Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-05
Must Rely on Tradition


very old tradition states that Jesus was
10 when Joseph died and the legendary
history of Joseph the Carpenter even makes
Jesus Himself tell the circumstances of it.
The portrait of Mary given by the Gospels
is definitely that of woman without
husband and we are probably right in
imagining her as grave matron in widows
weeds, presiding at the table in the house
at Nazareth in the place of honor which
the Talmud allotted to the mother Of
family when her husband was dead
Joseph, the good foster father, disappears
from the story with the simplicity of one
who knew that his task on earth was &C
complished and who was content to leave
the rest to God
1t was probably Joseph who taught Jesus
the craft by which He made His living.
In the Jewish community every man had
to work with his hands, even those devoted
to the study of the law. Thus the great
Rabbi Hillel was woodcutter and Rabbi
Schammai, carpenter.
The craftsman who was generally known
as a carpenter" was, in fact, skilled in all
kinds Of woodwork; he could equally make
props for snoring. yokes for oxen or harness
poles and goadS, as well as beds, chests,
stools, bins and kneading troughs
Jesus led the ordinary life of poor men
of His time
He lived in very humble house, such as
has been described, and ate the common
food of the Galilean people, barley bread,
very little meat, vegetables and sour milk,
and on feast days, the "grilled fish which
f.J1, sfyafn
writer put it. &
No ClOseness to Luxury
1t is clear from the parallels and the
teaching of Jesus that He had no acquaint-
ance with riches or the great ones of the
earth; His references to luxury have that
simplicity commonly to be remarked among
those who have little experience of it.
1t was life of extraordinary simplicity
which we should bear in mind when we con-
template the Messiah in glory drawing the
crowds to follow Him.
Among such poor people, fishermen,
workmen, laborers in fields and vineyards,
Jesus received that grounding in human
nature which each of us acquires from
those among whom his lot is cast.
Galileans were simple people, less pre-
occupied with formalities than the Jews Of
Judea, kind -hearted if somewhat rough
hammered. Jesus used their language, their
customs and many sayings and idioms from
their common speech
He was to be all His life one Of those men
of the people whose natural nobility allows
them to meet all men as equals.
The face of Galilee itself was also to in
Hunncn Him Ac urorkmon in small
town, He would almost certainly have cul-
tivated small plot Of land as we'll
GaliIee Had Verdure
The whole Galilean landscape gives an
impression of luxuriance and beauty which
contrasts with the harshness of Judea. The
hills are round and the rich vegetation
hides the rocky skeleton. The rainfall is
heavy, more so than at Jerusalem and very
much more than in the valley Of the Jordan.
Life is better there and it Is fitting that
Galilee should have been the scene of the
happy part of Jesus life, His childhood, His
peaceful and obscure working days and,
later on, the first successes of His ministry.
Judea was to be the land of sorrow.
1t is not without significance that during
His formative years the book of nature
should have showed its friendliest aspect
throughout the Gospels we can trace ref
erences which show that the memory
remained.
So we leave Him, on certain day of the
winter of the year q, on the way to that
ford of Bethabara, where the impressive
figure of the Baptist was to reveal His
destiny. Behold there went out sower
to SOW"
But no man knew where the seed was
to fall. X 81
Tomorrow: Jesus begins His first public octs omid the
customs and turbulent events Of His time.