How old was Joseph when he married Mary?

[GoldenKingGaze]

In first century occupied Nazareth, Jews didn't necessarily live long.

 

[RileyG]

In first century occupied Nazareth, Jews didn't necessarily live long.

This is true.

 

[prodromos]

In first century occupied Nazareth, Jews didn't necessarily live long.

What is this based on?

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

Pre-modern medicine times, life expectancy, and the local diet, with Roman tax and diseases in the cities.

 

[prodromos]

Pre-modern medicine times, life expectancy, and the local diet, with Roman tax and diseases in the cities.

But where are you getting those figures from? Is there a survey done on 1st century grave sites in Galilee, giving the ages at which the people whose remains had been exhumed had died?

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

But where are you getting those figures from? Is there a survey done on 1st century grave sites in Galilee, giving the ages at which the people whose remains had been exhumed had died?

No I am just estimating, looking at life expectancies even in the 18th century.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

No I am just estimating, looking at life expectancies even in the 18th century.

But according to Luke

Luke 2:36–38 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.​

​

One way to read this is that she was 84 when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus to Simeon in the temple. Or another way is to add it all together. So assuming she was married as a teenager, let's say 15, she was married until 22, and then lived as a widow for 84 years which puts her at 106. Extremely rare, but not impossible. No matter what, people did live into their 80s even back then.

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

But according to Luke

Luke 2:36–38 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.​

​

One way to read this is that she was 84 when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus to Simeon in the temple. Or another way is to add it all together. So assuming she was married as a teenager, let's say 15, she was married until 22, and then lived as a widow for 84 years which puts her at 106. Extremely rare, but not impossible. No matter what, people did live into their 80s even back then.

Yes, some were centenarians and some died at age 50. There was disease and maybe not the best nutrition and not much healthcare.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

Yes, some were centenarians and some died at age 50. There was disease and maybe not the best nutrition and not much healthcare.

If you could survive out of childhood, there was a pretty good chance you'd live until your 60-80s from what Ive read.