Is not this the carpenter’s son? is phrased differently in Mark 6.3: “Is not this the carpenter?” The assumed reply is “Yes,” as is reflected in New Jerusalem Bible (“This is the carpenter’s son, surely?”) and Phillips (“He’s only the carpenter’s son”). The noun “carpenter” may refer to one who builds with wood or stone. Wood is a somewhat rare commodity in Palestine, and houses are most frequently constructed with stone. It is quite possible, therefore, to argue for the meaning “stone mason,” though the majority of the translators evidently prefer “carpenter.”

In 12.46-47 Jesus’ mother and brothers are mentioned, though not by name. The observation that his father Joseph is not mentioned may be due to the fact that he is no longer living at the time this incident occurs. In the Marcan parallel (6.3) the names of Jesus’ brothers and the order in which they are mentioned differs slightly from Matthew. In place of Joseph, Mark has Joses, but it is possible to take Joses as an alternative form of Joseph, as Good News Translation and New English Bible have done. But the order in which the brothers are mentioned is also slightly different: Matthew has the order Simon and Judas, while Mark has “Judas and Simon.” There seems to be no particular significance in this shift of order, but it is problematic in cultures where readers expect the older children to be listed first.

The questions in verses 55 and 56 are all rhetorical. They are not asking for information but are ways of showing surprise that someone who is only a son of a carpenter can have such wisdom and do such wonderful acts. In addition to the models cited above, other renderings have been “He’s only the son of the carpenter, isn’t he?” or “Surely this man is only the son of the carpenter?” The verse will then continue “His mother is Mary, isn’t she? And James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas are his brothers. And his sisters live right here. So how does he come to have this wisdom and power?”

It may be necessary to change all of verse 55 and the first part of verse 56 to a series of statements: “55 We know who he is. He is the son of the carpenter, and Mary is his mother. We also know his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56 And all his sisters are living here in our village (or, district).”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .