Jesus Christ

At the beginning of Jesus Christ’s ministry, Joseph, his adopted father, had probably already passed away. Because the average life expectancy was low and occupational accidents high, this conclusion seems rather natural. Perhaps Joseph’s death may also have been recent; those who knew Jesus Christ also knew Joseph or knew of him (John 1:45; 6:42). This tradition is strengthened by the fact that Luke records an event from the life of Joseph when Jesus was twelve years old but then never mentions him again as living (Luke 2:43-48). Mark, who records events from Jesus’ life only after his baptism, never mentions Joseph. Those who knew Jesus’ Christ’s family were familiar with his mother, brothers, and sisters but do not seem to be acquainted with his father other than recognizing his occupation (John 7:3, 5; Acts 1:14; Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). Based on the best textual evidence, Jesus’ younger half-brothers were named Jacob, Joseph (Joses), Simon, and... Read the rest of this entry »