JOSEPH AND THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH
Matt. 1:18-25
Morning Meditation 9/6/16
Verses 18-25 say, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”
This chapter sets before us one of the greatest events in human history. It is completely unreasonable to the reasonable mind. But, about all of God’s dealings give man’s reason a problem. God makes a statement, doesn’t explain and expects us to believe it. This is the way God created us to live. He wants unquestioned faith in His revelation. “ . . . Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). What happens in this chapter is for believers. Skeptics are dismissed. You do not have to read further.
First, Joseph selects a wife. How this came about we do not know. The account and manner of betrothing is given by Maimonides in the following words: “Before the giving of the law, if a man met a woman in the street, if he would, he might take her, and bring her into his house and marry her between him and herself, and she became his wife; but when the law was given, the Israelites were commanded, that if a man would take a woman he should obtain her before witnesses, and after that she should be his wife, according to Deut. 22:13 and these takings are an affirmative command of the law, and are called !yswrya wa !yswdyq “espousals” or “betrothings” in every place; and a woman who is obtained in such a way is called tsrwam wa tsdwqm “espoused” or “betrothed”; and when a woman is obtained, and becomes tsdwqm “espoused”, although she is not yet ‘married, nor has entered into her husband's house’, yet she is a man's wife.''
There is no doubt that Joseph acted in accordance with the custom of the time and in obedience to the Law of Moses. There was a period of time between the espousal and the consumation of the marriage which included a ceremony. There was no physical contact between an espoused wife until after the formal ceremony. I believe that Joseph, who believed he had found the most virtuous young girl that he had ever met, was ready to give himself in marriage for a lifetime. Joseph selected a wife.
The next thing is that Mary was “found with child of the Holy Ghost.” There are two things about this that I want you to notice. First, the words “before they came together” are set before us in the same sentence where we are told of the espousal. All of this is woven together as one garment. Second, the words “of the Holy Ghost” are in the same sentence. The information is coming to us so fast that our minds can hardly bear it. Mary was espoused to Joseph, it was before there was any physical relationship, Mary was found with child, and the Holy Spirit is the Father. Quite a revelation! I feel sorry for an unsaved doctor at this point. We had a doctor in our church who did his internship at LSU Shreveport. He said, “Bro. White we have had several virgin births at LSU Medical Center!” He was smiling when he said it. He said that several of the girls who came there pregnant disclaimed ever having a relationship with a man!
I can see some of you. You’re laughing. Well, what would you have thought if you had been living at the time and you had been an acquaintance of Mary and Joseph? We are studying the inspired Word of God and we are doing it after the fact.
Lets notice next, the discovery of a child. Matthew says, “she was found with child.” The words “she was found” translate “heurisko” and means “to come upon, hit upon, to meet with.” The idea is that it became obvious. The fact is that they met with the truth of it. It is an aorist passive indicative verb. The aorist tense refers to the point of time when this took place. The passive voice means that they were hit with the truth of Mary’s pregnancy without searching for it. Have you ever heard something and you said, “I’m not wanting to hear this.” You are discovering something that is dreadful to your ears and the emotion and shock and unbelief are flooding in upon you. You just do not believe this could be happening. But you realize that it is true. It is something that has to be dealt with whether you like it or not.
So we are told in verse 19: “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.” At this point in the story in these short verses, Joseph is not thinking MIRACLE. He is thinking FORNICATION. The love of his life is an awesome disappointment. His dreams have been shattered. But we are told that Joseph was a “Just man.” The word “just” translates “dikaios” which means “righteous.” When God calls a man “just” it means he is saved. There is only one kind of righteousness that stands up with God and that is imputed righteousness. He was also a man who was obedient to the Law of Moses. So being a JUST and COMPASSIONATE man, he chose a way out that would not publicly embarrass Mary and would release him from any future obligation to her.
Then in the midst of these thoughts, we have the information recorded in verses 20-24. An angel appeared to Joseph and explained the whole situation. This was a revelation of God that would not make sense to the natural mind. We have sixty-six books of the Bible that we are asked to take with the same faith that the angel asked Joseph to exercise. It happens like this in Scripture. First there is a revelation, i.e., Mary is pregnant and her pregnancy is of the Holy Ghost. Second, there is an explanation. This is the pattern of this chapter. The angel told Joseph that what is happening was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 7:14). So Joseph did not only have a message from the angel, he had a verse of Scripture to confirm it.
Then we have Joseph’s obedience of faith recorded in verses 24 and 25: “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” The obedience of faith is immediate. We can be about to make a bad decision when the revelation of God comes. And when we decide to obey God, it will go against everything that we have been rationalizing.. Joseph’s decision to obey God no doubt made him a laughing stock of those who did not know what he knew. Later it is revealed that it was common knowledge that Mary had a child that Joseph did not father: “Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, WE BE NOT BORN OF FORNICATION; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41). - Caps mine.
Verse 25 says that Joseph “ . . . called his name JESUS.” He did exactly what the angel told him to do. This is what FAITH does. Faith responds positively to what God says. It does not need to make sense to the natural mind. It may cause those who do not understand to think that we have lost our minds. We can tell them they are right. We have found the “Mind of Christ.”
May God bless these word to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
