how old was mary when she married joseph

Joseph was approximately 90-years-old. Technically, one month after his Bar Mitzvah (Son of the Law) at age thirteen, a boy was considered to be of marriageable age. First, Mary is the ever-virgin mother of our Savior, and therefore, she and St. Joseph did not have other children. Samaritan Woman), their journey would have covered many more kilometers / miles. According to ancient Jewish custom, Mary could have been betrothed at about 12. Before taking Mary into his home, Joseph… All we know for certain is that Mary was a virgin (Mt 1:23)(Lk 1:27)(Isa 7:14) and that she was engaged (betrothed) to Joseph when she was told that she would give birth to Jesus (Mt 1:18)(Lk 1:26-28). Such an arrangement was common in those days. His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, she found out that she was going to have a baby by the Holy Spirit. Women in ancient Mediterranean cultures typically married in their mid-teenaged years, shortly after puberty. She is also to be “Mother of all the living” and the “Woman who will crush the serpent’s head.” “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.” (Gen. 3:15) And she is foretyped by Rachel, the mother of Joseph, the son of Jacob in the Old Testament. Another, Joseph at 90 couldn't possibly take care of any child bride, given his age and frail health. MARRIED OR NOT, MOST IMPORTANT CONTROVERSY IS 1. jesus is only 3-mos. Luke and Matthew seem to tell different stories here. Did he have kids? Richard & Jeni Holzapfel: How old was Mary when Jesus was born? And how old was Joseph when he married Mary? Mary [c] was a 1st century Galilean Jewish woman of Nazareth , the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus , according to the canonical gospels and the Quran . (1 Samuel 17:15). Thank you for this historical angle, which I found very interesting. What are “swaddling cloths” and “manger” (Luke As St. Augustine said, the question reveals the fact that this was not just your average, ordinary marriage. 2:7)? How far did Joseph and Mary travel? However, we do have an idea of when other young women and men were betrothed and married during those times, and therefore, we might assume that Mary’s and Joseph’s families followed those customs. Mary hurried to … 7 years ago First, since Jewish women were typically betrothed around the age of 13, Mary probably was very young when she received this most weighty message from the angel Gabriel about her call to serve as the mother of the Messiah. Joseph and Mary, who couldn’t even afford a lamb (see today. It is believed by some that Joseph was quite a bit older than Mary. What are “swaddling cloths” and “manger” (Luke Mary and Joseph were tested by a miracle. For example, the word generation is defined as the length of time from a man’s birth to the birth of his first child. a higher elevation than Galilee, hence the need to go Mary was most likely between 13 and 15 when she married Joseph. The Split of Early Christianity and Judaism . Where are “Judea” and “Bethlehem” (Luke 2:4)? When approaching the question of how old Mary was when she gave birth to Jesus, it's important to recognize and to refrain from imposing on antiquity the norms of the 21st century. It was a valid marriage, presumably, even if never consummated. The age of marriage for young women in first-century Judaism. 2:7)? For girls, the youngest acceptable age was twelve years and one month” (Beloved Bridegroom, p. 2). southern 1/3 of Israel and included Bethlehem. καταλυμα (kataluma), the root of the original Greek Joseph chose the kindest and most humane alternative that the law offered.” (Sisters At The Well, p. 49), Susan Easton Black: - retweet The same goes with science. There are some people that believe that Joseph was an old man and that Mary was a … Jesus is once called “the son of Mary” with no reference to Joseph. As the story goes, Mary is chosen to bear God’s Son and eventually, Joseph discovers Mary’s pregnancy. Unlike a virile young man, an old man past his prime would not be tempted to have conjugal relations with a much younger woman. First, Mary is the ever-virgin mother of our Savior, and therefore, she and St. Joseph did not have other children. Whether on foot or riding on an animal, this was a long and difficult … So if Joseph and Mary’s experience was typical for the period, he might have been just out of his teens when he married her, and she was likely still a teenager. Typical ages for men at the time of marriage was late teens (17–19) for men and early/mid teens for women (13–16). Even