It seems as if Jesus worked as a carpenter by profession. This was the job that his father did, and the people of Nazareth would have known him as the one who did this work. In those times, a carpenter was someone who could work with wood, metal, or stone. Most likely, given Jesus’ Palestinian context, it denoted a woodworking handyman. Jesus would thus have the skill to do almost anything—from crafting plows and yokes, to making pieces of furniture, cupboards, stools, and benches, to erecting small buildings, particularly making the beams, window lattices, doors, and bolts.1 Jesus was thus not an academic with soft hands; he was physically strong and used to working with his hands.
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.