a boy whom they knew could become the man he apparently is after leaving them. They knew Yoseph,
Miriam, the brothers (four of them named) and sisters (names not given). Y‘shua passed here as the son of
Yoseph, and these were younger brothers and sisters (half-brothers and sisters, technically).
Was Y‟shua a carpenter?In addition, Y‘shua was born King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). The King of the Jews must Himself be Jewish
(Deut 17:15). His aunt Elizabeth was Jewish (a descendant of Aaron, Moses' brother) and His uncle
Zachariah was a Jewish priest (Luke 1:5, 36). Y‘shua was circumcised according to Jewish law (Luke 2:21,
Lev 12:2-3), and redeemed according to Jewish law (Luke 2:22-23, Num 18:15). His mother atoned
according to Jewish law (Luke 2:24, Lev 12:6-8). He is called The Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25) and The
Glory of Thy People Israel (Luke 2:32). Y‘shua was born a Jew.
But where do we get the idea from, that Y‘shua Himself was a carpenter? Perhaps another myth? Significant
manuscripts of Mark support Matt 13.55 which only describes Y‘shua as ―son of the carpenter"; not as the
"carpenter, son of Mary". Indeed, the early 3rd century church writer Origen writes against Celsus' assertion
that Y‘shua was a mere carpenter, that "in none of the Gospels current in the churches is Jesus Himself ever
described as being a carpenter" (Origen, Against Celsus, 6.36).
This is still a widely-debated topic (Vincent Taylor, Mark, p.299f vesus Cranfield, Mark, p.194f); however,
Geza Vermes (Geza Vermes, Jesus the Jew, p.21. Cf. D. Flusser, Jesus, Herder & Herder, New York, 1969,
p.20; yYeb.9b; yKid.66a, bAZ 50b) highlights an Aramaic use of the term carpenter/craftsman (naggar) to
metaphorically describe a 'scholar' or 'learned man'. Nevertheless, the majority of wandering rabbis had a
trade to support their learning and teaching; and there is no reason to doubt that carpentry may have been
an occupation of Y‘shua. Although Origen dismisses Y‘shua‘s role as carpenter, the earlier church writer
Justin (Justin Martyr, a 2nd century Christian writer writing in Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, 88) cites it. He
says that "He was considered to be the son of Joseph the carpenter; and He appeared without comeliness,
as the Scriptures declared; and He was deemed a carpenter (for He was in the habit of working as a
carpenter when among men, making ploughs and yokes; by which He taught the symbols of righteousness
and an active life)".
Y‟shua and Jewish EducationDuring the so-called 'missing years' filled in by spurious apocryphal gospels, Y‘shua undoubtedly received a
Jewish education – perhaps along these lines: "at 5 years of age" he would be "ready for the study of the
written Torah, at 10 years of age for the study of the Oral Torah,... at 20 for pursuing a vocation, at 30 for
entering one's full vigour". Interestingly, Y‘shua did just that, entering his ministry at about 30 years of age.
Also at 30, a Jewish father might publicly declare his son to be the inheritor of his estate (or an adopted son
in his place). The voice that spoke out of heaven at Y‘shua‘s baptism (Luke 3.22) was YHWH, declaring
Y‘shua to be His true son and inheritor. (The fifth of the Jewish Lifecycle customs – Matt 3:17)
The Jews of Y‘shua‘s era were world innovators in comprehensive universal education (Introduced during
the 1st century B.C. and the 1st century A.D.). The majority (if not all) were taught to read and write. The
philosopher Seneca remarked that the Jews were the only people who knew the reasons for their religious
faith – something which the apostle Peter continued to commend (1 Peter 3.15). We often reflect on how
Christianity was the initiator behind much of the modern education system, yet that motivation derives from
its Jewish educational foundations.
The remark of a contemporary Jewish Rabbi was that education began at six, and from then on we "stuff him
[with Scriptural teaching] like an ox" (Mishnah, Baba Bathra, 21a.) Y‘shua only needed to hint at Scriptural
verses for his hearers to recollect the whole contexts in their minds. Their minds worked like Strong's
Concordances. The Scriptural knowledge of most Jewish children then would have surpassed that of most
church leaders now; nevertheless, it was faith and application that YHWH was looking for. Lessons began
with the Book of Leviticus (a reason given for this is that Leviticus teaches on pure sacrifices, and the
sacrifice of a child is pure) at age 5 or 6 and progressed onward. Higher education began at 15 when one
would embark on theological discussion with learned teachers or Rabbis. (Mishnah, Aboth, 5.21)
We know that Y‘shua was growing in understanding by the age of 12, as he was found in the Temple
precincts ―both listening and asking questions" (Luke 2:46). The contemporary method of teaching included
questioning to elicit intelligent responses, so Y‘shua‘s asking of questions may not have been just to obtain
knowledge but also to teach it. Indeed, ―they were astonished at his understanding and answers".