Joseph Not Willing to Make an Example of Mary Matthew 1:19

Matthew continued to share how there were three separate “fourteen generations” which were involved in Jesus' coming, and he referred to Jesus' birth by the Holy Spirit and through Mary before she and Joseph “came together”. In chapter one and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew shares how, “Joseph” was “not willing to make” Mary “a public example” where we read:

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example,

was minded to put her away privily.

The verse reads, “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example,” Matthew began with the words, “then Joseph” which means “moreover and Joseph whose name means let him add and was engaged to be married to Mary” “her husband” or “Mary's betrothed husband” “being a just man” or “having come to be a man who was righteous, upright, virtuous and keeping the commands of God”, “and not willing” which means “did not intend, have in mind, resolve or determine” “to make her” or “to set forth Mary in a bad sense or expose her to” “a public example” which means “infamy or public disgrace” Matthew shared how Joseph had no intention to embarrass or publicly disgrace Mary because he was a “righteous” man.

The verse goes on to say, “... was minded to put her away privily.” Matthew continued with the words, “was minded” which means “deliberately, purposed, willing and desired” “to put her away” or “to dismiss, detain no longer, send away and let Mary go free” “privily” which means “in a secret or private way”. Matthew shared how Joseph intended to set Mary free in a secret or private manner.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how kind and gracious Joseph was to Mary. He could have publicly embarrassed and divorced her because “endowment or betrothing” was just as though a person was married. His intention was to set her free without public disgrace, but God had other plans in mind. God sent His Son Jesus through Mary because the world needed a “Savior and Messiah”, and God used both Mary and Joseph in the birth of His Son. God demonstrates His great love for the human race by these intentional events, and though Joseph at this point did not have all the facts, he was employed by God for His purposes. Let all who read these words realize the design of God to save them and yield their lives to this all-knowing God today.

Next time Matthew shares, “the angel of the Lord appeared to” Joseph “in a dream”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.