Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Mary was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, since he was a righteous man, and having known Mary to have unquestionable integrity, could never have doubted her character. What he doubted was himself, whether he was fit to be a part of such fearful and miraculous events that were beginning to unfold. He worried that his involvement would tarnish the whole project and so decided extricate himself from it in such a way that it wouldn't reflect poorly on Mary.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
The angel came to Joseph to reassure him, not so much of anything about the character or integrity of Mary, but about that part he was meant to play. Hence the angel called him "son of David" indicating the royal lineage that Joseph possessed and was to convey to the child of his betrothed. The angel reminded him that what was happening was under the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit. As such even his own involvement fell under the auspices of divine providence. He had acted as though his involvement was only accidental and unintended by divine providence. But the angel seemed to assure him that he meant to be part of the story. Hence the angel continued:
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.
Joseph, son of David, was meant to be the one to give the name to the child conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary. He was to call him Jesus, meaning, "God saves" "because he will save his people from their sins". The fact that Jesus, called "God saves" would be himself the one to save according to the angel was establishing a close connection between God and Jesus himself.¹ It was a connection that alone could fully explain the name Emmanuel, prophesied by Isaiah, meaning "God is with us".
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.
Joseph, obedient to the angel did the two things commanded of him. He took Mary into his home and when the time came he bestowed the name commanded by the angel. Jesus is the righteous shoot to David, the king that reigns in heaven and governs all things wisely, because of the ancestry that he received through Joseph. As we celebrate our king whose name is above every name let us also thank Joseph son of David for his obedience to the word of the angel. May he teach us not to shrink from our own call to be involved in God's divine plan of salvation, no matter how unworthy we may feel.
1) Mitch, Curtis; Sri, Edward. The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): (A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Catholic Biblical Scholars - CCSS) (p. 44). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
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