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Apocryphal Witness On The Death Joseph The Carpenter
One can ask why Christians favour the canonical Gospel of John, which has more to do with Samaritanism than that of Christianity. Christians probably prefer John because it contradicts the older Synoptic gospels on some key doctrine issues, such as Jesus dies on a different day in John’s gospel than in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Mary the mother of Jesus at his side at the crucifixion in John, but not in the older three canonical gospels, where she is absent. John gives a 3-year ministry for Jesus, where the synoptic gospel only gives 1 year. With all this controversy Christian laity pay no heed to the Apocrypha texts, yet, most are as ancient as the chosen four gospels.
Apocryphal gospels contribute to our understanding of how different Christian storytellers in different times and places told stories about the young Jesus before his experience in the temple as a twelve-year-old. As well as other family members are seen in the eyes of a plethora of apocryphal authors.
According to many Christian texts and blogs, Jesus allowed his father to die, whilst his mother Mary beseech him to help his father to live. Why did Jesus not help his father by producing a miracle such as the one he supposedly did on Lazarus and others? Were his miracles impotent when at home in native Nazareth, and amongst his relatives? Well, according to Mark 6:4-5 being around his family and relatives had an adverse effect on him performing any miracles. His Achilles heel, or was it? Could Jesus’ upbringing by his family have anything to do with his reluctance to breathe life back into his father? The apocryphal Gospels could give the answer.
The death of Joseph the Carpenter, the supposed father of Jesus, is not mentioned in the canonical gospel, but you will find it in apocryphal scriptures and Christian text as said before. Was Jesus’ reluctance due to Joseph age being between 110 and 111 years old when he died. I will admit Joseph was young for a biblical personage, as Noah lived until he was 950 years old. So what was Jesus’ hangup about helping his father? Is the answer in the Bible, or his dysfunctional family who thought Jesus was Mad? According to the Synoptic Gospels, Mary was not present at the crucifixion of her son, we only have the later Samaritan gospel of John, acknowledging that Mary was at his side when he died John 19:25-27, cursing his father. “. . . Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?. . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34.
We have many accounts of Joseph’s age at death, according to various Christian sites. You can pick and choose which account you want, I just took the first, not because I am old or lazy, but because it gets confusing!
The Infancy Gospel of James
The Gospel of the Infancy according to James, a work composed originally in the 2nd century, but with later additions (compare Hennecke, Neutestamentliche Apokryphen, 47-63), gives a detailed account of the marriage of the aged Joseph with Mary, of their journey to Bethlehem, and of the birth of Jesus. A similar gospel, reputed to be by Thomas the philosopher, of later origin and Gnostic tendency (compare Hennecke, 63-73), narrates several fantastic, miraculous happenings in the domestic life of the Holy Family, and the dealings of Joseph with the teachers of the youthful Jesus. Other legends, from Syriac or Egyptian sources, also dealing with the Infancy, in which Joseph figures are extant. The chief is The History of Joseph the Carpenter (compare Hennecke, Handbuch der neutestamentlichen Apokryphen, 95-105). This contains an account of the death and burial of Joseph at the age of 110, and of the entreaties of Mary to Christ to save him. Its aim was to show forth Christ as the Saviour, even at the last hour, and the rightful manner of Christian death. Joseph has received a high place in the Calendar of the Roman Catholic Saints, his feast being celebrated on March 19.—C. M. Kerr
See link under heading 3. References in Apocryphal Literature
http://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/joseph-husband-of-mary.html
Yet, the same apocryphal text tells us that Jesus did miracles at home and his mother, Mary kissed him for his miraculous deed.
When he was six years old, his mother gave him a water jug and sent him to draw water and bring it back home. 1 Now when he was six years old, his mother sendeth him to draw water and bear it into the house, and gave him a pitcher: but in the press he struck it against another and the pitcher was broken. 2 But Jesus spread out the garment which was upon him and filled it with water and brought it to his mother. And when his mother saw what was done she kissed him; and she kept within herself the mysteries which she saw him do.[Infancy Gospel of Thomas ch.11]
If you think this is not a serious topic of theology discussion, you might want to rethink as the Harvard Theological review 106:1 (2013) headed A COPTIC FRAGMENT FROM THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH THE CARPENTER IN THE COLLECTION OF DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.
https://suciualin.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/suciu-duke-joseph.pdf
The Coptic fragment concurs that Joseph died (young) at 111 years of age. It even has Mary who is a young virgin who spent the last nine years of her life serving in the Temple. When she reaches the age of twelve, the priests decide to find her a husband. They cast lots and Mary is given as a wife to Joseph. [Ibid]
There are lots of questions to ask, with no thanks to the canonical gospels on the issue of the death of Joseph the carpenter and Jesus’ lack of action on his part.
Do you believe that there was 70 years or more difference between Joseph and Mary?
Do you think Jesus could have done more to assist his earthly father life?
Why did Jesus refuse his mothers pleading to safe her husband?
Was it because in the Infancy gospel, Joseph punished young Jesus for his wickedness?
Cofion
Jero Jones
Article URL : https://breakingnewsandreligion.online/discuss/