THE PHENOMENAL DAD

One of the most fascinating fathers we have in the Bible is Joseph, the father of Jesus. There are lessons to be drawn from Joseph’s story. He was determined to be great, just like his ancestors were. Genetically, he is from the lineage of Abraham, the father of all nations, and King David, the giant slayer.

According to the Gospel of Matthew 1:19, Joseph is an upstanding Jewish community member. But what makes him stand out is the decision he was considering making after learning his wife, Mary, was pregnant.

Matthew 1:18–19

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother, Mary, was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. (NIV)

Joseph decided to take Mary in as his wife after a visit by an angel of God. Well, he was sleeping.

Matthew 1:20

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

A father holds his child compassionately in his arms.

3 LESSONS FROM THE PHENOMENAL DAD

Kindness

In Matthew 1:18–19, Matthew shows us the mind of Joseph and the decision he was considering making by quietly divorcing Mary. His decision is kind, for according to Jewish culture, Mary was to be stoned to death. Let us look at the laws set in place in the Old Testament and the punishments meted out for breaking them.

Deuteronomy 22:20

If a man marries a girl who is claimed to be a virgin and then finds that she is not, “they shall bring the girl to the entrance of her father’s house, and there her townsmen shall stone her to death.”

Deuteronomy 22:23
If a man has relations within the walls of a city with a maiden who is betrothed, “you shall bring them both out to the gate of the city and there stone them to death.”

Deuteronomy 22:25-27

But if they were in the open fields, “the man alone shall die,” because if they were in the open fields, “though the betrothed maiden may have cried out for help, there was no one to come to her aid.”

Obedience

Matthew 1:24

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Joseph decided to obey the message of God by taking Mary as his wife, and in doing so, he was given the right to name the child and was accepted as Jesus Christ’s earthly father.

Matthew 1:22

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph’s act of kindness ushered him into obedience to God’s message. As believers, we should discern God’s voice so that we can understand His message and will for us.

Protection

Joseph’s obedience to God’s message won him God’s favor, for the angel of God appeared to him two more times. And the second one was to offer him protection from King Herod.

Matthew 2:13

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said. “Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (NIV)

And the third time, the angel of God informed Joseph to return to Israel since King Herod was dead.

Matthew 2:19-20

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” (NIV)

Joseph was a man with a pure heart and that is what made him an exceptional father. His good intentions were for a quiet divorce in that Mary would not be disgraced or even get stoned to death. The act of obedience made him a father and the right to name the child Jesus Christ. By doing so Jesus’ genealogy was now linked to King David,

Matthew 1: 20

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

The obedience of Joseph gave him divine protection for himself and his family.

Conclusion

The most fascinating thing about Joseph is that he never said anything, but his actions were so inspirational and faith-affirming that we do not need to hear what he said at any moment. Joseph’s acceptance of God’s will and his decision to protect and raise Jesus show unconditional love and the importance of relying on God’s will. Joseph is a phenomenal dad who teaches us to live out true love and selflessness.

Questions to reflect on

• What do you think would have happened if the angel had come to a girl in these modern times?
• What would a modern Joseph have done?