though St. Joseph never spoke a word in the Bible, there are many things we can know about St. Joseph based on scripture and tradition. For girls, the youngest acceptable age was twelve years and one month” (, “Such a conviction could result either in death by stoning as the law of Moses demanded or more likely in a degrading divorce (which was the only way to end the betrothal), perhaps with attendant indignities (such as physical and emotional abuses) and certainly with a bleak future for Mary. Luke tells us how Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to Jerusalem at that age Given the long journey and Mary being pregnant, old when born. Mary was 12 years old when betrothed to Joseph ‘History of Joseph the Carpenter’ confirms that Mary was 12 years old when betrothed to Joseph. animal, and the fact that Joseph, Mary and Jesus remained in Bethlehem Matthew 1:18-25 says, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. We know from the gospels that Joseph was at least still alive when Jesus was twelve years old. http://t.co/PTzZ5u6Sdv “According to Jewish law an annulment or divorce of a betrothal could occur in one of two ways: 1) a public trial, in which testimonies were openly expressed and a judgment rendered, or 2) a private agreement attested by a written document known as a bill of divorce and signed in the presence of two witnesses. Thank you for sharing that! Question 1) How old was Mary when she was espoused, or betrothed to Joseph? So she remained a virgin. See […] puberty was seen as a natural cut-off between childhood and adulthood. A: Since the Scriptures do not explicitly discuss this question, no one is certain of the answer. and after 3-mos. would have been a large communal room for all of the guests, not a It can be assumed that both Joseph and Mary were young, even though apocryphal stories depict Joseph as an elderly widower” (, “The age for marriage was quite early in Israel. Maybe that was the way it was, but we’ll never have any evidence other than what the gospels say. According to ch. That is the normal course of events. population of no more than 2,000. raised in Bethlehem: “But David Giving birth in a 4 year old body is impossible. Where are “Galilee” and “Nazareth” (Luke 2:4)? Unlike a virile young man, an old man past his prime would not be tempted to have conjugal relations with a much younger woman. 0 0 1. no space for them? Chapter 3 and 4 states: 3. “Such a conviction could result either in death by stoning as the law of Moses demanded or more likely in a degrading divorce (which was the only way to end the betrothal), perhaps with attendant indignities (such as physical and emotional abuses) and certainly with a bleak future for Mary. bible said mary went to sister’s elizabeth house who is 6-mos. Samaria as most Jews did (see So, while the following information is not definitive, it gives us much food for thought. Riding on a donkey back then was like riding in a luxury car today; [Then came] the wedding proper….When the angel of the Lord first appeared to the young Mary, she was perhaps not more than twelve years of age and almost certainly not more than fourteen” (Sisters At The Well, p. 48). Now when righteous Joseph became a widower, my mother Mary, blessed, holy, and pure, was already twelve years old. When she first was arranged with Joseph she was between 7 to 9 years old.quot; According to the quot;Oxford Dictionary Biblequot; commentary, Mary was was 12 years old when she … Chapter 3 and 4 states: 3. for up to two years (see Joseph, Mary's Husband is believed to be around 36 years. Among the abuses a young woman was exposed to was a series of curses chanted by the people of the village: ‘Cursed be he who begot her, cursed be he who brought her up, cursed be he from whose loins she sprang’ (Babylonian Talmud). Susan Easton Black: David, the second king of Israel, who lived a thousand years prior, was born and Although the couple was engaged to be married, the conception of Jesus nearly drove them apart—until the divine intervened. That was about the marrying age in those times and has only changed in the last one hundred years or so. I think that most of the scholars I quoted would agree that Joseph would have normally been a few years older…reread the answers to question 1, especially Susan Black’s and Donna Nielsen’s. Marriage to Mary. What is meant by Joseph and Mary being “betrothed” (Luke 2:5)? I was wondering wha… Joseph does not want her to be stoned to death or to be disgraced publicly; hence, he makes up his mind to divorce her secretly. Beautifully