The Shame Of Joseph:

Isaiah 11:1 KJV And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:


We have to understand that Nazareth was a group of descendants of David. You won’t find Nazareth in the Old Testament. However, Nazareth meaning “BRANCH” we understand that a group of the Davidic Line broke off from Judah and by the time of the return of the exiles, Nazareth became a community dominated by the descendants of David. It was a highly educated group of people, knowing that the Messiah would come through them. The word Nazareth became synonymous with Davidic or as to say a descendant of David.

Both Joseph and Mary were all of the house of David and raised in Nazareth. Since there is Old Testament scripture referring Jesus as “the Branch” it is logical to understand when we hear Jesus of Nazareth it is declaring that Jesus was a descendant of King David.

NAZARETH THE BRANCH:
Nazareth" is derived from one of the Hebrew words for 'branch', namely ne·ṣer, נֵצֶר this also alludes to the prophetic, messianic words in Isaiah 11:1, 'from Jesse's roots a Branch (netzer) will bear fruit'.

Returning from the Babylonian captivity in 539 BC. Many Israelites chose to settle outside their forefathers historical allotment by God —Moses and Joshua.

Nazareth was founded 2200 BC (Early settlement) but by the return of the exile many of David’s descendants chose to settle in Nazareth. And it became a community of about 300-400 residents.

This community was not lax in their devotion to their faith that the Messiah was to come through their Davidic line. Their commitment was just intense as the Sanhedrin and there must have been some animosity between the two because it was a common jab to say: …”Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”... JOHN1:46 KJV.

To add more fuel to the fire — Joseph knew that his community would expect him to perform a “Honor Killing” or “Shame Killing” which is still practiced in the Middle East. However, Joseph was a good man and wanted to put Mary away quietly— Maybe send her south to relatives back in their Davidic ancestry home in Judah.

But Joseph was visited in a dream by an angel of the Lord. He accepted and did what the angel said and took Mary as his wife and thus shame was attached to Joseph, Mary, Jesus and all His Siblings. We don’t know how Joseph or Mary’s parents reacted. Traditionally it was the grooms father to say when the son could go “snatch the bride away” once the bridegroom prepared a house for them. They must have endured a lot of rejection— even when Jesus was in His public ministry:

Luke 4:17-21 KJV
And He closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears…. VERSE 22–— “Is not this Joseph's son?”

Suggesting the SHAME was still on the family —that Jesus was a bastard son and Joseph was still remembered as one who failed the Law of Moses.

Luke 4:28–30 KJV
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But He passing through the midst of them went his way, THEN HE SAID:

LUKE4:24 KJV And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

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