I have always been intrigued by Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. I believe that he is a great example of what an expectant father should be even though he wasn’t directly responsible for the pregnancy itself. God chose Joseph to be part of an unplanned pregnancy that at the time was to be feared, embarrassed by, gossiped about,. even punishable by death, but was part of the greatest story ever told. Through it all Joseph showed mercy, compassion, love, and obedience to God.
For 2,000 years the focus of the story has mostly been on Mary and Jesus, and rightfully so, while Joseph is often seen only in the background. If not paying attention some might think that Joseph was more of a tour guide to Mary – he took her to Bethlehem, to Jerusalem, to Egypt and to Nazareth. Even Mary’s cousin, Elisabeth, had a part in this pregnancy before Joseph even knew about it.
The role that Joseph had is truly one of the most important and trusted ones found in Scripture. Before time began God knew whom He would choose to raise His only begotten Son on earth. The world saw Joseph as the real father of Jesus, but today we know that he was just the earthly caretaker, the protector, and provider of the Son of God. We cannot begin to imagine the tasks that Joseph faced.
Joseph had been taught since his childhood to watch for a sign. The Jews had been waiting and watching for the Messiah to be sent from God for hundreds of years. Yet when the signs arrived, when the prophecies had been fulfilled, they did not believe. They missed it. They were unprepared for what God was about to do. Jesus, as part of the Godhead, has existed for all eternity of course but was now about to become flesh, stepping down from Heaven in the form of a helpless baby.
The prophet Isaiah preached of the Messiah’s coming 700 years before Joseph was even born. God had been silent toward the Jews for the past 400 years so it’s probably not a stretch to think that the Jews had given up on the signs Isaiah had written of. However, there it was in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (KJV) Did Joseph believe what he had been taught? Apparently not. At least, not yet.
Joseph and Mary were most likely teenagers when this story begins. They were espoused, in a prearranged, legal relationship meaning they were called man and wife, but not permitted to consummate the marriage until after a 10-12 month “courtship”. During that time, they were not to know one another, or anyone else, sexually. Otherwise, they would be guilty of adultery, a crime punishable by death under Jewish law.
At some point during this courtship, Mary was visited by an angel who explained to her that she was the one God had chosen to give birth to the Messiah. She asked how this was possible since she had never known a man, but “the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost 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(KJV)
After that I’m sure Mary was shocked and confused, but then she quietly disappeared. There may have been rumors that she had gone into the hill country to visit her cousin, Elisabeth, but other rumors probably began to spread as well. Why did she leave? Had she and Joseph consummated the marriage early forcing her to leave to escape punishment? Was she with another man? Was she somewhere pregnant? Only Mary and Elisabeth knew the truth.
Joseph probably had no idea where she was either because he did nothing about it. He probably had the same questions but most likely never shared them. I’m sure he was worried, stressed, and embarrassed, but his greatest fears were realized when Mary came home three months later pregnant. She had known another man sexually in his and others’ eyes. She may have tried to explain the angel’s visit, but how could Joseph begin to believe such a story? I doubt Mary felt highly favored and blessed among all women at that time as the angel had told her.
I’m sure that Joseph was deeply hurt. An unplanned pregnancy will cause a young man to be confused, scared, and have no idea what to do next. I’ve seen it hundreds of times while working with and ministering to expectant fathers, but this was entirely different. Joseph knew the child that Mary was carrying was not his, but he loved Mary and cared about her. Did he consider that this might be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies about a virgin being found with child? I doubt it at this point because his actions say otherwise.
Even though Jewish law declared Mary was to be put to death, Joseph chose to hide her away privately and quietly. He was probably ridiculed for his decision, but he chose mercy over a public trial, a divorce decree, and death. Joseph stood tall and courageous, protecting his wife, sparing her of public shame, even at the expense of his own reputation and doubts. However, it was apparent he didn’t believe her angel-visit story until he got one of his own.