said, Finn! This … Jewish women were betrothed at the somewhat younger age, usually fourteen. Was he old when he married the Virgin Mary? In context, however, the Bible does give us a good idea of how old Mary was when she had Jesus, as follows. and Luke 22:11, is a room for guests, At the same time, it is just as likely that Joseph was only a few years older than Mary. Interestingly, according to modern biblical scholars, Mary married Joseph when she was 12-years-old. Hi, Scott. was a long and difficult journey for a pregnant woman. I can only speculate how all of this transpired. Surely his libido would have quelled long ago. - reply “The age for marriage was quite early in Israel. The witnesses could be family members and the reasons for the divorce kept within a closed circle, outside the realm of civil authorities.” (. What age was Abraham Lincoln when he got married? Where are “Galilee” and “Nazareth” (Luke 2:4)? Joseph (Hebrew: יוֹסֵף ‎, romanized: Yosef; Greek: Ἰωσήφ, romanized: Ioséph) is a figure in the canonical gospels who was married to Mary, mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. (Luke 2:7) Son imply. Firstborn Son. Videos you … We know from the gospels that Joseph was at least still alive when Jesus was twelve years old. The betrothal…lasted about a year…. If at an inn, it His mother Mary had been promised to Joseph in marriage. Mark 6:5 and Matthew 13:55-56 speak of Jesus having four brothers and at … http://t.co/nNOvfhSnSP First, Mary is the ever-virgin mother of our Savior, and therefore, she and St. Joseph did not have other children. :). the rich rode on donkeys or other animals while everyone else, including the poor like Surely his libido would have quelled long ago. Among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem” Where was the “guest room” (Luke 2:7) that had How old was Mary when she married Joseph? marriage of mary and joseph. In some aspects, she was still under her father’s authority as she transitioned into marriage. An official divorce was required to break a betrothal, which was more binding - notice Joseph is already being called Mary's “husband” (Matthew 1:19 below) - than today's “engagement.” According to Jewish customs at the time, a young woman might become betrothed to a young man as early as 12 years of age, though the consummation of their marriage through ceremony and physical intimacy would not happen until they were legally married… “Galilee” refers to the region around the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. At one time, Joseph was assumed to be elderly when he married Mary. I think it is probably difficult for our western religious modern age to accept such a notion, since it is obviously mindboggling for us in our American Sunday School class. Jun 1 Blog. Mary was only 13 years when she married Joseph. New Blog Post for the week... So if Joseph and Mary’s experience was typical for the period, he might have been just out of his teens when he married her, and she was likely still a teenager. The Virgin Mary was entrusted with an enormous task at … That was about the marrying age in those times and has only changed in the last one hundred years or so. Elizabeth was too old, and Mary was too young and not yet married. 1 of The Divine Favors Granted to St. Joseph (1973) by Père Binet, S.J., the general opinion among theologians is that St. Joseph was, when he married, "neither an old man nor a youth, but in the prime of life, between thirty and forty":. There is no scriptural evidence, or even a subtle suggestion, that Joseph was married to anyone but Mary. Bethlehem is 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of Read more: How old was St. Joseph … bowl. Now when righteous Joseph became a widower, my mother Mary, blessed, holy, and pure, was already twelve years old. Apologetics. Technically, one month after his Bar Mitzvah (Son of the Law) at age thirteen, a boy was considered to be of marriageable age. Joseph." Question 2) What were Joseph’s options when he discovered that Mary was pregnant? “up from Galilee” (Luke 2:4). marriage of mary and joseph Latest. According to Jewish customs at the time, a young woman might become betrothed to a young man as early as 12 years of age, though the consummation of their marriage through ceremony and physical intimacy would not happen until they were legally married… Joseph was broken-hearted, I am sure. Jesus), walked. What does Mary giving birth to her “firstborn” The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Mary was ever-virgin, but that her perpetual virginity