Joseph’s Wisdom

Joseph of Genesis, son of Jacob, was a dreamer and a sage, an interpreter of dreams.  He was a wise man.

So too Joseph of Matthew, father of Jesus.  The angel addresses him as “son of David” (Matthew 1:20), a title used almost exclusively of Solomon in the OT (1 Chr 29:23; 2 Chr 1:1; 13:6; 30:26; 35:3; Prov 1:1; Ecc 1:1), and exclusively of Jesus elsewhere in the NT.  Jesus is a new Solomon, a sage, but like Son like Father.

When Joseph the “son of David” dreams, we are reminded of the dream of the original son of David at Gibeah (1 Kings 3).  There, Yahweh appeared and promised wisdom.  Joseph the “son of David” also dreams, and is told that the one who is conceived in his fiancee’s womb is Wisdom Incarnate, conceived from the Holy Spirit.