Joseph [JÔö╝├¼’zeph]

may god add or increase.

The Man Whose Dream Came True

The story of this young man who went from pit to palace and from rags to riches, never loses its charm for young and old alike. It would take a book itself to fully portray all the vicissitudes and virtues of Joseph, who kept his record clean. All that we can do in our treatment of him is to suggest a few aspects of his character for development.

Joseph was a youthful dreamer and his dream came true (Gen. 37:5-941:42-44).

Joseph labored as a slave, but was faithful in hard places (Gen. 39:1-6, 20-23).

Joseph enjoyed the presence of God and won the confidence of his master (Gen. 39:2, 4).

Joseph had physical beauty, but it was never a snare to him (Gen. 39:6).

Joseph resisted temptation. His godless mistress could not seduce him. Grace was his to flee youthful lusts. Thus he did not commit a "great wickedness" (Gen. 39:7-13).

Joseph was silent amid foul accusations and the appearance of guilt and unjust punishment (Gen. 39:14-20).

Joseph was unspoiled by sudden prosperity. When days of honor followed days of humiliation, he did not yield to pride (Gen. 41:14-16).

Joseph the interpreter of dreams proved that "prison walls do not a prison make." He acknowledged his dependence upon God for illumination, proving that he was not a mere dreamer but an interpreter of dreams (Gen. 40).

Joseph manifested great wisdom, brotherly love, filial devotion and utter submission to God (Gen. 43:2045:8, 14, 2347:7). He knew how to return good for evil (Gen. 50:16-21). If we cannot have all the gifts of Joseph, who is a perfect type of Christ, we can certainly covet all his graces. If we cannot have his greatness, we can certainly emulate his goodness.

R. W. Moss says, "A very high place must be given Joseph among the early founders of his race. In strength of right purpose he was second to none, whilst in graces of reverence and kindness, of insight and assurance, he became the type of a faith that is at once personal and national (Heb. 11:22), and allows neither misery nor a career of triumph to eclipse the sense of Divine destiny."

11. The husband of Mary, and foster-father of our Lord (Matt. 1:16-242:13Luke 1:272:4-433:234:22John 1:456:42).

Joseph

His name means: “May He [God] Add”

His work: Joseph was a working man who supported his family through the trade of carpentry. His character: A man who traced his ancestry back to David, Joseph was just, compassionate, and obedient to God. Though poor, he was a good husband and father, providing for and protecting his family. His sorrow: That Herod the Great tried to murder his son, Jesus. His triumph: To be used by God to protect and provide for the world’s Savior. Through him, Jesus could trace his ancestry to King David and the tribe of Judah. Key Scriptures:Matthew 1-2Luke 2

A Look at the Man

Three times Joseph saw angels in his dreams. In the first appearance, the angel announced something impossible: Mary had become pregnant, though she had not been unfaithful to him. In the second, the angel warned him to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s plan to murder the boy Jesus. Later, an angel sounded the all clear, informing Joseph of Herod’s death so that he could return to Israel with Mary and Jesus.

Though we know little of Joseph from the Scriptures, we know at least of his remarkable faith and obedience. Each time the angels appeared to him, they revealed something he could not have known without divine revelation. But each new revelation presented him with a choice. Would he do as the angel instructed, or would he rely on his own understanding and do as he thought best? It would have been so easy to brush off the first dream. When in the history of the world had a woman ever become pregnant without sleeping with a man? Common sense would have told him to proceed with his plan to set Mary aside and marry someone else. Instead, he heeded the angel and, by doing so, said yes to God’s surprising plan for his life.

Did Joseph comprehend the enormity of the decisions he was making? Possibly. But certainly he could not foresee the strange mixture of blessing and suffering that lay in store for him and his family. His yes would cost him many sleepless nights, but it would also involve him in the greatest miracle ever.

Centuries later we celebrate Joseph’s life, knowing that he was everything a father should be-spiritually perceptive, compassionate, humble, faithful, loving and protective toward the family the Lord had given him.

