Joseph
Joseph, the son of Mattathias, is listed as an ancestor of Jesus Christ in Luke's genealogy.
Biography
Joseph, son of Mattathias, is named in Luke's genealogical record of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:24-25), appearing among the ancestors who bridged the inter-testamental period. His precise era is uncertain, but he occupies a position in the lineage relatively close to the New Testament generation. Like other figures in this genealogy, he left no recorded words or deeds beyond his contribution to the messianic bloodline. Yet his inclusion in Luke's carefully constructed ancestry is deliberate, Luke traces Jesus' lineage through the full sweep of human history to demonstrate that the Son of God entered the world through a real, historically grounded family whose roots extended through Israel's long covenant story.
Significance
Joseph son of Mattathias represents the faithful but largely invisible stewardship of covenant lineage during one of Israel's most turbulent periods, the centuries between the Old and New Testaments, when prophetic silence prevailed. His place in Luke's genealogy affirms that God was still at work even in those silent years, preserving the line through which the Messiah would be born. His life reminds readers that not all contributions to God's kingdom are dramatic; sometimes faithfulness means simply raising the next generation in the covenant community.
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]