Joseph's Dream: Matthew 1:18-25

 

            Joseph doesn't get much attention in the gospels. He appears a few times in the birth narratives, and then we never hear about him again. In this story in Matthew's Gospel, we see Joseph's reaction to the news he's heard about Mary's pregnancy and how he plans to divorce her quietly. All of a sudden an angel appears to him in a dream and brings him some surprising news. Joseph wakes up and promptly decides against divorce, marrying his fiance and enabling their son to grow up in a stable household.

 

            Imagine all the thoughts that must have been going through Joseph's head. We take this story for granted, but the biblical Joseph must have been troubled, confused, and full of questions - even if he ultimately decides to obey the angel. What follows below is an attempt to recreate that sense of confusion and wonderment on the part of Joseph.

 

            Joseph learns the hard way that his fiance is pregnant. Mary apparently hasn't told him yet. Perhaps rumors are beginning to circulate. "Others have been put in this position before, but why me?" Joseph can feel his heart sink into his stomach. The future love of his life has been with another man. And now she's pregnant! "What will people think?" Gossip spreads fast, and who knows how many others are learning about this scandal. What will those people think about Joseph now that Mary has apparently cheated on him? These worries must be gnawing away at Joseph. Weren't they supposed to share everything with each other now that they were to be husband and wife? At least Mary could have told him herself and the two might have resolved the problem amicably. Joseph might even begin to wonder what other secrets she's keeping from him.

 

            But a glimmer of hope appears. "Maybe the rumors are not true. Maybe she's not pregnant." Someone just fabricated the story, as often happens in a small town like Nazareth. "Or maybe it is true." Joseph goes back and forth in his own mind, terrified that this future he had planned has now been severely threatened.

 

           Eventually he learns that the rumor is true. "No! How could Mary do this to me!" Rage begins to consume him. The only proper response is stoning! But he can't bring himself to do it. Joseph is torn apart by his emotions, oscillating back and forth between distress, anger, and mercy.

 

            Eventually Joseph calms down and comes to his senses. He is a good man and can't bring himself to harm Mary in any way. He can't even bring himself to publicly shame her, despite the fact that she has now brought him shame among their own people. He can just imagine what it will be like once he leaves the house - the constant stares, the frequent whispers, the uncomfortable silences. He needs to do whatever he can to keep a lid on this situation. So he plans to divorce Mary secretly. But first he must sleep on it.

 

            Suddenly an angel starts speaking to him. "What?! How can a mortal stand before a messenger of God?" Joseph is paralyzed with fear. "Am I about to die? What can this mean?" But the angel assures him, "Do not be afraid." He then tells Joseph that Mary is indeed pregnant but by no fault of her own. It was God's will, for she has conceived through the Holy Spirit. Moreover, this child will be no ordinary boy but will save people from their sins, and his name will be Jesus.

 

           Joseph wakes up in a cold sweat. "Oh, it was only a dream! But wait, God has spoken to our forefathers before in the same way. Could I have imagined all this, or was an angel actually speaking to me just now?" Joseph's doubts and confusion have not completely disappeared, but he is beginning to be filled with hope now. "The angel called me 'descendant of David.' Our long awaited Messiah will come from the line of David. Could this be the one we've been waiting for? Will my son be the Messiah?" A flood of emotion rushes over Joseph.

 

           "But he won't be my son, will he? I don't understand. What role am I to play? Am I supposed to act as if I'm the boy's father and keep all this a secret? Taking care of a baby will be hard work, but this is unprecedented. How does one be a father to the Messiah? The angel told me to take Mary as my wife. Okay, I can do that. He also told me to name the boy Jesus. I can do that, too. But then what? Do I teach him how to grow up and become a man? Should I show him how to be a carpenter just like my father taught me? Or will he teach me? I have so many questions. Will the angel return with more answers? Does Mary know what to do?"

 

           But the story ends here. Joseph must have all sorts of questions, doubts, and anxieties, not only before the angel's arrival but afterward as well. Yet he humbly submits to God's will and hopes that God will provide when the need arises. Of course, this is the way God often works, and Joseph's story provides a great model for us as well. Things won't always make sense, and we won't always have all the answers. In fact we'll often have very few of them. But we can't be paralyzed by fear or wait for things to resolve themselves. We must put our faith in God and do what we believe He is calling us to do. Doubts and questions will still arise. We just need to take things one step at a time, much like Joseph did.