1. ICEL A Just Man Matthew 1:18-25 ICEL 25 December 2010

2. ICEL Joseph Not much is said about Joseph. He appears in the birth narratives. His name appears rarely in the New Testament. He apparently died before the crucifixion. Joseph was a “ just man. ”

3. ICEL Joseph Feared God Joseph was a God-fearing person. That is, he carefully obeyed the Law. He wanted to please the Lord. Joseph is an example for us today.

4. ICEL Scripture text: 18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19Because 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. 20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Matthew 1:18-25 (1)

5. ICEL Scripture text: “ 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. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. ” 22All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “ The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel ”— which means, “ God with us. ” Matthew 1:18-25 (2)

6. ICEL Scripture text: 24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25 (3)

7. ICEL The Betrothal Mary may have been a young teenager. Joseph could have been considerably older. Mary and Joseph were legally bound to each other through their engagement. Their engagement could only be broken by divorce.

8. ICEL The Crisis Sexual relations and cohabitation were not allowed until after the marriage ceremony. However, Mary was found to be pregnant. With whom had she been unfaithful? Joseph was a God-fearer. What should he do?

9. ICEL Scripture text: 23If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death — the girl because she was in town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man ’ s wife. You must purge the evil from among you. 25But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. Deuteronomy 22:23-27 (1)

10. ICEL Scripture text: 26Do nothing to the girl; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbor, 27for the man found the girl out in the country, and though the betrothed girl screamed, there was no one to rescue her. Deuteronomy 22:23-27 (2)

11. ICEL Legal Recourse The Law provided for two different cases: Seduction (vv. 23-24) Violation (vv. 25-27) Mary ’ s pregnancy was the “ proof ” that she had either been seduced or violated.

12. ICEL Joseph ’ s Quandary According to Jewish customs, Joseph could not keep Mary as his wife, unless it could be established that she was not an adulteress. A less rigorous reading of the Law, however, would allow Joseph to take her back only after the suspicion of adultery had been lifted.

13. ICEL The Husband ’ s Right Since Joseph and Mary hadn ’ t begun living together, the process in Deuteronomy 22 would be followed. That would require a public trial.

14. ICEL Satisfaction “ It should be borne in mind that in the initiation of such a defamatory process, the husband ’ s intention was not so much to resume or to begin cohabitation, as to accuse the woman and to liberate himself from her after having a public ‘ satisfaction ’... ” Angelo Tosato, “ Joseph, Being a Just Man (Matt. 1:19), pp. 550-551

15. ICEL Joseph ’ s Decision (1) Joseph chose to proceed with the divorce on his own initiative. This required him to pay the ketubba himself. The ketubba was a prenuptial agreement, which protected the bride (taking the place of a bride- price). This was an expensive proposition for Joseph.

16. ICEL Joseph ’ s Decision (2) Joseph didn ’ t want to expose Mary to a shameful trial as a suspected adulteress. By doing so, he took full responsibility for the divorce upon himself. Joseph was a just (or righteous) man.

17. ICEL An Unexpected Word Then in a dream the angel told Joseph something that he could not know — that this was no ordinary pregnancy.

18. ICEL Scripture text: 20But 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. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. ” Matthew 1:20-21

19. ICEL Joseph ’ s Response Joseph awakes and does everything the angel had commanded him. Joseph took Mary home as his wife. They did not have sexual relations until after the child was born.

20. ICEL A Necessary Man God needed an earthly father who would completely obey His will. Joseph was of the house of David. But God was Jesus ’ father (by the Holy Spirit). And Mary was Jesus ’ mother.

21. ICEL An Obedient Man Joseph followed the angel ’ s directions. kept Mary a virgin until after the child ’ s birth. fled with Mary and the child to Egypt (Matt. 2:13- 14). brought Mary and the child back to Israel after King Herod ’ s death (Matt. 2:19-23).

22. ICEL Why a Virgin Birth? This was a unique child. Conceived of God / Born of a woman. The child — Jesus — would save his people from their sins. His name would be called “ Immanuel, ” which means “ God with us. ”

23. ICEL A Cosmic Saviour (1) Our sins are not simply “ local. ” Our sin affects more than space and time. We sin against an eternal God. We have offended One who dwells beyond time and space.

24. ICEL A Cosmic Saviour (2) Jesus is born as the God-man. As man, Jesus can die on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for people like you and me. As God, Jesus ’ death can assuage the offense against an eternal God. Only Jesus could pay the eternal penalty.

25. ICEL Scripture text: 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “ The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel ”— which means, “ God with us. ” Matthew 1:18-25 (2)

26. ICEL The Good News The good news of Christmas is this: “ God is with us! ” Spatially: God has become man (one of us). Relationally: God has done so because He is “ with us. ”

27. ICEL Scripture text: 16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

28. ICEL Our Response (1) How should we respond to this Christmas gift? Accept the gift — receive Christ into your life. Turn from your sins and live for Christ.

29. ICEL Our Response (2) If you ’ ve already received Christ, Consider Joseph ’ s heart, and imitate him. Love the other person, no matter what it may cost you. “ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ”