Joseph the Step-Father of Jesus

Joseph had asked for Mary to be his wife. He had made all the necessary arrangements as they did in those days to be married. Joseph got his house in order, built his home in the way a wife would need it to be, and got his business in order as a carpenter to support a wife and family to come.

Joseph waited. He did so anticipating for that day when they would become husband and wife. But then something happened. He found out that Mary was with child. This was a most serious breach of his agreement with her father.

Not wanting to shame Mary any more than she would be, he thought of quietly putting the matter behind him without a big display of his displeasure of the situation. While he thought about these things, the scripture says, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Joseph was a Godly man. That probably was the biggest common thread between Joseph and Mary. They were both holy people that God Himself had a deep root in both of their hearts. Joseph wondered many things about how this boy would need to grow up. He realized he was only a step-dad, filling the gap for a period time and place in the boy’s life. Joseph would have just a small amount of time in the boy’s life. He would never see Him here on earth develop into the one who would change the course of history.

Joseph would sooner than most fathers have to part in death from his family and be separated so the boy’s true father could help Him the most. Joseph would have most likely interfered too much as it became time to defend and protect his step-son, so God brought Joseph to his eternal home earlier than most dads.

Not a lot is said about Joseph, the carpenter from Nazareth, as he was a man of heavenly character who served the same Father that Jesus did. We all have our own time and purpose to serve here the work of our real Father. The Bible says that He knew us and He fashioned us in the womb of our mother as well.

You, too, just like Joseph, must recognize Jesus as the only and real Son of God and trust, even though you too many times may not always understand this life’s ups and downs and the ways of God. You can trust Jesus to help you as He still is about His Father’s business concerning all that concerns you.