When unpacking my Christmas decorations, I love taking out and setting up my collection of nativity scenes. It is the image of the true story of Christmas: the gift of the Son of God to the world.
Jesus is the central figure of the nativity scene. It would mean nothing without Him. When I place the other figures around him, I usually place Mary behind Him on the right and Joseph behind Him on the left.
The placement of Joseph in the nativity scene is a symbol of his life. He is the man in the background. Many stories have been written about how Mary was chosen to be the mother of our Savior, but little has been said about the man who was chosen by God to raise His son.
Mateo tells us more about José than anyone else. Like me, I think Matthew must have been impressed with this humble man who loved God, loved the mother of His Son, and loved His Son in a way that no one else could.
After Mary told him that she had been chosen to give birth to the baby Jesus, Joseph had the first of his dreams that included instructions from God. The angel in the dream told Joseph not to be afraid, but to marry Mary as he had planned.
Joseph was visited by an angel of the Lord in his dreams at least two more times. After the visit of the wise men, he was instructed in a dream to take his family to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill the boy. They told him to stay until they visited him again. After Herod’s death, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to go to the land of Israel. Joseph settled in the city called Nazareth, thus fulfilling the prophecy about Jesus that he would be a Nazarene.
Joseph is mentioned again when he and Mary found Jesus conversing with the teachers in the temple. When Mary asked Jesus why He had not come with them when they left town, Jesus said: “Why did you look for me? Didn’t you know that I must take care of my Father’s affairs? ” (Luke 2:49). This is the last time Joseph is mentioned, so he must have died between the time Jesus was twelve and the beginning of His ministry.
Although Jesus’ brothers resented him and did not believe in him for a long time, this was not true of Joseph. He did not mind raising a Son who was not his own. He accepted that assignment from God without hesitation.
Joseph was an unusual, humble, and obedient man. What Jesus learned about carpentry, he learned from Joseph. Joseph must also have taught Jesus a lot about his Father’s word, because we know that Jesus learned the Scriptures as a child.
I hope to meet José in heaven, the man in the background of the Nativity.
Then Joseph, awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took his wife, and did not know her until she gave birth to her firstborn Son. And He called His name Jesus.
