By Robin Sam
WHEN we read Matthew 1:18-25, these 8 verses tell the story of Mary, a bright, young woman who was in her teens. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a chosen vessel of God. I say this both literally and figuratively. Literally because the Spirit of God poured Himself into her to bring about Jesus, the Son of God. Her obedience to the Word of God is so amazing that even today we talk highly of her.
Matthew 1:18 to 25, however, is also the story of Joseph, the righteous man who did not want to cause public shame to Mary.
Just as God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus from among all the virgin girls in the town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26) He also took great care in choosing Joseph to be the earthly father and guardian of Jesus.
The Bible says: ‘…before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”
Joseph was faced with a tough decision – about what to do with Mary and her child. How do you handle this situation, Joseph would have asked himself. What do you do to make sure there is no public scandal concerning Mary’s pregnancy would not have been the first thought that came up in his mind. He would have felt betrayed and hurt, of course.
Matthew 1:19 says Joseph ‘had in mind to divorce her quietly.’ Why does Matthew use the word ‘divorce’ when they weren’t even married? Betrothals in the Jewish families of Jesus’ time were more binding than our Christian engagements. Jewish betrothals carried with them a lot of weight.
Joseph and Mary, as was the custom in those days, lived separately with each one’s parents, but they were like husband and wife otherwise to the community they were in.
Although Joseph considered divorcing her quietly, it wasn’t really an option because the husband had to give his wife a written divorce certificate annulling the betrothal in front of two or three witnesses. These two or three witnesses, it goes without saying, had to be honorable men in the society like a rabbi or a Jewish leader of repute. Whatever secrecy Joseph wanted to attach to the divorce, word would get out and there would be a public scandal concerning Mary and her supposed unfaithfulness to Joseph.
Joseph, we can safely presume, may have been thinking about the credibility of the witnesses in keeping a secret. They had to be men known for their secrecy and confidentiality.
At this point, we need to ask why did Joseph want to avoid causing shame to the girl and her family in going public? After all, there’s been a breach of trust. Mary was found to be pregnant and he knew he did not cause it. He had a right to be angry and hurt. He had every right to know who was behind it.
Sometimes, anger and hurt bring out the worst in us. We scream, we curse, we take the moral high ground and try to cause maximum damage to the reputation of those who offended us and betrayed our trust. And, no one would say we were wrong in doing that. Our anger would even be justified as righteous anger.
Joseph’s greatness lies in the fact that although Joseph was hurt and had every right to divorce Mary and make it known in the whole of Nazareth, he didn’t. ‘…he had in mind to divorce her quietly.’
Lord, make me righteous like Joseph of Nazareth. When I am hurt, I pray You will give me Your peace. When I am let down and feel betrayed, let me not be motivated to take the moral high ground. Amen.
Remember, the law of Moses allowed stoning to death of an adulteress. Although the Jews were under the Romans who forbid the people from taking the law into their own hands, the Bible says one time the Jews tried to stone Jesus for ‘blasphemy.’ Another time, they brought a woman who was caught in the act of illegitimate sex to be stoned to death before Jesus. We also know Apostle Paul was stoned and left for dead in Lystra (Acts 14:20). So, although stoning people to death was prohibited under the Roman law, the Jews resorted to it from time to time.
Matthew 1:20 says: ‘But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
God’s guidance often comes to us when we align ourselves with God’s heart and His will.
Joseph wanted to do the right thing in the right way, but that still was not the best thing in God’s scheme of things.
Isaiah 30:21 says: ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Joseph heard God’s voice through the angel of the Lord in his dream one night. And the voice of God asked him to do the best thing.
Lord, when I want to do the right thing, help me pause and consider if my way is really Your way. Help me realize Your way is the best way, always. Amen.
The best way, often, is not the easiest route to take. When Joseph decided to obey God and take Mary home, he knew the consequences of his action.
If he had divorced Mary, it would have meant that Joseph was telling those who cared that he had no part in Mary’s shame. However, when he decided to take her home, he was – in a way – assuming responsibility for the child. The child in Mary’s womb was from the Holy Spirit, but Joseph was telling all who cared to listen that Mary was free of any guilt or wrongdoing.
Not many in the community knew of the divine birth of Jesus. And if they knew, they did not accept it.
Little wonder then that Jesus was known as the carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55).
What could have ended up as a scandal in Nazareth was preserved as sacred by Joseph’s obedience to God.
‘And he gave him the name Jesus’ (Matthew 1:25).
Joseph was rewarded with the honor of naming God, the Son of God and the darling of heavens. I am sure a greater reward and honor than this awaits Joseph in eternity.
To act in obedience to the Word of God meant Joseph accepted the virgin birth of Mary. That the Word had become flesh. That the plan and purpose of God was to send His Son to the world through Mary, a chosen vessel of honor.
May God raise up you and me to be like Joseph, righteous, godly and honorable!
Matthew Bible Study: Why this genealogy matters!
