- Oct 14, 2011
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I've always thought that at Christmas when all the nativity plays are performed and there is always this talk about the virgin Mary and baby Jesus, Joseph often gets left out of it all and no one really mentions him. Of course he isn't really essential to the story (many people might argue) as if Mary really were a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus (and he was the son of God), Joseph isn't the biological father of Jesus.
After Luke 2:41-52 (when Jesus is at the tempel as a boy) Joseph is never mentioned again (and he isn't mentioned by name there either), so what do people believe happened to him after that?
When Jesus is preaching it is mentioned that Mary and his brothers come along (and the same when he is crucified), so it must mean that Mary and Joseph had children together and Joseph had died in the space of 10-15 years? Unless Mary got married to someone else after Joseph died which seems highly unlikely given the attitudes to marriage at that time.
Also, how old were Mary and Joseph when Jesus was born? I've heard a lot of people say that Mary was only around 13. Could Joseph have been in his late teens/early 20s?
Could it be argued as well that Joseph had more faith than Mary? If Mary had been a virgin and told she was giving birth to a baby (and could physically feel it) she would know it was true as soon as she heard because she would know she never 'did the deed' with anyone else to get pregnant. However, with Joseph, (as we can see from the 2nd chapter in Matthew) he did have his doubts, but ultimately he believed his wife and God, so could it be argued he had more faith and belief?
After Luke 2:41-52 (when Jesus is at the tempel as a boy) Joseph is never mentioned again (and he isn't mentioned by name there either), so what do people believe happened to him after that?
When Jesus is preaching it is mentioned that Mary and his brothers come along (and the same when he is crucified), so it must mean that Mary and Joseph had children together and Joseph had died in the space of 10-15 years? Unless Mary got married to someone else after Joseph died which seems highly unlikely given the attitudes to marriage at that time.
Also, how old were Mary and Joseph when Jesus was born? I've heard a lot of people say that Mary was only around 13. Could Joseph have been in his late teens/early 20s?
Could it be argued as well that Joseph had more faith than Mary? If Mary had been a virgin and told she was giving birth to a baby (and could physically feel it) she would know it was true as soon as she heard because she would know she never 'did the deed' with anyone else to get pregnant. However, with Joseph, (as we can see from the 2nd chapter in Matthew) he did have his doubts, but ultimately he believed his wife and God, so could it be argued he had more faith and belief?