Greek word · G2500

Ἰωσῆς

iōsēs

Joses

Iōsēs is the Greek spelling of Yose, a short form of Yehosef (Joseph). The construction 'the [female one] of X' leaves the relationship to the reader: it can mean mother, wife or daughter. Mark 15:40 settles it: 'Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses.'

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Ἰωσῆς, -ῆ (Rec. -ή Luke 3:29; AV, Jose; see: Ἰησοῦς, 3), and -ῆτος (Mk, ll with), ὁ,

Joses;

1. brother of our Lord: Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55 (Rec., see: Ἰωσήφ).

2. Son of Mary: Matthew 27:56 (-σήφ), WH, txt), Mark 15:40, 47

3. see: Βαρνάβας.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Mark 15:47

Range of meaning

Iōsēs is the Greek spelling of Yose, a short form of Yehosef (Joseph). The construction 'the [female one] of X' leaves the relationship to the reader: it can mean mother, wife or daughter. Mark 15:40 settles it: 'Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses.'

Against the English

KJV prints '[the mother]' in italics to show the word is supplied. YLT keeps the Greek bare: 'Mary of Joses'. Most modern versions write 'mother' without marking it, which is correct from context. BSB's 'Joseph' gives the full form of the name. That is accurate (Joses is a form of Joseph), but it hides Mark's actual spelling and makes the son easy to confuse with Joseph of Arimathea in the previous verse.

Used elsewhere in the period

Joseph was among the most common Jewish men's names in Palestine at the time (Tal Ilan's Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity), and the short form Yose appears often on ossuaries (stone bone-boxes). Mark uses the same genitive spelling Iōsētos for one of Jesus' brothers at 6:3. Matthew's parallel (27:56) has 'Joseph'.

Where it appears

Mark · 3

  1. Mark 6:3 Ἰωσῆτος of Joses

    Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.

    Here: Joses is a shortened, everyday form of Yosef (Joseph), something like “Joe.” Matthew 13:55 gives the full form, Joseph.

  2. Mark 15:40 Ἰωσῆτος of Joses

    And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

    Here: Joses is a short Greek form of Yosef (Joseph), close to the Galilean nickname Yose. Mark 15:47 calls her simply "Mary of Joses", so this son was evidently known to Mark's readers.

  3. Mark 15:47 Ἰωσῆτος of Joses

    Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.

    Here: Genitive of Iōsēs, the Greek spelling of Yose, a common short form of Yehosef (Joseph). Her son was evidently known to Mark's first audience, so she is identified through him.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.