How old was Joseph when he married Mary?

[tonychanyt]

I can only guess.

Joseph was a G435-man, Luke 1:

27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man [G435] named Joseph

Thayer's Greek Lexicon:

with a reference to age, and to distinguish an adult man from a boy

Matthew 14:

21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men [G435], besides women and children.

1 Corinthians 13:

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man [G435], I put the ways of childhood behind me.

Is there anything we can infer about Joseph's age from the use of 'man' to describe him in Luke?

Not much other than that he was supposed to be a mature responsible man who ate more than a child

On the other hand, we know that Mary didn't marry Joseph for his money, Luke 2:

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him [baby Jesus] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

I don't think Mary married some rich old man. They were too poor to afford a lamb, Leviticus 12:

7b “ ‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. 8But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ ”

Later in Luke 2:

42 When he [Jesus] was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ... 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

When Jesus was 12, Joseph was still alive.

Joseph was a laborer, a carpenter, Matthew 13:

55a “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?

By the time of Jesus' public ministry (30 years old), there was no mention of Joseph being alive.

My guess is that Joseph was a physically-capable man of moderate means in his 20s when he got married.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I cannot really prove this, but I have always pictured to be in her late teens, maybe. I guess we all tend to put images to our beliefs. I see Mary to be 16 - 18. I see Joseph to be older, maybe 24. Like I said, I have no proof.
Once expert in the customs of the day said:
"In fact, according to Jewish law and customs of the day, Mary and Joseph probably would have both been young when they married. “Girls were usually engaged sometime between the ages of 12 and 15, and would be married sometime thereafter, at 15 or 16, and boys would have been 19 or 20,” Fredriksen, professor emerita of scripture at Boston University, and author of Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. .

 

[tonychanyt]

My personal estimate is that Joseph was a widow who then was quite a bit older than Mary.

What made you think that Joseph was a widow?

 

[HTacianas]

I can only guess.

Joseph was a G435-man, Luke 1:


Thayer's Greek Lexicon:


Matthew 14:


1 Corinthians 13:

Is there anything we can infer about Joseph's age from the use of 'man' to describe him in Luke?

Not much other than that he was supposed to be a mature responsible man who ate more than a child

On the other hand, we know that Mary didn't marry Joseph for his money, Luke 2:


I don't think Mary married some rich old man. They were too poor to afford a lamb, Leviticus 12:


Later in Luke 2:

When Jesus was 12, Joseph was still alive.

Joseph was a laborer, a carpenter, Matthew 13:

By the time of Jesus' public ministry (30 years old), there was no mention of Joseph being alive.

My guess is that Joseph was a physically-capable man of moderate means in his 20s when he got married.

Tradition has it that Joseph was an elderly widower when he was betrothed to Mary. That explains his disappearance after Jesus reached the age of twelve - he died of old age. In all likelihood Jesus was then adopted by an Essene master who raised him outside of Jerusalem, maybe even at Qumran. John the Baptist also was an Essene who lived "in the wilderness", likely east of Jerusalem where there was a population of Essenes. The Essenes were known to adopt other people's children and raise them as their own. Jesus being fatherless at the time would have made him a likely candidate for such an adoption. Simeon, mentioned at Luke 2:25-34 is associated with a Simeon known to have been an Essene who worshipped at the temple at that time. The Essenes did not consider a man to be a judge -an elder- until he reached thirty years of age. Luke points out that Jesus was in fact thirty years old when he began his public ministry, see Luke 3:23.

 

[tonychanyt]

In all likelihood Jesus was then adopted by an Essene master who raised him outside of Jerusalem, maybe even at Qumran.

reference?

 

[HTacianas]

reference?

Original research.

 

[tonychanyt]

Original research.

Where were the sources of your original research?

 

[HTacianas]

Where were the sources of your original research?

The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus, Pliny the Elder on the Essenes, Philo of Alexandria on the Essenes, the New Testament, the Jewish Encyclopedia.

 

[tonychanyt]

The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus, Pliny the Elder on the Essenes, Philo of Alexandria on the Essenes, the New Testament, the Jewish Encyclopedia.

Thanks for the references. To save the effort of everyone, this is how to do referencing in a scholarly manner:

1. Give the name of the source.
2. Provide the link to the source. It is the URL address.
3. Indent the quoted text.
4. Bold the relevant keywords that are important to the point that you are making.
5. Be concise and to the point.

This is what I do for others who read my posts. It is a standard high-school scholarship. If you practice this, I guarantee you: it will improve your analytical thinking. In any case, no one is required to do it here

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Recall also the Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but they had not yet married. That would seem to say that the marriage had been arraigned, but they were still to young to proceed. This would have at least set Mary in her teens, since in that day they married much earlier than today.
They would never wait into their mid or later 20s to proceed. Betrothed for over a decade? Does not sound right.

 

[Diamond72]

Tradition has it that Joseph was an elderly widower when he was betrothed to Mary.

This is a Catholic belief.

