Joseph and Joseph

One of my favorite people in the Nativity story is Joseph.  (And I really dislike Catholic traditions about him in their attempts to support the perpetual virginity of Mary.  So, just ignore stories of an old, impotent and jealous Joseph.  None of them are true.)

 Notice how Matthew describes Joseph.

First, it is HIS genealogy we are given in Matt 1.  He should have been the inheritor of the throne of David.  He is royal, a king (Hebrew melek).  Of course, with murderous Herod on the throne, it would not be wise to advertise that claim.

Next, Matthew says he was a JUST man (Hebrew tseddek). That would be better translated as "righteous."

Combine those two words and you get Melek-tseddek, or Melchizedek.  I personally believe Joseph had the Melchizedek priesthood.

And, maybe the Wise Men (Jews from Babylon) had it, too.  At least I like to think they did.

Joseph was, of course, named for Joseph of old.  Like him, Joseph the carpenter (or maybe stone mason?) was a man in control of his sexual passions, was concerned about others, and was a dreamer of dreams who believed the dreams and helped them come true.  In Hebrew, that is one of 4 types of prophets: chozen, or dreamer. (the others are nabi or prophet, roeh or seer, and ish elohim, or man of God).  Count how many dreams Joseph has. Into and out of Egypt, saving the whole family.

Joseph of Egypt was clearly one of Pharoah’s wise men.  I’d love to know how Joseph taught Jesus the Gospel, helped his son become a prophet, a man of God, a Melek-tseddek.

So, as you sing, "We three Kings" think of three guys in your elders' quorum reading in Isaiah 60 that at the birth of the Messiah,  Kings would ride camels to meet him and take gold and incense as gifts.  I can imagine them saying, "If not us, who?  WE can fulfill these prophecies."

What dreams do you have?  How can we help each other make dreams come true?