WAS JESUS A CARPENTER?

[Richard Aberdeen]

It is virtually certain that Jesus was not a carpenter as the term is generally perceived today. Many if not most historians believe the literal Greek refers to either a stone mason, handyman or common laborer stone mason's helper. Though ambiguous, it is believed the literal Greek may refer to someone who carried stones from the quarry, chiseled and arranged them for a mason. Homes in Nazareth were made out of stone; wood was scarce.

This is important because the term "carpenter" today generally refers to someone who has a skilled trade requiring at least four years of certification if a union carpenter; someone who earns a middle-class income. Jesus being a poor common laborer is perhaps much more in sync with the rest of the narrative found in the New Testament.

Apparently, Jesus had no job after he began teaching around the age of thirty; he was so poor he had to borrow a coin to illustrate a point. Jesus stayed in friend's homes, but was often homeless, spending nights in the hills; Jesus of himself says, "the son of man has no where to lay his head."

Often lost in the religious orthodoxy of Christianity, Jesus was a great teacher and orator, who could hold up to 15,000 people in rapt attention for several days, without other entertainment or even a microphone. He appears to be the first person in history of note to teach average and illiterate people for free.

If one were to read the Encyclopedia Britannica in its entirety, but fail to study the words and deeds of Jesus, they would remain extremely poorly educated. "Education" is definitely one of many categories that Jesus belongs in; Jesus by far, offers the best education in human history.

 

[TitusTwoWife]

Praise God

 

[David Lamb]

It is virtually certain that Jesus was not a carpenter as the term is generally perceived today. Many if not most historians believe the literal Greek refers to either a stone mason, handyman or common laborer stone mason's helper. Though ambiguous, it is believed the literal Greek may refer to someone who carried stones from the quarry, chiseled and arranged them for a mason. Homes in Nazareth were made out of stone; wood was scarce.

This is important because the term "carpenter" today generally refers to someone who has a skilled trade requiring at least four years of certification if a union carpenter; someone who earns a middle-class income. Jesus being a poor common laborer is perhaps much more in sync with the rest of the narrative found in the New Testament.

Apparently, Jesus had no job after he began teaching around the age of thirty; he was so poor he had to borrow a coin to illustrate a point. Jesus stayed in friend's homes, but was often homeless, spending nights in the hills; Jesus of himself says, "the son of man has no where to lay his head."

Often lost in the religious orthodoxy of Christianity, Jesus was a great teacher and orator, who could hold up to 15,000 people in rapt attention for several days, without other entertainment or even a microphone. He appears to be the first person in history of note to teach average and illiterate people for free.

If one were to read the Encyclopedia Britannica in its entirety, but fail to study the words and deeds of Jesus, they would remain extremely poorly educated. "Education" is definitely one of many categories that Jesus belongs in; Jesus by far, offers the best education in human history.

Yes, as I understand it (and I don't know more that a few words of New Testament Greek, so I redly on concordances, etc), the word translated "carpenter" can mean a craftsman in wood, but it can also mean a craftsman more generally. Here is the concordance entry I found for the word:

5045 tekton [tek -tone]

from the base of 5088; n m;

AV-carpenter 2; 2

1) a worker in wood, a carpenter, joiner, builder
1a) a ship's carpenter or builder
2) any craftsman, or workman
2a) the art of poetry,

 

[Ronald Nolette]

It is virtually certain that Jesus was not a carpenter as the term is generally perceived today. Many if not most historians believe the literal Greek refers to either a stone mason, handyman or common laborer stone mason's helper. Though ambiguous, it is believed the literal Greek may refer to someone who carried stones from the quarry, chiseled and arranged them for a mason. Homes in Nazareth were made out of stone; wood was scarce.

This is important because the term "carpenter" today generally refers to someone who has a skilled trade requiring at least four years of certification if a union carpenter; someone who earns a middle-class income. Jesus being a poor common laborer is perhaps much more in sync with the rest of the narrative found in the New Testament.

Apparently, Jesus had no job after he began teaching around the age of thirty; he was so poor he had to borrow a coin to illustrate a point. Jesus stayed in friend's homes, but was often homeless, spending nights in the hills; Jesus of himself says, "the son of man has no where to lay his head."

Often lost in the religious orthodoxy of Christianity, Jesus was a great teacher and orator, who could hold up to 15,000 people in rapt attention for several days, without other entertainment or even a microphone. He appears to be the first person in history of note to teach average and illiterate people for free.

