THE OTHER JOSEPH
The Unsung Hero
Matthew 1:19-20:
“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, 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.”
The bible calls Joseph a “just man”. He did not wish to marry Mary who was with someone else’s child, but he also did not want to Cause her shame and hardship. In those days, a woman was expected to remain a virgin until the day of her marriage. Today, it is a rarity. Joseph believed the angel without question. He had to have the faith to believe that Mary had not been with another man but rather was carrying the child of God. Joseph was placed in the role of stepfather to Jesus. A role he willingly accepted.
On another occasion an angel appeared to Joseph and told him what to do: Matthew 2:13, “After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Joseph was given the responsibility of taking an action to protect Jesus. Again, he did not question the instructions. He did exactly as he was told. Joseph operated in faith.
We can see Joseph’s love for Jesus when he and Mary looked for Jesus and could not find him. Luke 2:48, “When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Joseph’s reaction to not being able to locate Jesus was the same as Mary’s. Demonstrating that his feelings towards Jesus were just as strong.
We also see Joseph’s role in parenting Jesus in this scripture: Luke 2:51-52 “ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” The scripture says that Jesus was obedient to “them”. Therefore, Joseph took an active role in parenting Jesus. I believe that Joseph loved Jesus as if He were his own son.
On this upcoming Father’s Day, many fathers will not be biological fathers. We have a prime example of what being a stepfather should look like. A stepfather should love a child as if they were their own biological offspring. They should be willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of that child. In raising and parenting a child, the most important thing is love.