Reflect On:Genesis 39:1├ö├ç├┤5 (This is an account of another Joseph, but the similarities between these two obedient men and God's gracious blessing is striking.)…Praise God: For offering a love that constrains us to obedience. …Offer Thanks: For blessing you with the responsibility of leading and directing the lives of young people-children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, neighbors. Confess: Your sin and willful disobedience. …Ask God: To give you a heart that is drawn to him in love and compliance to his perfect will and to empower you in the task of leading these young ones in his ways

The Man of Wood and Nails

It is somewhat unique that two Josephs were associated with Christ, one at His birth and the other at His death. Both of these godly men gave Jesus of their best. In this section we think of Joseph the carpenter, who was present at the manger when Jesus was born, even though he was not His father. While Christ came as the Son of Man, He was never a son of a man.

Joseph's presence at Christ's birth witnesses to a severe test that had emerged triumphant. Mary was the pure young woman he had fallen in love with, and was about to make his wife. Yet the Child she was about to bear would not be his. Seeing her "great with child," without fanfare Joseph was minded to put her away. He never acted rashly with his espoused, although he was baffled by her condition. This serves for all time as an example of godly wisdom and tender consideration for others.

Bitterly disappointed that Mary had apparently betrayed him, yet believing, he made no haste. As a praying man he waited upon God, and his love for and patience with Mary were rewarded. God understood his mental difficulties and rewarded Joseph's conscientious attitude toward Mary by revealing His redemptive plan. God never fails those who carry their anxieties to Him. Joseph received a direct and distinct revelation from God, and at once his fears were banished, and his line of duty made clear.

Tenderly he cared for his dear one as if the Child she was bearing were his own. Overawed by the mystery of it all, that his beloved Mary had been chosen as the mother of the Lord he as a devout Jew had eagerly anticipated, we can imagine how he would superintend every detail of the Nativity.

What holy thoughts must have filled the mind of Mary's guardian. Where suspicion regarding Mary's purity once lurked, strong faith now reigned as he looked into the lovely face of Mary's Child. At last God's promises had been fulfilled and before him was the Babe through whom God's covenants would be established.

When it became necessary because of Herod's hatred to flee into Egypt, Joseph cared for Mary and her first-born Son with reverent devotion until tidings came that Herod was dead, and that they could safely return to their own land. While a shroud of secrecy covers the thirty years Christ spent at home, we can be sure of this, that between Jesus and Joseph there was an affection strong and deep.

Briefly stated, we have these glimpses of Joseph:

I. He was "a son of David" and could claim royal or priestly descent (Matt. 1:20).

II. His family belonged to Bethlehem, David's city.

III. He followed the trade of carpenter, and doubtless taught Christ how to use wood and nails (Matt. 13:55).

IV. He was a pious Israelite, faithful in all the ordinances of the Temple (Luke 2:22-24, 41, 42).

V. He was a kindly, charitable man, treating Mary gently in her time of need (Matt. 1:19Luke 2:1-7).

VI. He was faithful in his care of Christ, and deserved to be called His "father" (Luke 2:33. John 1:456:42).

VII. He never appears in the Gospels after Christ was twelve years of age and became "a son of the Law" (Luke 2:41-51), which may suggest that he died during the interval. This would explain why Jesus at His death asked John to care for His mother.

VIII. He died, tradition says, at the age of 111 years, when Jesus was but eighteen years of age.

12. Joseph of Arimathaea, a secret disciple of Jesus, whose unused grave was surrendered to Jesus. Thus the One born in a virgin womb was buried in a virgin tomb (Matt. 27:57-60Mark 15:43Luke 23:50John 19:38).

