QRUEL

Is the translation of whatever the word is, into Carpenter, in dispute or at least open for interpretation ?

QRUEL

agreed


you're funny....you put there that there was no jesus, then say that there were thousands of jesus's around...we are both talking silly hypotheticals....
I'm saying if the Jesus of the bible existed they way Christians assert he did, then someone from that time would of had bragging rights to what ever it was that Christ made for them...or like i said...if you were the person who taught him....

"I never thought that Jesus would amount to much, as he spent most of his time with his nose in the Torah(?) instead of practicing his trade...who'da thunk that he was the son of god ? you would thought the old man would have given him skills from birth !"

Toto

All translations are open to interpretation.

Given the lack of real evidence, there has been an amazing amount written on the question.

Is Jesus a Carpenter argues that Jesus was a rabbi, that the synagogues would not have allowed a carpenter to teach, that people would not have addressed Jesus as rabbi if he were a carpenter, and that the verses referring to a carpenter are quoting people who were mistaken.

This site argues that Referring to Isaiah 44

13 The carpenter measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in the form of man,
of man in all his glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.

14 He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

15 It is man's fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.

16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
"Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."

17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
"Save me; you are my god."

18 They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand

fromdownunder

Where did I say that there was no Jesus? Please read what I actually said.

In any event, Jesus, or Yeshu or Yeshua or Joshua was not that uncommon a name. That's why I said there were thousands of "Jesus's" around. And there is certainly the possibility that one particular Jesus (the son of Fred and Wilma?) may have been a capenter. Not THE Jesus but A Jesus. Do you now understand what I was trying to say?

Norm

Dean Anderson

The passages referring to Jesus as a "carpenter" are unfortunately due to typographical errors.

If you look at the original documents, you will see that the word should be "caterer".

Apparently he specialised in parties and open-air events. His selection of wines, bread and fish was famous throughout Palestine, although no-one was ever able to track down his supplier...

Malachi151

Well, keep in mind that Mark was written first, most likely in Greece, for an audience of diaspora Jews, who were, in that time and pace, very similar to Mexcians in America today, i.e. they were mostly lowly paid immigrants or slaves who were non-citizens who travelled and did seasonal work and manual labor jobs such as carpentry and field work.

Calling the Jesus character a caprenter would be like writing a story about a Mexican hero in America and calling him a construction worker. It was an occupation that was very common among Jewish male immigrants and would have been heavily identified with Jews by the diaspora community and "gentiles" who lived among the diaspora community.

RED DAVE

From Pervy:
Brilliant!

This reminds of that ancient joke: What are the proofs that Jesus was jewish?

1) He lived at home until he was over 30.
2) He went into his father's business.
3) He thought his mother was a virgin.
4) His mother thought he was God.

RED DAVE

JoeWallack

JW:
http://www.errancywiki.com/index.php/Mark_6

Mark 6: ASV)
1 "And he went out from thence; and he cometh into his own country; and his disciples follow him.

2 And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and [what mean] such mighty works wrought by his hands?

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him.

4 And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."


JW X-Uh-Jesus:
The Spirit of "Mark" is Ironic Literary Style which even "Mark's" Jesus is subject to. "Mark" tells a story of the Reaction to his Jesus (which is itself a Reaction to the Jesus that those who knew Jesus were Teaching).

"and [what mean] such mighty works wrought by his hands?"

The Observation is that Spiritual things come from Jesus' Hands.

"Is not this the carpenter"

The Expectation is that Material things come from Jesus' Hands.

"And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things?"

The Observation is that Jesus' Spiritual Teaching is not of this World.

"the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?"

The Expectation is that Jesus' Spiritual Teaching is of this World.

Praise the Lord, Hall(what are you doing son of David?)elulah! Even as a member of the disloyal opposition I can still appreciate the skillful Craft of "Mark". If there is anything divine about the Christian Bible it is the Literary skill of "Mark".

Note that "Matthew", not driven by the Artistic Spirit but some lesser god, theology, doesn't like the idea of Jesus being a Carpenter and Edits to son of a Carpenter thereby destroying the Ironic contrast. More dynamite evidence for the Priority of "Mark" (Yuri, look out!).



Joseph

http://www.errancywiki.com/index.php/Main_Page

tonan22

Thanks for the laugh!

Diogenes the Cynic

Just to follow up on the tekton, thing, that's a word that literally means "builder" and applied any sort of basic craftsmman or skilled laborer. Tekton could indicate a carpenter but it could also indicate something like a stonemason, a bricklayer, or any combination of any of those things. I think "construction worker" would probably convey a more analogous sense of how the word was used generically.

It's unlikely that "Jesus the Builder" had his own shop and was building tables for people. More likely that's an indication of someone who did piecemeal work on public or private buildings, walls, etc, as part of a team. John Crossan says that the artisan class was a bare subsistence class below even peasants. It was basically as low as you could get on the social scale without being completely destitute.