Joseph
Joseph, the son of Jonam, is listed as an ancestor of Jesus Christ in Luke's genealogy.
Biography
Joseph, son of Jonam, is preserved solely through his place in Luke's genealogy of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:30), situated in the lengthy lineage tracing Jesus' ancestry through David and ultimately back to Adam. He lived during the period of the Divided Monarchy, though no deeds, words, or circumstances from his life are recorded in Scripture. Like many figures in the Lukan genealogy, his significance lies not in personal achievement but in his role as a link in the unbroken chain of covenant ancestry. He stands as evidence that God's redemptive plan was carried forward through ordinary, largely unknown people who faithfully continued the lineage through which the Messiah would come.
Significance
Joseph son of Jonam embodies a profound biblical truth: God's redemptive plan advances through the faithfulness of countless individuals whose names are recorded in heaven even when history barely notes them. His presence in Luke's genealogy underscores that the Incarnation was no accident but the culmination of a carefully preserved lineage spanning centuries. Luke's genealogy, reaching back to Adam, presents Jesus as the Savior of all humanity, and Joseph son of Jonam contributed his small but essential part to that cosmic story of redemption.
Verse Appearances (1)
Luke
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]