Was Jesus a Fowler, trapping birds and small creatures?

This may sound like a crazy question, but it is serious. Food was scarce during ancient times, and children would certainly be employed to help sustain and feed the family. There were no grocery stores. People lived off the land and provided most of their own food.

My grandfather, Will Ray, was a farmer, hunter, and carpenter in rural Illinois. I have pictures of him hunting and fishing to provide food for his 13 children, including my dad. His traps and shotgun were important tools. It was the same in biblical times, with fishing, hunting, and gathering food as an important part of survival.

We hear of John the Baptist eating grasshoppers. Our first reaction is “Yuck!” As an observant Jew, John would have been strict in obeying dietary rules from the Law of Moses. Did you realize that grasshoppers were an approved food?

“Of them you may eat: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind.” (Lev 11:22)

Even today, grasshoppers are a common food around the world. They are high in protein and readily available. It is quite likely that it was a task for children, boys like Jesus, to collect these nutritious critters for inclusion in the diet. Here is a video of me eating a live grasshopper in the Judean Wilderness, where John lived. Another video of me frying up a few grasshoppers for lunch.

Did you ever consider Jesus’ words about sparrows? His words give us insight into daily life in Israel. Jesus said,  

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” (Mt 10:29–31) and  “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?” (Lk 12:6).

Sparrows were also a kosher food in the Jewish diet. They were considered the “poultry of the poor,” and again, they are eaten in many parts of the world. Sparrows need to be trapped or snared.

In the Bible, there is a technical term used for one who traps birds. It is “Fowler” and shows up at least seven times. Snares, traps, pits, and nets are used over 235 times in the Scriptures.

When I was a boy, I spent my free time earning money. I picked wild berries to sell. I raised chickens and bees for eggs and honey. I even raised rabbits and sold the babies. Kids did the same in biblical times and almost certainly participated in snaring and trapping birds , catching grasshoppers or fishing. Families worked together to survive. Bird‑catching was a common, low‑skill, labor‑intensive task, and families in ancient Israel typically involved children in such work.

It is likely that Jesus did the same things. He was an average boy who lived in a small village in rural Galilee. The people thought of him as just one of the boys and he would have fit right in. Catching grasshoppers and snaring birds was a typical task and I can see him running with the rest of his friends doing what boys do.

For my more detailed article on grasshoppers and sparrows click HERE.