Jesus Of Nazareth According to the Gospels, Jesus of Nazerth was the son of Mary and Joseph, born in Bethlehem sometime near early spring, approximately 2000 years ago in Bethlehem of Judaea during the days of Herod the king. We know from the Gospel of Luke that he was born during the first census of the Roman provinces of Syria and Iudaea, which is generally believed to have occurred in 6 AD/CE.Jesus lived and worked in the surrounding region, never travelling far from the area. His mother Mary was well known in the region, and his cousin, John the Baptist preceded his ministry and no doubt was associated with him during his youth. His profession is commonly referred to as carpentry however the Greek translation from both the Gospels of Mark1 and Matthew2 was Teckton (τεκτων) and a son of a teckton and indicates a broader range of skills and often associated with a builder or general contractor. It can however be associated with anything technical, from inscriptions to metal working. In fact Tecton has also been associated with scholars and those learned in the law. The Aramaic equivalent naggar, translates as craftsman or scholar (Wilson, 1992, p. 893) so it could also provide insite into his later role as a Rabbi, which will be addressed herein. However given the nature of many of his parables which often spoke of building and or foundations it is highly probable that he was more of a general builder or even something similar to todays general contractors, and was involved in the building of homes, buildings, etc. If so then he worked a great deal with stone (most homes in the region were stone foundation) and would have been effectively a Stone Mason. From whiz kid to Rabbi Traditionally we are told he was born in a Manger, some sort of wooden stall where animals were kept because there was no room at the inn. However this is based on a common misinterpretaton of the word inn, and manger only appears in Luke, which also is a mistranslation. The word inn was mistranslated from the Greek and did not mean an actual inn or hotel. The word actually meant guest room in Greek, and therefore was more likely than not an upper room in someones home where Mary and Joseph were recieved as guests. Later it is likely that during the birth process, Mary was relocated to a cellar room where the birth could take place in more privacy, most likely not to disturb other guests in the home. This would have been a lower room where animals were usually kept. It is also important to understand that there was a stark scarcity of wood in the region, and most homes were built out of stone and often were little more than carved out caves and caverns. Little is known of his early youth beyond his miraculous birth. The Gospels are mostly silent of this era, and beyond Gnostic and apocryphal writings only one event in his youth stands out. In the Gospel of Luke we get one keen and fascinating incite into the life of the young Jesus that to this day is one of the best stories from the Gospels. It was the Feast of the Passover, which Joseph and Mary routinely attended each year. The Journey took several days on foot to travel to Jerusalem from the Galilee region and most attendees traveled in large groups, normally made up of family, neighbors and friends. The holiday had come to an end, and Mary and Joseph along with their brood, relatives and friends headed back home, not noticing that Jesus was no longer with them. After travelling a day towards Galilee, Mary realized his abscence and became disraught, and insisted on travelling back to Jerusalem to find their wayward child. It took three days but they finally found the 12 year old sitting in the Temple amidst the doctors of the Law (Law of Moses) both hearing and asking questions, as well as expounding on the scriptures. Upon finding him Mary scolded the young Jesus, who in return provided the famous retort wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a days journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business? 3 It is significant to point out that Jesus at this point indicated towards his own divinity in this slight rebuke to his parents by referencing his fathers business. Had he been a Tecton scholar as has been suggested, then surely Mary and Joseph would have immediately understood what he meant. However the scripture goes on to tell us And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. Given the meaning of this retort was lost on them at the time it is clear that his fathers business was something other than scholarly works, again reinforcing the likelihood that the family business was more of a blue collar industry hence a builder or contractor of some sort. Beyond this one event, little else is said of the young boy other than that he increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:24:09 +0000