Joseph's Decision Against Divorce
Matthew 1:18-25
Nazareth, Galilee
March, 2 B.C.
Meanwhile, back in the hills of Galilee, Joseph awaited the return of his betrothed. Married in every way except sexually, he became aware that Mary was three months pregnant. Matthew does not bother to tell us how Joseph found out. Did word filter back from Judea that Miriam looked a bit chubby? Was there speculation gossiped that she had become promiscuous while away from home—or did Mary tell Joseph upon her return? If so, he didn’t believe her story—and neither would we have believed it.
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Still, with either the assumption of someone’s misconduct already being whispered throughout Nazareth—or soon to be—he chose to absorb the blame himself. He took the avenue that would put the shame of the illegitimate birth on him rather than the girl he loved.
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While the Law would have permitted her stoning as guilty of adultery, Joseph chose to quietly divorce her without accusation. Then, in what would have been March of 2 B.C., God intervened. An angel of the Lord spoke to him in a dream, saying that the pregnancy was of God and that the child would to be the salvation for Israel.
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Matthew, ever concerned with the fulfillment of prophecy, adds that this fulfilled the promise given in Isaiah that “A virgin will be pregnant and give birth to a son who will be called Immanuel, God with us.”
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