There are several apocryphal or non-canonical texts that mention Joseph, Mary, and Jesus outside of the accounts found in the New Testament. These texts often provide additional stories, details, or perspectives on the lives of these figures. Some of these apocryphal texts include:

1. Infancy Gospel of James (Protoevangelium of James): This apocryphal gospel focuses on the life of Mary, the miraculous birth of Jesus, and the early years of his life. It includes details about Mary's upbringing, her betrothal to Joseph, and the birth of Jesus in a cave.
2. Infancy Gospel of Thomas: This work contains stories about the childhood of Jesus, including miracles he performed as a young child. Joseph and Mary are also mentioned in some of the stories.
3. Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew: Similar to the Infancy Gospel of James, this text elaborates on Mary's life, including her birth and marriage to Joseph. It also includes stories of Jesus' childhood.
4. Gospel of the Nativity of Mary: This text provides an account of the birth of Mary and includes details about the selection of Joseph as her husband.
5. Gospel of Mary (Mary's Dormition): While not focused on the infancy of Jesus, this text includes references to Mary and the disciples' interactions with her after Jesus' ascension.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

This is a Catholic belief.

There are several apocryphal or non-canonical texts that mention Joseph, Mary, and Jesus outside of the accounts found in the New Testament. These texts often provide additional stories, details, or perspectives on the lives of these figures. Some of these apocryphal texts include:

1. Infancy Gospel of James (Protoevangelium of James): This apocryphal gospel focuses on the life of Mary, the miraculous birth of Jesus, and the early years of his life. It includes details about Mary's upbringing, her betrothal to Joseph, and the birth of Jesus in a cave.

It is also the belief of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches as well. Even though these texts are not considered Scripture, some are considered truthful about the lives of Mary and Joseph. The EO icon of the Nativity draws directly on the Protoevangelium with Joseph being confronted by Satan, asking how a virgin can give birth (bottom left), and Salome the midwife (bottom right)

https://antiochianprodsa.blob.core.windows.net/websiteattachments/Nativity%20Icon%20-%20FR%20Kfouf.pdf

 

[SavedByGrace3]

It does seem that Joseph disappeared during the ministry aspect of Jesus.
Another idea says he married Mary at the age of 90! And died at 111!

 

[prodromos]

This is a Catholic belief.

Not particularly, apart from Eastern Catholics. Latin Catholics tend to believe Joseph was a relatively young man who remained a virgin, not an older widower with children from his former wife.
You only have to look at popular art depicting the Holy Family to see this. Compare them to Orthodox icons of the Nativity or the Flight to Egypt to see a significant difference between Catholic and Orthodox belief about Joseph.

 

[Diamond72]

Latin Catholics tend to believe Joseph was a relatively young

How do they explain that Joseph was not around, but Mary was? Also, how do they explain James and why James did not take care of Mary and she was assigned to John to take care of her. Even early in the ministry at the wedding when Jesus said it was not his time. There is no mention of Joseph. Other than that Jesus was the son of a carpenter.

 

[prodromos]

How do they explain that Joseph was not around, but Mary was? Also, how do they explain James and why James did not take care of Mary and she was assigned to John to take care of her. Even early in the ministry at the wedding when Jesus said it was not his time. There is no mention of Joseph. Other than that Jesus was the son of a carpenter.

As I am not of that persuasion, I couldn't tell you.

 

[GoldenKingGaze]

I'd say Mary was 16 and Joseph was 30, according to their tradition, from my Catholic traditions from many years ago. He would have been an established carpenter.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

I'd say Mary was 16 and Joseph was 30, according to their tradition, from my Catholic traditions from many years ago. He would have been an established carpenter.

I found this on Catholic.com

What caused Western theologians to reject this view of St. Joseph in favor of a younger Joseph? Partially, the influence of St. Jerome, who argued that the “brothers” of Jesus were more likely first cousins (Aramaic uses “brothers” as a kind of familial catch-all). Two of the “brothers” St. Mark mentions, James and Joses (6:3), he later describes as the sons of another Mary (15:40,47)—likely, Mary, the wife of Clopas (John 19:25; Luke 24:18). Thus, they do seem to be not Joseph’s sons from a previous marriage, but the sons of Mary and Clopas (who tradition holds was Joseph’s brother).​

​

Jerome’s view eliminates the need to believe that Joseph was a widower, but it doesn’t automatically mean that Joseph was a young man. For that, we should look to the influence of theologians like Jean Gerson (1363-1429), chancellor of the prestigious University of Paris, who used sermons, theological treatises, and even poetry to argue that St. Joseph was being overlooked and misunderstood. Was it really likely that the man who fled with his family into Egypt in the middle of the night was a nonagenarian? And if he did have kids from a previous marriage, where were they during the events of the first Christmas?​

Old Joseph, Young Joseph

Was St. Joseph a young man or an old widower when he married the Blessed Virgin Mary? Both traditions have a long history.

www.catholic.com

 

[RileyG]

The Gospels do not say. He was dead by the time Jesus started his public ministry.

 

[prodromos]

The Gospels do not say. He was dead by the time Jesus started his public ministry.

It would have been a bit rude not to have invited him to the wedding at Canaan if he was still around.