Matthew 1
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
[e] Matthew 1:19 Or was a righteous man and
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
What was “this?” What did Joseph consider? See vv. 18-19. He thought of sending Mary away secretly – e.g. he wanted to break off their betrothal – in short ‘divorce’ her. Why? Because Mary was pregnant. So what? Was he not her husband? (v.19) Why divorce? In their time, betrothal is the first stage of marriage in Jewish culture, usually lasting for a year before the wedding night, more legal than an engagement. Joseph being a righteous man, thought it not right to wed a pregnant woman before the marriage was consummated. He knew he was not the father of the child. Why do it secretly? Because he did not want to shame her.
After all ‘this,’ Joseph had a dream. An angel of the Lord told him two things he needed to do for two important reasons.
- Take Mary as your wife: do not be afraid. Let fear not motivate you. Why? Because the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
- Call His name Jesus. Why? Because He will save His people from their sins.
The means to an end… For Jesus to save man from sin: God’s salvation for mankind – that is the end. For Jesus to become man by the Holy Spirit through Mary, wife of Joseph – that is the means.
Righteous Joseph was told not to be afraid to do the right thing – to take a pregnant woman as his wife, to be the father of the unborn child who was not his, to be an instrument of God’s salvation to mankind.
To ponder…
What would have happened if Joseph secretly sent Mary away? What if he did not listen to the angel of the Lord? He could have avoided the trouble of travelling long and hard with a pregnant wife – looking for a place to stay when there was no room. But he would not have witnessed the worship of the shepherds and wise men at the manger.
He would miss the joyful praises and worship for God of the elderly Simeon and Anna at the temple. He would not need to flee to Egypt to keep his son safe. But he would have missed the peaceful homecoming – the call to return home. He would not have seen how his 12 year old son stayed behind in the temple learning with the teachers. Most of all, Joseph would have missed being the father, the one to bring up the child – the Savior of the world.
What about you, my friend? What would you have missed if you were afraid to do the right thing because you thought it was not the right thing to do? Have you heard rightly what God is calling you to do?
