Joseph

“Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 

 did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”   Matthew 1:19(NIV)                                                                                             

Joseph felt overwhelmed when he discovered Mary’s condition. He loved her and yet he was disappointed. He, being a just man, thought about how he could end their engagement.

Joseph knew he had two options. He could very publicly humiliate Mary and her family by having her stoned, or he could quietly divorce her, and go on with his life.

An angel came to him as he slept one night and spoke. Joseph learned that the child Mary carried was because the Holy Spirit had caused her to conceive. Then, the angel told him that Mary would give birth to a son and that son’s name was to be Immanuel—“which means ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)

Joseph awoke and obediently brought Mary into his home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24) 

Joseph was blessed with two more visits from an angel of the Lord. We have recorded information that each time an angel appeared Joseph obeyed and moved Mary and the child Jesus to safety.

If you would like to read more about Joseph and Mary, I suggest two books. Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes and The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg. Both of these novels point out different aspects of the story of Joseph and Mary. Both these authors did a lot of research in order to write their novels.

Graphic:www.sjaindia.org