A different type of carpenter

What does a carpenter work with in a land of rocks? The Bible says that Joseph, step-dad of Jesus, was a carpenter. What picture does that put in your head? For me, it is that of a woodworker. Not with power tools, I know better than that, but my picture is that of colonial America tools, and nice big chunks of wood. But today that image was challenged.

Jesus the carpenter's son?

We spent a good amount of time today in Nazareth – the home town of Mary, and where Jesus grew up after being a refuge in Egypt. It is now a booming city of close to 100,000 people. The streets are filled with stores, people and cars, up and down the inclined streets in this town upon a hill. There are also two churches commemorating Mary receiving the shocking news of an unexplainable pregnancy from an angel of the Lord. (Orthodox church puts it at the well, Roman at Mary's family house) We visited both locations, saw amazing artwork to the glory of God, and had time to poke around these places on our own.

the well/spring under the Orthodox church

We then went 3 miles away to Zippora – an ancient city discovered over the past century – a city of mosaics. I'm told it is home to some of the most impressive mosaic work in the country. Every floor seemed to be covered (and I'm convinced that one large structure must have been the mosaic showroom for the entire region), and it served as a vivid reminder that the primary building material in this area is stone (now, concrete, but masonry all the same). It also showed the interactions of cultures even 1500 to 2000 years ago, as floors had mosaic of Greek mythology, parties by the Nile, astrology, Christianity and Judaism. From what I learned my thinking during my online shopping may ever be changed. Do you know what Amazon means??? But I digress...

Joseph was a handyman, a builder, a “carpenter” - he probably worked with stone! Yes, there is some lumber in this area, but it isn't and hasn't been, the primary building supply. I'm still working at getting rid of that picture of Jesus watching his dad shaping wood with a chisel – he was more likely to have been chiseling away at a block of quarried stone. Does this make any difference? Practically? No. But it is a reminder of how easily we can interpret words of the Bible based upon the reference points we know. It is great to be here and get some new reference points – closer to the world where Jesus walked.

Today we also visited the Jordan, this time part of the river just before it flows into the Sea of Galilee (it then flows out and down to the Dead Sea – being diverted off all the way along for various uses). We were able to get a bit of a picture of what the Israelites crossed heading into the promised land with Joshua. Although at that time it was spring, and it was overflowing its banks. It ain't no Mississippi, but not something a migrant nation of men, women and children could cross. But God had them carry the Ark, putting their feet into the swollen, rushing river – and then the waters stopped upstream, and emptied out downstream. But only when they stepped forward in faith. Sometimes we act stuck, when God is saying, go forward!

We then hiked further to a clean running tributary, and remembered our baptisms. In our baptisms, there is an outward sign of the spiritual reality that Jesus will never leave you or let go of you.

In all of this there was walking, riding on the bus, and lunch (pitas with turkey and lamb – schwarma) – photos, hearing the Bible, and time in prayer. It was a good day, and tomorrow we head south – in Jerusalem by evening.

Good Night