Advent 2015: Joseph's Joy

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.  And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.”  Matthew 1:18-19

“I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Their eyes met across a crowded market stall, and locked.  In that moment, true love was born.

Or not.

Very little is known about Joseph.  I’ve always been a bit disappointed by that.  I have always had such a marvelous relationship with my dad that I have wanted to know a whole lot more about Jesus’ earthly father: how old was he?  How long had he known Mary?  Did they grow up together, or had he moved to town recently, possibly from Bethlehem since he was “of the house and lineage of David”?  Did he approach Mary’s father about the betrothal, or did his father approach Mary’s father about it, as would have been more traditional?  How long had they been betrothed before Mary became pregnant?  These aren’t just my questions - scholars have tried to answer these questions for years.  But the Bible doesn’t answer any of them.  Here’s what we do know:

• In Jewish culture at that time, a betrothal was the first stage of marriage, usually lasting a year before the wedding night.  It was much more legal than our modern form of engagement, and would have required a divorce to legally and officially end the relationship.  Even though the couple did not live together, it was still considered a part of the marriage, and the couple were considered husband and wife.
• The word “righteous” used to describe Joseph is the Greek word “dikaios” (dee-ki-yos), and means “upright, virtuous, just, right; equitable in character or act; rendering to each his due and in a judicial sense, passing judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by manner of dealing with them; keeping the commands of God; used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life; approved of or acceptable of God”
• The word “disgrace” in the Greek means “make a show, make an example of, to show as an example; to exhibit”
• The word “planned” in the Greek means “to will deliberately, have a purpose; to intend”

In reading these definitions, we gain a much clearer picture of what Joseph was like.  Here was a man who knew God’s Word - you can’t “keep the commands of God” without knowing what they are.  He was a thinker - you can’t “will deliberately” and with purpose without thinking.  He had a finely honed sense of justice based on God’s Word - he looked at others and judged them fairly, using God’s scales to give each one what was owed.  Because he was “wholly conformed to God’s will,” everything he thought, everything he felt, everything he did was first passed before God’s filter to be sure it was something that honored his Heavenly Father.  This was a man who lived carefully and deliberately, putting God first in all things.  No wonder he was “approved of or acceptable of God.”  He is a man any woman would be proud to call “husband.”  And he had just discovered that his betrothed, his wife, was pregnant - and he was definitely not the father.

Whether he loved Mary or not, Joseph had a deep sense of rightness based on God’s laws.  As Mary’s betrothed, he knew that he could have her stoned for what he, and others, surely thought of as her betrayal of him.  “She’s pregnant?  As my betrothed??”  Nothing would make a man see red faster than to believe that the woman he called “wife” had betrayed him sexually with another man.  Yet Joseph’s ability to have her stoned did not prevent him from thinking carefully about what should be done - Matthew 1:20 says, “But when he had considered this…”  The word “considered” here means “ponder, revolve in the mind” - he carefully turned over in his mind the fact of Mary’s pregnancy, and his options as her betrothed: stone her, marry her, divorce her.  Each carried risks.  Deciding to divorce her quietly was not a snap decision, and it is here that we see most clearly why he was chosen to be Jesus’ earthly father.

Joseph wanted to spare Mary regardless of what he believed she had done.  Even in his decision to divorce her, he planned to do so “quietly,” not making an exhibition of her or using her as an example before the rest of the community.  His heart mirrored that of his Heavenly Father Who was already working to bring His mercy down to man instead of His lawful revenge.  No matter how betrayed Joseph felt, no matter how much he may have wanted revenge for the hurt she must have initially caused him, no matter how afraid he was, his desire for giving her mercy came first.  And then God sent His angel to give Joseph the inside scoop - to let him in on the secret Mary already knew: that Baby was God-ordained.  Mary hadn’t sinned, and Joseph didn’t need to be afraid to take her as his wife.

Today’s Advent candle represents Joy, and Joseph is a great example of the joy God places in our hearts when we choose to listen to and follow Him.  Upon realizing that his betrothed was a virgin, that she had been true to him, and moreover was chosen by God to bear His Son, Joseph’s joy propelled him to jump out of bed and go get Mary!  Verse 20 says that Joseph, “awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son….”  The connotation of the word “took” is “immediately” - Joseph didn’t need more confirmation.  His joy knew no bounds, and he made sure Mary knew that she was heard, believed, and supported.  No matter what kind of scorn they may have had to endure over the next few weeks or months before leaving for Bethlehem, they shared the joy of knowing they were to parent Immanuel, “God with us.”  Joseph’s thoughtful presence and his steadfast attitude bring to mind Hebrews 12:2 in which the writer says of Jesus, “...Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Joseph, who was surely familiar with enduring shame, was also one of the first to experience the Joy of the Father a few months later in a stable in Bethlehem. Joseph would have completely understood what the writer in Hebrews was talking about: his heart tasted the sweet fruit of joy that comes as a result of choosing sacrificial obedience.

Before the angel spoke to Joseph, he was willing to sacrifice his rights before the Law in order to give Mary life.  After his conversation with the angel, he was willing to sacrifice his reputation within the community to give Mary protection.  How like our Savior!  He came to sacrifice His rights before the Law to give us life; He was willing to sacrifice His reputation within the community to give us protection.  Like this Good Shepherd, Joseph “laid down his life” in taking Mary as his wife, sacrificing his original dreams and expectations for the dreams and expectations of God.  Indeed, “the hopes and dreams of all the years” were met in that little town of Bethlehem on that night!  

Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing such a solid man as a father to Your Son here on earth!  Thank You for giving Mary such a man as her husband - one who was willing to listen to You and sacrifice whatever was necessary in order to obey You.  Although Jesus was completely God, the completely human part of Him needed an earthly father who understood sacrifice so that he could teach Jesus, even from an early age, about sacrificial obedience and the joy that comes as a result.  Praise You for choosing so well!  May I listen as carefully as Joseph, and may I be as willing to sacrifice my dreams and expectations for Yours, tasting the sweet fruit of Joy as a result!”

In Joyful Expectation,

Sherri