Angel's Message to Joseph About Mary's Pregnancy
The angel's message to Joseph regarding Mary's pregnancy is a pivotal event in the Gospel of Matthew, directly addressing Joseph's distress and revealing the divine origin of Jesus. This angelic appearance occurs in a dream, where Joseph is instructed not to fear taking Mary as his wife, "for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" [1].
Before this divine intervention, Joseph was contemplating how to respond to Mary's pregnancy. Matthew's account states that Mary "was found with child of the Holy Ghost" before she and Joseph "came together" [4]. Joseph, described as a righteous man, intended to divorce her quietly to avoid public disgrace [8]. The angel's message interrupts this plan, providing clarity and divine direction. John Gill notes that Joseph was "revolving... in his mind, considering what was most fit and proper to be done, whether to dismiss her publicly or privately" when the angel appeared [7].
The angel identifies Joseph as "son of David," a significant title connecting him to the messianic lineage [1, 8]. This address underscores Jesus' royal heritage through his adoptive father. The core of the message is the affirmation that Mary's conception is supernatural, "from the Holy Spirit" [1]. This detail is crucial for understanding the virgin birth, a doctrine affirmed by early Christian thinkers like Augustine, who noted that Matthew's account of the conception harmonizes with Luke's [4, 5]. The Holy Spirit is often associated with creative and life-generating roles in scripture, as seen in Genesis 1:2 and Ezekiel 37:1-14 [6].
The angel further instructs Joseph that Mary "will bear a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" [1]. This naming instruction is significant, as the name "Jesus" (Yeshua) means "the Lord saves" [5]. This declaration links the child's identity directly to his redemptive mission. Augustine highlights that both Mary and Joseph receive similar instructions regarding the child's name and purpose [5].
While Matthew records an angel appearing to Joseph in a dream, Luke's Gospel describes the angel Gabriel appearing directly to Mary to announce her pregnancy [2, 11]. The angel Gabriel is also known for delivering messages to Zacharias concerning John the Baptist's birth and to Daniel to explain visions [2]. The term "angel" itself signifies a "messenger" in both Hebrew and Greek, often denoting heavenly intelligences God employs to execute His purposes [3].
The theological implications of this message are profound. It establishes the divine paternity of Jesus, affirming his unique nature as both fully human (born of Mary) and fully divine (conceived by the Holy Spirit) [10]. This event also validates Mary's integrity and Joseph's role as the earthly guardian and adoptive father of Jesus. The message reassures Joseph, transforming his confusion and potential shame into understanding and participation in God's redemptive plan. Thomas Aquinas, in discussing the marriage of Mary and Joseph, emphasizes the "inseparable union" that constitutes matrimony, even in the context of Mary's unique conception [9]. The angel's message thus resolves Joseph's dilemma and sets the stage for the birth and early life of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels.
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 1:20 (BSB) — But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Gabriel — (man of God), an angel sent by God to announce to Zacharias the birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary the birth of Christ. He was also sent to Daniel to explain his visions. (Daniel 8:16; 9:21)”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Angel — A word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of prophets (Isa. 42:19; Hag. 1:13), of priests (Mal. 2:7), and ministers of the New Testament (Rev. 1:20). It is also applied to such impersonal agents as the pestilence (2 Sam. 24:16, 17; 2 Kings 19:35), the wind (Ps. 104:4). But its distinctive application is to certain heavenly intelligences whom God employs in carrying on his government”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. V.--A STATEMENT OF THE MANNER IN WHICH LUKE'S PROCEDURE IS PROVED TO BE IN HARMONY WITH MATTHEW'S IN THOSE MATTERS CONCERNING THE CONCEPTION AND THE INFANCY OR BOYHOOD OF CHRIST, WHICH ARE OMITT (part 1): 14. After the enumeration of the generations, Matthew proceeds thus: Now the birth of Christ(9) was on this wise. Whereas His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.(10) What Matthew has omitted to state here regarding the way in which that came to pass, has been set for”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — OF THE AGREEMENT OF THE EVANGELISTS MATTHEW AND LUKE IN THE GENERATIONS OF THE LORD. (part 30): had already pronounced. So to Mary too the Angel saith, "Behold, thou shalt conceive a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus."(3) And to Joseph also he saith, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins."(4) Again it is said, "And she brought forth a Son to h”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 1:20: 1:20 The angel of the Lord declared to Joseph in a dream (see 2:12-13, 19, 22) that Mary had been neither seduced nor violated; instead, the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34-35), who often has a creative and life-generating role (Gen 1:2; Ezek 37:1-14; John 3:5-8).”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 1:20: But while he thought on these things,.... While he was revolving them in his mind, considering what was most fit and proper to be done, whether to dismiss her publicly or privately; while he was consulting within himself the glory of God, the peace of his own conscience, and the credit of Mary, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream; probably the same Angel which appeared to Zacharias, and brought him tidings that his wife should have a son, and who also appeared to Mary, and acquainted her that she should conceive, and bring forth the Messiah, Who”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 1:20: But while he thought on these things--Who would not feel for him after receiving such intelligence, and before receiving any light from above? As he brooded over the matter alone, in the stillness of the night, his domestic prospects darkened and his happiness blasted for life, his mind slowly making itself up to the painful step, yet planning how to do it in the way least offensive--at the last extremity the Lord Himself interposes. behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David--This style of address was”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Espousals of the Mother of God, Art. 2: Article: Whether there was a true marriage between Mary and Joseph? I answer that, Marriage or wedlock is said to be true by reason of its attaining its perfection. Now perfection of anything is twofold; first, and second. The first perfection of a thing consists in its very form, from which it receives its species; while the second perfection of a thing consists in its operation, by which in some way a thing attains its end. Now the form of matrimony consists in a certain inseparable union of s”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 126: substance of the Virgin Mary.” This is involved in the Scriptural statement that He was born of a woman, which can only mean that He was born in the sense in which other children of men are born of women. This is essential to his true humanity, and to that likeness to men which makes them his brethren, and which was se cured by his taking part in flesh and blood. ( Heb. ii. 14 .) The incarnation of the Son of God, his stooping to take into personal and perpetual union with Himself a nature infinitely lower than his own, was an act of uns”
- Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 1:26: We have here notice given us of all that it was fit we should know concerning the incarnation and conception of our blessed Saviour, six months after the conception of John. The same angel, Gabriel, that was employed in making known to Zacharias God's purpose concerning his son, is employed in this also; for in this, the same glorious work of redemption, which was begun in that, is carried on. As bad angels are none of the redeemed, so good angels are none of the redeemers; yet they are employed by the Redeemer as his messengers, and they go cheerfully on his errand”