Who is joseph in the bible?

Erm...I was thinking about jesus's family. I'm not religious so I don't know much about it but who exactly is this Joseph guy??!!
If Jesus is the son of God, then that makes God, Jesus's father. Is that right?
Jesus's mum is mary... yes? So we have...

mum, dad and jesus so far... then a new guy comes into it. Joseph! Who the heck are you? I thought God was the man in this family...!
Does any1 have any ideas?

Think of him as kind of a step-dad

xox
Sika

He was Mary's cover. Back then, a single mother would be frowned upon... or stoned to death...

Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine, captainassin?

haha

~~plainwhitets

I'm more of a 'ray of realism' my dear...

Captain assassin is right...
like always =D

Always right or not, captainassassin's right this time - Mary had to have a husband for the reasons he says. Also, I should think Jesus needed a 'step-dad' - he learned a lot from Joseph, including, apparently, the profession of carpenter.

It would have been perfectly possible for Jesus to have older step brothers and sisters too - Joseph could have been married before. Yes, Mary would have been very young, or she would have already been married.

The only reference to siblings in the Gospels is when people call Jesus and tell him: 'Your mother and brothers are here!' and it doesn't note if they were older brothers or younger, step, half or allegedly full brothers! I don't think it mattered at the time - family was family.

So I agree with sikkashimmer - God is Jesus' father, but Joseph was a very important step-father to him.

Maybe Mary cheated on Joseph and got pregnant and made a cover up story.
the 'son of god' cover up story.
could this have been possible...?
mel

LOL...pulled the sheepskin over Joe's eyes, so to speak...

Ummm...I think if this was the case, she'd probably have thought up a more plausible story, don't you?

p

I'm sure that's what a lot of people would have thought at the time, even though I don't believe it myself. Joseph must have been very courageous to go through with the marriage even when people thought he'd been cheated-on. It says in the Bible he was going to end the relationship when he heard she was pregnant, but that God told him in a dream that he had to stay with her, and explained the whole thing. But he still must have been brave to obey those instructions, when his own instincts were telling him to ditch her!

You'd have to find Him, first...

Touche...flossheal...

phrannie

Floss, there are a few more references to siblings, listed, and I have always thought of the other children coming after the marriage was consumated. However, the bible does not say for sure, but, that has always been my opinion.

Blessings...

Yes, Silverwings, I think you're right. Younger brothers (like James who wrote the wonderful letter in the Bible) will have been Mary's sons.

this whole thread just goes to prove how little people know about God and why Jesus came into the picture at all... the whole point of Jesus was to fulfill all the prophecies of the old testament for a saviour to come into the world and bear our punishment for the sins we do. He was seed of God, born of a virgin. In the Old Testament it talks about a saviour being born of a virgin.. coming from the lowest of places... there were many other prophecies stated in the Old Testament. Jesus lived a sinless life.. yet paid the price of death for the sins of the world so that WE as HUMANS wouldnt have to die... as per the law set forth. Now as per Joseph and Mary... they were betrothed.. which meant legally wed, but were not allowed to BE together... and joseph wanted to quietly break the betrothal after he found out about mary's pregnancy. But an angel of the Lord came to him and spoke to him in a dream..telling him that this child is sent from heaven and that he is to not fear, and be the father he is suppose to be.. There is a reason God chose Mary, There is a reason God chose Joseph.. Yet just another prophecy fulfilled through their bloodlines...

anyways.. I can go on forever about this..but I will not... as per people... please learn to be respectful when it comes to faith, and religions of people.. Even if you dont believe..there is no point in being disrespectful and outright mean about what we believe.

***there is no point in being disrespectful and outright mean about what we believe.***

That is a two-way street, you know...