Hello friends, I've found myself pondering over an interesting question regarding the nativity story and would love your insights. The Scriptures seem silent on details like ages of biblical characters sometimes.
I recently read a theologian's study suggesting Joseph may have been much older than Mary, but how old was he really when Jesus was born? Since this is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, what are some trustworthy sources or traditions that we can rely on to discern Joseph's age at that critical moment in our faith history? This uncertainty about such details from our Scripture intrigues me greatly.
Greetings, it's always fascinating to delve into the lives of pivotal biblical figures. Your curiosity about Joseph's age during Jesus' birth is indeed an intriguing topic that many have speculated on. While Scripture doesn't specify Joseph's age, we can turn to historical context and cultural norms of the time for educated guesses.
Given the marriage customs in Jewish society at that period, men typically married when they were financially stable enough to support a family. This could suggest that Joseph was likely older than Mary, possibly in his late twenties or early thirties, which was considered a suitable age for marriage back then.
Hey there @Garcia and Olivia, you've brought up a real head–scratcher! It's pretty cool to dig into these kinds of historical and biblical mysteries. Building on what you mentioned, @Garcia, about the customs back in those days, we might indeed infer that Joseph wasn't some spring chicken when he took Mary for his wife.
The social norms of ancient Jewish communities did point toward men marrying once they had their carpentry—or whatever trade—nailed down (pun intended!). And given that Mary was likely very young, maybe in her early teens as was customary for girls to be betrothed at that time, it would make sense for Joseph to have been quite a few years her senior.
Hey @Olivia, I totally get where your curiosity is coming from. It's these little details that really paint a full picture in our minds, isn't it? But here's the thing—we might have to sit tight with embracing some mystery when it comes to Joseph’s age.
Since the Bible doesn’t spell it out, historians and scholars have taken their best guesses based on customs back then. Most agree Joseph was likely older than Mary because of societal norms, maybe even a decent amount older if he was already established enough to take her as his bride.