There comes a time when
you need to leave the nest, leave the comfort of home / the familiar, to spread
your wings and answer a call -- to do that thing you're supposed to do.
For Jesus, that happened
at the age of 30, leaving his hometown of Nazareth as a tradesman, a carpenter
(or "tekton"). Not merely good at wood work, he excelled at it.
"In Homer, the "tekton" is said to build ships and houses and
temples." [i]
Many times though, you are
defined by what you do. And that "definition" also includes
perceptions and stereotypes. People conceived Jesus for what he had done --
carpentry. That's who he was; he was a commoner, a simple man, a working man.
A short time has passed
and he returns to Nazareth with the disciples. As the verses reveal, Jesus
taught with authority in the synagogue. Jaws dropped; eyes widened.
"Where…? What…? Isn't…? Aren't…?" How could this be?!?
Of the questions asked,
one is most telling. It allows for a deeper glimpse into Jesus' life before he
began his ministry. "Isn't this Mary's son…? "Only here is Jesus
called this. The normal Jewish practice was to identify a son by his father's
name." [ii]
"The fact they called
Jesus Mary's son tells us Joseph must have been dead. Therein we have
the key to one of the enigmas of Jesus' life. Jesus was only 33 when he died;
and yet he didn't leave Nazareth until he was 30. Why this long delay? …The
reason was Joseph died young and Jesus took upon himself the support of his
mother and of his brothers and sisters; and only when they were old enough to
fend for themselves did he go forth." [iii]
Has it ever happened to
you -- leaving as a youth or young adult and returning as a person who is
different, has a broader skill set, has elevated to new heights, was once
taught and is now teacher? As Barbara * said, "It's a role reversal."
That's hard for some folks
to comprehend. When considering the lives lived thus far in the study group,
Bethany * mentioned she could relate. "When my family sees me, I'm the
baby; I'm the little girl." Everyone in the room had either first-hand
experience or knew of others who had gone through something similar.
Also consider the amount
of meanness and accusation behind the words spoken to Jesus. "Mary's
son." Words directed not only to him but to his family. There is probably
also a hint (or a "wink, wink") of "You know, Joseph wasn't really
the father of Jesus. They've come up with some miraculous birth story, which is
a bunch of hog wash. He's illegitimate. Nothing good can come from someone like
that!"
How easy it is to dismiss
or tear down someone: for being different, for being successful, for making a
positive impact in lives. As Gene * pointed out, for those who are successful,
it's like fair game to knock them down. He used Yahoo comments from posted stories as an example where something
wonderful is shared and then feedback and comments follow by those who write horrible,
degrading, hateful things. Why? A part of that is definitely greed, envy,
jealousy.
In closing the first part
of a two-part blog post, what Jesus is going through reminds me of Romans
5:1-5 (justified through faith / peace with God / suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope). And this gives me
hope, and also something which I have embraced in my own life. How about yours?
Question for Reflection
Does a person have to be
respected or honored to be useful to God?
NEXT…
Continuation of "The
Commoners"; going out two-by-two; trust and faith; revolution
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