Episode #26- Joseph: Fatherhood Isn’t Only About Biology

On this episode of History for Christian Teens, we take a look at a humble, God-fearing adoptive father who made an eternal impact.

Joseph was engaged to be married to a young Jewish maiden named Mary. However, Mary becomes pregnant, and it’s not Joseph’s child. Rather than disgrace her, Joseph planned to divorce her quietly. But, that night, an angel of the Lord visited Joseph and explained to him that the child Mary was carrying was from the Holy Spirit, instructing him to take Mary as his wife and give the child the name Jesus. The decision to obey the Lord wouldn’t be without consequences for Joseph. His reputation, as well as his wife’s, would always be tarnished by the suspicion that they had sinned before marriage. Regardless, Joseph trusted the Lord and obeyed Him without question.

Throughout the account of Joseph’s brief story in the Bible, we see that he was a man of godly character who provided for and protected Jesus and his mother. When Jesus was an adult, people often referred to Him as the “son of Joseph,” although the Gospel writers were careful to maintain that Jesus’ true Father was God, with Joseph being more of a step-father or adoptive father. Joseph isn’t mentioned in any of the accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry. The absence of Joseph in the stories of Jesus’ earthly ministry has led many to believe that Joseph died sometime between the last Biblical account of Joseph, when Jesus was 12, and when Jesus launched His earthly ministry as an adult. The fact that Jesus, as He was dying on the cross, committed the care of His mother to John gives us an indication that Joseph had indeed passed away by that time.

Listen in to learn how Jewish betrothal was different from engagements in today’s culture and, most importantly, what we can learn from the man who stepped up and stepped into the role of earthly father to Jesus Christ.

On the next episode- Be sure to join us next time on the History for Christian Teens podcast when we’ll explore the life of the man who prepared the way for Christ’s earthly ministry.

Resources referenced or recommended for further study:

• Bible Gateway


• The Ultimate Bible Character Guide, by Gina Detwiler


• The Evidence Bible with Commentary by Ray Comfort


• Who was Joseph, the Father of Jesus?

Scripture references:

• Mathew 1-2


• Luke 1:31-38


• Luke 2: 22-40


• Luke 3


• 1 Timothy 5:8


• Genesis 18:19


• Deuteronomy 6:6-9

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