Christmas Speculations: Joseph
So Mary's story sets the stage for obedience to God when He calls us to take a step--or in her case, a long jump--of faith. She was amazing.
And Joseph might be even better.
That may seem crazy; I mean, after all, Mary was chosen by God. She was the actual mother of Yahweh's Son. She accepted God's plan and chose to believe Him in spite of fear and rejection and doubt.
But think about this: Joseph's faith had to be just as strong. I mean, Joseph and Mary were betrothed--similar to being engaged, but much more serious. Betrothal was a legally binding agreement and you didn't just call it off; you had to legally undo the pledge to marry one another. In Matthew 1:19, in fact, Joseph is called "her husband," even though the verse preceding it says Mary was "pledged to be married to Joseph," (Matthew 1:18, NIV).
And Joseph got the news that I'm sure knocked his socks off: Mary was pregnant. Now of course Mary told him the whole story: the angel had appeared to her, she was pregnant through the Holy Spirit, and she was carrying the Son of God.
I can only imagine the look on Joseph's face here. He was a noble man but come on; surely she didn't think he would buy this. From Joseph's point of view, Mary was one of two things: either lying or crazy. Either she was pregnant by someone else or she had literally lost her mind.
And he had the opportunity to show which he chose. A woman caught in adultery, which an unmarried pregnant girl would certainly be, could be publicly shamed and even killed for her unfaithfulness. If Joseph had thought that Mary would sleep with someone, he had every legal and social right to do this.
But he didn't. He "did not want to expose her to public disgrace," so "he had in mind to divorce her quietly," (Matthew 1:19). This amazingly awesome girl he had come to know and love had obviously gone off the deep end. I don't think Joseph felt angry or deceived; I think he was confused, disappointed, and heartbroken.
Not to worry, though; God knew this story was too much for any mortal man to believe. The Lord sent an angel to appear to Joseph in a dream and explained the story, telling him, "do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife...she will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus," (Matthew 1:20).
THIS IS HUGE. If Mary had been asked to take a long jump of faith, Joseph's had been called to leap across the Grand Canyon. Why? Because by going along with this plan, Joseph was giving up his reputation. Everybody would think the baby was his, and that he and Mary had not respected God or their parents or each other by staying pure until marriage. I mean, surely he would have divorced her if the baby were not his.
And on top of that, fathers named babies in this period of time. The angel wasn't giving Joseph permission to simply be a loving step dad or adoptive father; he was commanding Joseph to raise the baby as his own.
Joseph was taking his reputation--which was probably the most valuable thing he had--and placing it on the altar to God. His good name would be ruined in order to fulfill the plan to bring God's Son to us. I can only imagine what Joseph thought: This will ruin me. It will destroy my relationship with everyone in my family and Mary's family. It will likely devastate my business. I'm basing this life-changing decision on an angel coming in a dream.
"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife," (Matthew 1:24). What a man. He went against what everybody else would think and chose to believe God.
Joseph trusted God's plan not only for the baby and Mary but for his own life. This was nothing like he had planned but he accepted by faith the road God set him on. Because of his decision to trust the angel, they would find themselves moving away from home for years, fleeing for their very lives.
He gave up his family, his home, his safety, and his reputation for God. And it's funny; we don't have a single recorded word out of Joseph's mouth in scripture. No questions, no objections, no discussions.
Just faithful obedience.
And when baby Jesus grew up into a man and began his public ministry, it seems everyone had forgotten the scandal surrounding His conception. In fact, the people of Nazareth asked, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" (Luke 4:22).
Physically, no. Jesus was God's Son. But his earthly father modeled honor, nobility, and faith few have ever seen.
And Joseph might be even better.
That may seem crazy; I mean, after all, Mary was chosen by God. She was the actual mother of Yahweh's Son. She accepted God's plan and chose to believe Him in spite of fear and rejection and doubt.
But think about this: Joseph's faith had to be just as strong. I mean, Joseph and Mary were betrothed--similar to being engaged, but much more serious. Betrothal was a legally binding agreement and you didn't just call it off; you had to legally undo the pledge to marry one another. In Matthew 1:19, in fact, Joseph is called "her husband," even though the verse preceding it says Mary was "pledged to be married to Joseph," (Matthew 1:18, NIV).
And Joseph got the news that I'm sure knocked his socks off: Mary was pregnant. Now of course Mary told him the whole story: the angel had appeared to her, she was pregnant through the Holy Spirit, and she was carrying the Son of God.
I can only imagine the look on Joseph's face here. He was a noble man but come on; surely she didn't think he would buy this. From Joseph's point of view, Mary was one of two things: either lying or crazy. Either she was pregnant by someone else or she had literally lost her mind.
And he had the opportunity to show which he chose. A woman caught in adultery, which an unmarried pregnant girl would certainly be, could be publicly shamed and even killed for her unfaithfulness. If Joseph had thought that Mary would sleep with someone, he had every legal and social right to do this.
But he didn't. He "did not want to expose her to public disgrace," so "he had in mind to divorce her quietly," (Matthew 1:19). This amazingly awesome girl he had come to know and love had obviously gone off the deep end. I don't think Joseph felt angry or deceived; I think he was confused, disappointed, and heartbroken.
Not to worry, though; God knew this story was too much for any mortal man to believe. The Lord sent an angel to appear to Joseph in a dream and explained the story, telling him, "do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife...she will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus," (Matthew 1:20).
THIS IS HUGE. If Mary had been asked to take a long jump of faith, Joseph's had been called to leap across the Grand Canyon. Why? Because by going along with this plan, Joseph was giving up his reputation. Everybody would think the baby was his, and that he and Mary had not respected God or their parents or each other by staying pure until marriage. I mean, surely he would have divorced her if the baby were not his.
And on top of that, fathers named babies in this period of time. The angel wasn't giving Joseph permission to simply be a loving step dad or adoptive father; he was commanding Joseph to raise the baby as his own.
Joseph was taking his reputation--which was probably the most valuable thing he had--and placing it on the altar to God. His good name would be ruined in order to fulfill the plan to bring God's Son to us. I can only imagine what Joseph thought: This will ruin me. It will destroy my relationship with everyone in my family and Mary's family. It will likely devastate my business. I'm basing this life-changing decision on an angel coming in a dream.
"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife," (Matthew 1:24). What a man. He went against what everybody else would think and chose to believe God.
Joseph trusted God's plan not only for the baby and Mary but for his own life. This was nothing like he had planned but he accepted by faith the road God set him on. Because of his decision to trust the angel, they would find themselves moving away from home for years, fleeing for their very lives.
He gave up his family, his home, his safety, and his reputation for God. And it's funny; we don't have a single recorded word out of Joseph's mouth in scripture. No questions, no objections, no discussions.
Just faithful obedience.
And when baby Jesus grew up into a man and began his public ministry, it seems everyone had forgotten the scandal surrounding His conception. In fact, the people of Nazareth asked, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" (Luke 4:22).
Physically, no. Jesus was God's Son. But his earthly father modeled honor, nobility, and faith few have ever seen.
I hope you're blessed by the song and the perspective it gives on Joseph. I pray all you unmarried girls out there have your heart set on nothing less than a Joseph: a man who puts God above his friends, above his family, above society, above himself, and above you. I promise this is the man you want.
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