“Prayer of Joseph”

May 14, 2025 at 11:58 pm

Aisopose

The “Prayer of Joseph” is a pseudepigraphal (non-canonical) Jewish text that survives only in fragments, likely written in the first century CE, possibly in Greek. It’s part of what’s often referred to as the “lost books”—texts that were either excluded from the biblical canon or never intended to be part of it but circulated in ancient Jewish or early Christian circles.

Here’s what we know and can gather from the surviving fragments and references:

🕯 Summary of the “Prayer of Joseph”

Despite its title, the “Prayer of Joseph” is not a conventional prayer. Instead, it’s a first-person narrative in which Joseph, son of Jacob, reveals deep mystical and esoteric truths about his true identity.

🧬 Key Themes and Content

1. Joseph as an Angelic Being

In the fragments we have, Joseph claims that he is not just a patriarchal figure, but an angelic being named Israel—a pre-existent, celestial entity:

“I am Israel, an angel of God, a firstborn of every living being… a firstborn among every creature…”

This “Israel” identity predates his earthly incarnation. Joseph describes a cosmic struggle with another angel—Uriel, a high-ranking archangel—over who held primacy.

This links to the idea that Jacob’s name being changed to “Israel” was not merely symbolic but metaphysical: the name ‘Israel’ is not just a title but an eternal being.

2. Celestial Hierarchy

Joseph/Israel claims to be above other angels, stating:

“I am the first minister before the face of God, and my name is Israel.”

This would suggest a deeply apocalyptic or mystical cosmology where biblical patriarchs are also spiritual archetypes or incarnate angelic powers.

3. Struggle with Uriel

The text refers to a conflict between Joseph and Uriel over who would hold the highest rank among the angels. This passage mirrors similar angelic rivalries found in apocalyptic literature like 1 Enoch and 2 Enoch.

“We were both sent forth by God. He said to me, ‘You are equal in rank, but you shall be over him.’”

🧠 Interpretation and Meaning

Esoteric Reading

The “Prayer of Joseph” draws from Jewish mysticism, possibly proto-Kabbalistic or Merkabah traditions, where biblical figures are often interpreted as manifestations of cosmic forces.

Joseph/Israel = Logos or divine intellect.
Uriel = Flame or fire of God, possibly judgment or revelation.
The conflict symbolizes the balance of mercy (Joseph) and judgment (Uriel) in the divine order.

🕎 In Context of Other Jewish Literature

Related to Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, where each son of Jacob is given expanded spiritual roles.
Parallels with Philo of Alexandria’s allegorical interpretations of the Patriarchs as cosmic ideas.
Echoes of 2 Enoch, 3 Enoch, and Jubilees, where patriarchs like Enoch and Melchizedek are elevated to angelic or quasi-divine status.

🧩 Surviving Texts

Only a few fragments of the Prayer of Joseph survive, quoted mainly by Origen (an early Christian theologian) in his commentary on John and other works.

Most of the original text is lost, but scholars have reconstructed a rough idea of its scope through:

Citations by Church Fathers.
Parallels in other Jewish mystical literature.

🜂 Metaphysical Implication

Joseph as an incarnate angel may imply:

The physical world is woven through with divine consciousness.
“Israel” is not just a people, but a spiritual prototype—a divine presence incarnate in human form.