· Translation: KJV

Matthew 13:55Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

The setting

Nazareth synagogue, ~30 AD. The crowd's wonder turns to familiarity-based dismissal. They list His family members by name - everyone in this tiny village knew them personally. Modern Nazareth, Israel.

The emotion here: capturing painful human dismissiveness with sadness

The original word

tekton (τέκτων) — craftsman, builder, woodworker (not just 'carpenter')

Why it matters

Joseph was likely dead by this time, since he's never mentioned during Jesus' ministry years

Read with care

What most readers miss in Matthew 13:55

They name his four half-brothers individually - this was a small town where everyone's business was public knowledge

Common misconceptionMany think this proves Jesus had biological brothers, but 'brothers' could mean close relatives or step-brothers from Joseph's previous marriage.

Bible Genome reading

Matthew 13:55 — Bible Genome reading

Speakertownspeople
Eragospel
Primary emotionseeking
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability70%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance40%
Standalone75%
Themes:familiarityfamily

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Matthew 13

Matthew 13:55 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to townspeople. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include familiarity, family. Notable phrases: carpenter's son; his mother called Mary; his brothers.

Your reflection

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