Joseph the Husband of Mary

2023-12-15

Joseph, the husband of Mary, voluntarily entered into a very awkward life. He was called “a just man,” for only a just man would do to help in raising the Lord from heaven.

Consider his engagement to Mary, who was found with child by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25). He did not want to divorce her causing her shame when she was found with child. He wanted to do so quietly. Such divorce was allowed by the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 22:13-21; 24:1-44).

By a dream, the angel of the Lord verified that this virgin birth was from God: “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

Joseph believed that message, and likely understood all the repercussions that would have, having a wife with a child that was not his and the false assumptions people would likely make. He also did not touch his wife until after Jesus was born, the Scripture being clear that Joseph was not Jesus’ father. “And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:25).

Joseph was of the tribe of Judah and descendant of David (Luke 1:27; 2:4). That was the reason he had to take his pregnant wife Mary to Judea for the taxation.

That first dream Joseph had was not the final one; the angel appeared to him again to bring his wife and Jesus to Egypt until Herod was dead. He was faithful to the message and fled to save the lives of his family. “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt” (Matthew 2:13-14). A third dream came and announced the all clear for Joseph to bring them back to Israel (Matthew 2:19-21), and ultimately to Nazareth (Matthew 2:23).

Joseph was there when the shepherds came to the baby in the manger. He was also there and marveled at the words of Simeon.

When the 12-year-old Jesus tarried in Jerusalem, Joseph had to return there, and he was amazed again when Jesus stumped all the doctors of the law. Note the exchange between Mary and Jesus: “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:48-49). Note how the Lord Jesus corrected His mother: Mary called Joseph Jesus’ father, but Jesus rightly identified His Father, God, for His Father’s business is in the temple. The assumption of Joseph being Jesus’ father will show up again.

Nonetheless, we see how Joseph was worried while trying to find Jesus; he loved Him as his own Son. Jesus was subject to Joseph as if he were His father. “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart” (Luke 2:51).

Joseph was considered Jesus’ father by many. “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli” (Luke 3:23). And again, “Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45). Because of this, many wondered how Jesus could be the Son of God. “And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” (John 6:42).

Joseph would have led Jesus to the carpentry trade. Compare the parallel passages: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” (Matthew 13:55). And again, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him” (Mark 6:3). Jesus was the “carpenter’s son” in Matthew 13:55 and the “carpenter” in Mark 6:3. It probably was often the case that sons would learn their father’s profession. Joseph and the Lord must have worked together as He took on Joseph’s trade.

From these verses, we see that Joseph had four sons and some daughters as well. He lived a normal married life after Jesus was born and had a large family. “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3).

This is essentially what we know of Joseph. He was a righteous man who loved Jesus, pursuing Him when he thought Him to be lost, keeping Him from danger by listening to the angel’s direction. Perhaps he had already passed by Jesus’ adulthood, since we do not see him in the later narratives. However, Joseph played a major role in the life of the young Jesus.