Why did Jesus Christ grow up to be a carpenter if the wise men gave him gold frankincense and myrrh?

Answer 1

It would have depended on how much they gave him. There is no indication that is was a substantial amount. In fact, the men themselves were most likely traveling astrologers, and not royalty, so the amount they gave might have been limited based on desire or availability. It may have been that Mary and Joseph found the gifts to be unclean because of where it came from and did not use them. We really do not have enough information to make a logical conclusion on the matter, but there are several possibilities of why they still needed to have secular work.

Answer 2

If the wise men gave Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh, he should have been a wealthy man, or at least his parents would have been. While in Egypt, and later in Galilee, they could have afforded to get him the best possible education, so that he would never have to work with his hands. But this is only in Matthew's Gospel. The original New Testament gospel, Mark, makes no mention of these valuable gifts, nor does Luke. In fact, Luke shows Joseph as so poor that they could only offer two pigeons as a sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem, a concession only available to the very poor.

In fact, Mathew's Gospel does not refer to Jesus as a carpenter, simply as the son of a carpenter (Matthew 13:55).

With no reference to the valuable gifts we find in Matthew, Mark's Gospel can refer to Jesus as a carpenter, which we see in Mark 6:3. Based on this passage, we have the tradition that Jesus himself was a carpenter.

Luke and John make no reference to either Joseph or Jesus being a carpenter (or otherwise).

Answer 3

One has nothing to do with the other. The Holy Family may have had to give those gifts away as payment for lodging in Egypt, etc.

Answer 4

There is a relation humility and godliness. That was the reason Jesus Christ was born in the poorest place.