Joseph, a Man's Man
What if the Bible has multiple models of masculinity?
Joseph rocks.
He’s long been one of my favourite Christmas story characters. Yes, I have favourites - be honest, you do too.
God, in His wisdom, packed the story of his Son’s birth full of notable figures. Anna the prophetess. Aged (and doubting) Zechariah. Faithful Elizabeth. Blessed Mary. Random - but believing - shepherds. And of course, the three(?) magi.
In the middle, Joseph can get a bit overlooked. But he quietly displays a powerful example of masculinity. And in a world where ideas of “manliness” seem to ricochet between Andrew Tate and “that-gay-guy-from-my-favourite-sitcom”, I think Joseph is all the more necessary.
Working man
Jumping into the latter part of the story; we know Joseph was a working man. A carpenter, actually. There’s potential that he’s more artisan than worker; he’s a carpenter at a time when tools are basic and labour is, by definition, manual. The skillset required to assemble a simple bench or chairs increases dramatically when you can’t turn to DeWalt’s latest nuclear-powered cordless drill.
If you’re building a model of masculinity from the example of the man appointed by God to be Jesus’s adoptive father, then this is a core aspect. A Joseph-like man of God works. Hard. With his hands.
And he’s all the better for it.
Thinking man
Here’s where the story comes in as we hear it every year.
18 Now the birth of uJesus Christ5 took place in this way. vWhen his mother Mary had been betrothed6 to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child wfrom the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling xto put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, yan angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and zyou shall call his name Jesus, afor he will save his people from their sins.” 22 bAll this took place cto fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 d“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name eImmanuel”
(which means, God fwith us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And ghe called his name Jesus.
I’m not going to break down the whole passage; this is a newsletter, not a sermon.
But it’s worth noting a couple of things. Joseph is inclined to be merciful, even when faced with a situation where he could have justifiably been harsh. All evidence was against Mary; the only things in her favour were her own character, her own testimony - and perhaps some subtle, quiet sense in Joseph’s soul that Mary was telling the truth.
But to reach that conclusion, Joseph needed to think about things, not simply react. And think he apparently did. It even seems that he did the best possible kind of thinking - he slept on it!
And that’s when the Lord gave Joseph much-needed info.
It’s clear from the way events played out that Joseph didn’t just react. He pondered, then acted, and it was the gap between the two that demonstrated Joseph’s underlying strength.
Strong man
I think Joseph’s strength is apparent in the story, though it may not have been obvious at the time. It’s impossible to tell how much criticism and how much flak Joseph received from his peers, but I think it’s safe to say that there must have been some.
What is clear is that Joseph’s strength was character-driven. Remember, he’s described as a just (or righteous) man. That’s what leads him to think before he acts; that’s what inclines him to mercy.
And that’s why the Lord chooses him, and uses him.
Later in the story, another crisis point emerges. Herod, a rather nasty piece of work, hunts for the child Jesus to kill him. Once again, God advises Joseph in a dream. The pressure is on, and Joseph responds decisively.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, xan angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. yThis was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, z“Out of Egypt I called my son.”
He rose… and departed. This is a man of action, prepared to act radically and decisively when the circumstances call for it.
Quiet strength
Let’s be clear. If we’re thinking of multiple models of masculinity in the Bible, Joseph is NOT David. He’s not a warrior-poet, slayer of thousands and lover of hundreds, a man with glorious strengths and flaws large enough to rend kingdoms asunder.
But that doesn’t mean Joseph isn’t strong. He thinks before he acts, and he both thinks and acts righteously. He’s a just man. A quiet man. And a strong man.
In today’s culture, Joseph would be the friend you turn to in trouble for good advice. He’s probably not up in the gym constantly, because he’s probably making better money than you as an in-demand TIG welder or builder of custom, old-school furniture.
You could do a lot worse than aspire to be Joseph.
Action Points
I’m gonna sound like I’m straight out of your grandfather’s playbook with these, but still -
Think first. Then act.
Be merciful, as a starting point.
Work hard.
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