Most Christian interpretations say Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, had already died before the crucifixion , which is why he is not mentioned at the cross.

Why people think that

The Gospels do not record Joseph being present during Jesus’ adult ministry or at the crucifixion, and Jesus entrusting Mary to John is often taken as a sign that Joseph was no longer alive. The last clear biblical scene with Joseph is when Jesus is about 12 years old in Luke 2.

What we can say for sure

  • The Bible does not explicitly state when Joseph died.
  • The most common view is that he had passed away before Jesus’ public ministry and crucifixion.
  • A few people speculate he may simply have been absent, but that is less common and not directly supported by the text.

If you meant Joseph of Arimathea instead of Jesus’ father, I can answer that too.