The theological implications of Jesus' carpentry

In watching "The Passion of the Christ", I was reminded that Jesus was a carpenter. Not that I needed that particular reminder, there are lots of bumper stickers around...



That got me to wondering: carpentry, as a profession, is subject to the same laws of supply and demand as any other. Quality, especially high quality, is a key factor in a business endeavor's success.

You have to figure that as the Son of God, as a guy who could heal cripples and walk on water, Jesus was a pretty fine carpenter. I mean, it's hard to imagine that someone who could feed 5,000 people with a loaf of bread and some fish having a hard time building a table.

"DAMNIT THIS LEVEL IS WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!! LOOK AT THIS FRIGGING THING, IT'S CROOKED AS A PHARISEE!!!"

So you would then expect that Jesus' products had a competitive edge over those of the other carpenters of Galilee. Jesus was probably, although the Bible does not say, the best damned carpenter around. You wanted a tasteful table and some kickass chairs, you didn't go to Rome Depot or Pontius Barn or what have you. You went to the Man himself.

And that really doesn't seem fair, does it? I mean, is that fair to the other carpenters of that era and geographical region? Each of them could have just as easily been born 50 years earlier or 50 years later, but NOOOOO they had to compete with one third of the Holy Trinity in running their respective businesses. The deck was totally stacked against them, by God himself.

I don't know about you but if I were trying to make a living as a carpenter around the time Jesus was in his prime, and the Son of God was ruining my business by using all his supernatural abilities to turn out a superior product (or undercut me on price), I'd be pretty pissed at Him.

That's why I doubt Jesus' divinity.