Matthew 1:24: Joseph

In our text today, Matthew 1:18-25, we have Joseph: Joseph is a carpenter/stone mason. He is from the Roman occupied territory of Judea and Joseph is righteous.

Matthew tells us also that Joseph is pledged to be married to a girl named Mary. Now, betrothal in the first century is not like it is today. When you are engaged then you are already united. But even so, before Mary and Joseph ever ‘know each other’ in the Biblical sense, before they ever come together in that way, Mary becomes pregnant.

Imagine this scenario with me, if you will – men in particular: you are engaged, you have not had relations with your fiancée and all of a sudden you find out that she is pregnant. What would you do? What would you say? What would you feel? What would you think? What would you think and what would you do if your girlfriend to whom you are engaged becomes pregnant – and not by you? Would you still get married? Joseph, when he finds out that Mary is pregnant, is planning to call off the wedding altogether. Verse 19 says that he wants to do this quietly so as to not bring any disgrace upon Mary.

Then something happens. Joseph has a dream. He dreams about an angel and in the dream this angel tells Joseph that he should ‘take Mary home as his wife’, Verse 20, ‘because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’. He then dreams of the child saving people, even from their sins. Joseph thus has a number of decisions to make.

Does he believe in visions and angels in general and does he believe this vision of this angel in particular?
And how will he respond to this belief? Will he ignore his conviction that this vision is from God and press on with the separation/divorce anyway or will he accept the commission given to him from God through a messenger in a dream?

What would you do? Do you believe in your dreams? When Joseph awakes from his sleep, Verse 24, he does everything the angel from the Lord told him. Joseph is a righteous man.

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Originally presented to the River Street Cafe, 22 December 2017 by Michael Ramsay

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