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Why did not God spare Joseph all the worry and concern? Why did not the angel
appear to him immediately he had found that Mary was expecting? It may be difficult for
us to find a satisfactory answer to such questions; yet an answer is given: "now all this
was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet" (22).
Literally it is "the whole of this", which strongly suggests that even the worry and
concern experienced by Joseph had some place in the fulfillment of prophecy. How often
we tend to think that if we are doing the Lord's will, and are well pleasing to Him there
will be no worry or concern, but even such experiences have a place in God's purpose for
His own.
Luke records the events attendant upon the birth of the Lord Jesus at Bethlehem, and
all the way through, Joseph is there beside Mary. Luke tells in chapter 2: 4, 5, how
Joseph was there on the journey to Bethlehem, and after the account of the revelation to
the shepherds, and of their visit to Bethlehem, faithful Joseph is still there (verse 16).
Throughout the childhood of the Lord, Joseph is present. He was told by the angel to
name the Child "Jesus", and in Luke 2: 21, it is clear that Joseph faithfully carried out
this part of his commission. Joseph ensured that He who was to fulfil the law kept the
law during His infancy (verses 22-24). What would have happened, had Joseph not been
faithful in this? How could the Lord Jesus have fulfilled all the law, had Joseph been
neglectful at this stage?
When the wise men from the east came to do homage to the young child, Joseph only
comes into the account when Herod presents a threat to the life of the Lord Jesus. And
Joseph becomes His protector. Again Joseph obeys the angel of the Lord when Herod
has died, and the time has come for the young Child to return to the Holy Land, and to
Nazareth, and again Joseph's part is to ensure that prophesy is fulfilled (Matt. 2: 23).
Once more Joseph appears on the scene recorded by Luke 2: 40-52. His task on this
occasion being once more to ensure that his charge fulfilled the law:
"And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of
the feast" (Luke 2: 42).
At twelve years old, a Jewish boy becomes a "son of the law". If, as seems to be
implied in the words "after the custom of the feast", all things were done according to the
law, Joseph paid the redemption money of five shekels (Numb. 3: 46, 47), again
ensuring that the law was fulfilled for "the Child Jesus". Religiously He was now an
adult, responsible for His own actions, hence His freedom in remaining behind at
Jerusalem: He was now free to do His Father's business:
"And His mother said unto Him, `Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? Thy father
and I have sought Thee sorrowing'. And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought
Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" (Luke 2: 48, 49).
However, in spite of His freedom to do His Father's business, He respected their
failure to understand, and returned with them to Nazareth "and was subject unto them"
(verses 50, 51). From this point Joseph's work was done, his commission fulfilled.