Is not this the carpenter’s son? Matthew 13:55
There is something very telling about the people in his hometown calling Jesus the carpenter’s son. First of all, it suggests a familiarity with him. They knew Jesus well. They knew his father and his family. It also reveals a normal quality about Jesus. He did not stand out in the crowd, but was one of the people, a regular kid, if you will. It also connects Jesus to a trade. It is assumed that Jesus was trained by Joseph in the art of carpentry and that this is the path that Jesus will follow in his work life.
That is why the townsfolk are so astonished when they hear “their” Jesus speaking so eloquently and with such wisdom and authority on spiritual matters in the synagogue. This was not the Jesus they expected. Jesus was showing them that he was not the regular kid from down the block anymore. His ministry had begun. He had a story to tell of God’s plan and a people to save through his death and resurrection. This was far from the carpenter’s life the community had in mind for him.
But was it? It is no mistake that Jesus was born in a wooden manger crafted by hand to hold straw, and it is no coincidence that Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross, fashioned with two beams. Christ’s connection to wood and carpentry bookend his perfect life on earth for our redemption. So it is no surprise that Christ continues to craft and fashion a life for us that is designed to serve a purpose for him. And it is no wonder that he said he is preparing a place for us in heaven, a room and space for us to dwell in unity with him forever.
So the question, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” becomes for us not a dismissal of Jesus, but a declaration of hope in the One who building and creating a new thing. What great masterpieces are in store from Christ, our Carpenter!
