Joseph (carpenter)

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew Yōsēp (“he adds/increases”), a common Israelite name also borne by notable biblical figures.
• Period/Era: Second Temple Period (Roman Imperial Context)
• Main References: Matthew 1–2; Luke 1–2; Luke 3:23–38; John 1:45; John 6:42
• Key Connections: Husband of Mary; legal father/guardian of Jesus; linked to Davidic ancestry in the Gospel genealogies.

Who was Joseph (carpenter)?

Joseph was the husband of Mary and the legal father of Jesus in the Gospel infancy narratives.
He is portrayed as a “just” man who responds obediently to divine guidance.
The Gospels associate him with Nazareth and with the craft of a tektōn (artisan/worker in building materials).
After Jesus’ childhood, Joseph is not mentioned in accounts of Jesus’ public ministry.

Key Events & Achievements

• Marriage to Mary: He takes Mary as his wife after learning her pregnancy is “from the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:18–25).
• Protection of Jesus: He leads the family to Egypt and later returns, settling in Nazareth (Matt. 2:13–23).
• Jerusalem pilgrimage: He goes with Mary and Jesus to Jerusalem for Passover, where Jesus is found in the temple (Luke 2:41–52).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Joseph models discipleship expressed through quiet obedience and costly responsibility within God’s purposes.

Key Verse

"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife." — Matthew 1:24, NIV