Wasn't Joseph only strictly a guardian?

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And the Blessed Mother his wife in name only? I was watching a bit of a movie (I think Jesus of Nazareth) where a woman talks to Joseph saying ‘Mary will make you a beautiful wife’… Isn’t that blasphemous to say such a thing, or was Joseph a lovey dovey husband or something? :mad:
 
Rocks_91 said:
And the Blessed Mother his wife in name only? I was watching a bit of a movie (I think Jesus of Nazareth) where a woman talks to Joseph saying ‘Mary will make you a beautiful wife’… Isn’t that blasphemous to say such a thing, or was Joseph a lovey dovey husband or something? :mad:
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My understanding is they were legally recognized as a married couple. Since Joseph accepted Christ by not stoning Mary, he was (I think) acknowledging her as his wife and Christ as his (biological) son. Now, we know who was REALLY Jesus’s daddy, but to the culture at the time, people looked at it like a normal couple with a kid.

There is some divide later in their relationship between Catholics and Protestants. Catholics teach Mary as a perpetual virgin, so that although she was married, it was not a physical marriage. Protestants, in general, say it was a physical relationship and that Mary and Joseph had biological children of their own.

Also, from the quote you provided, that’s before they get married I believe. Its like someone saying about your girlfriend/boyfriend ‘Oh, she/he will be such a great wife/husband.’.
 
The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were married. However, they never engaged in marital relations due to Mary’s vow of Virginity.

I’m not sure how they were coupled together for marriage, besides it being God’s will (others may know better), but they were legally married.

But it was far more than just a guardianship, as Joseph provided Jesus the lineage of David.

I hope this is helpful
 
TxGodfollower said:
Also, from the quote you provided, that’s before they get married I believe. Its like someone saying about your girlfriend/boyfriend ‘Oh, she/he will be such a great wife/husband.’.
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That and the fact that the quote isn’t Scriptural. 🙂
 
Scripture tells us they were certainly married. To claim they were not would throw the Sacrament of Matrimony into dispute, if not scandal!

Recall the Pharisees and Saducees questioning Jesus over the widow of the 7 brothers, where Christ makes it clear that marriage is and earthly institution that does not carry over into heaven. Therefore, it is fitting and right that St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother were joined in the covenant of marriage.

Also recall that Mary took part in ritual cleansings that she was not required to because of here unblemished state of grace, and that Christ himself was Baptized, although there was no need of him to repent or be baptized, but rather, they were, by example, showing their obedience to the laws of God.

Peace and all good!
 
Rocks_91 said:
And the Blessed Mother his wife in name only? I was watching a bit of a movie (I think Jesus of Nazareth) where a woman talks to Joseph saying ‘Mary will make you a beautiful wife’… Isn’t that blasphemous to say such a thing, or was Joseph a lovey dovey husband or something? :mad:
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No, they were married. The marriage existed but was never consummated.

That is an entirely different thing from saying that the marriage didn’t exist at all.
 
Rocks_91 said:
And the Blessed Mother his wife in name only? I was watching a bit of a movie (I think Jesus of Nazareth) where a woman talks to Joseph saying ‘Mary will make you a beautiful wife’… Isn’t that blasphemous to say such a thing, or was Joseph a lovey dovey husband or something? :mad:
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Since the beginning of human history it has always been assumed under the law that the father of a child born from his wife is always the husband. 🍿
 
phil19034 said:
The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were married. However, they never engaged in marital relations due to Mary’s vow of Virginity.

I’m not sure how they were coupled together for marriage, besides it being God’s will (others may know better), but they were legally married.

But it was far more than just a guardianship, as Joseph provided Jesus the lineage of David.

I hope this is helpful
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Mary was from the line of David too, so Jesus truly descended from the line of David but in those days only the fathers lineage counted. God Bless, Memaw
 
And further to the title, Joseph wasn’t merely a guardian. He was, in all things but biology, Jesus father.

