To better understand the raw vitality of Jesus’ ministry of grace and truth, as well as His message of reconciliation, we look to the part of the Lord’s story that we know little about; we are invited into our imagination where the Holy Spirit can reveal more about Jesus’ early, hidden life.
Luke’s gospel explains that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived in Nazareth, where “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man,” but otherwise few details are documented about the 30 years or so leading up to His public ministry.
What we can piece together historically – a composition of place, if you will – is that Nazareth was an agricultural community of little means, primary peasants, and Joseph and Jesus’ work as artisans in the carpentry trade allowed the Holy Family to live humbly and simply; Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were afforded no economic status but were richly invested in the lives of others.
Once Jesus set about on His divine mission to minister throughout the region, He returned to Nazareth and taught. At first, everyone was fixated by His gracious words, gentle authority, and authentic presence.
All from the mouth of the carpenter’s son?
“Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they marveled. “Where did this man get such wisdom?”
Consider that Jesus was educated by the experience of conducting His craft. As craftspersons, who served the needs of the farmer, as well as the aging widow or growing family, Joseph and Jesus learned by listening. Empathy was core to their creative practice.
So it is not a far stretch of the imagination to think that all Jesus had seen and heard from building and making what others desired – looking into their lives and understanding their perspectives – imprinted His soul, perfectly enlightened His message, and uniquely awakened the Word that was His flesh.
I instructed you continually for thirty years, not in words, but by my example. … What kind of example? The example of devotion of duty toward God lovingly fulfilled, and goodness toward all, loving kindness to those about one, and domestic duties fulfilled in holiness.
Charles de Foucauld
As astonishing as Jesus’ teaching was, what happens next in His return to Nazareth is just as startling. Once Jesus proclaimed that He was, in fact, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, all the people were filled with rage, drove Him out of the town, and attempted to hurl Jesus off the edge of a cliff.
Why the fury?
Let us look through a cultural lens, and scripture shows us that society had little regard for Nazareth, a remote farming village materially insignificant to the economy. Nazarenes were held to the bare minimum standard. Even one of Jesus’ future disciples, upon learning of the Messiah, said, “What good can come out of Nazareth?”
From an educational standpoint, we have to assume that teaching and learning were inconsistent based on the household. Therefore, Jesus, who throughout His ministry rebuked hypocritical religious philosophy by asking others, “Have you not read?” likely gained His literacy from Mary and Joseph.
Sometimes we look at ourselves based on the box society wants to set us in, so let’s ponder how the people of Nazareth felt when one of their own returned to His hometown.
Maybe they sensed Jesus’ courage to walk the way of a non-conformist. Were they envious of the One who refused the label of a hired hand?
Perhaps they perceived Christ’s sacrificial spirit. Was this unsettling to hearts hardened and broken by cultural lies?
Jesus knew His ministry would be disruptive, to the point even of dividing households or being rejected where He grew up.
“I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Jesus said.
