Many Christians set up a Nativity scene in their home and in their churches during the days prior to Christmas. One of the figures in any Nativity set is that of Joseph. He is generally positioned to be standing over the baby Jesus figure lying in a manger, and next to the Virgin Mary, protecting them both. Not a whole lot is said about Joseph in the Bible. Naturally he is mentioned in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus. He is mentioned when he, Mary, and the baby need to flee into Egypt, and once when he and Mary search for the missing Jesus in Jerusalem. The only other mention of Joseph in Scripture is our account in today’s passage. Though brief, it tells us more about him and his character than any of the others. Let’s take a look.
As we begin, we read that Joseph was betrothed to Mary. Betrothals among Jewish people in Biblical times were as binding as a modern marriage, and to break the betrothal would require a divorce. During the time of their betrothal, Joseph learned that his fiancé, Mary, was pregnant. He knew the child wasn’t his, as they had not been together, so naturally he believed that Mary had been unfaithful to him (vs. 18). What was Joseph going to do? Legally, the punishment that the Old Testament Law allowed for unfaithfulness was stoning. Joseph could legally have brought Mary before the Jewish authorities, expose her as an unfaithful and unchaste woman, and have her stoned to death. However, Joseph loved Mary, and did not want to see her put to death, especially in such a terrible way. He was just and merciful, so the best solution seemed to be to just quietly end the betrothal and send Mary away (vs. 19).
Joseph was a just man, righteous, and with good standing in the village of Nazareth where they lived. Then Mary must have come to him with the news that she was pregnant, and a bizarre tale that she hadn’t been unfaithful, but that an angel came to her, that this baby was from God, and would be the Son of God, the Messiah. How could Joseph possibly believe something as fantastic as Mary’s story? With this news, and the decisions he had to make, Joseph went home and to sleep. While asleep, God sent an angel to him in his dream, who told him that what Mary had said was true, and to take her as his wife, and to raise this child, who was the promised Messiah (vs. 20-21).
Joseph chose to obey God, despite all that this meant. No one else would likely believe the story that Mary was pregnant, but was still a virgin, and had not been unfaithful. They would not believe that this was the Son of God. Gossip was just as vicious then as it is now. People would have believed that Joseph and Mary had been improper, and not waited until the actual marriage, or that he was marrying her, but raising the child from some other indiscretion of Mary’s. Although Joseph knew that taking Mary as his wife would be humiliating, and he would be giving up his reputation, he chose to obey God. Joseph placed God’s plans ahead of any of his own for the kind of marriage and life he may have been planning.
Mary had not been unfaithful to her fiancé, Joseph. What she had told him was the truth, and though she was expecting this baby, she was still a virgin. It was necessary for Jesus to be born of a virgin as the Son of God. as the sacrifice for our sins could not have any sin in Him, including original sin passed on from Adam. If Mary were not a virgin, she would have been a liar about the visit of the angel. She would have been unfaithful to her fiancé Joseph, and Jesus would have been illegitimate with no divine nature, who died a sorry death. Apart from the virgin birth, Jesus would have been just another man, and unworthy of any one’s faith.
The name Jesus means “the Lord saves” (vs. 21). Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins. He didn’t come to help people save themselves. He came to be our Savior from the power and penalty of sin. Jesus also had the title “Immanuel”, which means “God with us” (vs. 23). Jesus was God in the flesh, so in a very literal way God was among men. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is present today in the life of every believer.
Joseph put God, His will, and His plans first and foremost in his life, despite anything it would cost him. He remained humbly in the background, being a good father and protector of the Son of God and His mother, the Virgin Mary. Joseph is a model to us of faithfully serving the Lord in whatever position He decides, no matter the personal cost.
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