♔ ST JOSEPH: FATHER & TEACHER OF CHRIST ♔

,And they kept saying, “Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph?” — St. John 6:42

Pope Benedict XVI, Yaoundé, Homily 18 March 2009:  There is but one fatherhood, that of God the Father, the one Creator of the world, “of all that is seen and unseen”. Yet man, created in the image of God, has been granted a share in this one paternity of God (cf. Eph 3:15). Saint Joseph is a striking case of this, since he is a father, without fatherhood according to the flesh. He is not the biological father of Jesus, whose Father is God alone, and yet he lives his fatherhood fully and completely. To be a father means above all to be at the service of life and growth. Saint Joseph, in this sense, gave proof of great devotion. For the sake of Christ he experienced persecution, exile and the poverty which this entails. He had to settle far from his native town. His only reward was to be with Christ. His readiness to do all these things illustrates the words of Saint Paul: “It is Christ the Lord whom you serve” (Col 3:24).

The Holy Bible does not give us a full account of the life of the Holy Family except for a brief mention in the Gospel of St. Luke, when Jesus is already twelve years of age. These hidden years were no doubt filled with the everyday joys and sorrows that families experience all the time.

According to Venerable Maria de Agreda, upon arriving at their home in Nazareth (having returned from their exile), St. Joseph straightaway set out to re-establish himself as a carpenter, opening up his shop to earn a living for his family:

 

The holy Joseph also ordered his occupations and his work so as most worthily to earn sustenance for the divine Child and his mother as well as for himself. That, which in other sons of Adam is considered a punishment and a hardship, was to this holy Patriarch a great happiness. For while others were condemned to sustain their natural life by the labour of their hands in the sweat of their brows, Saint Joseph was blessed and consoled beyond measure to know, that he had been chosen by his labour and sweat to support God himself and his mother. — Venerable Maria de Agreda

As years went by, Joseph, having now established his family and his work in Nazareth, would go on to teach his son in the ways of life. No doubt that he could learn a lot from his son, but Jesus chooses to respect his intelligence, his hard work, his human nature. In renaissance art, Joseph is often depicted in the background, not playing an active part in the life of Christ when the exact opposite would be true. Who would have spent the most time with Christ besides the Blessed Mother? It would be Joseph, his father.

For the first few years of life, the Child Jesus would have been reared mostly

by his mother while his father went off to work. Once the Child Jesus grew to suitable age, St. Joseph would take over and instruct him in the ways of life through work and schooling.

St. Francis de Sales: If princes of this world are most careful in choosing tutors for their sons, taking pains to secure the best that can be found, do you think that God did not select the man who was the most perfectly qualified to be the guardian of his eternal Son, the Lord of heaven and earth?

Joseph would most certainly have taught Christ how to read, how to pray, and how to work just like any other father would. This scholastic view of Joseph as teacher is rarely thought of among the theologians or painted in the arts. However, during the seventeenth century, many artists began to portray him as somewhat of a scholar, with an open book in front of him. In some of these paintings, he is actually pointing to a verse in the book, which we assume is our Holy Scripture, as he gazes at the Child Jesus. What does this mean to us? What is Joseph telling us? He was well aware of the prophecies that spoke of a future Messiah, and the depiction of him with the book while looking at Jesus is telling us that Jesus is in fact the Promised One and his father is showing this to us.

Let us not assume that just because he worked with his hands, he was illiterate and did not take the time to read the words of the prophets. We are told in Scripture that when Jesus came to this earth, he emptied himself and did not cling to his divinity, so as to be like one of us (Philippians2:5-9.) Jesus genuinely willed himself to learn from his father on earth and to grow as any other Jewish boy would. Joseph was a father, guardian, and teacher to his son. This Joseph of ours is both worker and intellectual, and no doubt he passed these ideals on to Christ our Lord.

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, gives us words to meditate on concerning the fatherhood of St. Joseph:

We look at Joseph – as the model of the educator, who safeguards and accompanies Jesus in his journey of growth "in wisdom, years and grace", as the Gospel of Luke tells us. "He was not the father of Jesus, the Father was God, but he was a father to help him grow in years, wisdom and grace.

Let's start with his age, which is the most natural dimension, physical and psychological growth. Joseph, together with Mary, took care of Jesus, first of all from this point of view, he  'raised him', worrying that he had all he needed for a healthy development. Let us not forget that the faithful care of the life of the Child also led to the flight into Egypt, the harsh experience of living as refugees to escape the threat of Herod. Then, once they returned home and settled in Nazareth, there is the long period of the hidden life of Jesus within the Holy Family. During those years, Joseph also taught Jesus his work, Jesus learned to be a carpenter.

