“… Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace.”

Matthew 1:19
We don’t know exactly how Joseph learned that his fiancée was pregnant, but we can imagine the difficult conversations he must have had with Mary. Matthew sums up this awkwardness with the understated phrase “it was discovered” (1:18). How was it discovered? Joseph hadn’t yet had the benefit of the angelic visit. He only had the word of Mary, whom he likely hardly knew (for as was customary, in the year between the engagement and the marriage, the bride and groom spent little time together).

Joseph probably responded with stunned silence when she told him that she was not only pregnant, but that her baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit! He might have thought, How could she do this to me? There must be another man; who is he?

We read this with the benefit of hindsight, but Joseph couldn’t see ahead toward what God was doing through his life. Mary’s child may be the Son of God sent to save people from their sins, but for Joseph, this was a devastating nightmare. Still God would use His faithful steward in His great redemption story.



Scripture Focus

Matthew 1:18-19

Insight

Joseph bore the shame by answering God’s call. We can bear the shame that sometimes accompanies being a Christian because Jesus bore our shame.

Bible In A Year

  • Ezekiel 47-48
  • Proverbs 4
  • Hebrews 3-4

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