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Thursday, December 08, 2011

Why Joseph?


Mary gets most of the press in the Christmas story and that is well deserved. But my question is, "Why Joseph?" Why did God pick a poor carpenter from Nazareth to be the greatest human example to Jesus when God became flesh? Why did he pick Joseph out of a choice of thousands to be the human (not biological as Jesus was born of a virgin) father of Jesus. I think I know the answer.

In Matthew 2:13, an angel of God appears to Joseph in a dream. His first two words to Joseph were "Get Up!"

In Matthew 2:14, the Bible says, "So Joseph Got Up!"

In Matthew 2:19-20, the angel reappears to Joseph in a dream and again his first two words to the carpenter were, "Get Up!"

Matthew 2:21 then describes Joseph's reaction with the words, "So Joseph Got Up!"

Both times God said, "Get Up!" Both times Joseph "Got Up!" In fact, back in Matthew 2:14, after the angel appears to Joseph and tells him that the baby conceived in Mary was of the Holy Spirit and to go ahead and take Mary as his wife, the Bible says, "And Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded."

Why did God pick Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus? I think it was because God wanted a father for Jesus who was committed to obedience. After all, isn't that the greatest quality of a dad? The best dads are the ones who are committed to obeying God!"

It kind of makes me wonder. If I were a Jewish man at the time that God sent His Son into the world, would I have been on His short list to be Jesus' dad? Am I known to God as a man who is committed to obedience?

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