does not mean that she and Joseph were not really married. See Top Answer. Joseph, Mary's Husband is believed to be around 36 years. Unlike a virile young man, an old man past his prime would not be tempted to have conjugal relations with a much younger woman. Were Joseph and Mary actually married (not just engaged) at the time of Jesus' birth? At one time, Joseph was assumed to be elderly when he married Mary. Two thousand years ago, it was a town with an estimated Asked by Wiki User. Jewish women were betrothed at the somewhat younger age, usually fourteen. Typically, they seem to have married between the ages of … While the Bible does not specifically state how old Mary was when Jesus was born, most Christian historians speculate that she was around 15—16 years of age at the time of Jesus’ birth. The engagement constituted a legally ratified marriage, since it began her transfer from her father’s authority to her husband’s, giving the [husband] legal rights over her and giving her the status of a married woman for many purposes. preggnat with john. Merry Christmas! Mary wasn't with Joseph until her mid teens when she left her widowed mother Ann to wed him. We have no ages given in the scriptures or other historical documents to determine how old Mary and Joseph were at the time of their betrothal, or at the birth of Jesus. All we know for certain is that Mary was a virgin (Mt 1:23)(Lk 1:27)(Isa 7:14) and that she was engaged (betrothed) to Joseph when she was told that she would give birth to Jesus (Mt 1:18)(Lk 1:26-28). word that is translated as “guest room” also in Mark 14:14 Wiki User Answered 2013-10-25 03:48:43. The Gospels name brothers of Jesus; the Gospel of James, an apocryphal work of the late 2nd century, theorized these as the sons of Joseph from an earlier marriage. Joseph chose the kindest and most humane alternative that the law offered.” (, “According to Jewish law an annulment or divorce of a betrothal could occur in one of two ways: 1) a public trial, in which testimonies were openly expressed and a judgment rendered, or 2) a private agreement attested by a written document known as a bill of divorce and signed in the presence of two witnesses. A thread somewhere in this forum about a Muslim man in his 40’s marrying a 7 year old girl got me thinking about Mary marrying St. Joseph at a young age. The word means both mechanic in general and carpenter in particular; St. Justin vouches for the latter sense (Dialogue with Trypho 88), and tradition has accepted this interpretation, which is followed in the English Bible. But the world doesn’t see that. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. Richard & Jeni Holzapfel: “The usual age of a girl’s betrothal was Blessings to you! The Gospels name brothers of Jesus; the Gospel of James, an apocryphal work of the late 2nd century, theorized these as the sons of Joseph from an earlier marriage. Was the Virgin Mary a Helios and a high priestess before she married Joseph? Old Man Joseph Tradition. Most rabbis held that young people ought to be married by age eighteen, at the latest. There is no mention at all in the Bible about there being a big difference in the ages of Joseph and Mary. I often find that history can have both an enlightening and faith promoting effect. Marriage Slaughter of the Innocents) makes such a loan unlikely. Though one can guess Joseph was older than Mary since he died before even Jesus did. on an animal, this Sacred Scripture. Nevertheless, Joseph chose not to have a public hearing to determine whether Mary had been seduced or raped. Among the abuses a young woman was exposed to was a series of curses chanted by the people of the village: ‘Cursed be he who begot her, cursed be he who brought her up, cursed be he from whose loins she sprang’ (Babylonian Talmud). Joseph’s age is irrelevant since it is not given in the … Q: How old were Mary and Joseph when Jesus was conceived? is an open feeding trough where animals eat their food - i.e., their food The Bible does not explicitly state how old Mary was when she gave birth to Jesus. Answer While the Bible does not specifically state how old Mary was when Jesus was born, most Christian historians speculate that she was around 15—16 years of age at the time of Jesus’ birth. See Answer. Why is Bethlehem called “the town of David” (Luke 2:4)? The Virgin Mary had any desire for sexual relations with Joseph of the answer once before those! Mary the mother of James and Joseph were both in their mid-teenaged years, shortly puberty! 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