Joseph
Joseph was the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ.
Biography
Joseph of Nazareth was the earthly father and legal guardian of Jesus Christ, a righteous man of the tribe of Judah and a descendant of David. A craftsman by trade, he appears prominently in the birth and childhood narratives of Matthew and Luke. When Mary was found to be pregnant before their marriage, Joseph resolved to divorce her quietly, but an angel appeared to him in a dream, revealing the divine nature of the child and commanding him to take Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:20-21). Joseph obeyed without hesitation. He later led his family to Bethlehem, fled to Egypt to protect the infant Jesus from Herod, and settled the family in Nazareth. He disappears from the Gospel record after Jesus' visit to the temple at age twelve.
Significance
Joseph's role in salvation history was essential: he provided legal Davidic lineage to Jesus, fulfilling messianic prophecy (Isaiah 11:1), and he protected and nurtured the Son of God during His most vulnerable years. His quiet, obedient faith, never speaking a recorded word in Scripture yet acting decisively on divine instruction, models a life of humble responsiveness to God. Joseph demonstrates that faithfulness to God's call does not always require public recognition, but it does require courageous obedience in the face of social pressure and personal uncertainty.
Verse Appearances (1)
Acts
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]