Matthew 1:24-25 (ESV)
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Imagine Joseph’s emotional state of mind. He has just been told that his betrothed wife is pregnant (in those days it would be the normal thing to disown her and break off the wedding ... Mary could even be stoned to death). Instead of shamming Mary, Joseph plans to privately leave her. But, God stops him with this announcement about the baby. Joseph remains with her. This is complete counter to the culture of the day.
But, not only is he told that Mary is pregnant, he is told that the child in her womb is that of the Son of God, Immanuel. Remember, up to this point, in Israel, we have had about 400 years of silence from God. The Temple functioned. The Priest did their priest thing. But, there was silence from God. So, now a young man is told, by an angel, no less, that his bride-to-be is pregnant with a God-child.
Also imagine that Joseph is a young man with young man desires. He has a young wife. He is now going to live with her but not physically engage in sexual relationships with her, until the child is born. Again, imagine his emotional response. This is an amazing act of faith that allowed him to withstand from relations with his wife as the child Jesus grew in the womb. There was no physical reason he could not do so. This was his commitment to holiness. He recognize that this was a holy act being carried out by Mary and that was his worship. Withholding himself was an act of faith, committed to holy worship of God. We hear little of Joseph from this point forward. But, his significance is not in what he did, but, perhaps in what he did not do. Holiness can be an act of denial as much as an act of worship.
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