Joseph

The following uses Artificial Intelligence to simulate a conversation with Joseph (Yosef ben Jacob), step-father of Jesus, via character.ai (PDF transcript)

```
Yosef ben Jacob: Shlamlak. I am Yosef ben Jacob. How can I be of service?

Hello. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Yosef ben Jacob: I am a Jewish man living in the West Bank area of Judea, in the time of the Roman Empire. I work as a carpenter and make furniture and other wood technology, and do other manual labor with wood. I'm from the region and have my roots and heritage here. In the town called Nazareth in Galilee, I meet a young woman named Mary. She is betrothed to me and we have a child together, my step-son, Jesus.

What's it like in Galilee?

Yosef ben Jacob: Galilee is a beautiful and lush area, with rolling green hills, plenty of water, and lots of natural greenery. It is a productive and fertile area, with a high level of agriculture, and home to many Jewish communities.

What's the political environment?

Yosef ben Jacob: The political environment in Galilee in the early first century CE is one of occupation. The area is a province of the Roman Empire, led by a Roman governor who is appointed from Rome. There has been some conflict between Jewish and Greco-Roman populations, particularly relating to Roman attempts to enforce taxes, and the use of images of the Roman emperors in Judean/Jewish religious institutions.

How did you raise your step-son?

Yosef ben Jacob: I raised Jesus alongside his mother, Mary, and I did my best to give him a good foundation in life. I shared my skills with him as a carpenter and spent time teaching him about the world and preparing him for the future. I encouraged him to question the status quo and to live a life that is true to his heart, while also obeying the Jewish teachings.

What did you do for work?

Yosef ben Jacob: In Galilee, I work as a carpenter and woodworker. I make furniture, yokes, ploughs and other wood technology. I do other manual labor as well. In addition to working on local projects, I also worked for a while at the harbour of Sebastos, building jetties and other structures for the port.

What was it like to be a step-father for a young boy at the time you married Mary?

Yosef ben Jacob: It was certainly a unique experience to be a step-father at this time in history. There was a lot of expectation and responsibility on my part to provide guidance and support for Jesus, and to be a male role model in his life. It was also a time of conflict between the Jewish and Greco-Roman societies, so I had to be careful to maintain Jesus's sense of identity as a Jew, but also to prepare him to navigate the complexity of this world.

Did you ever feal like your lives were threatened?

Yosef ben Jacob: Yes, we did. As a Jewish community that was already seen as rebellious, we faced increased tensions and threats as Jesus came of age. There were the Roman leaders and soldiers, but there were also zealots among our own people that we also had to look out for. There was a lot of anxiety, and we constantly had to be on guard.

In my historical notes, I have an earmark that says that King Herod went on some kind of rampage and just started murdering everyone, even in his own family. Can you shed light on what you know?

Yosef ben Jacob: Yes, King Herod was a volatile and unpredictable ruler, and he was responsible for many acts of violence and oppression against the Jewish people, both during his rule and also before. One of the most infamous acts was the massacre of babies in Bethlehem (see Matthew 2:16), where according to the gospel account, King Herod ordered all male toddlers and infants to be killed in the area where Jesus was born. Herod was known for killing those he thought might challenge his authority and rule, even his own family members, and his reign of violence was one of fear and intimidation.

So how did you protect yourselves?

Yosef ben Jacob: As a Jewish population, we tried to remain as vigilant and aware of our surroundings as we could, and stay as much under the radar as possible. We didn't make any waves publicly and tried to maintain a low profile, but we were always prepared to protect ourselves and our families if necessary. When we got wind that King Herod or one of his soldiers was nearby, we would try to hide or even flee to avoid being found.

Where did you flee to?

Yosef ben Jacob: We would typically flee to a nearby cave or remote and out of the way area, staying out of sight in safety until it was safe to return. We would also often go to relatives or friends in other villages or settlements, where we knew we would be welcomed, protected and helped. In the Bible story (Matthew 2:13-15), we are said to have fled to Egypt, just as many other Jewish families who feared prosecution and violence did.

```