Jesus: Son of God and Perfect Man♥

Last Thursday morning, I was thinking about Jesus when suddenly the Holy Spirit gave me this very strong impression of Jesus as Him being not only the Son of God and Divine and part of the Trinity, but I sensed His perfect humanity… This was all without words, and very hard to describe.. but I sensed Jesus’s character as totally pure human without any defilement or guile as the rest of us have… not even a drop of it.  I was so magnetized toward Him that I realized just why many of the disciples dropped everything to follow Him.

I then asked the Lord if He would give me something from “He and I” of His words to add to this revelation from the Holy Spirit.    Blindly, I opened to the following:

“Look at Me in My gospels.  There you will find My history, My life story.  You will follow Me.  You see Me comfort, heal, suffer, obey My Father for all of you.  There you see Me denying Myself, keeping silence and speaking;  seeking solitude, followed by the crowds; teaching, contradicted, full of courage in defending truth, in rebuking the mighty, in taking the part of the little ones. Full of compassion for the humble, the repentant, the oppressed.  Thinking only of My people- not of Me., for  you and against Myself… When I came from Heaven to earth, I might have asked Myself the same question if I had not come to suffer, to prove My love for you all along the path of My life… Longer than the road to Calvary.

    Who could have guessed at My ardor for My Father, the intensity of My love for you.  You of every age and race, right to the very end of time.  You have noticed how sometimes you get others to follow you without saying a word?   I wanted to leave all of you My example;  it said, “Follow Me, this will be your response in Love.”  Do you think there were many who heard and followed?   My sweat of blood in Gethsemane was for that.  For that the tears that disfigured My face so much that Peter James and John had difficulty recognizing Me.

    Oh My little flock of My most faithful friends, come to meet Me every day in a passage of the gospels.  Look for My heart there and give Me yours.” 

Jesus as a Carpenter

I found this really good information that gives some light into how Jesus labored day to day for His earthly father, Joseph, and after Josephs’ death before His ministry began.   His work was truly hard labor!   the website I gathered this article from is found at:   http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010570#h=8

Knowledge, Strength, and Skill Required A carpenter needed to know the characteristics of the wood he worked with. He could choose from locally grown timber, such as cypress, oak, cedar, sycamore, and olive. However, a first-century carpenter could not visit a lumber yard or a building supply store and pick up lumber cut to his specifications. Rather, he would travel to the forest, select the appropriate trees, fell them, and then haul the heavy logs back to his workshop.

What would a carpenter produce from the lumber he gathered? He might spend many hours outdoors, helping to build houses. He would mill rafters for the roof, manufacture stairs for the interior, and make doors, windows, and frames for the walls.

A carpenter would also produce furniture. The accompanying illustrations show some of these products—storage cabinets with drawers, shelves, or doors;  stools , chairs, and tables  of various sizes and shapes; and cradles for daytime infant care. To decorate some furniture, he might inlay it with attractive wood carved to form intricate patterns. To protect and beautify the items, he might coat them with beeswax, varnish, or oil.

A carpenter also made products for the local farmers—yokes  shaped from heavy wood as well as forks, rakes, and shovels.  The plows  he made had to be sturdy, for their iron points would be gouging furrows through rocky soil. He made wooden carts and wagons and crafted the solid or spoked wheels upon which those vehicles rode. His occupation might also include repairing and maintaining the furniture, tools, and vehicles he made.

Can you imagine how Jesus’ work as a carpenter influenced his appearance? Think of Jesus’ skin bronzed by the Middle Eastern sun, his muscles strengthened by years of physical labor, and his hands hardened from gripping rough wood and wielding axes, hammers, and saws.

A Source of Illustrations Jesus masterfully used simple, familiar objects to teach deep spiritual truths. Did he draw on his background as a carpenter for some of his illustrations? Consider a few possibilities. “Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the rafter in your own eye?” he told one crowd. A carpenter would know how massive a rafter was. (Matthew 7:3) Later, Jesus said to another group: “No man that has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well fitted for the kingdom of God.” He would also likely have made his share of plows. (Luke 9:62) One of Jesus’ warmest invitations involved a piece of equipment manufactured by a carpenter. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,” said Jesus. “My yoke is kindly and my load is light.” (Matthew 11:29, 30) Jesus no doubt knew how to make a yoke that did not chafe but was “kindly,” or well-fitted.

Jesus’ opposers might disparagingly have referred to him as “the carpenter’s son.” Even so, as in the first century, Christians today consider it an honor to follow this humble former carpenter.

The Carpenter’s Toolbox:

A first-century carpenter like Jesus would need to know how to handle the tools depicted here. His saw (1) consisted of a wooden frame holding an iron blade with teeth set in a way that would cut on the pull stroke. He would use a square   to lay out his work and a plumb  to line up vertical surfaces. Also in his toolbox were a level , a rule stick, a plane with its sharp, adjustable iron blade for smoothing rough lumber , and an ax  for cutting down trees.

