Do the Right Thing: Joseph
Note: This week we will contemplate the journeys of the people who play key roles in the events leading up to the birth of Christ.
Matthew 1: 18-25
Life can change in an instant. I am simultaneously surprised by and accepting of that truth. I have seen it in my own life and in countless situations as a therapist and a pastor. That change can be a beautiful unexpected development that improves your life beyond your wildest dreams or it can be a devastating turn of events that sends you spiraling and threatens to unravel your whole life. I’ve experienced both. I know many of you have as well.
That is where we enter into Joseph’s story today. Joseph is engaged, looking forward to his life with Mary. I imagine that he envisions a future where he works as a carpenter, Mary takes care of the home, and perhaps they will have children. His weren’t unrealistic expectations. However, his life is about to change in an instant, when he discovers that his betrothed is pregnant. What he didn’t expect was the news that not only was his betrothed pregnant, but she had a rather incredible (or maybe incredulous) tale of how it happened. Pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Scripture doesn’t tell us if Joseph believed it or not, but it does tell us that, upon learning of her pregnancy, Joseph plans to quietly dismiss Mary. That’s the plan until another angel shows up in a dream. (The text doesn’t tell us if it was Gabriel or not, but we know how busy he has been this season.) The angel tells Joseph to stick to the original plan. The angel affirms that Mary was indeed pregnant by the Holy Spirit and that this child was special. He would be “God with us.”
Just like many Protestants don’t acknowledge the extraordinary role that Mary plays in our faith story, many do not give Joseph his due. Joseph does not get a lot of attention in scripture. According to a Google search, Joseph is only mentioned sparingly in the New Testament, mostly in Luke and Matthew. He isn’t mentioned at all in the Gospel of Mark and only a couple of times in the Gospel of John. It would be easy for Joseph to become an afterthought in the Christmas story and in Jesus’ story, mainly showing up in Christmas pageants and nativity sets.
Despite the limited attention to Joseph in scripture and in our imaginations, Joseph’s actions pack a wallop for lessons in righteousness. We usually laud his obedience and faithfulness of listening to the instructions of the angel. However, I think the first we hear of Joseph and his plans reveal just why God would choose this man to help raise the savior of the world.
His first inclination is to divorce Mary, which seems understandable. However, even in this plan, he is doing the right thing by God’s standards. You see in Jewish culture at the time, an engaged couple is seen as already married; they just had consummated the marriage yet. If the woman turned up pregnant during this time, it was assumed that she had been unfaithful, and the punishment could be death. By quietly dismissing Mary, he showed her mercy and protected her life. According to Adam Hamilton’s work on Joseph, by keeping quiet about the divorce, most would assume that they had consummated the marriage and that the child was Joseph’s, meaning Mary had not cheated. He would bear the shame while Mary was spared the public humiliation and harsh punishment. He showed compassion, mercy, and agape love. He was willing to bear the brunt of the consequences to protect Mary and let God deal with her. He didn’t seek revenge. He didn’t try to shame or humiliate her. His silence would let people think that Mary had been wronged. He showed mercy.
This Christmas season let us model Joseph’s mercy and compassion as well as his obedience.
Rec. Dana Ezell