I do not even like to use the term “foster” father with regards to St. Joseph.
 
They were certainly married. Joseph was guardian to the Lord and His Mother, and also husband to the blessed Virgin. I often wonder if they kissed or held each other, since such things are proper to love and marriage. The Church has always taught that passionate kissing is a sin, when one is bound to chastity & celibacy. I don’t think a loving spousal kiss on the lips or a physical embrace was outside the experience of the Holy Family. They weren’t English Puritans, but Israelites.
 
Strictly a guardian? Religious implications aside, if a man adopts a baby, or marries a woman who already has a baby, and they raise that child in a loving home, I would certainly not call him a “guardian,” I would say he’s a husband and father!
 
Praedicare said:
They were certainly married. Joseph was guardian to the Lord and His Mother, and also husband to the blessed Virgin. I often wonder if they kissed or held each other, since such things are proper to love and marriage. The Church has always taught that passionate kissing is a sin, when one is bound to chastity & celibacy. I don’t think a loving spousal kiss on the lips or a physical embrace was outside the experience of the Holy Family. They weren’t English Puritans, but Israelites.
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We can ask them when we get to Heaven but I don’t try to figure out things that are just beyond our knowledge. Love is a powerful emotion and does NOT need physical contact to prove it. I love my son dearly even tho he lived 2,000 miles away for nearly 40 years. He lives much closer now and I am so happy about that. My mother died over 50 years ago and I love her as much today as ever. God knew what HE was doing, I leave it at that. God Bless, Memaw
 
Memaw said:
We can ask them when we get to Heaven but I don’t try to figure out things that are just beyond our knowledge. Love is a powerful emotion and does NOT need physical contact to prove it. I love my son dearly even tho he lived 2,000 miles away for nearly 40 years. He lives much closer now and I am so happy about that. My mother died over 50 years ago and I love her as much today as ever. God knew what HE was doing, I leave it at that. God Bless, Memaw
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Very good point Mernaw. I bow to this wisdom.
 
porthos11 said:
And further to the title, Joseph wasn’t merely a guardian. He was, in all things but biology, Jesus father.

I do not even like to use the term “foster” father with regards to St. Joseph.
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In Catholic school we learned St. Joseph was Jesus’ foster father. Mary & Joseph did get married but didn’t consummate it.
When a man marries a woman who already has a child, he becomes the foster father.
The dictionary says, foster :to nourish & rear a child as one’s own even if not related by blood.
 
"WKW_69:
Since the beginning of human history it has always been assumed under the law that the father of a child born from his wife is always the husband.
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truetofaith said:
In Catholic school we learned St. Joseph was Jesus’ foster father.
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More to the point, Joseph was Jesus’ legal father… 😉
 
St Paul said, It is good for a man not to touch a woman. That is enough to know, whatever anyone comes up with. I think, in this over-sexualized culture of ours, many would have no qualms saying Mary slept in the same bed as St Joseph, even though “chaste”, but I personally do not believe such a thing as true.
 
truetofaith said:
In Catholic school we learned St. Joseph was Jesus’ foster father. Mary & Joseph did get married but didn’t consummate it.
When a man marries a woman who already has a child, he becomes the foster father.
The dictionary says, foster :to nourish & rear a child as one’s own even if not related by blood.
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Strictly speaking, he becomes the stepfather.

St. Joseph was Jesus’ legal father, and it is through him that Jesus inherits the Davidic throne.
 
porthos11 said:
Strictly speaking, he becomes the stepfather.

St. Joseph was Jesus’ legal father, and it is through him that Jesus inherits the Davidic throne.
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Almost.

He doesn’t become “step” father because he has status as “legal” father, as dictionary definition is:

**Step Father **- ***the husband of one’s mother when distinct from one’s natural or legal father ***

And, while Joseph certainly was not the natural father (as Christ only had a natural mother and a supernatural Father, Joseph was undoubtedly, by Jewish Law, the legal father of Jesus.
 
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