Let's move on to the second dimension of Christ's education, that of "wisdom". Scripture says that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. Joseph was an example and teacher of this wisdom for Jesus, which he nourished by the Word of God.  We can imagine how Joseph taught the child Jesus to listen to the Holy Scriptures, especially accompanying him on the Sabbath to the synagogue in Nazareth. Joseph accompanied Jesus so he would listen to the word of God in the synagogue.

And finally, the dimension of "grace". Again St. Luke tells us referring to Jesus: "The grace of God was upon him". Here certainly the part reserved to St Joseph is more limited than in the areas of age and wisdom. But it would be a grave mistake to think that a father and a mother do nothing to educate their children to grow in the grace of God.

The mission of St. Joseph is certainly unique and unrepeatable, because Jesus is unique.  However, in his guarding Jesus, educating him to grow in years, wisdom and grace, he is a model for all educators, especially for parents. St. Joseph is the model educator and father, the model for dads.

 — Pope Francis, Homily 19 March 2014       

Proverbs 4:1-7 – Hear, O children, a father’s instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding! . . . When I was my father’s child, frail, yet the darling of my mother, he taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart hold fast my words! Keep my commands, do not forget; go not astray from the words of my mouth.”  

♔ A FAMILY AFFAIR - THE "BROTHERS" OF THE LORD ♔

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Soon after the birth of Our Lord, St. Joseph set out to register his family according to the census of Caesar Augustus.  Joseph would have the honour of pronouncing the names of his Blessed Spouse Mary as well as his own saintly name, but most importantly the Most Holy Name of Jesus. To Joseph no name would be sweeter than that of his most treasured gift, his only son. 

“BROTHERS” OF THE LORD

So who are these “brothers” of the Lord mentioned in the Gospel of St. Matthew and in the Acts of the Apostles? In Chapter 5 the issue of the celibacy of Our Lady and St. Joseph was discussed, so where do these “brothers” fit in?

 

While He was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and His brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with Him. - St. Matthew 12:46

 

All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. - Acts 1:14

In the Roman Catholic Church, Mary is known as the “Blessed Virgin” and when referring to her as such, we are affirming our belief that she was a virgin before the birth of Christ as well as after – throughout the rest of her life. St. Joseph is also seen as virginal and is referred to as Mary’s “Most Chaste Spouse”. There are those who believe that our Holy Couple later had children whom Scripture refers to as the “brethren of the Lord.”  In the New Testament, the “brothers” and “sisters” of the Lord are mentioned in the following places: St. Matthew 12:46-50 & 13:55-56, St. Mark 3:31-34, St. Luke 8:19-21, St. John 2:12 & 7:3 and Acts of the Apostles1:14.

In the Bible the word “brother” (“adelphos” in Greek) has a wide range of meanings and does not only mean a literal brother, but casts it’s net over a wide range of meanings. The Old Testament shows us that the word “brother” or “kinsmen” could refer to any male relative who has not fathered you as well as cousins, other kinsmen, friends, allies etc... A few examples are listed below:

Genesis 14:14  Lot is referred to as Abraham's "brother" though in actuality he was Abraham's nephew.

Genesis 29:15  Jacob is called the "brother" of his uncle Laban.

1 Chronicles 23:22  Cis and Eleazar were the sons of Mahli. Kis had sons of his own, but Eleazar had only daughters. These daughters married their "brethren," the sons of Kish. These "brethren" were really their cousins, not their biological brothers.

Jeremiah 34:9  Jeremiah refers to not keeping fellow Jews as slaves. These slaves are referred to as "brothers".

  

ANNUNCIATION TO A PERPETUAL VIRGIN

At the Annunciation to Mary in the New Testament, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to her that she would conceive a son, she asked him in all humility:

 “How shall this happen since I do not know man?”

- St. Luke 1:34

Her question tells us that she had made a vow of virginity - even in marriage.  If she hadn’t made this vow, she would have taken the angel’s words to mean that she and Joseph would produce a son and wouldn’t have had to ask how this would come about, since it is customary to consummate the marriage and bare children. Though she and St. Joseph were a couple, she told the angel that she did not “know man” (not be having sexual intercourse with Joseph). There would be no reason for her to state that she was a virgin, since naturally she would have given her virginity to her husband to conceive this son, of whom the angel was speaking.

FAMILY PASSOVER

Another example that could support the only-child story is shown to us in the Gospel of St. Luke. In this Gospel, we are told about an event in the late childhood of Jesus:

And His parents were wont to go every year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. And after they had fulfilled the days, when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents did not know it. ... And it came to pass that after three days, that they found Him in the temple ... - St. Luke 2:41-47

In this account, Jesus is almost a man in the eyes of the law, for thirteen is the age at which a Jewish boy reaches manhood. Joseph and Mary had now been husband and wife for twelve years, and yet Jesus is their only child mentioned. Surely if they had not made a vow of chastity, they would have had other children besides Jesus by then. The “brothers and sisters” of Christ would have been mentioned by now, and when would be more appropriate to mention them, than at a family pilgrimage to Jerusalem? Their extended family is mentioned, but no reference is made to “brothers” or “sisters” here. The Bible would have stated that “the boy Jesus was not among his brothers and sisters, nor among his relatives,” however it does not.

