Luke doesn’t say much in his gospel about Joseph, who was pledged to be Mary’s husband, so we have to go to the Gospel of Matthew to find out more about him and what he was like. He was a special man, whom God had chosen to be the earthly father of his Son. According to Old Testament prophecy, the Savior was to come from the line of David. Jeremiah 23:5 states, “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.” It is important to note that both Joseph (Matthew 1:1-16) and Mary (Luke 3:23-38) were descended from David. For the Jews a son’s lineage would have been traced through his father, hence Matthew’s genealogy, but since Joseph was not the real father of Jesus it had to be shown that Mary was also a descendant of David, hence Luke’s genealogy. At the time the angel appeared to Mary, she and Joseph were engaged to be married. An engagement was considered a binding agreement, although they were not yet married
Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus Christ
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
What did Joseph plan to do when he found out Mary was pregnant? (18-19)
What did the angel say to him? (20-21)
What was Joseph’s response? (24-25)
THOUGHT QUESTIONS:
What shows you that Joseph was righteous?
Why would obeying the angel have been difficult for him to do?
PRAYER:
Thank God for the faithfulness of Joseph in fulfilling his role in the birth of Jesus. Pray that you would grow in faithfulness to do what God asks of you.
FOCUS VERSE: Matthew 1:20b-21
Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.