Fundamentals of the Christian Faith in the Light of the Gospels
by Maulana Sadr-ud-Din
Jesus, a Human Being and an Apostle of God: Jesus Worked as a Carpenter for Thirty Years
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary …?” (Mark, 6:3).
It appears from this verse, read with Luke 3:23, that is was at the age of thirty that Jesus started his work of teaching and preaching. One is, therefore, naturally tempted to ask what he had been doing during the thirty years of his life. The answer to this question is furnished in Mark, 6:2–4, that he had been pursuing the profession of a carpenter, and, for that reason, people called him a carpenter:
“And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sister here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his kin, and his own house” (Mark, 6:4).
This sacred text of the Gospel tells us that before embarking upon his mission, Jesus worked as a carpenter. We are further told that, besides Jesus, four more brothers and some sisters were also given birth to by Mary, and Joseph was the father of them all.