim. Ever seen a picture of Israel? Not a lot of trees there. Based on that fact alone I'd say "carpenter" wasn't the most likely trade for Jesus. Most buildings in Jesus's time were stone. If you use Google's translation program a τέκτων is a "mason." Perhaps Jesus was a stone mason. The words αρχι (initial, or primary) + τέκτων (builder, craftsman) make up the Greek word for architect, αρχιτέκτων. Perhaps Jesus was an architect. I have my own personal theory about what Jesus did, but no way to "prove" what I believe His trade actually was. Someday I'll write a blog post about it (or you can just ask me next time you see me). I will say this-it involves woodworking.

Whatever Jesus's trade might have been, the dogma of the modern church and the teaching of men serves, once again, to impose a limit on Him if it is assumed to be "fact" without further study. Just because your Bible says Jesus was a "carpenter" in one verse of The Bible doesn't mean he sawed wood and hammered nails. Jesus is referred to as "Rabbi" (in Greek ῥαββί) thirteen times, and "Teacher" (διδασκαλον) forty-two times in the Gospels. Both words hold similar meanings in Greek-one of an "expert" instructor. A more accurate parallel in modern times would be that of a professor with a Ph.D. or Jewish Rabbi. If scripture is our guide, obviously there is clearly enough reference material to say without doubt that Jesus was a "master teacher."

Whether or not Jesus was a carpenter probably isn't really important (only He knows for sure). What IS important is that we take a diligent look at what we are taught as "truth" and "fact." Scripture specifically warns us in 2 Peter 2:1 to be mindful of false teaching. Obviously, it's not likely that any great conspiracy or heresy results from the traditional dogma of Jesus the carpenter; however, blindly accepting everything we are taught as "truth" or "fact" without exploring other possibilities CAN lead to our falling into a pit (see Luke 6:39-40).

Our Master, Our Rabbi, and our Teacher is Jesus. Follow him. You can lay all your chips on the table and make an "all in" bet on His teaching and you won't fall into any pits, guaranteed. He is the "fact" and the "truth" you can rely on.