JOSEPH (IN NT)

miles north-east of Cairo, was selected for the new home of Jacob. The district was long afterwards known as 'the land of Rameses' (47") from the care spent upon it by the second king of that name, who often resided there, and founded several cities in the neighbourhood. In Egypt swine-herds and cow-herds were ' an abomina-tion' to the people (46''; cf. Hdt. ii. 47, and Erman, op. cU. 439f.), but there is no independent evidence that shepherds were, and the contempt must be regarded as confined to those whose duties brought them into close contact with cattle, for the rearing of cattle received much attention, the superintendent of the royal herds being frequently mentioned in the inscriptions. Joseph's household and brothers flourished during the seventeen years (472") Jacob Uved in Egypt. Before his death he blessed Joseph's two sons, giving preference to the younger in view of the greatness of the tribe to be derived from him, and leaving to Joseph himself one portion above his brethren, viz. Shechem (48^2 RVra). After mourning for the royal period of seventy days (SO*; cf. Diod. Sic. i. 72), Joseph buried his father with great pomp in the cave of Machpelah, and cheered his brothers by a renewed promise to nourish and help them. He is said to have survived to the age of 110 (50'"'), and to have left injunctions that his body should be conveyed to Canaan when Israel was restored. The body was care-fully embalmed (50^*), and enclosed in a mummy-case or sarcophagus. In due course it was taken charge of by Moses (Ex 13"), and eventually buried at Shechem (Jos 2432).

Of the general historicity of the story of Joseph there need be no doubt. Allowance may be made for the play of imagination in the long period that elapsed before the traditions were reduced to writing in their present form, and for the tendency to project the characteristics of a tribe backwards upon some legendary hero. But the incidents are too natural and too closely related to be entirely a product of fiction; and the Egyptian colouring, which is common to both of the principal documents, is fatal to any theory that resolves the account into a mere elaboration in a distant land of racial pride. Joseph's own character, as depicted, shows no traces of constructive art, but is consistent and singularly attrac-tive. Dutifulness (1 Mac 2'') is perhaps its keynote, manifested alike in the resistance of temptation, in uncomplaining patience in misfortune, and in the modesty with which he bore tiis elevation to rank and power. Instead of using opportunities for the indul-gence of resentment, he recognizes the action of Provi-dence, and nourishes the brothers (Sir 49") who had lost all brotherly affection for him. On the other hand, there are blemishes which should be neither exaggerated nor overlooked. In his youth there was a degree of vanity that made him rather unpleasant company. , That his father was left so long in ignorance of his safety \ in Egypt may have been unavoidable, but leaves a -^-suspicion of inconsiderateness. When invested with ' authority he treated the people in a way that would now be pronounced tyrannical and unjust, enriching and strengtliening the throne at the expense of their woe; though, judged by the standards of his own day, the charge may not equally lie. On the whole, a very higli place must be given him among the early founders of his race. In strength of right purpose he was second to none, whilst in the graces of reverence and kindness, of insight and assurance, he became the type of a faith that is at once personal and national (He ll^^), and allows neither misery nor a career of triumph to eclipse the sense of Divine destiny. R. W. Moss.

JOSEPH (in NT).— 1. 2. Two ancestors ot our Lord, Lk 3^- M.

3 . The husband of Mary and ' father ' of Jesus.— Every Jew kept a record of his lineage, and was very proud if he could claim royal or priestly descent; and Joseph could boast himself 'a son of David' (Mt 1"). His

JOSEPHUS, FLAVIUS

family belonged to Bethlehem, David's city, but he had migrated to Nazareth (Lk 2<), where he followed the trade of carpenter (Mt 13»). He was betrothed to Mary, a maiden of Nazareth, being probably much her senior, though the tradition of the apocryphal History of Joseph that he was in his ninety-third year and she in her fifteenth is a mere fable. The tradition that he was a widower and had ctiildren by his former wife probably arose in the interest of the dogma of Mary's perpietual virginity. The Evangelists tell us Uttle about him, but what they do tell redounds to his credit. (1) He was a pious Israelite, faithful in his observance of the Jewish ordinances (Lk 2'^-'') and feasts (Lk 2"- «). (2) He was a kindly man. When he discovered the condition of his betrothed, he drew the natural inference and decided to disown her, but he would do it as quietly as possible, and, so far as he might, spare her disgrace. And, when he was apprised of the truth, he was very land to Mary. On being summoned to Betlilehem by the requirements of the census, he would not leave her at home to suffer the slanders of misjudging neighbours, but took her with him and treated her very gently in her time of need (Lk 2'-'). (3) He exhibited this disposition also in his nurture of the Child so wondrously entrusted to his care, taking Him to his heart and well deserving to be caUed His 'father' (Lk 2'5- ■"■ ■", Mt IS", Jn 1« 6«). Joseph never appears in the Gospel story after the visit to Jerusalem when Jesus had attained the age of twelve years and become 'a son of the Law' (Lk 2"-^'); and since Mary always appears alone in the narratives of the pubhc ministry, it is a reasonable inference that he had died during the interval. Tradition says that he died at the age of one hundred and eleven years, when Jesus was eighteen.

4. One of the Lord's brethren, Mt 13«, where AV reads Joses, the Greek form of the name. Cf. Mk 6'.

6. Joseph of Arimathsa. — A wealthy and devout Israelite and a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a disciple of Jesus, but, dreading the hostility of his colleagues, he kept his faith secret. He took no part in the condemnation ot Jesus, but neither did he protest against it; and the likelihood is that he prudently absented himself from the meeting. When all was over, he realized how cowardly a part he had played, and, stricken with shame and remorse, plucked up courage and 'went in unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus' (Mk 15"). It was common for friends of the crucified to purchase their bodies, which would else have been cast out as refuse, a prey to carrion birds and beasts, and give them decent burial ; and Joseph would offer Pilate his price; in any case he obtained the body (Mk 15"). Joseph had a garden close to Calvary, where he had hewn a sepulchre in the rock for his own last resting-place; and there, aided by Nicodemus, he laid the body swathed in clean linen (Mt 27"-" = Mk 15«"' = Lk 23»ii-«»=Jn

1938-42).

6. Joseph Barsabbas, the disciple who was nominated against Matthias as successor to Judas in the Apostolate. He was surnamed, like James the Lord's brother, Justus (Ac V). Tradition says that he was one of the Seventy (Lk 10'). T- See Barnabas. David Smith.

JOSEPHUS (1 Es 9")= Joseph, Ezr lO*'.

JOSEPHUS, PLAVIUS.— Jewish historian and general, born about a.d. 37 or 38, and died in the first years of the 2nd century.

1. Life. — According to his Life, Josephus was de-scended from a Maccabaean house, and was thus of both royal and priestly lineage. He states that he showed great precocity, and that the learned men of his race used to consult him when he was fourteen years of age. He studied successively with the Essenes and the Pharisees, as well as with the Sadducees. For three years he was a student with a hermit named Banus — very prob-ably one of the Essenes — although Josephus does not

496