If one were to read the Encyclopedia Britannica in its entirety, but fail to study the words and deeds of Jesus, they would remain extremely poorly educated. "Education" is definitely one of many categories that Jesus belongs in; Jesus by far, offers the best education in human history.

Jesus was called a tekton which primarily is used of stone masons, but also means a handyman or carpenter.

 

[Justified]

It is virtually certain that Jesus was not a carpenter as the term is generally perceived today. Many if not most historians believe the literal Greek refers to either a stone mason, handyman or common laborer stone mason's helper. Though ambiguous, it is believed the literal Greek may refer to someone who carried stones from the quarry, chiseled and arranged them for a mason. Homes in Nazareth were made out of stone; wood was scarce.

This is important because the term "carpenter" today generally refers to someone who has a skilled trade requiring at least four years of certification if a union carpenter; someone who earns a middle-class income. Jesus being a poor common laborer is perhaps much more in sync with the rest of the narrative found in the New Testament.

Apparently, Jesus had no job after he began teaching around the age of thirty; he was so poor he had to borrow a coin to illustrate a point. Jesus stayed in friend's homes, but was often homeless, spending nights in the hills; Jesus of himself says, "the son of man has no where to lay his head."

Often lost in the religious orthodoxy of Christianity, Jesus was a great teacher and orator, who could hold up to 15,000 people in rapt attention for several days, without other entertainment or even a microphone. He appears to be the first person in history of note to teach average and illiterate people for free.

If one were to read the Encyclopedia Britannica in its entirety, but fail to study the words and deeds of Jesus, they would remain extremely poorly educated. "Education" is definitely one of many categories that Jesus belongs in; Jesus by far, offers the best education in human history.

While Jesus isn’t called a carpenter (Joseph is), he might have been, I prefer sticking with what translators have used for tekton, as that is the most likely meaning.

 

[David Lamb]

While Jesus isn’t called a carpenter (Joseph is), he might have been, I prefer sticking with what translators have used for tekton, as that is the most likely meaning.

Jesus is called a carpenter (tekton) in Mark's gospel:

(Mar 6:3 NKJV) 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.

 

[markalan]

This is important because the term "carpenter" today generally refers to someone who has a skilled trade requiring at least four years of certification if a union carpenter; someone who earns a middle-class income. Jesus being a poor common laborer is perhaps much more in sync with the rest of the narrative found in the New Testament.

As I understand it, training in the skills of a trade were handed down from father to son, so Jesus probably had many years of training by Joseph.

I think some prefer the "carpenter" translation because it involves taking pieces of wood and shaping them into something useful or beautiful ... just as He does with our lives.

Whichever it was, I still enjoy Johnny Cash's version of "Jesus was a Carpenter:" :)

 

[Mosheli]

As said above by some, the word rendered carpenter is tekton which can mean something like builder/architect or mason? He is similarly called najjar in some sources which can mean like an adept/initiate?

(There is some doubt that the alleged village of "Nazareth" in Lower Galilee was around in Jesus' times. The real site might have been somewhere else maybe like Nabratein?)

 

[Rockerduck]

It was a sneer at Jesus. They were astonished that a carpenter, of menial labor and not of high status or rabbi, would walk into their synagogue and teach. Normally the people of that time refer to the son of the father, but here, they said son of Mary. Another words, they said "is this not the son of that women". Apparently referring to Mary having a son out of wedlock. So they rejected Jesus in Nazareth. Chances are it was a reference to Joseph, the carpenter, and sneered at Jesus to infer the low social status.

 

[markalan]

One of the earliest extra Biblical sources:
Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho, (155-160 AD)

And when Jesus came to the Jordan, He was considered to be the son of Joseph the carpenter; and He appeared without comeliness, as the Scriptures declared; and He was deemed a carpenter (for He was in the habit of working as a carpenter when among men, making ploughs and yokes; by which He taught the symbols of righteousness and an active life)

That gives a possible insight into Matthew 11:29

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; ​

for I am meek and lowly in heart: ​

and ye shall find rest unto your souls.​

 

[Justified]

Jesus is called a carpenter (tekton) in Mark's gospel:

(Mar 6:3 NKJV) 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.

I stand corrected, thank you. I had misread that in my search.