JESUS WAS NOT HOMELESS

This past week I read an article in API about an artist; Timothy Schmalz who crafted a sculpture of a hooded homeless person on a park bench sleeping. The only identifying features insinuating it was Jesus was markings in his feet, representing nail prints.  Schmalz was wanting the Catholic church of Toronto to accept it and put the sculpture on their church grounds.

Schmalz’s sculpture was rejected by two prominent Catholic churches, St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. Schmalz was angry about their rejection and was noticeably upset at their rejecting his “social justice theology” the sculpture attempted to preach. Schmalz quoted Matt 8:20 as his justification for the sculpture.

I grew up in church hearing that Jesus was homeless. The only Bible verse for this supposition is Matt 8:20 “Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”  Without getting too deep explaining this verse, allow me to debunk the myth that Jesus was homeless:

First, Jesus said; “Foxes has holes and birds has nests, but the Son of Man has not a place to lay his head.” The supposition is that Foxes has homes in holes and birds has homes in nests, but this is a very foolish mistake. Why? Because Foxes do not live in holes, nor do birds live in nests. Foxes have their babies in holes and birds lay their eggs in nests – they don’t live there.  Foxes live in the thicket and birds live in trees, brush, etc.

Jesus explained the connection by saying, “Neither does the Son of Man have a place to lay his head.” The word “head” Jesus used is not a person laying their “head” upon a pillow, but rather the word meaning authority, such as found in Acts 18:6, Rom 12:20, 1 Cor 11:3.  Jesus was metaphorically speaking with respect to spiritually seeding his truth into the hearts of people who would produce his spiritual offspring (Matt 13:37). As Jesus spoke of the foxes and birds birthing offspring, so was he talking about where he could lay his seed.

Contrary to Schmalz and too many other misinformed believers / nonbelievers, Jesus had a home. First of all, Jesus was born and grew up in Mary and Joseph’s home. Joseph was a businessman (Matt 13:55). Another obvious Biblical proof Jesus had a place to live, John and Andrew simply asked him where he lived and Jesus took them to his house (John 1:38). I know, this is the first time you’ve heard this. That is exactly my point. You cannot simply accept false assumptions just because you heard religion spout it off you whole life.

FACT: Jesus was NOT homeless.

© 2013 Dr Tim McClure