The Gift of Craftsmanship
IN THE STUDY:
One of the gifts ascribed to the Holy Spirit is not mentioned in the New Testament at all. However, it is described in a beautiful Old Testament passage concerning the building of the tabernacle by Moses. God told Moses to contact Bezalel and God described him as a man whom “I have filled with the spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship.” (Exo. 31:1-11). While the other gifts are also mentioned in the New Testament as gifts of the Holy Spirit “craftsmanship” was not included in any New Testament list of the Gifts of the Spirit possibly because the early Church was not involved in any building.
This passage describes the work of craftsmanship as seen in the Bible: 1. To make artistic designs in gold, silver and bronze (such as a jeweller or coppersmith would do today): in cutting stones for setting (the type of work a jeweller does with precious stones or a stonemason with granite or marble for a great building): and in carving wood (such as a sculptor, carpenter or cabinetmaker). Later in this passage there is also added the craft of making finely worked garments, priestly robes, and liturgical decorations for inside the tabernacle.
The whole emphasis in this passage is that through the Spirit of God men and women can so receive the Gift of God that their natural talents are enhanced to do fine work to aid in His worship. The instruction to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness was to be aided by those people so gifted in making beautiful surroundings to create an atmosphere of worship.
The Old Testament lists as craftsmen: carpenters, furniture-makers, boat-builders, wood-carvers, carvers in ivory, ebony and alabaster, smiths in gold, silver and bronze, weavers, tanners, leather-workers, tent-makers, carpet makers, rope-makers, basket weavers, fullers, dyers, sculptors, jewellers, glass-workers, potters, lamp makers, etc. God was described as the greatest craftsman of all (Heb. 11:10).
FROM THE PULPIT:
Jesus and Joseph are the only people in the N.T. called craftsmen. (Matt. 13:55, Mark 6:3). Jesus built yokes, ploughs, threshing boards, benches, beds, furniture, coffins, boats, houses, and doorframes for the people of Nazareth for 18 years. He was known as “the carpenter”. Over his workshop probably hung the advertising sign – “My Yokes are Easy”.
Luke investigated the life of Jesus closely and records every significant detail except what happened in those 18 years – the greater part of His life. Why was Luke silent concerning this time?
Because for 18 years Jesus of Nazareth was a craftsman utterly undistinguishable from any other worker.
He worked and supported his widowed mother and at least five younger children (Mark 6:3). Think what those years of craftsmanship did for His understanding of us. 1. Jesus understands your feelings when you have spent years in unspectacular work. 2. Jesus understands your struggle to support a family on an inadequate or uncertain income. 3. Jesus has given us superb teaching based not upon the idealistic dreams of some academic aloof from life, but the answers of a man who tried them out first as He earned His bread by His sweaty hands.4.God was preparing Jesus for a wider ministry through His craftsmanship. He was to work, not with twisted and knotty wood but with twisted lives.
At Stanford University I have seen in the Chapel a picture of the Master Craftsman with the words “The highest service may be prepared for in the humblest surroundings. In silence, in waiting, in obscure un-noticed tasks. In years of uneventful, unrecorded duties, the Son of God grew strong!”
AMONG THE PEOPLE:
For a number of years I taught Sunday School in a Boys’ Home near my Church in the “Chapel of the Boy”. Here the pews are all carved with Australian animals, birds and wildlife and with all the hobbies of typical young boys. A Master Craftsman had been at work!
In our Church during different times of the Christian year large and beautiful coloured wall hangings reflect the Christian themes. Our choirs add a wonderful sense of reverence and majesty as they sing God’s praise. Our musicians on organ, piano, strings, brass, drums, violins, flute add their craftsmanship to worship.
In our congregation a retired motor mechanic of great skill helps many people in mechanical need. He is known as a Christian craftsman with his spanner and screw-driver. God’s special gifts of craftsmanship are still being exercised today.
