“The Angel’s Surprise for Joseph”
Matthew 1:18-25

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Third Sunday in Advent—December 16, 2018

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

During December we are having a sermon series on “The Angels of Advent,” looking at what the Bible teaches about angels, and their very important role in the Advent and Christmas story.  Our text is this morning’s Gospel Reading from the first chapter of Matthew, the story of “The Angel’s Surprise for Joseph”:  “An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid . . .”

The marriage customs in first-century Palestine were very different from our marriage customs today.  When we understand these differences, we will understand exactly why Joseph would be afraid.

In first-century Palestine, life expectancy was much shorter than in our world today.  Although Jesus died at the age of 33, that actually wasn’t a young death back then.  Because, it is estimated by archaeologists and anthropologists that 33 years WAS the average lifespan in the Roman Empire, compared to nearly 80 years for us. So, compared to our lives today, it’s like their whole lives back then were lived with the fast forward button on.

That’s why marriage took place at what seems to us a very young age, especially for the bride.  Males traditionally married at age 18; females married just after puberty, which was officially set at age 12 1/2.  It is entirely possible that at the time Jesus was born, Mary was only 13 or 14 years old.

Marriages were arranged by the groom and the father of the bride.  A young man would pick out a prospective wife and then approach the girl’s father.  They would agree on a dowry and enter into an oral or written marriage contract.

The next step was the betrothal.  The betrothal was similar to what we call an engagement, and yet much more than an engagement.  At the betrothal the groom would declare, “She is my wife and I her husband, from today and forever.”  But then the bride and groom would go their separate ways.  They were legally married, but during the period of betrothal they lived apart, they did not have any contact, and they did not have marital relations.  Although they were legally husband and wife, during the betrothal they were forbidden even to talk to each other; if they needed to communicate, it was through some third party. 

It was not by accident that this period of betrothal was usually nine months long, because the entire purpose of the betrothal period was to prove that it was not what we call a “shotgun” wedding, to prove that the bride was not pregnant.  At the end of the betrothal period the bride would be brought into the groom’s home and only then would they live together as husband and wife.

Matthew writes, “Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”  So, it was during the period of betrothal that Jesus was miraculously conceived; for Mary and Joseph it couldn’t have come at a worse time.  The whole purpose of the betrothal was to prove that Mary was not pregnant, and then Joseph learns that she is pregnant. 

Perhaps Mary broke the rules of betrothal and informed Joseph of this herself; or perhaps this shocking news came to Joseph through a third party.  We don’t know whether or not Joseph at first believed Mary’s claim to have miraculously conceived. 

Joseph knew the child could not be his, for they had not yet had martial relations.  Perhaps Joseph suspected Mary of adultery with some other man.  Some today who doubt the virgin birth have blasphemously suggested that Mary was violated, and then she made up the story of the angel’s visit to explain her pregnancy.  Maybe that’s what Joseph thought at first too. 

As a faithful Hebrew, Joseph was fully aware of Isaiah’s famous prophecy of the virgin birth of the coming Messiah.  So, he may have actually believed Mary’s story.  And yet, Joseph was afraid.  Joseph was afraid with the lingering suspicion that maybe Mary was not being truthful.  And because the ancient punishment for adultery was stoning to death, Joseph was afraid for Mary’s life. 

Joseph could have made Mary’s situation public and demanded that she be punished.  But, Matthew says, “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.”  Whether or not Joseph believed Mary, he was afraid and his solution was to break the betrothal quietly in hopes that Mary would escape punishment. 

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’ . .  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son.”

Instead of breaking the betrothal, Joseph brought the betrothal to a quicker than normal conclusion, immediately taking Mary home as his wife.  This would legitimize her condition in the eyes of the community and give her protection from punishment.  But, Joseph and Mary had no martial relations until after Jesus had been born.

In addition to this complex situation surrounding Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph had other reasons to be afraid.  There is a song that expresses what Joseph’s thoughts might have been as he held Jesus in his arms:

“How could it be, this baby in my arms, sleeping now so peacefully, the Son of God the angel said.  How could it be?  Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours, how can I be father to the Son of God?  Lord, for all my life I’ve been a simple carpenter, how can I raise a king?”

Joseph would also be afraid for the reasons expressed in those lyrics.  Afraid because God’s plan didn’t seem to make any sense to him; afraid because he could not see how events in his life all fit into God’s plan.

“‘Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means, ‘God with us.’ . . When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him . . .”

Joseph trusted that God was fulfilling his promise and sending his Son to be born of a virgin, and so Joseph did what the angel of the Lord commanded him, taking Mary home as his wife; taking Mary to Bethlehem so that the Savior would be born there, as Micah had prophesied; protecting Mary and her Son by fleeing to Egypt when evil King Herod tried to kill Jesus; raising Jesus up as if he was Joseph’s own son.

Are you too sometimes afraid, like Joseph?  Afraid because God’s timing couldn’t seem to be worse?  Afraid because God’s plan for you doesn’t seem to make any sense?  Afraid because you cannot see how events in your life all fit into God’s plan?

Be not afraid; the God who planned and prophesied the virgin birth and then miraculously brought it to pass is still in charge of our world and your life.  He is working all things together for the good.  Even if it seems to be poorly timed, even if it doesn’t make sense to you, even if you don’t see how it all fits into God’s plan, like Joseph, be not afraid.

“And he gave him the name Jesus.”  The name Jesus literally means, “The Lord Saves.”  Joseph trusted that Mary’s Son would be the Messiah; Joseph trusted that Mary’s Son would save his people from their sins; Joseph trusted that Mary’s Son would be Immanuel, God with us.  Like Joseph, trust in the Lord and his plans and promises, and be not afraid.