CARPENTER, CARPENTER'S SON
Carpenter: from the Greek word tekton which means: "a craftsman, especially a worker in wood, a carpenter" (a maker and builder of wooden things such a chairs, and doors, ox yokes, and other such things from that time era). .
These two titles represent a more humble view of Jesus the Christ, the Messiah; and are used of Jesus in a less than positive context. As such, they are not often included in many listings of names and titles of Jesus. Consider also this version of the story, in the Gospel of Luke:
"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and, as was His custom, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord' (Isaiah 61:1-2). And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all of them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, 'This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.' And all bore Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, 'Is not this Joseph's Son? And He said unto them, 'You will surely say unto Me this proverb, 'Physician, heal Yourself; whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.' And He said, "Truly I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elijah sent, except unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.' And then,all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with anger, and rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill upon which their city was built, so that they might cast Him down headlong. But He passing through the midst of them went His way." (Luke 4:16-30)
The context is this:
~ Jesus has returned to His own region, Galilee, where His home town of Nazareth was located; where all the local folks have known Him from His childhood up to the age of thirty when He left Nazareth.
~ Jesus has returned to Nazareth perhaps after a two year absence.
~ These local folks are astonished at the wisdom and learning of Jesus. They have heard of the mighty miracles that were performed by His hands in many other places in Galilee, and Judaea.
~ They know His mother and father, and brothers and sisters; a family of carpenters, craftsmen. And they begin saying to one another, "is this not the carpenter, the carpenter's son, the son of Joseph and Mary?"
~ Although they were hoping to see some mighty miracles, they did so with unbelief in their hearts; and as a result Jesus could do no mighty miracle, because of their unbelief.
~ Thus Jesus chastised them saying "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." And Jesus marveled at the unbelief of the people of His own home town.
~ But now the people that Jesus grew up with are "offended at Him". They could not accept and honor Jesus as a prophet of God. To them Jesus was still just the carpenter whom they thought they knew.
Yes Jesus was raised and trained to be an ordinary carpenter. But he was the Carpenter who became the promised Messiah of God: the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; the Author of Life, the Savior of the World, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Great High Priest, and many more such things. Jesus is truly the most unique Carpenter who ever lived! Thus it is ironic that the people of His own city seem to fulfill what what was quoted from the prophets by Peter:
" 'Behold, I lay in Zion a Stone, a Chosen and Precious Chief Corner Stone; and he who believes on Him shall not be put to shame.' Therefore, unto you who believe He is precious; but unto those who disbelieve, 'the Stone which the builders rejected, the Same has been made the Head of the Corner (the Chief Corner-stone), and a Stone of Stumbling, and a Rock of Offense, even to those who stumble at the word, being disobedient; to which also they were appointed." (see 1 Peter 2:4-8) (quotes from Isaiah 28:16, Isaiah 8:14; and Psalm 118:22)Jesus also
"... was the True Light, who enlightens every man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came unto His own, and His own did not received Him. But as many as do received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name!" (John 1:9-12)
In a certain sense, in a spiritual sense, Jesus is still a Master Carpenter; Consider the folling words of Jesus:
And Jesus
The Rock IS the fact that Jesus IS 'the Christ, the Son of the living God!' Upon this fact, Jesus IS the Carpenter who IS the Christ-Messiah who IS going to 'build' His Church! His Church is all those people who believe on the Name of Lotd Jesus! Amen and Amen!
JESUS is ...
... the Carpenter ...
Jesus was the Carpenter who is the Son of God, the Son of Man,
the promised Messiah, and The Savior of the World!
Jesus was the Carpenter, who was anointed by God. to heal the broken-hearted,
to preach the Gospel to the poor, to preach deliverance to the captives,
to preach recovery of sight for the blind, to set at liberty those who are downtrodden,
and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord!
Lord Jesus, You went forth from the Carpenters shop destined for the Cross!
You were rejected by your own city; and You were rejected by Your own nation!
You dispised the shame, and endured death on that Cross, a Cross made by some other Carpenter!
And now Lord Jesus you are the Master Carpenter,
who is 'building' Your Church,
of whom we are !!
You are Amazing Lord Jesus!
For the Joy set before You, the Joy of our salvation You endured that Cross !!
Thank You so very very much my Lord Jesus!
All Praise and Glory to You - Forever and ever, Amen and Amen !!!
My hope and prayer is that this devotional will help draw you close
to the Lord Jesus as you spend time in personal meditative thoughtfulness on
what this title or name means in regards to your own relationship with Jesus!
If you have been blessed by this devotional, then perhaps prayerfully
consider who you might share this with.
May Jesus, the Carpenter's Son, bless you with all liberty, enlightement, deliverance, healling,
and salvation in the Father,and Son, and Holy Spirit - forever and ever!
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