The Lodestar

Though Joseph played a crucial role in Christ's birth (though he was not Jesus' biological father), in human form, he is always sidelined. I can not think of a Christmas song that mentions him; the preachers often avoid him by shifting the focus to Mary, the child, the shepherds, the Wise Men, and even the cruel Herod. He only gets a small corner in the Christmas manger scenes. But he had a crucial part in God's plan for the Incarnation of Christ. Joseph would have broken his engagement with Mary when he knew that she was pregnant before the marriage. "And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:19).

He would have divorced her if an angel had not assured him in a dream that "Do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20). Even if Joseph did not heed the counsel of the angel, the child would have been born and grown up.

But in God's plan for salvation, Joseph had a definite role. He accompanied the pregnant Mary to Bethlehem, where he had the baby in David's town to fulfil the Old Testament prophecies. He protected the baby from Herod's fury by taking his young family to Egypt. He even named him as the angel had commanded him: "When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus" (Matthew 1:24—25).

He played the role of Jesus' father in the eyes of the people by presenting the Godchild in the Temple, his circumcision, and probably teaching him a trade (Luke 2:22—38). Joseph was a responsible foster father because he was worried when Jesus was missing and set out with Mary to look for him for three days (Luke 2:41—51).

Joseph obeyed God's command through the angel and took a courageous step to follow. God accorded him the privilege of being the guardian of the Godchild, to protect and raise the Saviour of the world.

Joseph reminds us in the Advent season that God’s plans unfold through persons who surrender to God in obedience.

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