He May Have Thought She Was Crazy

[TrueTomHarley]

What about Joseph's reaction after Mary told him why she was pregnant but before the angel confirmed it?

'Because Joseph was righteous and did not want to make her a public spectacle, he intended to divorce her secretly.'

It is an odd use of the word 'righteous.' You would almost expect 'good' or 'kind' but not 'righteous' Did not Paul say that hardly will anyone die for someone righteous but perhaps for a good man someone dares to die? Joseph figured she was pregnant the same way everyone else would be. You would think 'righteous' would be to do what he would do and let the chips fall where they may. If she becomes a public spectacle, she should have thought about that before.

But he didn't treat her that way.. He may have thought she had a screw loose - something he had not noticed before. Or maybe she had some sort of PTSD thing from a MeToo experience.

[Evacuated]

On 1/19/2018 at 3:14 AM, TrueTomHarley said:

It is an odd use of the word 'righteous.' You would almost expect 'good' or 'kind' but not 'righteous'

He was "righteous" in that he tried to do the right thing, but seemed to be a bit legalistically oriented.

He probably knew that Mary's potential capital crime depended on her being 'promised in marriage'. If the separation was to be done in secret, (presumably without broadcasting the reason), she could  hightail it back to Judah where Elizabeth was and the scene of her "apparent" liason. Then she could possibly get together with her mysterious suitor and cover up the alleged misdemeanour. Or at least, the culprit, if unwilling to marry her, could pay Mary's father the appropriate compensation. Or some other hair-brained reasoning. Who knows?? He just didn't want her to die.

What we DO NOT see Joseph doing is falling on his face before Jehovah, (rather like Hezekiah when receiving the Assyrian threats), and begging Jehovah to make him understand what his fiance was telling him and what he should do under the circumstances. That is more like what a "good"man would have done. All we hear is that he "thought these things over", hatched his plan, .....and went to sleep.

Now, despite the circumstances being way above his pay-grade, he was a fairly decent chap. He didn't have the same level of responsibility as Zechariah the Levite, so didn't get struck dumb (no time for that and no purpose served anyway). But, with this being a pretty important event and all, he got an orientation visit in a dream, but, perhaps, he missed out on an actual angelic one-to-one briefing here. Anyway, never one to be stumped by human inadequacy, Jehovah got it all worked out His way in the end.

[Anna]

7 hours ago, Gone Fishing said:

He was "righteous" in that he tried to do the right thing, but seemed to be a bit legalistically oriented.

He probably knew that Mary's potential capital crime depended on her being 'promised in marriage'. If the separation was to be done in secret, (presumably without broadcasting the reason), she could  hightail it back to Judah where Elizabeth was and the scene of her "apparent" liason. Then she could possibly get together with her mysterious suitor and cover up the alleged misdemeanour. Or at least, the culprit, if unwilling to marry her, could pay Mary's father the appropriate compensation. Or some other hair-brained reasoning. Who knows?? He just didn't want her to die.

What we DO NOT see Joseph doing is falling on his face before Jehovah, (rather like Hezekiah when receiving the Assyrian threats), and begging Jehovah to make him understand ......Anyway, never one to be stumped by human inadequacy, Jehovah got it all worked out His way in the end.

Interesting how different personality types must also play a role. Everyone reacts differently, and it's not necessarily good or bad, just different..

[Matthew9969]

ESV says 'he was a just man.