Matthew 1:20-25 tells us about Joseph’s visit from the angel, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
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 till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” (KJV)
Joseph knew the dream was real, but he probably had a whole new list of fears and questions in his mind. After all, he was still just a young man, a special man given a massive role to play in eternity, but still just a man. I’m sure he asked, “Why me? Why now after 700 years? How can I possibly take care of the Messiah, the Son of the True and Living God?” His mind was a whirlwind. However, I’m sure he now had some peace in knowing that Mary had been telling the truth.
Yet Joseph went a step further for under Jewish custom the husband is the one who declares the end of the espousal period. As we’re told in this passage in Matthew, Joseph took Mary as his wife but knew her not sexually until after she had given birth to Jesus, her firstborn son. Joseph obeyed God, the first of many times he would.
A few months later, in the final days of Mary’s pregnancy, there came a decree from Caesar Augustus that the entire Roman Empire was to be counted and taxed.
Each Jew was to return to their own city to do so. Being of the house of David (as was Mary), they traveled to Bethlehem. It was a difficult journey with Mary being due any day, but while they were there, she did in fact give birth.
Bethlehem was overcrowded and busy, making it impossible for Joseph to find a room for them to stay, leaving them no other choice but to stay in a stable with the animals. I’m sure it wasn’t the cleanest of places and it had to smell terribly. It certainly was not a place worthy of the birth of the Son of God, but once again it was the fulfilment of prophecy as the Word became flesh.
Joseph had no choice, but can you imagine what he experienced that night alone, scared, extremely unprepared, surely ignorant of the female anatomy. What is amazing though is that Joseph was the first human to see the Living Christ. He was the first to see and hold the Baby Jesus, the first to look into the eyes of the long-awaited Messiah. I’m sure Joseph was filled with wonder and joy on a much higher level than we could begin to understand. God had equipped Joseph to do what needed to be done.
Joseph had obeyed God again. While much different, a father who is there for the birth of his baby is forever changed by it. It is a highly emotional event, but can you imagine what Joseph must have experienced? There was no team of doctors, no medical equipment, no nursery. It was just him and Mary, and a feeding trough for the animals, a manger, that he had turned into a bed for the Baby Jesus.
Joseph’s life had been turned upside down. I’m sure he was excited, but we cannot fathom the weight he now felt upon his shoulders. He and Mary were soon visited by a group of shepherds who claimed to have been visited by an angel choir telling them about this birth. The shepherds had set out to see it for themselves, but this was just one of many miracles yet to come.
We don’t know how much later, but Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were visited by the three wise men who brought gifts to the King whom they’d heard about. After they had left an angel came to Joseph in a dream, telling him to flee into Egypt and stay there until it was safe. Herod, in an attempt to kill the new Baby King, ordered the murder of all males under the age of two in Bethlehem and surrounding areas, an act that became known as the Slaughter of the Innocents. Joseph wasted no time, for upon awakening he, Mary, and Jesus left on the sixtymile journey before daylight.
After the death of Herod, in God’s timing, Joseph was again visited by an angel in a dream, telling him it was now safe to return to Israel, yet another fulfillment of prophecy. Joseph was a little hesitant to go when he heard that that region was under the control of one of Herod’s sons, but after another visit from an angel, Joseph moved Mary, Jesus, and himself to the town of Nazareth. They were safe and comfortable there as Jesus grew and as he learned the trade of carpentry from Joseph.
It’s understood in Jewish history that Joseph died between the time Jesus was twelve and the time He started his public ministry at the age of thirty. Nothing is recorded in Scripture regarding Joseph’s death, but during his lifetime we see an ongoing pattern of obedience. Joseph was always sensitive to the leadership of God and provides for us a wonderful example of raising a child, and children, by following the Lord. He was a good and faithful servant who completed the mission and ministry that God had called him to do.
Written by Tony Trammell
Founder/Executive Director of Dadhood
