Matthew 1:19 (WEB)
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Matthew 1:19 (KJV)
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
Key words
- δίκαιος ὤνdikaios ōn · Greek
- 'being a just man' — righteous, that is, obedient to the Law of Moses.
- λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήνlathra apolysai autēn · Greek
- 'to put her away privily' — divorce her quietly.
Why it matters
Joseph is 'a just man,' one who keeps the Law. Pitre uses this to close his Numbers 30 argument (p 100): the Law says a husband who breaks a vow he had accepted 'shall bear her iniquity' (30:15), so a righteous Joseph who had accepted Mary's vow of abstinence was bound to honour it. His silence is consent, and his abstinence is obedience.
Catechism · 1
- §497Paragraph 2 · "Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary"Read at vatican.va
“The Gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesus as a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility:” — Catechism footnote: Mt 1 18-25; Lk 1:26-38.
Fathers and councils · 17
Augustine of Hippo
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa, in the days of Herod the king, and so forth.” — editor's note: Matt. i. 19–21.
Read the whole comment“Then Joseph her husband being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily;” for because he knew that she was not with child by him, he thought that she was so to say necessarily an adulteress.” — editor's note: Matt. i. 19.
Read the whole comment““Then Joseph being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example.”” — editor's note: Matt. i. 19.
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John Chrysostom
““And Joseph her husband, being,” saith he “a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.”” — editor's note: Matt. i. 19.
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Jerome
“It turns upon the record in Matt. i. 18–25, and especially on the words, “Before they came together” (c. 4), “knew her not till, &c.” (5–8).” — the author cites it
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Evangelist having said that she was found with child of the Holy Ghost, and without knowledge of man, that you should not herein suspect Christ’s disciple of inventing wonders in honour of his Master, brings…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Joseph, understanding that Mary was with child, is perplexed that it should be thus with her whom he had received from the temple of the Lord, and had not yet known, and resolved within himself, saying, What shall I…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Matthew
St. Matthew has beautifully taught how a righteous man ought to act, who has detected his wife’s disgrace; so as at once to keep himself guiltless of her blood, and yet pure from her defilements; therefore it is he…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
But how is Joseph thus called, “just,” when he is ready to hide his wife’s sin? For the Law enacts, that not only the doers of evil, but they who are privy to any evil done, shall be held to be guilty.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But it should be known, that “just” here is used to denote one who is in all things virtuous. For there is a particular justice, namely, the being free from covetousness; and another universal virtue, in which sense…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Otherwise; if you alone have knowledge of a sin that any has committed against you, and desire to accuse him thereof before men, you do not herein correct, but rather betray him. But Joseph, “being a just man,” with…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or this may be considered a testimony to Mary, that Joseph, confident in her purity, and wondering at what had happened, covered in silence that mystery which he could not explain.
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
He beheld her to be with child, whom he knew to be chaste; and because he had read, “There shall come a Rod out of the stem of Jesse,” of which he knew that Mary was come [ed. note: Jerome in loc. Ambros. de Spir. S.…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
But if he had no suspicion of her, how could he be a just man, and yet seek to put her away, being immaculate? He sought to put her away, because he saw in her a great sacrament, to approach which he thought himself…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, in seeking to put her away, he was just; in that he sought it privily, is shewn his mercy, defending her from disgrace; “Being a just man, he was minded to put her away;” and being unwilling to expose her in…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Matthew
But as no one puts away what he has not received; in that he was minded to put her away, he admits to have received her.
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, being unwilling to bring her home to his house to live with him for ever, “he was minded to put her away privily;” that is, to change the time of their marriage. For that is true virtue, when neither mercy is…
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