We read about St. Joseph in the Bible, but few of us know who he was. Although he did not take up a large part of the gospels, and no one knows exactly when Joseph died, we know that he played a pivotal role in the birth of Jesus.
Here are some things that we need to know about St. Joseph.
Who Was St. Joseph?
Joseph was the husband of Mary, and the legal father of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. While he was not Jesus’ biological father, he played an instrumental in the birth and upbringing of Jesus. Joseph’s lineage can be traced back all the way to the house of King David. He is mentioned in the early parts of the gospels of Matthew and Luke and lesser in John’s gospel. The Universal Catholic Church later named him the patron of the church.
The Bible depicts Joseph as a just, humble, loving man who did not want to see any shame or harm come to his beloved Mary after he learned she was carrying a child in her womb. Therefore, he wanted to end the relationship privately, so she wouldn’t publicly be accused of adultery. God intervened and spoke to Joseph by His angel in a dream, telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.
Here is what the Bible says concerning Joseph:
“Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise: When his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, “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 sin” ( Matthew 1:18-21 KJV).
Joseph was a man who possessed a strong faith in God and therefore was open to the Master’s will. He didn’t at any time argue with the Lord when he was told in the dream to take Mary to be his wife. Instead, he faithfully obeyed God and went through with the marriage.
What Happened to St. Joseph After Jesus Was Born?
After the birth of Jesus, an angel warned Joseph in a dream to take the child and His mother and flee.
“And when they (wise men) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, “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” (St. Matthew 2: 13-14 KJV).
Joseph obeyed the Lord and quickly took his family and fled to Egypt, where they remained until the death of Herod. After the death of Herod, Joseph took his family back to Judea, where they settled in Nazareth. Jesus became known as the “carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55). It is said that Joseph taught Jesus the art of carpentry.
In the Book of St. John, we see a confused set of people asking questions concerning Jesus and Joseph: “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (John 6:42 KJV). This is the last time that the Gospels mention Joseph by name, suggesting he was still alive at this time. At the end of his ministry on earth, approximately three years later, Jesus hung on the cross at Golgotha. There, he gave instructions about how his mother would be cared for:
“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:26-27).
In this statement, Jesus ensures his mother has someone to take care of her after his death. Since women were taken care of by their husbands or children in ancient Judea, this statement suggests Joseph was no longer around to care for Mary. Presumably, Joseph passed away sometime during the three years or so that Jesus was traveling around Judea preaching and teaching his disciples.
When Did Jesus’ Earthly Father Made A Saint?
In 1870, Pope Pius IX proclaimed St. Joseph to be the patron of the Catholic Church. Additionally, the Catholic Church called him “most chaste” and gave him a place amongst the virgin saints. Apart from the Catholic Church, Joseph was also given sainthood in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Oriental Orthodox Church.
On December 8, 2020, Pope Francis declared an entire year to the memory of Joseph. In his Apostolic Letter, he said, “Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet, and hidden presence – an intercessor, a supporter and a guide in times of trouble.” He added, “St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”
What Can We Learn From Joseph?
We can learn several things from the life of Joseph. These attributes can help us navigate everyday life and will play important roles in our destiny.
1. Be just: Joseph’s refusal to turn his back on Mary after discovering her pregnancy should be a lesson to us all. Although we might think someone is in the wrong, we must never become judgmental and condemning. We should, however, loving try to get to the end of the matter, stand with the person, and offer them any help we can muster up.
2. To remain open to the truth: if we love truth, then the truth shall set us free. Although Joseph might have felt discouraged and even betrayed after he learned that Mary was pregnant, there was still something in him that wanted to find out what really happened. During the crisis, his mind must have been feeding him with all sorts of negative things. However, God intervened and told him what really happened. The dream caused Joseph’s mind to be set free immediately. He now had peace of mind and rest. One can say that after the dream, Joseph found the truth he was seeking after.
We, too, must always seek for truth and not follow our feelings every time. Acting on our feelings can lead us on the wrong pathway. We must seek the truth and pursue it.
3. We must be protective of others: Joseph was responsible for protecting his family. After God spoke to him in the dream, he hastily took his family and fled to Egypt. Like Joseph, we, too, must become the protectors of our families. We must ensure that no harm comes to them. We must do everything in our power to ensure they are always safe.
4. We must be obedient: Joseph’s obedience to God can be seen when the Lord told him to wed Mary, which he did. His obedience is well noted again when the Lord told him to flee with his family to Egypt in a dream. As followers of Christ, we must learn to live a life of obedience and not become rebellious. In everything, we must be willing to please God with our lives. An obedient servant will bring great joy to his master.
5. We must become selfless: not once in the Scriptures did we see Joseph thinking about himself. Instead, he was always putting Mary and Jesus ahead of him and always looking out for their well-being. We must never be too hasty to think about ourselves. Instead, we must be willing to put the needs of others before our own. As we look out for others, God will reward us by looking out for us and meeting our every need.
St. Joseph’s life reminds us that God can use the simplest of persons to fulfill His purpose. Although this great man of God was silent throughout the small portions of his life mentioned in the Scriptures, his actions were heroic. St. Joseph’s memory still lives on in the modern world, and we have the privilege of learning much from him today.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/bpperry
Lancelot Tucker is a book author and freelance writer who writes on a vast amount of topics. In addition, he serves as an associate pastor in his hometown, Spanish Town. Lancelot loves to do research and write, and is an avid reader of other authors' works. When not writing or reading, he spends his time reaching out to the less fortunate residing in his community.
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
How Did the Apostle Paul Die?
Who are the Nicolaitans in Revelation?
Who Was Deborah in the Bible?
Who Was Moses in the Bible?
King Solomon's Story in the Bible
Who Was Lot's Wife in the Bible?
Who Was Jezebel in the Bible?
Who Was the Prodigal Son?
