The Bible does not mention that Jesus worked as a carpenter before embarking on His 3 year’s Ministry. However, the Bible states that He was a carpenter’s son. Therefore, as a Christian, you cannot help but wonder, did Jesus work as a carpenter?
The Bible does not mention that Jesus worked as a carpenter. However, He was the son of a carpenter, and it was customary for sons to follow in their fathers’ footsteps; therefore, biblical scholars suggest that Jesus worked as a carpenter until he was 30, when He started His Ministry.
What was Jesus first profession? How old was Jesus when he became a carpenter? Was Jesus a good carpenter? What did Jesus build as a carpenter? How long did Jesus work as a carpenter? What was the significance of Jesus a carpenter? Keep reading to learn more!
What was Jesus first profession?
Jesus was a manual laborer for approximately 20 years which is 6 times longer than His three years of Ministry. In the Bible, only two verses give a clue about Jesus’ first profession; Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3.
According to these passages, when Jesus returns to His hometown to minister the word of God in their synagogue, those who know Him are astonished by His mighty works and wisdom. They refer to Him as the tekton’s son. This is a Greek word translated to a carpenter in the Bible. Therefore, Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, was a tekton (carpenter). According to the Jewish tradition, Jesus would have most likely carried on His earthly father’s profession, carpentry.
However, scholars have discovered that the term tekton engulfs a greater range of projects and skills than carpentry. For instance, based on his extensive study of words, Ken Campbell proposes that “builder” is a better English translation of the Greek term Tekton.
As used in the context of 1st century Israel, the Greek term Tekton could have most likely been used to refer to an artisan or craftsman who worked with wood, stone, and at times metal in small and large building projects. Therefore, due to the nature of the work carried out by Jesus’ family, it can be concluded that they were a lower-middle-income household.
After their visit to the temple when Jesus is 12 years, the Bible is completely silent about Joseph. This leads scholars to speculate that Joseph died before Jesus started His Ministry. Thus, being the eldest Son, He would have been tasked with caring for His family’s (mother and siblings) needs. Most probably, Jesus and His step-brothers worked as carpenters to meet His family’s needs.
At 30, Jesus abandoned His carpentry job and started preaching the Gospel. His Ministry is mostly what the 4 Gospels focus on because it is what He had come to do here on earth.
How old was Jesus when he became a carpenter?
The Bible does not mention when Jesus became a carpenter. However, Jesus was most likely Joseph’s apprentice since He was a small kid. During those times, it was customary for sons to learn their father’s profession from an early age.
According to Sean McDowell, because of the demanding nature of the tekton profession, apprenticeship started at the ages of 10 to 13 years. Apprenticeship took about 6 years. Therefore, he might have become a master carpenter by the age of 16 to 19 years. He worked as a carpenter till he was 30 when He started ministering the word of God.
Was Jesus a good carpenter?
The Bible does not mention whether Jesus was a good carpenter. It does not even mention that He was a carpenter but the son of a carpenter. However, biblical scholars assume that because sons had to follow in their fathers’ footsteps, Jesus’ profession was carpentry.
Given His strong drive to do things the right way, Jesus must have been a good carpenter. He also had a lot of time to learn from His father from an early age. He remained in the profession until He was 30 and might have been a master carpenter by then.
What did Jesus build as a carpenter?
The Bible does not mention anything about the things Jesus built as a carpenter. As I mentioned, it does not even state that He was a carpenter. It is only assumed that He was a carpenter because His father was one, and society expected sons to follow in their father’s footsteps.
However, if Jesus was, in fact, a carpenter for 20 years, He must have built a lot of things alongside His father and brothers. Justin Martyr, a resident of Samaria (a town between Judea and Galilee) in the early 2nd century, states that Jesus is a carpenter because He made plows and yokes.
How long did Jesus work as a carpenter?
The Bible does not state how long Jesus worked as a carpenter. However, According to Sean McDowell, a Jesus follower, apprenticeship for carpentry started at the ages of 10 to 13, and it took 6 years to learn. Therefore, given Jesus abandoned the profession at the age of 30, it can be argued that He worked as a carpenter for 17 to 20 years. However, He worked as a qualified carpenter for 11 to 14 years.
What was the significance of Jesus a carpenter?
During the 1st century, the carpentry job was quite mobile. Carpenters traveled from one construction to the next in search of job opportunities. Therefore, they did not just work in their hometown.
By the time He started His Ministry, Jesus was used to leaving Nazareth, His hometown, and traveling to other towns along the Sea of Galilee. He traveled alongside His father, Joseph, to work on different projects across Galilee. This familiarized Him with the towns and routes. The knowledge came in handy during His Ministry.
References
carm.org. (2020). What was Jesus’ occupation? Retrieved January 23, 2023
christ.org. (2022). Jesus was a carpenter. Retrieved January 23, 2023
GotQuestions.org. (2015). Was Jesus a carpenter? Retrieved January 23, 2023
kingjamesbibleonline.org. (n.d.). Official King James Bible online. Retrieved January 23, 2023
seanmcdowell.org. (2022). What was it like for Jesus to be a carpenter? Retrieved January 23, 2023
tifwe.org. (2015). Jesus’s career…before his ministry. Retrieved January 23, 2023
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
