Let us look at Mark 6:1–6. To back up, note how the Lord Jesus was identified by (Mark 6:2) many listeners in his hometown (Mark 6:1) where he grew up. Their image of him, based upon his years spent in Nazareth, prior to his public ministry, was not that of a young man who had lived off his parents, or even off the government, while he reclused himself in some kind of religious ivory tower. They did not conceive of him as an idle man who lauded around the synagogue. Rather their image of Jesus was that of the carpenter (Mark 6:3). He had so identified himself by his location as a tradesman or a craftsman. That was his hometown identity. He had so distinguished himself in their minds as a carpenter that we read in Mark 6:2: many listeners were astonished; that is, when he returned home to where he grew up and began to teach in the synagogue. They knew the incarnate Jesus as a carpenter, not as one who hung out endlessly at the synagogue. Thus, the question of Mark 6:2b: Where did this man [this carpenter] get these things? It was the ordinariness of his perfect humanity as a gainful worker, which in their case formed part of the stumbling block when he entered upon his public ministry. This guy was not a seminary graduate; he was the carpenter.

In the language of another, Albert Barnes writes: The expression recorded by Mark is a strong, perhaps decisive proof that he himself worked at the business till he was 30 years of age. The people in the neighborhood would understand well the nature of his early employments. It is therefore almost certain that this had been the manner of his life. A useful employment is always honorable. Idleness is the parent of mischief. Our Saviour, therefore, spent the greatest part of his life in honest, useful industry. He was the carpenter. Until the age of 30 he did not choose to enter on his great work; and it was proper before that time that he should set an example to the world of honorable though humble industry. Life is not wasted in such employments. They are appointed as the lot of man; and in the faithful discharge of duties in the relations of life, though obscure; in honest industry, however humble; in patient labour, if connected with a life of religion [or faith], we may be sure that God will approve our conduct.

Now, I want to pause with that bit of description of really a revealing narrative, and noting Mark 6:3—almost perhaps to us an incidental— Is not this the carpenter? I want to set before you the following observations, and I further want to make attribution to my friend and mentor Pastor Martin, for them.

Firstly, as a carpenter, the incarnate Jesus was perfectly obedient to the epitomizing command of Exodus 20:9—six days you shall labour and do all your work. Such obedience to the command to be a worker, to the demand of being engaged in honest honorable labour, such obedience was comprehended by his Father’s pronouncement at the entrance upon his public ministry: You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. That statement had to conclude and include, the well‑pleasing conduct of the incarnate Jesus as a craftsman, the carpenter.

A second observation is this: our Lord has both sanctified and dignified every form of legitimate labour. He has done it by his own perfect example. And I remind you further in connection with that observation, beyond his experience as a seasoned carpenter, craftsman, of long standing, he performed the labours of a common house slave (John 13:1–38), a fisherman and a cook (John 21:1–25). That is, the Lord Jesus himself engaged in various forms of what we would call manual and gainful labour. And again, the second observation by his own example has sanctified and dignified such labour.

Thirdly, it is possible—and this is really an understatement—to grow in grace while being engaged in gainful labour. Jesus’ labours as a carpenter were not antithetical to his growing in favor with both God and man. Indeed, his growing in favour with both God and man occurred in the very context of his working years.

The fourth observation is, by way of observation, his example manifests the necessity of labour as the means of supplying temporal need, for if anyone could claim exemption from labour, relative for procuring the supply needed for temporal needs, it would be the Creator of all things. And yet, he who could multiply loaves and who could multiply fishes to feed multitudes, gained his own food by his labour. He did not live by faith—as that phrase can be misused. He did not live by faith as if faith exempted him from hard and gainful labour and entitled him to ride upon the backs of others—be the others his parents, members of his synagogue, or the government.

Now, the apostle John says in 1 John 2:6, Whoever says he abides in him [that is in Christ], ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. This means anyone who professes he or she is a Christian in vital union with Christ. Furthermore that includes this large dimension of life: work. Now, you can see the topic of biblical considerations for vocational choice in view of our Lord’s example; in view of our need to walk, that is to live as he lived in connection with vocational labour; in view of the wealth of instruction on the very subject found in the written Word of God from Genesis 2:1–25 and onward in the canon of the Bible; in view of many of you readers being at a time in your lives when you are preparing for, or perhaps setting out, upon your chosen field; in view of so much of your time and energy being devoted to your labours; and in view of the very great influential bearing of such upon your future welfare and the welfare of your families.¹

George McDearmon