Last Sunday, we noted the five major biblical texts in which Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a prominent role. It is obvious in the gospels that Joseph is not given as much attention as Mary and Joseph. After the infancy narratives of Matthew 1 & 2, Luke 1 & 2, Joseph is not included in the wedding scene at Cana of Galilee, when the family went out to speak to Jesus when he was preaching, at the foot of the cross, and in the upper room waiting for the day of Pentecost. If Joseph had been alive when Jesus died on the cross, surely Jesus would not have given the care of his mother over to John the apostle. Joseph is mentioned in John’s Gospel in one other reference.

"The Jews murmured at him because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 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 6:41-42.) The Jews in Nazareth knew the family of Joseph and Mary well. They all identified Jesus as the carpenter (Mark 6:3) and as the carpenter’s son (Matt. 13:55).

What little that is said about Joseph is complimentary and worthy to be emulated. He fulfilled an important role. Can you imagine being the earthly father of Jesus Christ? Why should we regard Mary as being of greater importance than Joseph?? There is no biblical reason why we should do so.

There are some interesting reasons why Mary has been given more attention than Joseph. Only when these are understood will the church give Joseph the rightful place that he should have.

One reason why Joseph has not been given as much attention as Mary is that Joseph was not the real physical father of Jesus. Mary did give birth to him, but she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel, Gabriel, said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35.) But we should remember that Joseph is called the father of Jesus. Note the following: "Thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." (Luke 2:48.) Philip said, "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.) The Jews called him the carpenter’s son. (Matt. 13:55.) "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover." (Luke 2:41.) Jesus’ spiritual Father is referred to in this way: "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, sister and mother." (Matt. 12:50.) Joseph was the only father Jesus had on earth.

The blasphemous attacks by the pagan Celsus (a Greek philosopher of the mid-2^nd century) and others led Christians to go too far in their defense of Mary and Jesus. One slanderous story by the unbelievers was that Jesus the illegitimate son of Mary and a Roman soldier named Ben Pandera. In order to counter those attacks, some spoke too highly of Mary calling her a perpetual virgin and sinless. In the process of all this attention on Mary, Joseph was not the subject of attack or defense.

The discussions over the exact nature of Jesus again gave an undue emphasis upon the role of Mary. In order to defend the deity of Jesus, they placed Mary unduly on a high pedestal almost equal to that of the Lord. Those who did not understand Christianity very well caused confusion over the role of Mary, Jesus and the Father in heaven. They did not hesitate to worship Mary. Remember some fell down before Paul and Barnabas when they preached the Gospel to them. In the process, Joseph was once again sidelined. Mary was called the Mother of God, but Joseph was just the carpenter.

Joseph was in the lineage of David. (Luke 3:23-38, Matt. 1:1-17.) He did not choose his lot in life, but he fulfilled the responsibilities of it well. Along with Mary, they were put on center stage early in life as a young, engaged Jewish couple. They had anticipated a normal Jewish wedding with all the festivities. But theirs was far from normal. In fact, the wedding is passed over without a word. The only thing that is said is the following:

"Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife. And knew her not until she had brought forth her first-born son and he called his name Jesus." (Matt. 1:24-25.)

The way Joseph treated Mary when she conceived the Christ child is commendable. He did not jump to conclusions and say foolish and hurtful things against her. He respected her feelings and planned to put her away privately. (Matt. 1:19.) He had the right by the Law of Moses to put her away, but he would have to specify the charge of uncleanness. (Deut. 24:1.) This is what is meant by "privily." He did not want to make it known publicly. Joseph is called a just man. (Matt. 1:19.) Joseph was also mild, amiable and tender. Then after the angel revealed the truth, Joseph accepted the explanation and took Mary to be his wife. He did this knowing that the child was not his. He surely did not understand everything that was happening to them. But his love for Mary and respect for the words of the angel led him to believe the report.

In biblical history, God has always had a way of "interfering" with a person’s life. He sent forth prophets to preach to sinful Israel who did not even want to go. They would not have chosen to be prophets. God chose Abraham, Noah, Esther, Joseph and Mary, along with many others. He changed their lives forever. Jesus said to the apostles that he chose them. They did not choose him! (John 15:16.) We will never be asked to fill such a role as the one Mary and Joseph filled, but we should be ready to be used of God as He sees fit. You might be "called to the Kingdom for such a time as this" as well as Esther was. Be prepared in character to be used of God.

