BISHOP TUCKER SCHOOL OF DIVINITY AND THEOLOGY

NAME: TWEHEYO GODFREY

REG NO: M19MO5/059

COURSE: MASTER OF DIVINITY

COURSE UNIT: INTRODUCTION TO NEW TESTAMENT

YEAR: ONE; SEMESTER TWO

LECTURER: REV. EMMANUEL MUKESHIMANA

QUESTION.

1. Jesus Christ was considered to be a “peasant” man from Nazareth. With you knowledge
of intertestamental period how can you explain that expression?
Jesus Christ was considered to be a “peasant” man from Nazareth. With you knowledge of

intertestamental period how can you explain that expression?

Intertestamental period is the term common among the Protestants; referring to the gap of time

between covered by the Hebrew bible and the period covered by Christians of the New

Testament. According to tradition, it is estimated to have covered four hundred (400) years

spanning the ministry of Malachi (c.420 BC) to the appearance of John the Baptist in the early

21st century AD, almost the same period as the second temple period (530 BC to 70 AD).
The protestant dominion also refer to it as “400 silent years” since it is a span where it is claimed

God revealed nothing to his people.

During this period “Intertestamental period” significant events took place such as translation of

the Jewish scriptures into Koine Greek, establishment of the synagogue, production of the

Hebrew scriptures and other related writings known as the Dead sea scrolls.

A peasant; according to the Cambridge dictionary refers to one who has low income, very little

education and a low social position.

According to the above definition of a peasant and biblical scriptures, it is on this basis that Jesus

Christ is assumed to have been a peasant artisan and that peasant assumption.

Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus is a religious leader whose life and teachings are recorded in the Bible’s New Testament

(his life,death and resurrection). He is a central figure in Christianity and is emulated as the

incarnation of God by many Christians all over the world. Most of Jesus' life is told through the

four Gospels of the New Testament Bible, known as the Canonical gospels, written by Matthew,

Mark, Luke and John.

Jesus was born circa 6 B.C. in Bethlehem. His mother, Mary, was a virgin who was betrothed to

Joseph, a carpenter. Christians believe Jesus was born through Immaculate Conception. His

lineage can be traced back to the house of David. According to the Gospel of Matthew (2:1),

Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great, who upon hearing of his birth felt threatened

and tried to kill Jesus by ordering all of Bethlehem’s male children under age two to be killed.

But Joseph was warned by an angel and took Mary and the child to Egypt until Herod’s death,

where upon he brought the family back and settled in the town of Nazareth, in Galilee.

Jesus Christ was considered to be a “peasant” man from Nazareth due the following reasons;

Jesus Christ’s peasant hood is associated with the social class of his parents. Joseph was a

carpenter and according to the scriptures Jesus also acquired skills of carpentry most probably

from his “father” since Jews used to teach children from their homes and in the ancient world

carpenters were considered people of low status/peasants and since Jesus took on that occupation

he is also claimed to have been a peasant. “The Gospels describe Joseph as a "tekton," which

traditionally has meant "carpenter," and it is assumed that Joseph taught his craft to Jesus in

Nazareth.”1 Mathew 13: 55 says “Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary?

and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

1 https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/saint-joseph
Jesus’ birth and circumstances surrounding his place of birth(in a manger). Luke 2:7 says“And

she brought forth their firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a

manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Some scholars think just because Jesus’

parents did not find a descent place for the birth; they are quick to attach that to Jesus being a

peasant. But as Christian theologian my argument is on the theological and biblical significance

of being born in a manger. It was the fulfillment of prophecies and giving a sign to the shepherds

as promised by the angel of the Lord; Luke 2:12 says “And this shall be a sign upon you; Ye

shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” and Luke 2:16 says “And

they came with haste, and found Mary, Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”. Jesus was not

laid in a manger by accident/lack. It is a major spiritual symbol,sign and fulfilling the angel of

the Lord’s prophecy. Animals go to the manger for physical food, but with Jesus lying on the

hay, we can go to the manger for spiritual food.

Jesus peasant hood is associated with the offering by his parents in the temple. When time to

give an offering came they were able to give two turtle doves and according to Leviticus 12:6;

those who were unable to offer a lamb offered and since Jesus’ parents offered two doves that

makes him peasant but this argument contradicts scriptures because according to the law of the

Lord, the only required offering was, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons and not any

other since he opened the womb of Mary; Luke 2:23-24 says “V23(As it is written in the law of

the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) V24 And to offer

a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two

young pigeons”. According to this scripture they offered the best and the only required offering

not because they were in lack/ peasant.

Jesus Christ associated with peasant friends and disciples; as an English saying “birds of the

same feather flock together”; so if Jesus had peasant friends, then he is also termed as a

“peasant”. For example John the Baptist who prophesied about the coming of the Messiah was

living an ordinary life/ peasant though with divine authority. “John the Baptist plays a significant

role in Christian tradition as well as the four Gospels associate John with the 'beginning of the

gospel' and regard him as the central witness to Jesus identity as the 'one to come' and the 'Lamb

of God'”2. Jesus was always in the company of the twelve disciples who belonged to a low class

in the society such as the fishermen. “(Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11, John 1:35-51). In these

accounts, several disciples are fishermen, people of low status”3

2 Chris, K and Larry W,H. 2011. Jesus among Friends and Enemies. Michigan: Baker
Academic Press.
3 Chris, K and Larry W,H. 2011. Jesus among Friends and Enemies. Michigan: Baker
Academic Press.
But Jesus Christ is also associated with people of high status. Jesus was also surrounded himself

mostly with aristocracy; the royal stewards, Mary and Martha, Lazarus, Joseph of Arimatha,

Nicodemus and John who is believed to have been of a high social status.

Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a village in Galilee and according to tradition and geographical

history; this area is assumed to have been in the remote hillside; since most of his activities were

in the outskirts of the town, it means he associated much with the peasantry life. But Jesus had

contact with the urban centers since Nazareth stands four miles from the major urban center,

Sepphoris; though Jesus grew up in village of Nazareth he had contact with the vibrant urban life

in Sepphoris which was the capital of Galilee. Jesus did not associate with the city due to human

character associated with the city such as; immorality and knowing that the city was the center

for peasant oppression.

Jesus Christ travel, teachings and parables can also give us a clue to his probable class (peasant).

For example parables of the lost sheep(Matthew 18:12–14) and Luke (Luke 15:3–7), parable of

the mustard seed. (It appears in Matthew 13:31–32, Mark 4:30–32, and Luke 13:18–19), parable

of the leaven (Luke 13:20-21), parable of the lost coin(Luke 15:8-10). All these are absolutely

ordinary, every day rural experience. They speak strictly to the rural and peasant audience of

Jesus. It seems; born in Nazareth, speaking to a rural audience; it seems Jesus is a peasant

speaking to fellow peasants. Other examples related to his teaching and parables are; sower or

sowing seed. He calls upon land owners and the relationship between slave owners and slaves,

masters and servants, so he seems to have been aware of socio -economic class of the time. But

according to biblical and theological interpretation of his teachings and parables; they do not

apply to only peasants but to people of all classes.

Jesus Christ's level of education associates him with peasant life. His parents were from a low

class and thus could not afford higher education and in the ancient world; parents used to teach

their children from their homes. The reason for relating Jesus Christ level of education to him

being a peasant is that; in the first century and much of the ancient world, to become educated

and especially literate, one would have a substantial amount of money and since his parents were

of low class, they could not afford such an education. The nature of Jesus works ‘carpenter’ and

his ministry could not enable him acquire much education because one would need to have a

luxury of free time to see out such education. But I believe Jesus was a teacher, a wise person.

As a wise man he must have participated in normal education of a good Jewish home and Jewish

upbringing in Nazareth region. Jesus had knowledge in both the Aramaic and Hebrew culture

and it’s literature as well as all kinds of Hellenistic Greek that he needed to fulfill his life

purpose.

Jesus Christ was a peasant born in a manger but with divine authority, because of an unusual star

which the wise men from the East followed and led them to the “king of the Jews”. Though a

peasant, his divine authority can be traced since childhood as recorded in the Gospels, “Luke’s

account of visit to the Temple in Jerusalem. The family had made a journey from Nazareth in the

north, together with friends and neighbors. When they were on their way home again, and the

whole day into the Journey, Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was not in their company. They

traced their steps in the Temple, and three days later found their twelve year old boy in the

Temple sitting among the theologians, listening and asking questions.”4 (Luke 2:41-

52).Therefore Jesus is associated with people of all classes; family and neighbors (journey to the

temple) and also theologians and teachers of the law as seen in the temple.

4 Chris, K and Larry W,H. 2011. Jesus among Friends and Enemies.
In conclusion, I think Jesus was a teacher, a wise person. He was not a low class peasant but a

middle class peasant because he participated in normal education, had skill in carpentry and his

divine ministry. Looking at his entire movement,we do see the movement included many

educated and wealthy individuals, who were not rich but were also not poor. If this was not the

case we would not expect to have the early writings that we do have, like the Gospel and other

works in the New Testament canon. Most scholars portray Jesus as a peasant; But over and over

as I studied for this course work, I found that Jesus was also surrounded himself mostly with

aristocracy; the royal stewards, Mary and Martha, Lazarus, Joseph of Arimatha, Nicodemus and

John who is believed to have been of a high social status. I believe that the living Jesus or the

divine aspect of his being comes from the heavenly realm. My personal opinion is that according

to worldly standards; Jesus was a peasant of low/middle class but this is contradicted according

to heavenly and spiritual/divine realm.

Bibliography.

Eric, E. 2009. The Healer from Nazareth: Great Britain: Ash ford Press.
Graham, H.T. 1999. Jesus the Miracle worker. Illinois: Inter Varsity Press.

John, P.M. 1991. A marginal Jew. New York: Dell Publishing Group.

Raymond, E.B. 1994. An Introduction to New Testament Christology. New York: Paulist Press.

Chris, K and Larry W,H. 2011. Jesus among Friends and Enemies. Michigan: Baker Academic

Press.

David,W 1982. The Search For The Real Jesus. USA: Hodder Press.

The Cambridge Dictionary.

The Bible- King James Version.

https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/saint-joseph