Was Joseph a Carpenter? (Explanation and Symbolism)

Matthew and Mark describe Joseph as a carpenter. The Greek word is tekton. The most frequent use is for a carpenter, but it is also used for other building trades like stone or metal work. Later patristic authors will make closer identifications of Joseph as a carpenter.

Okay. But as is often the case, finding out that semantic information isn’t the end, but only the beginning of understanding the significance. Why do Matthew and Mark choose to include this information? Why characterize Joseph as a tekton, a builder?

As you may have guessed, there is a symbolic reason. But to understand the symbolism, we have to look at both the context in which the gospel author says that Joseph is a builder and the Old Testament background.

The Context in Matthew 13

Matthew tells us that Joseph is a builder right at the end of chapter 13, which is the structural center of Matthew’s gospel. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the secrets of the kingdom—those are his words—and he tells them through eight parables. After he tells these parables, he goes back to the town he grew up in to teach in the synagogue.

The people were astonished and said:

Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?

And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Now, the main point of their response is that he couldn’t actually be this wise and do these wonders, because they knew him. There was nothing about him or his family that, in their view, would give him this wisdom and these works. That is, the crowd lists the pieces of information about the family that they think demonstrate that Jesus could neither be wise nor a wonder-worker.

The Subversive Family Tree

But notice the ways in which they describe his family.

First, they say that this is the carpenter’s—the tekton’s—son. Now, in the Old Testament, David hired tektons to build the temple. And David’s son is, of course, the builder of the temple, the exemplary man of wisdom, Solomon. So far from tekton being an aspersion or a negative association, it is associated with the highest wisdom. Aholiab and Bezalel were the builders of the tabernacle, and they were given wisdom for their work.

Second, in the list of questions from the crowd, they name six family members: Mary, James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and his sisters as a collective group. When Jesus is included, that brings the number to seven—a symbolically complete, perfect family.

Third, Mary’s name is from the Hebrew Miriam, the sister of Moses. And Moses was the quintessential man of wonders in the Old Testament, during the Exodus.

Fourth, Jesus’ brothers’ names are all names of patriarchs or tribal leaders. Joseph himself is named after the patriarch who was rich in wisdom and works, interpreting dreams and planning how to alleviate a mass famine.

The point of all these associations is that they carry the fragrance of both wisdom and works. So, in the very words that the crowds are using to cast doubt on Jesus’ wisdom and deeds, they unwittingly prove it to be true.

The Blindness of the Hometown

But there is also a deeper point about the inability to see what is right there.

Jesus goes to his hometown and they don’t recognize him. Jesus comes to his own people and they don’t recognize him. Herod can’t recognize him. Jesus teaches in the synagogue and they deny his teaching. They hear wisdom itself, but because they are fools, they can’t accept it. They list the very things that are evidence for Jesus’ wisdom and wonder-working, completely unable to see that the evidence points in the exact opposite direction.

You see, God is often working closely and we can’t see it. The problem is not with God’s proximity, but with our perception.

And that, my friends, is why the Bible is art.

Watch the original episode.