31 Dec 25 | Matthew 1:18–24
Joseph learns that Mary’s child is conceived by the Holy Spirit and faithfully accepts his role as guardian of Jesus, naming Him as commanded.
The Gospel:
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.
Reflection
First, we have to understand betrothal. In these times, marriage was a multi-step process. Betrothal (kiddushin) already made a couple “husband and wife” but the wife did not live with the husband during this time. The time between betrothal and living together (nissuin) was usually around 9 months to a year. Since this was a legally binding marriage, betrothal required a formal divorce - it was a lot more than just breaking off an engagement!
Joseph being righteous (dikaios) means two key things - first, he abides by the Torah and second, he is a man of mercy within the law. He is living what we later come to know as a big theme in Matthew and a core teaching of Jesus! True righteousness, as Matthew’s Gospel will later show, fulfills the Law not by abolishing it, but by living it through mercy (cf. Matthew 5:17–20). Something pretty cool here is that our New Testament Joseph shares a connection with Joseph son of Jacob from Genesis 37-50. They both receive divine guidance through their dreams!
The one thing that always confused me were all the names of Jesus. Especially going to Church and having songs about Emannnuel. It was never really explained in a way I understood. To fully grasp it, you have to bring in some Old Testament. The prophecy from Isaiah originally had an immediate meaning for the people of Judah, serving as a sign that God had not abandoned them during a political crisis. In Jesus, that same promise finds its ultimate fulfillment—not just as reassurance of God’s help, but as God’s presence taking flesh among His people. Matthew emphasizes this fulfillment by quoting Isaiah from the Greek Scriptures, which use the word “virgin.”
So, how did we get the name Jesus from Emmanuel? These are theological statements - not just names per se. Jesus (Yeshua) means “The Lord Saves” - it is a signal of liberation from sin. Emmanuel means “God is with us.” And there it is! In Isaiah, God was with His people, but now He was incarnate - literally fulfilling this. The verse shows us that Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled more than symbolically!
I feel like Joseph also does not get enough credit for the royal connection he provides. We learned the other day that Mary and Joseph were poor, based on the offering. Yet, Joseph comes from the line of David. This is what actually fulfills Jesus’ legal claim to the Davidic promise. Joseph listening and taking Mary as his wife, then naming Jesus, established the legal adoption and fulfilled the prophecy that the Jewish Messiah would come from David’s royal line (2 Samuel 7).
This verse in the Gospel is pretty rich, but also sticks to a core teaching of Jesus and the family. They are all lay people, a “working class” father with a wife he has come to trust fully through God. A family that is about to change the course of the world forever - and it all started with quiet and dedicated obedience to the Lord.
Reflection Question:
How do you respond when God’s plan challenges your expectations?