Was Jesus Homeless?
The prevalent thought is that Jesus was homeless but I want to bring some clarity to this way of thinking.
First let's define homeless. Google describes homeless as a person without a home, and therefore typically living on the streets.
“And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,”
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, lived in Nazareth until He began his public ministry, and eventually moved and dwelt in Capernaum. Fun fact, notice that Capernaum is by the sea. This will make sense shortly.
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.”
This is the miracle where Jesus forgives and heals the paralytic. In the first verse, the people heard that Jesus was home. For Jesus, home wasn't just the city of Capernaum. Home was His residence, His dwelling place and His house. The four friends of the paralytic brought him to Jesus' house to be healed. They tore open the roof of Jesus' house and lowered the man down to Jesus inside of His house. This was a physical place. Now there is some argument that Jesus didn't own this home. Even though you may not own a home, that doesn't mean you are homeless. My children do not own a home and they are not homeless.
“On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.”
If Jesus was homeless, how did he step out of the house? Homeless people don't have houses to step out of. Not only did He step out of the house, He also sat by the sea. Interesting. If Jesus stepped out of His house and immediately sat by the sea, then He was on a beach. And if He was on a beach, then I submit to you that Jesus was living in a beach house. Come on, you know you smiled after reading that!
It’s always good to have a fun blog post.