Did Jesus Have a House?
Time and time again, in the account of Christ's early ministry around the Galilean area, it shows He was in a house. From time to time it was the house of Peter, or the house of one of the other disciples, or Christ's own.
Notice a few of the more outstanding examples. "And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever" (Matt. 8:14). Here, you see Peter had a house in Capernaum, and also you can understand by the scripture that Peter had a wife. Again, though it is so plain in the scriptures, MILLIONS do not know or understand that Peter either owned a home, or that he was a married man! (See also I Cor. 9:5) Yet the Bible is very clear on these points.
There are many such examples in the Scriptures. Notice a few more.
"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood WITHOUT" (Matt. 12:46). Though I referred to this scripture earlier, most of you probably failed to notice that Jesus was indoors on this occasion, and because of the large group inside, His own family could not enter, but had to wait "without."
Notice! "The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the seaside" (Matt. 13:1). Again, Christ was in a home, where He no doubt had opportunity to sleep when He was tired, and to bathe when He needed it — which was fairly often! And to have opportunity for privacy just as ANY human being would require! Notice! "Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field" (Matt. 13:36).
Again, Jesus sent the crowds away and entered into a house. Very likely, this was His OWN since it was in Capernaum, and Jesus continually went in and out of Capernaum, remaining in the area of Capernaum for much of His Galilean ministry.
Later, Jesus went up to Nazareth. The Bible says, "And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished . . ." (Matt. 13:53-54).
Then follows the account of their questioning, and their statements concerning Christ's family. Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his OWN HOUSE"! (Matt. 13:57)
Obviously, Jesus said He was in His own country, and IN HIS OWN HOUSE when He was being disrespectfully spoken of. The earlier scripture on the same subject proves that "house" is not synonymous with "kin."
It is true that Jesus, on many occasions, "went up into a mountain to pray" (Matt. 14:23), or was in a "desert place" (Matt. 14:15), and that He slept on occasions out-of-doors.
Jesus Not a Vagabond
But to assume Jesus lived the life of a dirty, grubby vagabond who never had opportunity to wash or to bathe, and that He lived on "hand-outs" or what He could glean from the fields as He traveled, is utterly ridiculous and without basis in scriptural fact!
During the account of the first New Testament Passover (commonly called the "Lord's Supper"), Jesus washed His disciples' feet, setting a deeply spiritual example for all Christians (read John 13:1-17). When it was Peter's turn, he protested first, and then went to the other extreme of wanting his whole body to be washed. In verse 10, Jesus said, "HE THAT IS WASHED [BATHED] NEEDETH NOT SAVE TO WASH HIS FEET, BUT IS CLEAN EVERY WHIT. . . ."
Here it is obvious that Jesus and His disciples had bathed prior to the meal, and only their feet were dirty, since they wore sandals in that day.
Did Jesus Pay Taxes?
Jesus not only stayed in a home much of the time, but He was also a taxpayer! In Matthew 22:15-22 Christ plainly said that it was lawful to pay tribute [taxes] and to "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's . . ."
And why would one pay taxes? For several reasons: Either He had an income, or He owned property, or both, or he had to pay a poll or head tax.
Notice the example, "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money [taxes] came to Peter, and said, doth not your master pay tribute? He sayeth yes" (Matt. 17:24-25).
The plain statement is Jesus DID pay taxes!
But notice the rest of the verse.
"And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented [preceded] him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon?" (Verse 25)
Again, Jesus entered into a house on this occasion.
Even when Jesus traveled, He usually made arrangements to stay in another home, at an inn, or to provide for some suitable lodgings.
Notice this example in Luke 9:51-56: "And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedtastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him [to arrange for a place to stay]. And they [the residents of the village] did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem."
The Samaritans in this village did not allow Him to stay there because He was going to Jerusalem, while the Samaritans maintained a rival "holy site" on Mount Gerizim. The location of the temple was a bone of contention between the Jews and the Samaritans (John 4:20).
"And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. And they went to another village."
Then notice another example, "And he left them, and went out of the city unto Bethany; and he lodged there" (Matt. 21:17).
Jesus had gone out of Jerusalem to the town of Bethany, which is very close by. He "lodged there" rather than sleeping out-of-doors on this occasion.
How many of the hippies and the "Jesus People" KNOW and understand many of these scriptures which absolutely PROVE Jesus Christ dwelt in a home more often than He slept out-of-doors, that He payed taxes, that He bathed and washed, and that He did not have long hair?
Notice some more examples:
"And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house" (Mark 2:1 — The expression "in the house" can be rendered "at home." See original Greek and also New English Bible and The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — John Broadus, et al)
Jesus freely entered into the homes of the leaders of the society, usually at their own request! Still, many people who totally misunderstand the truth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, assume He was only a vagabond, someone who associated with "street people," and who continually scorned or spurned any contact with the "upper crust" of society!
