IMPORTANT UPDATE:

To all my friends, followers, fans, and students who love and reverence God’s Word.

We just finished chapter one of Matthew’s Gospel.  There we discovered some details concerning Mary and Joseph relationship, and how Joseph could be called Mary’s husband before their marriage was consummated because she was pregnant with Jesus.

According to Jewish Law, couples must wait one year from the time of engagement before marrying.  However, the groom can seal his commitment by writing a decree of marriage and paying a dowry to the bride’s father.  No doubt, something Joseph did.

However, the Law also required that couples be separated for a minimum of three months after their engagement in order to prove that the bride was a virgin.  So Mary decided to go visit her cousin Elizabeth.  This was not a last minute decision, it was all orchestrated by God.  So we read that after these three months, Mary comes back, but announces to Joseph that she is pregnant.

Since Joseph had already made his commitment, he had the right to annul the marriage. However, an angel told him to hold on to Mary, and let her have the baby, then he could consummate the marriage.  This is what Joseph did, because this was no ordinary baby, it was the Son of God.

So what happens now?  On Monday we will start the second chapter Matthew.  So join me and lets explore this together.  God bless you for your commitment to know more about our Lord.