Joseph was a 1st Century Carpenter in love with a wonderful, quiet, devout, attractive girl. They were betrothed. Then she leaves town to visit her Aunt for 3 months and comes back pregnant. The baby wasn't his, he hadn't broken the rules, but if he calls off the engagement, she will be killed. He feels betrayed, but he still cares about her. He makes the difficult decision to go through with the marriage, take the blame for a sin he didn't commit, a stain on his reputation, claim fatherhood of the child then later quietly divorce her.

But then an Angel visits him, there is no betrayal, she is carrying God's son! The longed for Messiah, rests beneath her heart. Fathers are important, boys need a good role model, girls need protection and cherishing. Most men are nervous about impending fatherhood, but to raise the promised Messiah.......Oy veh! Joseph must have been scared! What happens if I don't do a good job? What if I have to spank the Messiah?" He and God must have had some talks during those month's of Mary's pregnancy.

Joseph is mainly in the nativity gospels of Matthew and Luke. Theologians and academics claim, 'These are part of the proclamation of who Jesus is rather than historical narratives' and 'No reliable biographical material about Joseph is available.' But we learn a lot about him from the gospels.

A descendent of King David. Joseph is a good man, loyal and faithful. He accepts the message of the angels. He attends to the appropriate rites, associated with Jesus birth. He becomes a refugee, leaving behind everything he knows, his homeland and growing business, without complaint or question, moving to Egypt living in caves and taking what work he can find, to protect his small family during Herod’s reign. A faithful Jew he makes the annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the feasts. When Jesus is 12 yrs old and goes missing on the journey home from Jerusalem, Joseph shares in the anxious search.

A craftsman, a carpenter, he teaches Jesus his trade. Jesus is called “the carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55), Jesus “son of Joseph” (Luke 4:22), Philip tells Nathanael about “Jesus, son of Joseph” (John 1:45), and the crowd asks, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (John 6:42).

Joseph is missing from Jesus ministry years, it is presumed he died before Jesus’ ministry began. But Joseph can say with pride, “I raised well the sons God gave me, the most important job, I had.”

BORN: Bethlehem, Judea.

DIED: Nazareth, Israel.