The engagement and marriage of Joseph and Mary are two of the most celebrated stories in the Bible. Mary is a youthful, devout thinker. In addition to being respectful and loyal, Joseph is also quite cautious. They raised Jesus as Jesus’ earthly parents. Followers of the Bible have many inquiries concerning the divine couple.
One of the questions they ask is how old Joseph was when they were married. There is a range of ages for when Joseph and Mary got married, from 18 to 20 to 36 and 42. Given that the Bible is silent on the subject, we may be able to infer a general age range based on contextual clues from his time period and culture.
Moreover, there are legends that aren’t backed up by evidence that place Joseph’s age somewhere in the 90s. Which biblical narratives include Joseph’s age? How long did the typical Roman citizen live? What other factors could help us narrow down Joseph’s age range? In the Bible, what does the term “betrothal” mean? Learn the responses to these and more questions by reading on.
How Old Was Joseph When He Married Mary?
The Bible is silent on the topic of Joseph‘s age when he wed Mary. Some publications, though, offer suggestions. There are accounts that suggest Mary had already reached reproductive maturity when she became pregnant. Furthermore, marriage to a girl under the age of 12 was illegal. Since Joseph is described as just in the Bible, it’s safe to presume he followed social norms before being involved with Mary.
If this is the case, then Joseph was probably around 20 years old when he wed Mary. Another account suggests that Mary and Joseph moved to Bethlehem to comply with Roman tax requirements. Since they had to go to Bethlehem to pay tax, the pair must have become 18 or older.
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How Was Joseph’s Engagement with Mary Saved?
Mary and Joseph had a betrothal planned for the future, but then something happened that altered everything. It appears that Mary was already pregnant before Joseph had sexual contact with her. After Joseph found out, he began planning ways to break off the engagement discreetly.
However, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and revealed that his wife’s pregnancy was facilitated by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was also informed by the angel that the child would one day save the world from its sins.
Joseph and Mariam’s Family
If Simon were the Sagan or Superintendent, that would indicate that he had the education and experience necessary to handle the many responsibilities of such a position. The Sagan, who was in charge of the Temple at the time, had to be well-versed in all the rituals practiced there and understand the responsibilities of the hundreds of priests that served there.
Nonetheless, Joseph came first, followed by his son. But as we have seen, it appears that Joseph did not have a son until he was quite old. In contrast to Alpheus and Cleopas, Simon was not the youngest of his father’s children. It’s likely that Joseph was born before Cleopas.
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Simon’s birth would have occurred after Cleopas and Mary were married for a while. It’s possible that Joseph was born around the year 70 BCE. It makes sense to think that way. He and his wife, Mariam, would be of similar ages. They were likely at least 70 years old.
The birth of Isaac occurred as Abraham was nearing the age of 100 and Sarah was already far into her nineties. Mariam and Sarah have both reached what society considers to be an “old age” in which they are absolutely unable to conceive children because they have gone through menopause.