Joseph lived in a dangerous world. It is hard to imagine how Joseph and Mary must have felt to learn that the king was trying to kill their first-born son. There is no expression of alarm from the parents. Joseph and Mary were not even aware of the danger when Jesus was born. Herod was troubled when he heard that the wise men were seeking Jesus, the King of the Jews, to worship him. (Matt. 2:1-12.) Herod commanded the wise men to search for the child and come back to tell him so that he may also worship him. But the wise men were warned in a dream of the plot of Herod and returned to their homeland. Joseph was warned by an angel to take Mary and the child to Egypt for safety. (Matt. 2:13.) When Herod saw that he was mocked by the wise men, he had all the children from two years and under in Bethlehem slain.

John the apostle described this event in symbolic language. He said that a great wonder appeared in heaven. A woman was clothed with the sun and the moon was under her feet. She wore a crown of twelve stars. This woman was travailing in pain to give birth to a child who would rule the nations with a rod of iron. But another wonder appeared in heaven. A great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns appeared seeking to devour the child as soon as it was born. (Rev. 12:1-6.) This dragon represents Satan. (12:9.) Herod was being used by Satan to try to destroy the man-child. Many opposed Jesus during his short life. Finally, the rulers of Israel pressured the Roman authority to allow them to put Jesus to death. Because of the special nature of Jesus, the Son of God, Joseph and Mary endured much as well being his parents. They lived in a world where men would often kill another with little regard for human life. The Middle East has not changed much in that regard since then.

Joseph lived a quiet life as a carpenter. It may sound contradictory, but it is true that Joseph, for the most part, lived a quiet life in an insignificant village in Galilee. We could describe the life of Jesus as also being quiet for the majority of his thirty-three years. Most of what the Bible records about Jesus occurred during the first three years and the last three years of his life. For twenty seven to twenty eight years, the Bible is silent about this family in Nazareth. Joseph made a living for the family as a carpenter and he trained Jesus and his brothers in this trade as well. The family attended the annual Jewish festivals in Jerusalem. One of those is described when Jesus was twelve. (Luke 2:41-52.)

The ancient city of Nazareth was located on the lower hills of Galilee about halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. Muslims most often refer to Christians as Nazarenes (in their language) to this day. Jesus preached his first sermon in the synagogue in Nazareth "where he was brought up." (Luke 4:16.) Matthew said that Jesus did not do many mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief. (Matt. 13:58.) That prompted Jesus to say that a prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house. (Matt. 13:57.) When Philip told Nathaniel about Jesus of Nazareth, he replied, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46.) Due to the unbelief of those in the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus spent much time in Capernaum of Galilee.

It is commonly believed that Joseph died before the commencement of the public ministry of Jesus, and thus was spared the anguish that Mary endured at the cross. If so, Joseph lived a quiet and humble life raising his family in the hills of Galilee. He was truly devoted to Mary, the wife of his youth. We know very little about how Joseph regarded Jesus. Jesus did indicate that he was without honor in his own house. (Matt. 13:57.) He was a faithful Jewish man, having lived and died under the Law of Moses.

1. Like John the Baptist, it could be said of Joseph, he must decrease so that Jesus must increase. Joseph faithfully fulfilled his role as the father of Jesus on earth. He made a long and dangerous journey to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. This is the longest journey that Jesus ever made.
2. Joseph’s life has greater significance because of its connection to the life of Jesus Christ. So do ours. Our life’s story may not be much alone. We certainly are insufficient for salvation alone. But when we are spiritually in Christ, we are complete. Then the story of our lives takes on greater significance.
3. Joseph stands alongside many other great men of Scripture. He was just, humble and obedient to the voice of God. He shares the name, Joseph, along with Joseph the son of Jacob, Joseph of Arimathae who gave Jesus his tomb for burial, and Joseph called Justus who was qualified to take the place of Judas. The Joseph of the Old Testament is a good example of how to live before Jesus came. Joseph, the father of Jesus, lived and learned much from Jesus. Joseph of Arimathae was a disciple growing in his faith and understanding. Joseph, called Justus, was an eyewitness of the deeds of Jesus from his baptism by John in the Jordan to the resurrection from the dead.