We are now looking at the top ten characters in the New Testament ignoring Jesus and the disciples. At number 10 is Joseph, Mary’s husband.
Joseph in the bible
Joseph accepts Jesus as his son – Matthew 1:18-21
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had 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 home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The Escape to Egypt – Matthew 2:13-14
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.
Joseph is only mentioned in the bible a few times but he was important as he was with Jesus as he grew up and must have influenced him.
Joseph was descended from King David and we can see that family is important.
The Virgin Birth is a mystery, therefore we find it hard to put ourselves in the position of Joseph, but he was a man of faith and he stuck with her.
They had a difficult start to their life, travelling to Bethlehem while Mary was pregnant for the census, then having to flee to Egypt to escape Herod, then returning to Israel – but not to their home as they still felt unsafe.
Today many people still have to flee their homes and make difficult journeys to safety.
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.