Getting to Know Joseph, Jesus' Father, More Deeply

Joseph, Jesus' father, is one of the Christmas figures who is very rarely highlighted or discussed further. Compared with Mary, Joseph is shown much less. Perhaps because he was not involved much when Jesus began His ministry. Some sources mention that at that time Joseph had already died. 

Yet, of course, the person God chose to be Jesus' father on this earth was someone special. Otherwise, surely the Father would not have entrusted Joseph as the father on earth for His dearly beloved Son, Jesus. Let us take a closer look at Joseph. Who was he, and what can we learn from him?

The Character of Joseph, Jesus' Father

1. Righteous (Living Rightly)

Because Joseph her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace his wife publicly, he intended to divorce her quietly. –  Matthew 1:19

In the English translation, Joseph is described as someone who was faithful to the law or faithful to the law (NIV). In the NLT translation, Joseph is called a righteous man, a righteous person. Meanwhile, in the MEV translation, Joseph is said to be just, that is, fair, proper, or right. 

Joseph was chosen as Jesus' father because he was righteous in God's sight. We can see this in the various events below. 

2. Obedient to God

But when he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 

She will bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus, because He is the One who will save His people from their sins." – Matthew 1:20-21 

After waking from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary as his wife – Matthew 1:24

Verses 20 and 21 continue from verse 19 that we read in point 1. When Joseph learned that Mary was already pregnant before they were married, Joseph intended to divorce Mary quietly. Why quietly? Because Joseph did not want to disgrace Mary and her family. Actually, Joseph not only had the right to divorce Mary. Under Jewish law, Mary could have been sentenced to death by stoning. Through this event, we can also see Joseph's heart of kindness.

Next, we see that at night the angel of the Lord came to Joseph. He told him that Joseph did not need to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, because the child was from the Holy Spirit. And in verse 24, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded. He did not go through with divorcing Mary.

Joseph's Total Obedience

After the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: "Get up, take the Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod will look for the Child to kill Him." So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother that very night, and departed for Egypt. – Matthew 2:13-14

In the book of Matthew, we can see that the angel of the Lord came again to Joseph and commanded him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt, because King Herod wanted to kill Jesus. And Joseph did not delay; that very night, he did what the angel had commanded.

Likewise, when the angel of the Lord came again to tell Joseph to return to Israel, he also did it obediently (Matthew 2:19-21). 

There are so many examples of Joseph's obedience. Not only was he obedient to God, but Joseph was also obedient to government regulations. He also registered himself and Mary for the census ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1-5). Joseph was also very obedient to the Law of Moses. In Luke 2:41 it is written that every year he went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast.

Besides that, Joseph also circumcised Jesus on the eighth day. He named the Child Jesus, according to what the angel of the Lord commanded. Jesus' father then also brought Him to Jerusalem (because He was the firstborn), to present Him to the Lord, in accordance with the law of the Jewish people.

And when eight days were completed and He had to be circumcised, He was given the name Jesus, that is the name spoken by the angel before He was conceived in His mother's womb. And when the days of purification were completed, according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: "Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God." – Luke 2:21-23

Joseph's obedience is very evident in many events. Even though God's way may not have been the way he had ever imagined before, he still chose to obey. He chose to follow God's plan by marrying Mary. Even when Joseph was asked to go from one city to another, he still followed. Surely this was a long, exhausting journey that also required a great deal of energy, time, and money. 

Reflecting on ourselves, are we obedient people? When God's word reveals our wrongdoing, are we willing to change ourselves to become what God desires? When we are corrected by a mentor, advised, and shown our weaknesses and faults, are we willing to change according to God's will? Let us learn from Joseph and decide to become obedient people. 

3. Having Self- Sacrifice & Self-Control

After waking from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary as his wife, but did not have relations with her until she gave birth to her Son, and Joseph named Him Jesus. – Matthew 1:24-25

One character of Joseph that we can imitate is his willingness to sacrifice and his self-control. He did not have relations with Mary until Jesus was born. He set aside his personal interests above the interests of God. Moving from one city to another, to Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth, also required a heart willing to sacrifice. 

That long journey surely required Joseph to spend energy, time, and money. Perhaps he also had to do different work in the new city and adapt all over again. 

Willingness to sacrifice and self-control are the fruit of a heart that fears God. Today, whose interests do we put first? Whose desires do we follow more? Our own interests and desires, or God's?

4. Responsible

When Jesus was twelve years old, His parents took Him to Jerusalem. But Jesus did not return with His parents. And Joseph and Mary looked everywhere for Jesus. On the third day, they finally found Jesus. 

Because they assumed that He was among their traveling companions, they went a day's journey, and then searched for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. Because they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem while continuing to search for Him. After three days they found Him in the temple; He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. – Luke 2:44-46

Joseph was a responsible man. As Jesus' earthly father, he searched when his son was lost or not with them. Imagine looking for a child for three days. 

They lost Jesus on the journey from Jerusalem to Nazareth. According to one source, the distance between Nazareth and Jerusalem is about 104 km. Losing a child across a span of 104 km, Joseph and Mary may not have known from which side they should begin looking for Jesus.

For those of us who have ever gone to the mall and lost our child for just a few hours, it surely already feels stressful. It could have been, in their desperation, that Joseph and Mary decided to stop searching. They could also have thought, "Jesus is already older, already 12 years old, just leave it. He will come home on his own." Yet even so, Joseph and Mary kept searching until they found Him. 

This shows how responsible Joseph was as Jesus' father and Mary as His mother. While on earth, Joseph truly strove to be a good father to Jesus. We can imitate his example. 

What has been entrusted to us today? Husband, wife, family, children, boyfriend or girlfriend, friends, work, money, those we mentor, or the people we lead? Are we responsible for whatever God has already given us?

With such extraordinary character in Joseph, it is no wonder that the Father chose him as Jesus' father in this world. God has also chosen us to be His disciples. Are we people who live righteously, are obedient, willing to sacrifice, have self-control, and are also responsible? If not, let us train these qualities of Joseph in our lives.

References: www.gotquestions.org/Joseph-the-father-of-Jesus.html www.distancecalculator.net/from-nazareth-to-jerusalem -  Related Articles:

• The Shepherds and the Moments of Jesus' Birth
• Joseph: Breaking Young People's Negative Perceptions
• Mary: A Dream Beyond Impossibility
• Parental Love: Prioritizing the Heart, Not Appearance
• Obedience Is Simple

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