These words are how the angel greets Joseph when Mary is pregnant. "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home." [Matthew 1:20] However, Son of David is a Messianic title seemingly reserved for Jesus. How then can the angel call Joseph, "son of David"? Joseph is not the Messiah. But Joseph has an important role to play. He provides the Davidic lineage to Jesus. Jesus is called Son of David only because he is Son of Joseph.

If Son of David is a Messianic title, can we really call Joseph that? Well, the angel did. And the angel was just delivering God's message, so it really was God that called Joseph, son of David. We can be assured that it is ok then.

Interestingly enough, Joseph was implicitly called 'son of David' at the Annunciation. First, we are told, "the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary." [Luke 1:26-27] Then, we might miss it, but the angel tells Mary, "the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father." [Luke 1:32] This shows that Jesus gets His Davidic lineage from Joseph. The way Luke presents it, Jesus can only be Son of David if he is Son of Joseph. So at the very beginning of Jesus' earthly life, Joseph is shown to be Jesus' father.

With this, Joseph links the Old Testament prophesy with the New Testament. As such, he is the last patriarch. The patriarchs being the fathers in the lineage of Jesus, which are listed in the Bible. And while not all of the patriarchs were always upstanding, righteous men. Joseph was. His duty as the last and greatest patriarch was too great for anything less. The other patriarchs are fathers of men, but Joseph is father of God. This seems impossible, but it is what God did and how He arranged it.

Joseph, son of David, you had a great duty to tie the Old Testament to the New Testament. Help us to live the New Testament, so as to bring it to others. Amen.