How old was Joseph when Jesus was born?

Response

We are never informed about the age of Joseph or Mary. Many presume that the virgin Mary was a teenager because young women commonly married at that time. The assumption, based on customs of the era, is that Joseph would have been older than Mary, but the exact age gap is unknown. The absence of any mention of Joseph’s parents in relation to the marriage arrangements could suggest that he was older and no longer under his parents’ authority. However, Mary’s parents are also not mentioned, yet many still believe that Mary was a teenager when Jesus was born.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, Mary remained a perpetual virgin. When the New Testament mentions Jesus’ brothers and sisters (Matthew 13:55-56), one Roman Catholic interpretation is that these are Joseph’s children from a previous marriage. If we assume he had multiple children from a prior marriage, then we can infer that he must have been significantly older than Mary—old enough to have had five or six other children. However, this assumption is based on a theological belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity and may not be the most straightforward way to interpret the biblical text. Even if Joseph had been married before, his age remains unknown. It is feasible for a man to have several children by his mid-20s, and some men even become grandfathers in their 30s.

By the time of Jesus’ public ministry, Joseph seems to have passed away. While Mary is mentioned multiple times in the gospels, Joseph is not referenced after the incident of twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:42-52). Joseph is not present at the foot of the cross with Mary, and Jesus entrusts His mother to the care of His disciple John (John 19:26-27). This would have been an unusual decision if Joseph were still alive. For these reasons, many presume that Joseph must have passed away by this time—indicating that he was older than Mary. Joseph’s passing is likely the most plausible reason for his absence at Mary’s side during the crucifixion; however, even if Joseph had passed away, we cannot be certain that it was due to old age. Various factors can lead to the death of a young man in our era, and probably many more in the first century.

In conclusion, speculations regarding Joseph’s age when Jesus was born are based on very little evidence. Nevertheless, we can affirm that, if it were crucial for us to know, the Bible would have clearly stated it. What we do know is that Joseph was a righteous man entrusted by God to look after Mary and her Son, Jesus.