December 23
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus,” Matthew 1:18-25.
This entire Scripture quotation centers around the virgin birth of Jesus. Mary and Joseph were betrothed – that is, engaged to be married – which was as binding as marriage. Before they were living together as husband and wife, they are referred to in Scripture as being husband and wife.
Mary became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. When this came to the attention of Joseph, his only logical conclusion could be that Mary had had a sexual affair with some other man. Joseph did not want to ruin Mary’s reputation and he did not want to make it a public issue. He thought about having her go somewhere privately where she could have her baby and then he would have nothing more to do with her. The English text says he would “put her away.” The Greek text has one word which means “divorce” her.
While these thoughts were going through his head, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and informed him that it would be a virgin birth: “That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Mary had not been unfaithful to Joseph. Through Mary, the words of the Lord spoken by the prophet Isaiah were being fulfilled. Seven hundred years earlier, Isaiah wrote, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.'” Jesus is God and Man in one Person. Each time we speak the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed, we confess our faith that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary.
There are clergymen and lay people who deny that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, simply because they say, “It is impossible for a virgin to become pregnant without having sexual relations with a man.” They deny the one true God, with whom all things are possible.
Joseph awoke from his dream, and he, “Did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” He did as the angel instructed him: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘Savior.’ He is the one and only Savior for sinners.
Incidentally, this is the only reference in the Bible to anything that Joseph ever spoke. Joseph is presented in the Bible as being a thinking man, and as a man who listened to what the Lord had to say. Then he did what God told him to do. Today, we would pray, “O Lord, give us more men like Joseph, thinking men, who listen to You, the Lord, and then do as You say in Your holy Word!”
“Come, your hearts and voices raising,
Christ the Lord with gladness praising;
Loudly sing His love amazing,
Worthy folk of Christendom.
Gracious Child, we pray Thee, hear us,
From Thy lowly manger cheer us,
Gently lead us and be near us,
Till we join th’ angelic choir.” Amen.