Christian Briefs

The title “Jacob’s Son Joseph Mary’s Husband” references the New Testament Joseph, distinguishing him from the Old Testament figure, who was also the son of Jacob.

Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus, which is why he is identified as Mary’s husband rather than Jesus’s father. Although the Bible provides limited information about Joseph, his selection to raise Jesus suggests he possessed qualities deemed worthy by God.

Names such as Jacob and Joseph were common among males during that historical period.

Joseph likely remained present in Jesus’s life until Jesus reached maturity; however, after Jesus was about twelve years old, Joseph is no longer mentioned in the biblical narrative.

This omission may be attributed to the historical focus on documenting fathers and their biological sons in written records of that era.

The four gospels primarily center on Jesus, the son of God. Consequently, the authors did not follow the traditional genealogical writing style prevalent at the time.

It appears the gospel writers chose to minimize Joseph’s presence in the narrative.

With Joseph’s role diminished, the gospels are able to focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, which aligns with their primary purpose. Joseph’s profession as a skilled carpenter likely enabled him to provide for his family.

Joseph’s willingness to marry Mary, despite her pregnancy, demonstrates a level of faith and integrity that would have been uncommon among men of his time.

Despite potential social criticism, Joseph’s actions indicate that he was a true believer and deeply committed to God.

Consider the challenge Joseph faced: he was engaged to Mary for several months, yet she became pregnant despite their abstinence.

In most circumstances, an individual in Joseph’s position might have chosen to end the engagement, perceiving Mary as an unfit partner due to her unexpected pregnancy.

Little information is available regarding Joseph’s first wife, with whom he reportedly had four biological sons: James, Joses, Simon, and Judas.

There is often confusion between this Joseph and the Old Testament Joseph, who had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, with his wife Asenath.

The name of Joseph’s first wife is not recorded. After her death, Joseph, at approximately eighty years old, married Mary, who would become the mother of Jesus.

It is likely that Jesus’ half-brothers were significantly older than he was. Joseph had a brother named Cleopas, though little is documented about him or their father, Jacob. Similarly, limited information exists regarding Mary’s father, Heli.

In contrast, the Old Testament Joseph’s father was also named Jacob, later known as Israel, and his grandfather Isaac is also recorded.

The names of his eleven brothers are recorded as Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin.

The limited information about Joseph in the New Testament reflects the gospels’ primary purpose: to narrate the birth and life of Jesus rather than to focus on Joseph.

Joseph is mentioned in the gospels primarily because he married Mary prior to the birth of Jesus.

The presence of both parents was necessary for the fulfillment of scriptural prophecies regarding Jesus’s birth.

Had Jesus been born to an unmarried woman, he would have been regarded as illegitimate, which would have undermined his credibility, although he still faced skepticism during his life.

Joseph demonstrated love for Mary and all his children, including his stepson Jesus. Jesus, in turn, loved his family, though he did not always express this affection openly.

by: Staff