But read the account in Mark the 5th chapter of how Jairus (Mark 5:22-43), the ruler of the synagogue, besought Jesus to come to his home and pray for his daughter.
"And he cometh to the house of the ruler of that synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep?" (Verses 38-39) Here, Jesus freely entered into the home of the ruler of the synagogue, in order to heal his daughter.
Notice yet another example, "And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable . . . (Mark 7:17).
Time and time again, when the crowds became too large and too unmanageable, Christ either "entered into the house," or perhaps got into a ship and LEFT the multitudes in an attempt to avoid overly large crowds.
The people came to HIM, remember. He did not go to them.
Why Jesus Had No Place to Stay
Some dissidents quote one scripture to prove that Jesus had no place to live. All right, let's look at Luke 9:57-58, "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man saith unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."
Remember, I have already explained verses 51 through 56, which come just before this account. So, how do we understand Luke 9:57-58 in context? Again remember Jesus had wanted to arrange to stay in a Samaritan village on His way to Jerusalem. The citizenry wouldn't allow it. Therefore, Jesus — in the light of their denying Him overnight lodging — exclaims, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." In other words, at that particular time ("as they went in the way" [verse 57] on the way to the next village [see verse 56], Jesus was having difficulty finding a place to stay overnight on His journey to Jerusalem.
This is one reason Jesus told the young man that He had no place to stay at the moment. It was exemplary of His — at times — difficult ministry.
Now does this example, also having directly to do with forsaking all physical properties, family, and facilities for the sake of the Kingdom of God, then utterly DESTROY every other plain scripture about the many, many times Jesus dwelt in a home, or visited in someone else's home, or ate a meal in a home, or was part of a large banquet party (as at Cana, in Galilee), or deliberately arranged lodgings?
Obviously, the Bible does not contradict the Bible (John 10:35; II Peter 1:20); and one scripture which is rather vague, or capable of two or three meanings, does not knock in the head several plain and clear scriptures which cannot be misinterpreted!
In this account, Christ was telling the young man of His utter lack of dependency on material goods, properties, and possessions. While Christ did dwell in a house the major portion of His life, He placed no importance — He didn't set His heart — on those material possessions. He was ready at any instant to drop whatever He was doing in a house, and to LEAVE that house, in order to serve and to help the people. He traveled a good deal of His ministry, and was always ready at an instant's notice to leave a home, and go into a desert place, or to leave the larger city for a smaller one, or, failing to find lodgings in one town, to go on to another.
On this one occasion, Christ gave those in His hearing an example of not placing their heart on material possessions.
Nevertheless, Jesus did, continually, enter into a home, which very likely was His own home, in Capernaum, s as well as the home of which He spoke in the city of Nazareth, the city of His birth.
What More Can Be Said?
This article has grown very lengthy. Still, it was necessary to answer the many, many erroneous assumptions contained in the many letters of protest I received.
I have gone to these lengths to PROVE what I said in order that those few who really DO have a "love of the truth" and are TRULY sincere may DISCOVER THE TRUE JESUS CHRIST!
He was all man, just as HUMAN as YOU are human — yet He was very GOD! He was murdered, and He rose after THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS in the tomb. And, most important of all, He is ALIVE, today!
How does He look NOW?
You'll see, if you read the account in Revelation 1:12-18.
That is the picture that SHOULD come into people's minds when they think of Jesus Christ TODAY! He is a LIVING Savior — a LIVING Christ — a GLORIFIED, DIVINE, ALL-POWERFUL KING!
To parade about with grotesque, bearded, scraggly-haired faces on grubby T-shirts, or to scream "Gimme a Gimme an 'E,' " in "cheers for Jesus," or to use the name of Jesus cloak hippieism, demonstrations, unkempt clothing and dirty bodies is BLASPHEMY against the Son of God!
To those who sternly warned me "not to judge" I say GOD IS JUDGING YOU! Are you, then, really sincere? The measure of your sincerity is determined by how eagerly you accept NEW TRUTH when it is revealed to you!
I have placed this article in TOMORROW'S WORLD because I wanted to take sufficient space to really PROVE the points I made, and leave no one with an EXCUSE to reject the TRUE Jesus Christ!
To "spiritualize away" the TRUE Christ by mumbling about His "universality" is merely an attempt to condone the IDOLATRY of people who like to "create god in their own image." Personal talismans, choice idols, beddy-bye stories, and childish dreams are no substitute for the divinely revealed Word of your Creator God!
Again, I challenge you to FIND THE TRUE JESUS CHRIST! And when you are willing to REALLY come to "see" Him you will be led to REPENT of what you are, and strive, through His power and energy, to become MORE LIKE HIM!