... it occurred to them to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him. ... they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions ...  And his mother said to him, “Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking Thee...”

 And He went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject to them; and his mother kept all these things carefully in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.

- St. Luke 2:44-51

ST. JOSEPH’S KIN
  

Surely the four “brothers” of Jesus spoken of in the Bible would have been mentioned at this family event in Jerusalem, but they were not. According to early Church tradition, Joseph had a cousin named Cleophas who was also wed to the a woman named Mary. This Mary was the mother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon who are all referred to as the brothers of Jesus.

 ... his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas... 
- St. John 19:25

Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? - St. Mark 6:3

"BEHOLD THY MOTHER"

Another, more obvious example is given to us at the Crucifixion of Our Lord. It is evident that Mary had no other children because while her only Son was hanging on the cross, bruised and bleeding, he felt compelled to entrust her into the care of his beloved Apostle, John. St. Joseph died before Christ entered into public ministry, so it would be up to his children to take her in. Why would Jesus give his mother to St. John if he had brothers or sisters to take care of her? Why were his brothers and sisters not at the foot of the cross with their mother?

Are we to believe that these sons and daughters refused their mother in her hour of need? It doesn’t make sense. So, feeling responsible for His mother’s well-being, Christ gave her to his best friend to watch over. Even in the excruciating pain of his crucifixion, he cared enough to look after his mother till the very end.

When Jesus therefore, saw his mother and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold thy son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold thy mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. ... And bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

- St. John 19:26-30

One might argue that this example is not enough to suggest that Jesus was an only child. To be crucified was the most shameful way to die, and perhaps this is why Jesus’ so-called brothers were not at the foot of the cross with their mother. We can take note that not even his apostles were present, except of course for John the Beloved. Where were his apostles and friends? They might have been ashamed to be associated with the crucifixion scene - as would his brothers. Still, if Jesus had brothers or sisters, He would not have needed to give his mother into the care of his friend, regardless of whether or not they were at the foot of the cross. Why would his brothers abandon not only him, but their mother as well? If we take the “brother” references literally, then out of four possible brothers, would not one of them support their mother? Would all four abandon her as well? Not likely.

“FIRST-BORN” ISSUE

There are some who claim that in order to be called Mary’s “first- born”, Jesus would have had a younger brother or sister. The claim is made that Christ could not be a “first-born” unless other children followed him:

... she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes...  - St. Luke 2:7

Using this as an argument shows lack of knowledge of the ways of the ancient Jewish people and how they used that term.  In Exodus 13:2 and Numbers 3:12 the child who opened the womb was the first-born and, under the Law of Moses, was to be sanctified:

“Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb...” - Exodus 13:2

Were the parents required to wait until a second son was born before being allowed to officially call their first son the “first-born”? Not so. The first son born of a marriage was always referred to as the “first-born”, regardless of whether or not he was an only child. Why is it so hard for us to believe that the Virgin Mary was in fact a virgin all her life? Why too is it hard to believe that St. Joseph was also chaste and virginal? God can do whatever He wants, so why is it so impossible for us to believe that He hand-crafted such pure souls as those of Joseph and Mary? Jesus Christ suffered, died and rose from the grave and after 40 days he ascended to heaven! Those are just two examples of God’s greatness and are just the tip of the ice-berg. Another hard-hitting example of God’s power: He created the universe – all which is seen and unseen! So why should this issue of virginity be so hard for many to believe? Not even the Holy Bible can contain all of God’s mysteries and what He has wrought. Why do so many people try to limit the works of God by being too proud to have faith in some of His mysterious works?

 

 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

- St. Matthew 19:26

Loss of the Child Jesus

When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the Pasch, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.  And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. 

– St Luke 2:41-45

Most holy Mary and St Joseph found themselves … overwhelmed with self-reproach at their remissness in watching over their most holy Son and thus blamed themselves for his absence… and with deepest sorrow took counsel with each other as to what was to be done. 

– Venerable Maria de Agreda

Later in the Gospel, St. Joseph appears in one more episode, when he goes to Jerusalem and lives the anguish of losing the Son Jesus. St. Luke describes the anxious search and the wonder at finding him in the Temple, but even greater is the astonishment at hearing the mysterious words: "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (St. Luke 2:49). This twofold question of the Son of God helps us to understand the mystery of Joseph's paternity. Reminding his own parents of the primacy of the One he calls "my Father," Jesus affirms the primacy of the will of God over every other will, and reveals to Joseph the profound truth of his role: He too is called to be a disciple of Jesus, dedicating his existence to the service of the Son of God and of the Virgin Mother, in obedience to the Heavenly Father.
- Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican Gardens, 5 July 2010

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