Translation commentary on Matthew 13:55

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 13:55

13:55–56a

All the questions about Jesus’ family (in 13:55–56a) are rhetorical questions. The people of Nazareth knew Jesus’ father, mother, brothers, and sisters. Using rhetorical questions implies that they believed that Jesus was an ordinary person like them and his family. Therefore, they doubted that Jesus could become someone important. The way you translate these rhetorical questions should not indicate that the people were unsure who Jesus’ family was.

13:55a

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and emphasizes that the people of Nazareth knew that Jesus was the son of a carpenter. The people doubted that Jesus could become someone important, because he was only the son of a carpenter.

Here are some other ways to translate this surprise, doubt, and emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Isn’t this ⌊person⌋ ⌊only⌋ the carpenter’s son?
-or-
This man is ⌊only⌋ the carpenter’s son, isn’t he?

• As a statement. For example:

He is just the son of a carpenter. (New Century Version)

Translate this surprise, emphasis, and doubt in a way that is natural in your language.

carpenter’s son: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as carpenter’s also can mean “builder’s.” Jesus’ father probably worked with wood, but he may have also made things with stone.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the son of a woodworker
-or-
the son of a builder

13:55b

Isn’t His mother’s name Mary…?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and emphasizes that the people of Nazareth knew that Jesus was the son of Mary. The people doubted that Jesus could become someone important, because he was only the son of Mary. They did not see Mary as someone important, so they thought that her son could not be important either.

Here are some other ways to translate this surprise, doubt, and emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Isn’t his mother’s name Mary (New International Version)
-or-
His mother is ⌊only⌋ Mary, isn’t she?

• As a statement. For example:

His mother is ⌊only/just⌋ Mary!
-or-
His mother is Mary (New Century Version)

Translate this surprise, emphasis, and doubt in a way that is natural in your language.

Isn’t His mother’s name Mary: This clause means that Jesus’ mother is the woman whose name is Mary. For example:

Isn’t his mother named Mary? (NET Bible)
-or-
Is not his mother called Mary? (English Standard Version)

13:55c

and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and emphasizes that the people of Nazareth knew that Jesus was a brother to James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. The people doubted that Jesus could become someone important, because his brothers were not important people. So they thought that their brother Jesus could not become an important person either.

Here are some ways to translate this surprise, doubt, and emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Isn’t he ⌊only/just⌋ the ⌊older⌋ brother of James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

• As a statement. For example:

his brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (New Century Version)

Translate this surprise, emphasis and doubt in a way that is natural in your language.

His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas: Jesus was the first-born and so he was the older brother of these four men. If your language has separate words for older brother and younger brother, you should use the word for younger brothers to refer to James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.

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