Monday in the Third Week of Advent, December 18, 2023

Matthew 1, 18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

This lectionary reading suffers from a less than accurate translation of the Greek text.  The second verse of this reading should be translated from the Greek: “Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, and unwilling to make this public, intended to separate from her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.” Also, the English “betrothed” is not helpful.  Mary and Joseph, at the time the Angel Gabriel appeared to her, were already married but had not yet set up housekeeping together.  The marriage had taken place in her father’s house in a very simple manner, according to custom.  It might have been up to a year, however, before Joseph led her back to his home to live with him, also according to custom.  At that time there would be a great feast — the wedding feast.  

Joseph was unwilling to make public the stupendous event of his wife’s Virginal Conception.  His behavior is befitting and parallels that of Zechariah and Elizabeth who did not make known the older woman’s miraculous pregnancy with John the Baptist.  It also prefigures how the Lord Jesus will forbid the Apostles from telling others what they had seen  his Transfiguration or that he is the Christ.  It was enough for Joseph and Mary to know what had happened and not necessary at the time for anyone else.  At the same time, he decided to separate from her — to annul the marriage agreement.  There was no question of a physical separation since they were not living together at the time.  Joseph’s reticence here goes back to his being “a righteous man”, knowing himself to be unworthy of a part in this awesome event.  Later, Simon Peter will observe the Lord’s power, begin to glimpse who he was, and fall to his knees, saying, “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5, 8).

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.”  Joseph indeed feared to take Mary into his unworthy house, just as King David feared to bring the ark of the covenant into his city after an unworthy man had touched it and been struck down dead (2Samuel 6, 9).  The presence of his fear eliminates the possibility that he wanted to “divorce her quietly” since a man does not divorce a woman out of fear of her.  

“She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus.”  The angel sets out for Joseph the parts they are to take with regards to this child whom Mary and the angel have told him was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Mary is to carry him in her womb, to bear him, and nurture him.  Joseph is to acknowledge him as his son by naming him and providing for him and his Mother.  The name the angel gives, “Jesus” follows the Israelite tradition of naming children from Hebrew words that tell who they are.  For instance, Rachel gave the name “Joseph” to the first of her sons, a name meaning “He [will] add”, which is explained by the fact that up to this time Rachel had not had any sons and that she prayed for another.  “Jesus”, in Hebrew, means “God saves”.  That is the Child’s identity and what he will do.  “Emmanuel”, meaning, “God-with-us” explains how God will come among us to save us from among us.

“He took his wife into his home.”  Joseph continued his preparations for the wedding feast and on the prearranged day he brought her home from that of her parents.  As was said earlier, this could have happened up to a year after the marriage was made.  In the meantime, Mary visited Elizabeth and Zechariah, returning in time for her wedding feast.  

“He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.”  St. Jerome painstakingly explains, for doubters, the meaning of the word we translate as “until”.  We can think of how the English word is used in the following sentence: “I will love you until the last day of my life.”  The speaker is not saying that he will then betray the other person on the last day of his life.  The word used in this way implies an indefinite time, and that is how it is used in the Gospel according to St. Matthew.