Immanuel Is Born

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Golden Text: She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus:for he shall save his people from their sins.—Matthew 1:21.

How to Say It

Bethlehem. Beth-lih-hem.

Galilean. Gal-uh-lee-un.

Galilee. Gal-uh-lee.

Heli. Hee-lie.

Herod. Hair-ud.

Jerusalem. Juh-roo-suh-lem.

levirate. leh-vuh-rut.

Nazareth. Naz-uh-reth.

oxymoron. ox-see-more-on.

Sepphoris. Sef-uh-ris.

Home Daily Bible Readings

Monday, Dec. 14—The Fullness of Time (Galatians 4:1–7)

Tuesday, Dec. 15—God with Me Wherever I Go (Genesis 35:1–4)

Wednesday, Dec. 16—May God Not Leave Us (1 Kings 8:54–61)

Thursday, Dec. 17—God Ahead of Us (2 Chronicles 13:10–15)

Friday, Dec. 18—A Greater One with Us (2 Chronicles 32:1–8)

Saturday, Dec. 19—God Is with Us (Isaiah 8:5–10)

Sunday, Dec. 20—Jesus, Immanuel (Matthew 1:18–25)

Thomas Jefferson penned these words to end the United States Declaration of Independence: “We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” It is easy to understand what he meant by lives and fortunes, but what did he intend by sacred honor?

Honor may be defined as “moral reputation.” To act honorably is to act in accordance with the recognized moral standards of one’s community. To be dishonorable is to be accused of a grave violation of public morality and to be judged guilty as such in the eyes of the community. Because morality must have a religious foundation, true honor is always sacred honor.

In our increasingly amoral and immoral society, we have lost much of this traditional sense of honor. Public figures act openly in adulterous and other immoral ways. In some communities, unwed pregnancies are the norm rather than the exception. Titans of the business world who are exposed for epic financial transgressions are quickly “rehabilitated” and allowed free rein in another company. Sports cheaters seem always able to find another team if their skills are at a high level.

How different from the days of my youth! As I grew up, there were no more devastating words said by my mother than “Shame on you!” I must admit that I heard this more than once when my mother discovered some youthful indiscretion. Many of us can still feel the heartbreak of having experienced the disapproval of a parent in this regard. When used judiciously, shame is an effective childhood motivation that continues to influence us, even as adults.

In the ancient world, shame and honor were powerful motivations and controlling influences on society. A person who acted dishonorably was seen as shameful in the public eye. This shame extended to the person’s entire family and could be influential for many generations. Business dealings with a shamed person were to be avoided. Social interaction with a shamed family was unwanted. Marriage, which was as much a joining of families as of individuals, was unlikely if one of the families was seen as dishonorable. These issues weighed heavily on Joseph in our lesson today, for he sought to act honorably in a difficult situation.

The birth of Jesus is recorded in two of the Gospels: Matthew and Luke. Luke, which we looked at last week, tells the story primarily from the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This week we look at Matthew’s account, which focuses on Joseph, the earthly (step)father of Jesus.

We can learn quite a bit about Joseph from the Bible. Matthew says that his father was named Jacob (Matthew 1:16). This is a nice parallel to the Jacob and Joseph of the Old Testament (see Genesis 35:22–24). Luke, however, lists the father of Joseph as Heli (Luke 3:23). Since we know that Matthew and Luke were both very careful authors, this is not a matter of one being wrong and one being right. We may not know the certain solution to this problem, but it is often understood as a reflection of the levirate marriage laws of the Jews (Genesis 38:8; Deuteronomy 25:5–10).

Under this theory, Jacob and Heli were brothers, but Jacob died early. In that situation, it was the custom for the brother to take the widow as his own wife, and Heli may have done this with Joseph’s mother. Thus both Jacob and Heli were Joseph’s fathers—one in a legal sense and one in a biological sense. Joseph himself became Jesus’ father in a legal but not biological sense.

Joseph had connections in both Bethlehem, a village outside of Jerusalem, and in Nazareth, a village in Galilee about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. Luke presents Joseph and Mary traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem then back again. Matthew’s account adds the interlude in Egypt that resulted from the threat of murderous King Herod. We can see from all this that while Joseph was not a world traveler, he did his share of moving around! This means that his perspective was not that of a single tiny village such as Nazareth.

Joseph was a carpenter by trade (Matthew 13:55). The ancient role of a carpenter was often more than a simple woodworker in a small shop, as Joseph is usually portrayed by artists. Joseph may have been a skilled construction worker who traveled to various work sites to ply his trade. If true, it is likely that the sons in his house (including Jesus) accompanied him when they were old enough.

A current theory is that Joseph and his sons may have worked in Sepphoris. This was a large city, about an hour’s walk from Nazareth, that was being rebuilt at this time. There would have been plenty of work for craftsmen in this city. The nature of the sacrifice Joseph and Mary offered when Jesus was eight days old indicates a family that was far from rich (Luke 2:24; compare Leviticus 12:8). But steady work in Sepphoris may have meant that the family of Joseph later came to be relatively well off for Galilean villagers.

While Joseph plays an important role in the birth stories of Jesus, he, unlike Mary, is absent in the stories of Jesus’ ministry. This has led some to conclude that Joseph was dead by that time. This is, of course, an argument from silence. But the argument seems fairly strong since Mary, Jesus’ other parent, is mentioned in those stories. Joseph probably was 25 to 30 years old when he married. Since Jesus was about 30 when he began His preaching (Luke 3:23), Joseph likely would have been age 55 or 60 by that time. Thus the assumption that Joseph already had passed away when Jesus began His public ministry is very plausible.

How long Jesus may have been without His father, we don’t know. But the fact that Jesus was still identified as “the carpenter’s son” in Matthew 13:55 perhaps indicates that Joseph’s death was not too distant from that point in time.

18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

We may find it difficult to understand the full impact of the statement that Mary was espoused to Joseph. Our marriage customs today usually include a period of engagement followed by a marriage ceremony. To be engaged means that a man and woman are planning to marry. While being engaged is not a casual thing, it is understood that engagements can be broken (and frequently are).

This is not the situation for Joseph and Mary. According to the arranged marriage customs of the day, they are considered to be married legally when the espousal takes place. This marriage is legally binding, even though the two have not yet begun to live together as husband and wife.

It is during the espousal period that Joseph learns of Mary’s pregnancy. For a woman in this position to be found pregnant means more than unfaithfulness to her fiancé. It means she has violated her marriage covenant; she (apparently) has committed adultery. [See question #1, page 144.]

Matthew reassures us that this pregnancy is not the product of immorality, but of the Holy Ghost. But how do you prove such a claim? Mary’s situation gives every indication of illicit sexual contact. This is far from what Joseph expected when the marriage was arranged. His honor is threatened. He is not likely to continue a marriage with an adulteress. Joseph is not likely to agree to take a wife from a father whose house is shamed by his daughter’s (apparent) sexual sin. [See question #2, page 144.]

19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

The Law of Moses requires the execution of one who commits adultery (Leviticus 20:10). To do so definitely would be a public example, a strong deterrent for anyone tempted to have sex outside of marriage. By this time in history, however, this remedy is rarely exercised, if ever. The fact of Roman occupation may remove this possibility completely. But any kind of public remedy would still be highly shaming.

Matthew portrays Joseph as a man of honor. He is both just (righteous) and merciful. His righteous nature makes it impossible to continue with the marriage. His merciful nature causes him to be kind to Mary despite her seeming betrayal.

To put her away means literally to “release” Mary from the marriage contract (compare Matthew 5:31). If he takes this action, Joseph will protect his honor, but shame will fall on Mary and her family, for such actions cannot be kept secret in a small village. Even so, Joseph is determined to do this privily. Even though the secret eventually will get out, Joseph will not be a party in making the issue public. There will be no street-corner proclamation of the divorce, as is sometimes done (compare John 8:3–5). This to be privately negotiated between Mary’s father and Joseph. [See question #3, page 144.]

Americans of a bygone era had a good idea of what shame meant (see the lesson Introduction). But the idea of an honor-shame culture is foreign to many in the Western world today. However, in recent years many of us have learned (to our horror) about the extreme honor-shame parts of other cultures. An Internet search will yield many examples. For instance, in 1994 a 32-year-old Muslim in Jordan slashed the throat of his 16-year-old sister. He then ran out into the street, waving the bloody knife and yelling, “I have killed my sister to cleanse my honor.”

His sister’s “crime” was that she had been raped by another brother. Her uncles convinced the brother who murdered her that she was too much of a disgrace to the family honor to be allowed to live. The murderer got a 15-year prison sentence, later reduced to half that. Even that was considered to be a very severe penalty for an honor crime in Jordan.

An honor-shame culture was also in force in ancient Judea. But if we read Leviticus 20:10 carefully in its context, we realize that the foundations were different. We see a “righteous” aspect of an honor-shame culture as we examine Joseph’s thinking. Mary’s unwed pregnancy could have shamed Joseph. His culture demanded repercussions to make sure the shame stayed where it was presumed to belong—on her.

However, to Joseph’s great credit—and as evidence of why he was chosen to be Jesus’ earthly father—he demonstrated his humanity and mercy in his intent to walk the tightrope between protecting his honor and shielding Mary’s privacy. We do well to remember that “mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:13). —C. R. B.

20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

God intervenes before Joseph can act on his plan for divorcing Mary. [See question #4, page 144.] Despite his expectation of shame, Joseph is told not to fear taking Mary as his wife. What has happened with Mary is not a sinful mistake. Joseph is to be part of a mighty act of God. Joseph will be an intimate witness to the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. The angel communicates God’s approval for Joseph to receive Mary into his home. To obey God transcends any human issue of honor.

It is significant that this unnamed angel refers to Joseph as thou son of David. Just as Matthew will show that the pregnant virgin is a fulfillment of prophecy, so too is the ancestry of Joseph. The public assumption will be that the child is a natural son of Joseph; the reality will be that Joseph will be the legal (not biological) father. Even so, the arrival of Jesus will be a fulfillment of the promise to David of a descendant who will be the legitimate one to reign on David’s throne (Isaiah 9:6, 7).

Joseph is given another assignment: that of naming the boy. To do so is to recognize the child as his son (see Matthew 13:55). God knows that Jesus will need a good father and mother to prepare Him for the work that lies ahead. The choosing of Joseph and Mary for these roles speaks of God’s view of their characters.

As we noted in Lesson 2, the name Jesus is equivalent to the Old Testament name Joshua. This is significant. Joshua was the Old Testament hero who led the nation of Israel into the promised land; Jesus will be God’s servant to lead people to salvation (compare Romans 5:21; Hebrews 2:10). Names in the ancient world have meaning. Jesus/Joshua means “God is salvation” or “God is Savior.” This meaning alludes to the angel’s promise that he shall save his people from their sins.

One of the primary purposes behind Matthew’s writing of his Gospel is to show Jesus as the one who fulfills the many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah (see Matthew 5:17). Matthew often does this by relating something from the life of Jesus and then quoting the appropriate Old Testament passage. Matthew 1:22, 23 is the first instance of this; it is perhaps the most important, for here Matthew employs a marvelous text from the great prophet Isaiah.

23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

It is not the birth of Jesus per se that is unusual. We can assume that he is born physically in the normal human manner. That includes labor pains, an umbilical cord, and all the rest. It is, rather, His conception that makes His arrival unique. In strictly human terms, a pregnant virgin is a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron. It is also a matter of faith and a cause for great wonder. God could have chosen a more spectacular sign to signal the birth of the Messiah, but it is hard to imagine a more marvelous one.

Matthew’s explanation of the purpose of the virgin birth is very simple: it fulfills prophecy. It is the “sign” that Isaiah anticipated (Isaiah 7:14; see last week’s lesson). It is a confirmation of God’s hand in the creation of this child.

There are several miraculous births recorded in the Bible. We remember the cases of Isaac (Genesis 17:15–19), Samson (Judges 13:2, 3), and Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19, 20). In none of those cases, however, was the mother a virgin. For Mary and Joseph, there can be no doubt concerning the work of God in the conception of their son. It is truly an instance where they can detect that God is with the two parents. By extension, it is a sign that God is with His people. He has not forgotten His promises to them.

Matthew pictures Joseph as acting decisively. [See question #5, page 144.] He takes Mary to be his wife and live in his house, being willing to bear all the implications. If there is to be shame, however unjustified, Joseph’s shoulders are broad enough to bear that burden. By becoming Joseph’s wife, Mary’s protection and reputation has been transferred from her father to Joseph, her husband. We should neither undervalue Joseph’s courage in this act nor underestimate how much this obedience has the potential of costing him.

The phrase knew her not means that Joseph abstains from having sexual relations with Mary. There is no record of direction from the angel to avoid this during the pregnancy, but that is what Joseph does. He has taken to heart the holiness of what is happening.

There is no indication, however, that Mary and Joseph do not have such relations after the birth, despite the doctrine that some churches maintain of Mary’s perpetual virginity. To the contrary, the Gospels record that Jesus eventually has four brothers and more than one sister (see Mark 6:3; the language of Matthew 13:56 indicates that there are three or more sisters).

Matthew does not include Luke’s details about shepherds and angels at the birth of Jesus, nor does he discuss the idea of a stable serving as a delivery room. Rather, Matthew’s emphasis at this point is on the prophetic and doctrinal importance of Joseph’s actions. The Messiah is now among the people. God is dwelling among them in the person of Jesus (see John 1:14). Isaiah’s ancient prophecy has been fulfilled.

Wesley Autrey, a 50-year-old construction worker, was waiting for the subway with his two daughters in Manhattan on January 2, 2007. Nearby, Cameron Hollopeter had a seizure and fell onto the tracks just as a train was coming. Autrey later said he was thinking, “Someone has to help this guy.” That’s probably what most of us would have thought. But Autrey said his next thought was, “There’s no one else here; you have to do it yourself.”

With the train bearing down, Autrey jumped onto the tracks and pinned the thrashing man in the 21-inch-deep trough between the rails. The train brushed his cap as it rolled over him. Autrey later appeared on the David Letterman show; he also received $10,000 from Donald Trump. A U.S. Senate resolution praised him for acting responsibly and, as all would agree, heroically. Such courage!

Joseph is another example of courage. Awaking from his dream, he did as the angel had instructed him. He took Mary under his protection by marrying her. He named “their” son Jesus, the name that had come by divine instruction. Not many of us will be called by circumstances or divine command to risk either life or reputation as these two men did. But they stand as shining examples of what it means to act with courage. —C. R. B.

Honor as a controlling code still exists in some places today. One of those is the military, where soldiers are still given honorable or dishonorable discharges. A foundation for a sense of honor is to realize that irresponsible and immoral actions reflect on more that just the individual who commits them. Soldiers do not (or should not) want to bring dishonor on their unit, their branch of the service, or their country. In societies where honor is strong, dishonor taints an entire family.

Honor is different from pride. We can be glad for our honorable acts, but we should wince when we see people who seem to take pride in dishonorable acts. Excessive pride is toxic to our lives (see Proverbs 16:18). Honor, on the other hand, is often portrayed as the outcome of humility, the opposite of pride (see Proverbs 15:33; 29:23).

What if we are called to act in a way that is seen as dishonorable by the society in which we live? What if obedience to God’s will asks us to do something that might be seen as shameful by our peers? We must remember that shame is relative to community standards. What is shameful in one community or culture may not be shameful in others. We can rest assured that God will never ask us to do something that He considers to be shameful.

It is at this point that the distinction between pride and honor must be remembered. Obeying God requires a denial of self, the opposite of pride. In today’s lesson, Joseph had to swallow his pride and risk dishonor in order to obey. The verdict of history, however, is that Joseph was a man honored by God and deserving of our admiration. He sought to honor God by his obedience and was granted honor himself.

The truth is that our lack of obedience is much more likely to be a matter of pride than a matter of honor. May we take a lesson from Joseph, who sought to obey God regardless of the cost. No wonder God chose him to rear His Son!

God in Heaven, we thank You for Your mighty provision for our salvation through Your Son, Jesus, born of a virgin in fulfillment of Your promise. We are humbled by the choice of Joseph to be obedient even at the risk of dishonor. We pray that we will always choose obedience too. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.