Sunday, March 21: Why was Jesus a carpenter?

The Father could have chosen any profession for Jesus, so why was He a carpenter?


3 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.
Mark 6:3


1. It followed the Biblical principle of working with your hands.
8 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Ephesians 4:28


2. He earned a living by the sweat of His brow.
9 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Genesis 3:19


3. God made the world from nothing. He breathed the world into existence. When Jesus came to earth as a man, He remained Creator, as His job was building up an object from wood. Building up is the same word used as “edify,” and that word in Greek is oikodomeo (οἰκοδομέω). It would not have been as prophetically significant if Jesus had been a demolition man! We are called to edify others. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29


4. He could have been a Rabbi, with His knowledge of the Tenakh (the Jewish Bible), but He was too young. His ministry began when He turned 30.
23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, Luke 3:23


Why do we have pastors in their 20’s today? The Levites had to be from ages 30-50:
3 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. Numbers 4:3
The verse in Numbers describes a Levite, though Jesus was not a Levite, but from the tribe of Judah. Is a young man in his twenties old enough to understand the pitfalls of the congregation he is preaching to? If anyone would have been able to handle this, Jesus would have, but interestingly, the Father had Him wait until He was 30!


5. Jesus needed food to survive in His earthly body.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10


6. It is significant that Jesus worked driving nails into wood, and died after those nails were driven through Him into a cross of wood.


7. His first profession was “shaping” wood, and then His next profession was shaping people!


Should we all be carpenters? No, we should work diligently in the profession God has placed us, being godly influences in the lives of those we come in contact with. Pray for them and edify them, just as the Lord would have done! You never know when your life, the joy in your heart and the peace in your walk will open the door in one of your co-workers. Remember, God has a purpose and a plan, and there are no accidents! That includes where you work and who you work with!