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LeoYaus
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Did Jesus begin his ministry only after Joseph’s death? How do we know about Joseph’s death? How do we know Jesus was 30 years old when he began his ministry?
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asquared
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the Gospels are silent about Joseph after he and Mary find Jesus in the temple when he is about 12. We infer that he is dead when Jesus begins his ministry since he is not mentioned at all, although Mary and his other relatives are present.
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Rebecca_New
Guest
Also it was not until the death of St. Joseph that the Kingship could be Jesus’. I am referring to the House of David.the Gospels are silent about Joseph after he and Mary find Jesus in the temple when he is about 12. We infer that he is dead when Jesus begins his ministry since he is not mentioned at all, although Mary and his other relatives are present.
Tradition has it that St. Joseph was in the arms of both Jesus and Our Blessed Mother when St. Joseph died. St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of a Happy Death.
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Ron_Conte
Guest
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich says that Joseph died shortly before Christ’s Ministry began:
“As the time drew near for Jesus to begin His mission of teaching, I saw him ever more solitary and meditative; and toward the same time, the thirtieth year of Jesus, Joseph began to decline.”
I wrote a book on NT biblical chronology. In that book, I reach conclusions about the date of Christ’s birth and the exact date of his Baptism by John. He was in His 30th year from the Incarnation when He began His minstry.
Ron
“As the time drew near for Jesus to begin His mission of teaching, I saw him ever more solitary and meditative; and toward the same time, the thirtieth year of Jesus, Joseph began to decline.”
I wrote a book on NT biblical chronology. In that book, I reach conclusions about the date of Christ’s birth and the exact date of his Baptism by John. He was in His 30th year from the Incarnation when He began His minstry.
Ron
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Todd_Easton
Guest
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, (Luke 3:23)
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Mystophilus
Guest
The lack of any mention of Joseph during Jesus’ ministry years does seem to imply that Joseph was already dead. As for what happened, there is not much in the way of good historical support, but there is this:Did Jesus begin his ministry only after Joseph’s death? How do we know about Joseph’s death? How do we know Jesus was 30 years old when he began his ministry?
- It came to pass thereafter, when he returned to his own house in the city of Nazareth, that he was seized by disease, and had to keep his bed. And it was at this time that he died, according to the destiny of all mankind. For this disease was very heavy upon him, and he had never been ill, as he now was, from the day of his birth. And thus assuredly it pleased Christ to order the destiny of righteous Joseph. He lived forty years unmarried; thereafter his wife remained under his care forty-nine years, and then died. And a year after her death, my mother, the blessed Mary, was entrusted to him by the priests, that he should keep her until the time of her marriage. She spent two years in his house; and in the third year of her stay with Joseph, in the fifteenth year of her age, she brought me forth on earth by a mystery which no creature can penetrate or understand, except myself, and my Father and the Holy Spirit, constituting one essence with myself.
The History of Joseph the Carpenter (Coptic, possibly C4th)
- The whole age of my father, therefore, that righteous old man, was one hundred and eleven years, my Father in heaven having so decreed.
It is far too late to be reliable, but it does at least tell us what some people thought had happened.
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TOME
Guest
The gospels may give us an indication that Joseph was dead by the time Jesus began his ministry.
One passage is the wedding feast of Cana. Joseph is not listed as being with Jesus’ group, however, Mary was. It would be reasonable to conclude that Joseph, not being among the guest was dead because Mary would certainly not have attended the feast alone, without Joseph and if, let’s say Joseph was too ill to attend then Mary most certainly would have been at Joseph’s side - it would have been her duty to be with Joseph.
Also, there are the times in the gospel’s were Jesus is refered to as the “Carpenter’s son” but Joseph’s name isn’t given. This could be another sign that Joseph had died.
Finally, and for me one of the strongest bits of evidence, is the incident in Mark, its parallels in the synoptics, where Mary and Jesus’ “brothers” come to take Jesus away, thinking Jesus is rather crazy. If Joseph was alive he should have been mentioned as having given the order to his family to do this because they would have no legal right to act in such a way without not only Joseph’s consent but his direct order. Plus it would have been totally unthinkable of Jesus’ family to act in such a manner due to the culture of Jesus’ time (the father had absolute say and control over his family - even married sons). Also, given the laws and culture of Jewish society of the time, Mary’s presence would have been most unlikely had Joseph been alive.
We all know that the gospels do not give up a definitive answer to the status of Joseph’s health at the time of Jesus’ ministry, however, I think using the few examples I gave above it is reasonable to conclude that Joseph was dead at the time Jesus began his ministry.
One passage is the wedding feast of Cana. Joseph is not listed as being with Jesus’ group, however, Mary was. It would be reasonable to conclude that Joseph, not being among the guest was dead because Mary would certainly not have attended the feast alone, without Joseph and if, let’s say Joseph was too ill to attend then Mary most certainly would have been at Joseph’s side - it would have been her duty to be with Joseph.
Also, there are the times in the gospel’s were Jesus is refered to as the “Carpenter’s son” but Joseph’s name isn’t given. This could be another sign that Joseph had died.
Finally, and for me one of the strongest bits of evidence, is the incident in Mark, its parallels in the synoptics, where Mary and Jesus’ “brothers” come to take Jesus away, thinking Jesus is rather crazy. If Joseph was alive he should have been mentioned as having given the order to his family to do this because they would have no legal right to act in such a way without not only Joseph’s consent but his direct order. Plus it would have been totally unthinkable of Jesus’ family to act in such a manner due to the culture of Jesus’ time (the father had absolute say and control over his family - even married sons). Also, given the laws and culture of Jewish society of the time, Mary’s presence would have been most unlikely had Joseph been alive.
We all know that the gospels do not give up a definitive answer to the status of Joseph’s health at the time of Jesus’ ministry, however, I think using the few examples I gave above it is reasonable to conclude that Joseph was dead at the time Jesus began his ministry.
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Verbum
Guest
Hi Leo,
As to the age of Jesus, there is nothing in the Gospels. Jesus’ birth is reckoned to have happened between 4 and 6 BC, with the most probable date being 6 BC.Jesus’ public ministry is reckoned to have started in 29 AD, so that Jesus would have been around 35 at that time. thus he would have been in his 40th year when he died.
Verbum
As to the age of Jesus, there is nothing in the Gospels. Jesus’ birth is reckoned to have happened between 4 and 6 BC, with the most probable date being 6 BC.Jesus’ public ministry is reckoned to have started in 29 AD, so that Jesus would have been around 35 at that time. thus he would have been in his 40th year when he died.
Verbum
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