Who is Jesus? The Carpenter

The Carpenter

            Matthew 13:55  “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?” (NIV)

            The angel, Gabrielle, was sent to inform Mary that she would be the vessel through which the Son of God would come to earth. This would be no ordinary child, but one filled with the Spirit of God who would save mankind from their sins. Luke 1:35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (NIV) Mary had the favor of God upon her life and was deemed worthy to be the mother of His son. She had to follow the ways of God in all that she did, for Jesus would not be like other children, but was to be the Savior of the world.  Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (NIV)

Long before Jesus was ready to begin His mission in ministry, the Bible makes reference to Jesus being a carpenter. Mark 6:3 “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” and they took offense at him. (NIV) Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter by trade and more probable than not, taught Him the craft of carpentry. A carpenter, during Biblical times, was known to be a builder of many things and was a popular skill to have. Most trades were learned hands-on and were handed down from father to son during those times. Jesus, however, was filled with the Spirit of God who gave Him wisdom and His Heavenly Father gave Him knowledge as to everything that He needed to know both in the spiritual and the natural to prepare Him for his Divine assignment. Proverbs 2:1-6 ⁽¹⁾My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, ⁽²⁾turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, ⁽³⁾and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, ⁽⁴⁾and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, ⁽⁵⁾then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. ⁽⁶⁾For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (NIV)

Jesus not only built things for a living prior to ministry, but He was sent to earth to help build and restore lives by rescuing man from the hands of the enemy. The devil’s desire was to destroy anything that God had created and built, but Jesus came to undo the curse that was brought on by sin in that He bore the curse himself. Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (NIV) Man, no longer had to be subjected to the curse of sin, for Jesus gave His own life to secure man’s place with the Father for those who accepted Him.

Jesus took great care to set the foundation for the Kingdom of God by showing man the way to the Father and His eternal love. In teaching His followers about God, Jesus sometimes made references to building things in the natural to help everyone to understand how He, as the Master Carpenter of our lives, is there to build us up for the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 7:24-27  ⁽²⁴⁾“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ⁽²⁵⁾The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ⁽²⁶⁾But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ⁽²⁷⁾The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crush. (NIV)

            Jesus taught the disciples that they needed a firm foundation that could only be found in Him. They would not be easily swayed by the enemy’s schemes if they placed their faith and trust in Him. He was the carpenter that could make them into the pieces to be used for His Father, but they must be firmly planted in Him because Jesus was and still is the Firm Foundation. 1 Corinthians 2:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (NIV) The storms of life will blow, the rain of trials will fall, the devils earthshaking roar will be felt and heard, but our Foundation is sure in Him who had us in mind before the beginning of time. Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. (KJV)