Grace Thompson
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Bible who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Oriental Orthodox Church all revere him as a saint. There is debate over whether Joseph was married before meeting Mary, with some arguing that he was previously married to a woman named Melcha, while others claim he was a widower. The notion of Joseph's previous marriage is not universally accepted, and there is no explicit mention of it in the Bible.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Joseph's marital status before Mary | The Catholic Church believes that Joseph was betrothed to Mary, but not married. However, some sources claim that Joseph was previously married to a woman named Melcha or Salome and had children before his betrothal to Mary. |
| Mary's vow of perpetual virginity | Catholics interpret Mary's amazement at the Archangel Gabriel's announcement that she would bear a child as a sign of her vow of perpetual virginity. |
| The term "betrothed" | In ancient Israel, "betrothed" or "espoused" was akin to the ratification of a marriage, which would then be consummated on the couple's wedding night. |
| Joseph's age | It is estimated that Joseph was in his middle to late teens when he was betrothed to Mary, as that was the normal marriageable age for men at the time. |
| Joseph's role | Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church and is regarded as the patron saint of workers. He is also associated with prayers for employment, daily protection, vocation, happy marriage, and a happy death. |
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What You'll Learn
Joseph was a widower
The belief that Joseph was a widower before marrying Mary is held by the Eastern Orthodox Church, which names Joseph's first wife as Salome. This belief is also supported by some Catholics, who use it to explain Jesus' "brothers" mentioned in the Bible, saying they were Joseph's children from a previous marriage.
This theory is important to Catholic theology as it supports the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity, even after giving birth to Jesus. According to this belief, Joseph married Mary to protect her after she became pregnant through divine intervention, as evidenced by the angel Gabriel announcing that she would bear the Messiah (Luke 1:34–35).
The Bible, however, does not explicitly state that Joseph was a widower. Interpretations of the text suggest that Joseph and Mary were betrothed, which in ancient Israel, was akin to a ratified marriage. This betrothal is mentioned in Luke 1:27 and Matthew 1:18, and the Bible makes no reference to Joseph's previous marriage or children.
Some apocryphal writings suggest that Joseph was previously married to a woman named Melcha or Escha, with whom he had six children. However, these writings are not considered reliable sources by the Catholic Church.
The absence of older children in the gospel accounts of Christ's birth, such as in Luke's description of the trip to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1–20) and Matthew's report of the flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15), further supports the idea that Joseph and Mary's marriage was unique and that there were no children from a previous marriage.
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Mary's vow of perpetual virginity
The perpetual virginity of Mary is a Christian doctrine that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin "before, during and after" the birth of Christ. This doctrine has been challenged on the basis that the New Testament explicitly affirms her virginity only until the birth of Jesus and mentions the brothers (adelphoi) of Jesus. These "brothers" may have been sons of Joseph by a former marriage, or sons of Mary, the mother of Jesus and Joseph.
The Catholic Church adheres to the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity, as do some Lutherans, Anglicans, Reformed, and other Protestants. The Protoevangelium of James, a second-century text, records that Mary's mother, St. Anne, vowed to devote her child to the service of the Lord. Mary would serve the Lord at the Temple, as women had for centuries, and as Anna the prophetess did at the time of Jesus' birth. A life of devoted service to the Lord at the Temple meant that Mary was vowed to a life of perpetual virginity.
The idea of Mary's perpetual virginity is also supported by St. Augustine, who said that Mary's question to the angel about how she could have a baby revealed that this was not an average, ordinary marriage. They were not planning to consummate their union. This is further evidenced by the fact that when Joseph found out about Mary's pregnancy, he planned to "send her away", which in Greek means divorce.
However, some argue that Mary did not make a vow of perpetual virginity. The church did not declare this dogma until the year 649, and there is no mention of a vow in the Scriptures. The early church believed that Mary was a virgin, but this was based on feelings toward sexuality at the time rather than any evidence.
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The meaning of 'betrothed'
The word "betrothed" refers to a couple who are engaged to be married. The term is more formal and old-fashioned than the word "engaged" and implies a serious commitment to the promise of marriage. In the context of the question "Was Joseph married before Mary in Catholic belief?", the term "betrothed" is significant because it indicates a stronger commitment than simply being engaged.
