this occasion, as some still remember, he showed remarkable knowledge of the Law, when, as is customary, they read the portion of the Law set down for the Sabbath reading next after his birthday, and he was examined in its meaning by the learned men present. Yet he fulfilled not this promise of devotion to the Law as he grew in years. I cannot learn that he dusted himself with the "dust of the wise," as the sages have commanded.[1] Not having sat at the feet of any of the holders of tradition, he could not pronounce decisions of the Law.
His father brought him up to his own trade, that of carpenter. With us manual toil is not despised, as among you Hellenes; there is a saying among us, "Whoso bringeth not his son up to a handicraft traineth him for a robber." Jesus was a good and capable worker, and devoted himself especially to the making of yokes and wheels at Capernaum, where
- ↑ José ben Joeser said, "Let thy place be a place of meeting for the wise; dust thyself with the dust of their feet, and drink greedily of their teaching" (Pirke Aboth, i. 4).—Ed.
