Joseph of Bethlehem
Not much is told about Joseph of Bethlehem. He’s not written down in history, nor does he have any lines – at all – in the gospels. Even still, he does play an important role in Jesus’ life. Joseph, Matthew tells us, was a righteous man. Now, I think Matthew put that description in an odd spot – perhaps to make us consider what righteousness really means – something Jesus certainly does throughout his ministry and confrontation with the temple leaders. Where Matthew writes of Joseph’s righteousness, actually, that righteousness was going to lead him to cast Mary (and therefore Jesus) aside, even if quietly. But Joseph has another character trait going for him that God uses to save the story – AND that resolves the tension of a righteous man being one who would cast aside a young woman and the savior of the earth. Joseph of Bethlehem was a believer of dreams. He undoubtedly knew the stories of his ancestor, Joseph Son of Jacob (Israel) of the Old Testament– the one with the many-colored coat. When Joseph of the Old Testament listened to and followed his dream, and when he interpreted and believed the dreams of others, God used him for extraordinary things – to preserve and multiply his people. Joseph of Bethlehem knew his Bible well, and he, like his namesake, was a believer of dreams. Matthew calls Joseph a righteous man. Joseph’s true righteousness is in his obedience to the disruptive Word of God that he experiences in his dream. His true righteousness is that he believes - even when the word is hard to believe, or is inconvenient. He chooses to believe Mary; he chooses to believe the child and the visions are from God. He chooses to stay, to name Jesus, which is an act of adoption, and to keep believing the dreams – even when his dreams lead to fleeing as a refugee to Egypt while Herod seeks Jesus’ life, even when they then lead to him going back, re-starting in Nazareth after that Herod is out of the picture. Joseph is a humble worker, a carpenter, whose righteousness, even greatness, is in his servant-nature. Caring for Mary, listening to God, protecting Jesus, and always ready to completely change directions when God calls him. Joseph’s righteousness is his desire to show mercy, to seek good for others, serving as best he can, and listening even when the voice of God is a disruptive, life-changing word. His righteousness is in his choosing to believe the story of another, to believe what Mary said was true, to believe the messengers and dreams, in choosing to believe and listen for God’s direction in his life. He was a humble carpenter, who didn’t seek greatness, but yet showed himself to be great by serving others and serving God. Jesus once told his followers, “The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matt 23)” and “the least among all of you is the greatest. (Luke 9).” Perhaps he was thinking of a lesson Joseph, the carpenter of Bethlehem, had taught him in his youth when he said this. It’s easy to see Mary in some of Jesus’ most passionate preaching. I wonder where we see Joseph. Jesus’ stories of merciful fathers of prodigal sons? His addressing of God with the intimacy of Abba? Or his lessons on greatness? Today we remember Joseph’s role in bringing God’s kingdom into the world: that of the earthly father of the Messiah. He helped raise the child that would teach the world of God’s love, die on a cross, and rise from the dead so we would know God’s presence in our lives. Joseph was called to be a father to the Savior who calls us, as his body – the body of Christ – to keep showing and telling the world of God’s presence and love.
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AuthorRev. Chris Sesvold is currently the pastor at Halfway Creek Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Holmen, WI. Archives
October 2021
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