Today’s text focuses on Joseph, Mary’s betrothed. We do not know much about this man. The Bible tells us little about him, but he must have been a good man for God to have chosen him to raise His Son. We know only that He was a carpenter (Matt 13:55-56). Today’s lesson will show him to be a man whose heart was right with God.
Verse 18 tells us that Jesus’ mother was betrothed to Joseph, but they were not yet married. And we know from Luke 2 that Mary had spent the first three months of her pregnancy away visiting her cousin Elisabeth. We can see, also, in this verse, that before Mary and Joseph had been physically intimate, he learned that she was pregnant. The Bible does not tell us how he found out, and I would imagine that she probably told him when she returned from Elisabeth’s house. This is not the sort of thing that you can keep from your intended, especially if that far along. I also think she must have told him herself because we see him, in the next verses, trying to protect her reputation by keeping things quiet.
Joseph is in a hard spot. Read verse 19. He knows this baby is not his, but he also doesn’t want to expose Mary to public disgrace. I imagine he feels a good amount of hurt, personally, and thinks Mary has betrayed him. He doesn’t want to go through with the marriage because of the baby, but because they are already betrothed, he will have to get a divorce in order to call it off. He has decided to do this quietly despite the fact that she has treated him wrongly. He is a gentleman and apparently cares about Mary.
Verses 20-21 tell us that Joseph had a dream. In this dream, an angel appeared to Joseph and told him to not be afraid to go ahead with the marriage. The child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit and she will have a son (the Son of God), who will save people from their sins. He is told to name the boy Jesus. Compare this message that Joseph received from the angel with the one Mary received from the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:31,35). Both parents were told by angels not to be afraid, that the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and to call His name Jesus.
In verses 22-23, Matthew makes a note for the reader of His Gospel that this was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He refers to the words of Isaiah which foretold the virgin birth of a Son who would be called Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’ (Is 7:14).
Verses 24-25 tell us what Joseph did when he woke up from the dream. He immediately took Mary as his wife. This would have been a hard thing to do. I’m sure the neighbors were counting the months in the pregnancy just as neighbors have always done and I’m sure they gossiped, just as neighbors have always done. Joseph would have born Mary’s shame, as I doubt anyone would have believed the virgin birth story at that time. But she gave birth to a son and they named Him Jesus, as they were instructed.
The Bible also tells us, here in verse 25, that they did not consummate their marriage until after the child was born. Mary was still a virgin at the time she gave birth making the virgin birth clear fact. Many people believe that Mary was still a virgin until the day she died but that is not true. The Bible refers to Jesus as Mary’s first-born Son, not her only Son (Luke 2:7). And we know that Jesus had brothers and sisters (Matt 13:55-56). Jesus was raised in a regular family with two parents and siblings.
Responding to God: Praise God for the miracle of the virgin birth, worshipping the members of the Trinity. Thank Him for your salvation. Pray that He will make you gracious and forgiving when dealing with the sin of others who may have treated you wrongly. Ask His help to follow in His will at all times.
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