In Catholic theology, the term "betrothed" or "espoused" is used to describe the relationship between Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus. This is based on the text in Luke 1:27, which states that Mary was "betrothed" to Joseph. The Greek word used in this verse is "emnesteumene", which is translated as "betrothed" or "espoused".
It is important to note that the concept of betrothal in ancient Israel was different from modern Western engagement. Betrothal was akin to the ratification of a marriage, where a couple exchanged vows in the presence of an official witness from the Church. Therefore, when Luke 1:27 states that Mary was betrothed to Joseph, it indicates that they were already married at the time of the annunciation, when Mary received the news that she would become the Mother of God.
Some Catholics believe that Joseph was previously married to a woman named Salome and that he was a widower when he betrothed to Mary. This belief is held by the Eastern Orthodox Church, which identifies Salome as Joseph's first wife. However, other Catholics argue that Joseph was not married before his betrothal to Mary and that he was in the prime of his life at the time of their espousal.
In summary, the term "betrothed" in this context refers to a formal and serious commitment to marriage, indicating that Joseph and Mary were already considered married in the cultural context of ancient Israel, even though their union had not yet been consummated.
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The age of Joseph
Some sources estimate Joseph's age to be in the middle to late teens at the time of his espousal to Mary, based on the customs of his time. The Dead Sea Scrolls indicate that the average age when a male was considered marriageable in the Essene community was in the middle to late teens, with men in their twenties considered beyond the customary time for marriage.
The Eastern Orthodox Church holds that Joseph was a widower before marrying Mary, and that references to Jesus' "brothers" were children of Joseph from this previous marriage. This belief is based on apocryphal writings, which are not considered authoritative by the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church, on the other hand, holds that Mary remained a virgin even after giving birth to Jesus, and that Joseph was her husband. They interpret references to Jesus' "brothers" as cousins, as the use of the term "'brother'" to refer to one's fellow man was prevalent in the Bible and continued into modern times.
The exact age of Joseph remains unknown, but it is clear that he played a significant role in the life of Jesus and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations.
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Joseph's previous children
The idea that Joseph was married before meeting Mary is a topic of debate among Catholics and other Christian denominations. The Catholic Church holds that Joseph was the husband of Mary and that Jesus was conceived miraculously through the Holy Spirit. This belief is based on the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity, which states that Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after giving birth to Jesus.
However, there are differing interpretations among other Christian traditions, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, which holds that Joseph was a widower before marrying Mary. This belief is based on references in the Bible to Jesus' "brothers" and "sisters," who are understood to be the children of Joseph from a previous marriage. The Gospel of James, also known as the Protoevangelium of James, written around 150 AD, supports this idea by presenting Joseph as an old man chosen by God to be the guardian of the Virgin Mary.
The discovery of an ossuary, a bone container, with the inscription "James, the brother of Jesus," has also fuelled speculation about Joseph's previous marital status. Some Catholics have suggested that "James" was a reference to one of Joseph's children from an earlier marriage, thus maintaining Mary's perpetual virginity.
While the exact age of Joseph at the time of his betrothal to Mary is unknown, it is believed that he was likely in his middle to late teens, based on the marriageable age for men during that time period. This hypothesis suggests that Joseph was about 17 to 19 years old when he espoused Mary.
In conclusion, the question of whether Joseph had children from a previous marriage remains a subject of discussion among Christian denominations. While some traditions interpret Jesus' "brothers" and "sisters" as step-siblings from Joseph's earlier marriage, others maintain that these references should be understood as cousins or that the term "brother" was used as a generic term for one's fellow man.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no evidence in the Bible that Joseph was married before Mary. The notion of Joseph's previous marriage is not founded in God's Word.
No, they did not have a normal marriage. They were betrothed, which in ancient Israel would be akin to the ratification of a marriage. However, they did not consummate their marriage until after Mary gave birth to Jesus.
Joseph married Mary to protect her after she was visited by an angel and told she would give birth to the Messiah.