……“What should we learn from the life of Joseph?”……Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob, and his story is found in Genesis 37├ö├ç├┤50. As a 17-year-old shepherd, Joseph is something of a tattle-tale, bringing a bad report about his brothers to their father (Genesis 37:2). This behavior, combined with Jacob's overt favoritism towards Joseph, causes his older brothers to resent him to the point of hatred (37:3-4). Because of Jacob's open love for Joseph, his favoritism was begrudged by his other sons. And when Jacob presented Joseph with a highly decorated coat, he was hated and resented by his brothers all the more (Genesis 37:3). To make matters worse, Joseph begins relating his dreams-prophetic visions showing Joseph one day ruling over his family (Genesis 37:11-15). The animosity towards Joseph peaks when his brothers plot to kill him in the wilderness. Reuben, the eldest, objects to outright murder, so instead, the brothers sell Joseph as a slave and deceive their father into thinking his favorite son had been slain by wild beasts (Genesis 37:18-35).……Joseph is sold to a high-ranking Egyptian named Potiphar and eventually becomes the supervisor of Potiphar's household. In Genesis 39 we read of how Joseph excelled at his duties and became one of Potiphar's most trusted servants and was put in charge of his household. Potiphar could see that whatever Joseph did, God looked favorably on him and he prospered in all that he did. However, Potiphar's wife attempts to seduce Joseph, and when her advances are rebuffed, she falsely accuses him of attempted rape. Joseph, although innocent in the matter, is cast into prison (Genesis 39:7-20). In jail, Joseph interprets the dreams of two of his fellow prisoners. Both interpretations prove to be true, and one of the men is later released from jail and restored to his position as the king's cupbearer (40:1-23). Two years later, the king himself has some troubling dreams, and the cupbearer remembers Joseph's gift of interpretation. The king calls for Joseph and relates his dreams. Joseph predicts seven years of bountiful harvests followed by seven years of severe famine in Egypt and advises the king to begin storing grain in preparation for the coming dearth (41:1-37). For his wisdom, Joseph is made a ruler in Egypt, second only to the king (41:38-49).……When the famine strikes, even Canaan is affected, and Jacob sends ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain (Genesis 42:1-3). While there, they meet their long-lost brother, whom they do not recognize. Joseph's brothers bow down to him, fulfilling the earlier prophecy. Joseph then reveals his identity to his brothers and forgives their wrongdoing. Jacob and his family move to Egypt to be with Joseph. Jacob's descendants stay in Egypt for 400 years, until the time of Moses. When Moses leads the Hebrews out of Egypt, he takes the remains of Joseph with him, as Joseph had requested (Genesis 50:24-25; cf. Exodus 13:19).……There is much to learn from Joseph's story. As parents, we have warnings concerning Jacob's favoritism and the effects that can have on other children as seen in Joseph's youthful pride and his brothers' envy and hatred. We have a good example of how to handle sexual temptation-run (Genesis 39:12; cf. 2 Timothy 2:22), and we have a clear picture of God's faithfulness. He does not forsake His children, even in the midst of suffering: "the Lord was with Joseph" (Genesis 39:3, 5, 21, 23).……There may be many distressing circumstances we find ourselves in, and some of them may even be unjust, as were those in Joseph's life. However, as we learn from the account of Joseph's life, by remaining faithful and accepting that God is ultimately in charge, we can be confident that God will reward our faithfulness in the fullness of time. Who would have blamed Joseph if he had turned his brothers away when they were in need? Nevertheless, God desires that we exercise mercy above all other sacrifices we may offer Him in our lives (Hosea 6:6Matthew 9:13).……Perhaps most profoundly, Joseph's story presents amazing insight into how God sovereignly works to overcome evil and bring about His plan. After all his ordeals, Joseph is able to see God's hand at work. As he reveals his identity to his brothers, Joseph speaks of their sin this way: "Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. . . . It was not you who sent me here, but God" (Genesis 45:5, 7-8). Later, Joseph again reassures his brothers, offering forgiveness and saying, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good" (Genesis 50:20). Man's most wicked intentions can never prevent the perfect plan of God.

“Why did Jacob give Joseph a coat of many colors?”……"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors" (Genesis 37:3 NKJV). The question of why Jacob gave a coat of many colors is one with many aspects to consider. A study of the parental mistakes of Bible characters could be in itself a full-length volume. As examples of parental shortcomings, …The erratically behaved Samson was a product of overly indulgent parents. …Eli, the high priest of Shiloh, refused to discipline his lustful sons Hophni and Phinehas.

Abraham rashly acted upon his wife's ill-conceived plan by fathering an illegitimate son. (It is worth noting that Abraham's two sons continue their struggle to this day.)…Isaac, the son of Abraham, who committed the parental sin of sins. He and his wife Rebekah divided their family by showing favoritism between their sons. Isaac preferred the older son Esau, while Rebekah loved the younger son Jacob. Ultimately, the bad blood that existed between Esau and Jacob festered into a full-blown hatred between their offspring, the Edomites and the Israelites. Students of Bible prophecy are well aware that much of modern day Israel's troubles can be traced to the child-rearing mistakes made by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.……As to the coat of many colors itself, the most common outer garment of this type was nothing more than a long cloth with a hole in its middle. After draping the long cloth over the shoulders, a rope or a belt was fastened around the waist. Some expositors argue that this particular coat was especially valued because sleeves were sewn into the garment.