The carpenter’s bow lathe  and gouge   were used for cutting and shaping spindles. On the toolbox lid, you can see a wooden mallet  used for pounding dowels into joints or for driving chisels. Also shown are a small handsaw, a drawknife   for shaping, and some nails.  In front of the toolbox is an iron hammer  and an adze  for roughing out timber. On the lid is a knife   as well as chisels   of various widths. A bow drill   leans against the toolbox.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010570#h=8

CARPENTER:

An artisan, craftsman, or worker in wood. The Hebrew term cha·rashʹ is the general designation for a “craftsman,” “worker,” or “builder,” who would use various materials such as wood, metal, or stone. (2Ki  The Greek equivalent is teʹkton, translated “carpenter” in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3.

Noah and his three sons had much carpentry work to do in building the huge ark, according to the pattern given by Jehovah.—Ge 6:14-16.

The carpenter in Israel would be employed in constructing houses and, in later times, structures such as synagogues. Although buildings were for the most part made of stone or earth, some wood was used, for example, in beams and doors. The things constructed by the carpenter in Bible times included furniture, such as tables, stools, and benches. Many implements such as plows and threshing sledges were partly or entirely made of wood. (2Sa 24:22) In the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings, Bezalel and Oholiab were especially guided by Jehovah God. His spirit accentuated their ability to do the finest work in wood, as well as other materials. (Ex 31:2-11) Skilled workers in wood were brought from Tyre for the building of David’s house. (2Sa 5:11) Zerubbabel used carpenters in building the second temple in Jerusalem.—Ezr 3:7.

Jesus was called not only “the carpenter’s son” (Mt 13:55) but “the carpenter” as well. (Mr 6:3) Since the Hebrew father usually taught his son his trade, Jesus no doubt learned carpentry from his adoptive father Joseph

His Labor of Love

Tired and Exhausted, He sat at the well while His disciples searched for food.

He walked the dusty rocky roads by foot .

 

His body  felt the aches,pains and stiff joints of continuous labor

The Father’s Bondslave, it was not beneath Him to wash His disciples’ feet.

 He worked for His family at a young age.. doing much more taxing, laborious work after Joseph died to help support Mary and His younger  brothers and sisters.

His Labor of Love

On Friday I worked on my feet all day, rushing to get to work beforehand… but not in haste.  Just in a steady non-stop pace, staying an hour late to clean up after work.   When I got home, I knew I needed to cut the grass before it rained on the weekend., and do my laundry, for I would be working overtime that Saturday .  So with God’s help, I did that too, and finally got to wash myself around 8:30 pm.

Waking up at 5:20, to get ready for working overtime that Saturday, my entire body felt stiff and in pain.   Throughout the night, my hands tingled from carpal tunnel syndrome ..as I use my hands a lot at my job.   All of these minor aches and pains caused me to reflect on Jesus’… what He endured on a daily basis throughout His life on this Earth as a carpenter, and supporter of Mary’s younger children after Joseph died.

He often stayed over-time at the carpenter’s shop to finish jobs that He would often not get paid for, due to many taking advantage of His kindness and gentle nature.   Also, many ungrateful customers who found fault in anything just so they wouldn’t have to pay, or who were critical no matter how good something turned out.  All of the heavy labor in hot days chopping down, and hauling tree logs for the wood needed took a toll on His joints.  I’m sure there were many rainy days where every joint in His body felt the pain as He knelt before the Father in prayer before the sun  rose.   Jesus had to meet constant deadlines as a carpenter.. especially after His earthly father, Joseph, died.  He never complained. He offered every inconvenience up to the Father in love.. for souls.    Every weary occasion, every trying circumstance He secretly and reverently offered to the Father  for mankind..    His mission as Redeemer began long before He died on the cross for us.

During His ministry, He didn’t ride from place to place on horseback. He didn’t own anything.. He walked by foot everywhere on long dusty, rocky roads.    When He was tired and ill, He still continued to work unless the Holy Spirit led Him to rest.  Once He was so exhausted that the disciples had to carry Him into their boat..  but even then, they woke Him up during the oncoming storm, and accusingly told Him, “Master, do you care not that we perish!?” when He slept through the thunder, waves and lightening.

Jesus was always on the move from town to town …never a place to lay His head, He often slept outside and with His faithful disciples nearby.

I asked our Lord if He would give me a comment on this.. on His life , a continuous labor of Love for the good of mankind, and the love of His Father.     Blindly opening to “He and I”, my eyes fell on the following:

“…Love is so simple.  Awake, asleep, it goes on and on, like your Loire (a river in France) that never stops flowing by day or night.  In Heaven you know, there is no pause, for love is pure activity.”

and He also had me open to this from page  208:    “Lend Me your hand to write.  Lend Me your voice to teach the little ones the living truth.  Lend Me your gestures to love them.  And to cheer your pastor in his duties, lend Me your kindness.  In t his way, through you, I shall be among them , among yours.  Your influence will be increased and you will think less of yourself.  “This is not the fruit of my own effort”, you will say.  “Jesus was there with me.”  Say it to yourself over and over again;  it will keep you humble.  And humility is truth.

Lend Me your body too, when you travel, when you toil, when you eat and when you sleep.  I did all these things when I lived among men.  Make Me live again among them; and they must be aware of Me… As for  you, don’t bargain with Me, but go joyously to your post when I call you.  Say to yourself, “He wants me there.” And with that, you remain courageous and at peace.  You remember what courage it took Me to fulfill My mission to the very end?”…