As we thumb the pages of scripture, reading the Christmas story through the lens of all the gospel writers, we would be remiss or inattentive not to include Joseph. The reality is that Joseph is the one character who, from the outset, it seems, is needed least in the narrative. Mary conceives Jesus as a work of the Holy Spirit, a miracle conception, and a virgin birth. So, the question remains: What role does Joseph play, if any?
Let’s first begin by asking the question, who is Joseph? Joseph was a man born in the 1st Century and lived in Nazareth. He is not mentioned in some of the gospels, but his name appears in Matthew and Luke. The genealogies written in both gospels differ, and scholars have reasons as to why, but no one has an exact reason. One thought is because of adoption, and the other is Mary’s line to David. Nonetheless, they both lead us back to King David and clearly state that Joseph was in the line of David.
Joseph was a man with a trade, scripture states in Matthew 13; “Is not this the carpenter's son”. Making Joseph's job clear. Often the word tektōnos is defined as a carpenter, but the word is calls to mind a craftsperson who worked with wood, or iron, possibly even stone. Whichever material he worked with, it is still clear that he was a man of trade who worked with his hands.
Scripture tells us that Joseph is to be the man that Mary will marry. He is her betrothed. Some scholars believe that Joseph was married before and Mary is a second wife. I tend to disagree with this. But for you to form your own opinion, I feel it is worth mentioning. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention if this is a marriage of convenience or true love? However, given that Joseph does not put Mary away but goes on to marry her, it implies that he is in love with her.
We know very little about Joseph in comparison to some other Bible characters. We know:
- where he came from.
- he has a trade.
- Who he will marry.
- He is to be the earthly or legal incarnate father of Jesus Christ.
- He is faithful to the law.
Aside from the above, that’s pretty much it. But even with the little said, I believe Scripture has created a picture for us that proves Joseph to be a man of integrity, grit, faith, and spiritual obedience.
The story of Joseph and Mary is that an angel named Gabriel comes to Mary and announces she will be the mother of the son of God, a babe who will be named Jesus, and who will be an everlasting King, a savior! But Mary is betrothed to Joseph, who, for somewhat obvious reasons, is expected to take this news quite badly and assume his soon-to-be wife has had an affair. In Bible times, a betrothal held some of the same rules as a marriage. Any unfaithfulness to their soon-to-be spouse was treated as adultery, and to end a betrothal, they had to file for divorce.
Joseph knew the law, and when he found out about Mary’s pregnancy, he tried to be faithful to it. On top of his list of concerns was ensuring he did not degrade Mary, so he decided to put her away quietly or divorce in secret. I love that scripture said Joseph thought this through, he didn’t react based on his emotions, which were probably all over the place, but rather he deliberated what the best thing to do was, to protect Mary and himself. In a world that bases most things on how we feel, to be a man like Joseph and think it through is of great importance.
But while he was in the thinking process, an angel came to him and declared, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” And so, in response to the words of this angel, Joseph does exactly as he is told.
To return to our original question, it could be easy to assume that Joseph was an unnecessary part of the nativity story, but the Messiah's coming was about more than one day. To fulfill a prophecy that the Messiah would come from Judah and the line of David (Jeremiah 33), it mattered that Joseph was legally Jesus’ father on earth.
But furthermore, Jesus would be alive for 33 years, moving, living, breathing and being. In that time He needed an earthly father figure who would be a man of integrity, faith and consistency. All those qualities are revealed in Joseph. We see integrity in how he handled Mary’s pregnancy pre-marriage. We see his faith in his willingness to follow the angels’ commands without doubt, and we see his consistency when scripture says, “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover” (Luke2)
Like any young man, Jesus needed a strong father figure in his home to follow, learn from, be taught by, be protected by, and look up to, and Joseph provided this kind of home for Jesus to learn and grow in.
I find it interesting that God chose Joseph to be the male figurehead in the home for Jesus. That the God who created everything, the almighty God, looked down from heaven and chose to partner with both Mary and Joseph. He chose them to be the loving, faith-following family to which Jesus would be entrusted. At his weakest points in life, when He needed everything done for Him, a small baby with no voice, no abilities, and no advocate, Jesus was entrusted to these created beings. Isn’t it a profound thing that God asked of Joseph? To look after His son and to ensure His safety. I don’t know many humans, me included, that I would look at and say, “Yep, that’s them” if I were God.
I think Joseph is one of Scripture's most profound additions. He is a steady man who, despite having no recorded words in scripture, is depicted as a man of integrity and faith. He was willing to do whatever God asked of him, even if it went against the societal grain, his emotions, the law, and even logic! But when God speaks, faithful men listen and respond. This is what we see in Joseph.
We read nothing of Joseph after the age of 12. Most suggest Joseph had died before Jesus died on the cross, and I tend to agree with this assessment as Jesus would never have handed Mary to John if Joseph was still alive to care for her in her grief and remaining life.
There is of course one thing about the Christmas story that puzzles me where Joseph is concerned. That is why Joseph did not stay with their family. As a descendant of David, in the city of David, Joseph undoubtedly had family there. Why did he not stay with them? I am sure most of us reading this article know that the nativity scenes we bring out in the West at Christmas are nothing like the real birth, but still, Joseph and Mary seem to stay with strangers. Was this because his family had full houses? Or was he embarrassed? Or maybe he had lost touch with them all? No one really knows. But thankfully, a kind family does take them in and permits them to stay, fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah would be from the line of David and born in Bethlehem.
I wonder how we can learn from Joseph this Christmas. Do we need to take time to think things over instead of reacting emotionally?
Or has God asked something of you, and you are responding more like Zechariah than Joseph, living in doubt rather than acting on faith?
This Christmas, why not think again about Joseph's integrity and the man who followed God's laws and was righteous and ask yourself, would God say those things about you? Maybe the answer will be yes. But if it isn’t, don’t worry. God is a God of multiple chances. Reach out to Him, and He will direct your paths.
Maybe you don’t know Jesus at all. Christmas is a wonderful time to find out more. Grab a Bible, start in John or Matthew, and read all about the savior of the world, or reach out to a local church. I am sure they would love to tell you all about Jesus!
Who Were the Characters of Christmas?
What the Wise Men Teach Us about Worship and Generosity
What Zechariah’s Story Teaches Us about God’s Perfect Timing
Why Elizabeth’s Story Is a Powerful Reminder of God’s Faithfulness
How King Herod’s Evil Plot Reveals a Deeper Spiritual Battle
Why the Shepherds’ Story Proves God Welcomes the Outcasts
What Mary Knew and Why It Matters to Your Faith This Christmas
Why Joseph’s Faith and Obedience Still Inspire Us Today
How the Outcasts of the Nativity Reveal God’s Heart for You
Photo Credit: SWN Design