Others believe the coat was ornamented by many colors. The real issue, of course, has nothing to do with colors or sleeves.

Jacob presented the special coat to Joseph as a sign that he was esteemed above his brothers.

The coat signified Joseph as being Jacob's choice as the future head of the clan-an honor normally bestowed upon the firstborn son.……There is no shortage of irony in the above passage, for Jacob (Israel) had been reared by parents who each had their favorites. The favoritism that had spoiled the tranquility of his childhood home was about to wreck his family, too. Indeed, one might think that Jacob would have learned of the dangers of favoritism, but this was not the case, for Jacob proved to be a stubborn, impulsive man and a very poor father. Although he had eleven other sons, Jacob's favor clearly rested upon the second-youngest son Joseph. Jacob loved Joseph more than all the other boys. As one might imagine, this overt favoritism created a dangerous division among the brothers. The older boys hated Joseph. They hated Joseph because he received his father's undivided attention and affection. The older sons resented Joseph and this open contempt created a common bond that eventually resulted in a family mutiny and Joseph's hostile banishment into Egyptian slavery.……In truth, Joseph's character was far above that of Jacob's other sons; he was the finest among those born to Jacob. In many ways, his true attributes parallel those of our Lord Jesus. Joseph was, in fact, a type of Christ. It is interesting to consider that no fault or sin of Joseph is mentioned in Scripture. (The only other Old Testament hero to receive such a favorable review is the prophet Daniel.) Joseph's life was one of character, courage, conviction, and commitment. Whether locked away in a damp and dark dungeon or ruling from an exalted throne, this noble man surrendered himself to the mighty hand of God. What an extraordinary hero! In one way, it is understandable why Jacob favored him above the others; nevertheless, Jacob's lopsided affections resulted in much family grief and tragedy. Here is a valuable lesson for all parents-never show favoritism toward any one child. Much harm can come from it.

The Man Who Gave His Grave to Jesus

This wealthy and devout Israelite, a member of the Sanhedrin, lived in a city of Jews (Luke 23:51). It is to the provision he made for the body of Christ that Isaiah had reference when he said, "He made His grave with the rich" (Isa. 53:9). Of this renowned Joseph we discover:

1. He was an honorablecounselor (Mark 15:43). Because of his adherence to the Law and integrity of life he was a member of the governing body known as the Sanhedrin.

II. He looked for the kingdom of God. Immersed in Old Testament Scriptures, he anticipated the reign of the promised Messiah.

III. He was "a good man and just" (Luke 23:50, 51). As the Bible never uses words unnecessarily, there must be a distinction between "good" and "just." As a "good man" we have his own internal disposition-what he was in himself. As a "just man" we have his external conduct-what he was towards others. His just dealings were the fruit of the root of his goodness. His was the belief that knew how to behave.

IV. He was a secret disciple (John 19:38). Joseph of Arimathaea was similar to Nicodemus in his respect for our Lord as a man, admiration for Him as a teacher, belief in Him as the Christ, and yet, till now, his lack of confessing Him before men. Dreading the hostility of his colleagues on the Sanhedrin, he kept his faith secret.

V. He begged the body of Jesus (Matt. 27:58). As soon as Jesus was dead, Joseph hastened to Pilate for permission to inter His body. David Smith observes that when the condemnation of Jesus was over-a condemnation in which Joseph took no part-he realized how cowardly a part he had played and, stricken with shame and remorse, plucked up courage and went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. It was common for friends of the crucified to purchase their bodies, which would otherwise have been cast out as refuse, and give them decent burial (Mark 15:45).

VI. He gave his grave to Christ (Matt. 27:59, 60). With lingering reverence Joseph paid his last respects to the One he admired, and in the hour of sorrow helped the friends and not the foes of the righteous Sufferer. Joseph had a garden close to Calvary, where he had hewn a smoothed and polished tomb in the side of the rock as his own last resting place, in which, aided by Nicodemus, he buried the linencovered and perfumed body of Christ.

VII. Joseph, legend tells us, was sent to Britain by Philip the Apostle, and founded the Church of Glastonbury. Medieval chroniclers delighted to tell of the staff Joseph stuck into the ground. The staff supposedly took root, brought forth leaves and flowers and became the parent of all the Glastonbury thorns from that day to this.