Knowing that Jesus was not the son of Joseph, the Evangelist does not say that Joseph begat [fathered] Jesus, but says that Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, Who is called Christ.  But why, then, does he adduce Joseph’s genealogy and not Mary’s?  The Hebrews did not have the custom of reckoning genealogies according to the female line, but their Law commanded a man to take a wife without fail from the tribe to which he belonged.  Therefore, the Evangelist, not deviating from custom, adduces Joseph’s genealogy, to show that Mary, Joseph’s wife, and consequently also Jesus, descend from the same tribe of Judah and clan of David.

 

  The most holy Virgin, informed by the Archangel Gabriel that she had been chosen to become the mother of the Messiah, set out for a meeting with Elizabeth, being only the espoused bride of Joseph.  Almost three months had already passed since the good tidings of the angel, Joseph, who had not been initiated into this mystery, noticed her condition; her outward appearance gave him cause to consider unfaithfulness.  He could have publicly denounced her and subjected her to the severe punishment established by the Law of Moses, but, in accordance with his goodness, he did not want to resort to such a drastic measure.  After long vacillations, he decided to put his bride away secretly, without making any publicity, having delivered to her a bill of divorcement.

 

             But an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and declared that the bride espoused to him would give birth from the Holy Spirit; therefore he advised Joseph: “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife.”  And he was further instructed to name the Son born of her Jesus (Ieshua), that is, Saviour, since He would save His people from their sins.  Joseph recognized this dream as inspiration from on high and obeyed it, taking Mary as his wife, but knew her not, that is, he lived with her not as a husband with a wife, but as a brother with a sister (or, judging from the enormous difference in years, rather as a father with a daughter).  In narrating this, the Evangelist adds for himself: “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel” (Es. 7:14).  The name “Emmanuel” means “God with us.”  Here, Esaias is not calling the One born of the Virgin Emmanuel: he is saying that men will call him such.  Thus, this is not the proper name of the One born of the Virgin, but only a prophetic indication that God will be in His person.