Bible Strands
Matthew 13:55
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The townspeople in Jesus’ hometown synagogue question His miraculous wisdom and power immediately after He teaches. They address one another while marveling at His unexpected family background.
The words — οὐχ (ouch) functions as a negative interrogative particle meaning “is it not?” τέκτονος (tektonos) literally denotes a craftsman or builder, here translated as carpenter.
The thread — This familial identification appears in Mark 6:3, John 6:42, and Luke 3:23, where crowds similarly question Jesus’ earthly lineage and ordinary origins.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that Jesus’ authority emerged from a known, ordinary family rather than a prestigious lineage. It requires the reader to confront how divine wisdom operates within familiar, human circumstances.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Cross-references
- Mark 6:3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- John 6:42 They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
- Luke 3:23 Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- Mark 15:47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.
- Luke 4:22 All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
- Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
- John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
- Galatians 1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
- Isaiah 49:7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes will bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
- Isaiah 53:2 He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.