Question
Why did Joseph consider to leave Mary?
Answer
When he met Mary at her return from Elizabeth, Mary was found by him with a child of the Holy Spirit.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1: 18)
After 3 months of no contact, Joseph finally met his fiancee and then he looked at her big womb. “Are you pregnant?” Mary, then, told him that she was with a foetus from Holy Spirit. Joseph found her with a child of the Holy Spirit.
Did Joseph believe her story?
If Joseph were believe, the angel would not need to relieve his fear and confirm her story. In fact, Matthew recounted that an angel came to him to relieve his fear and to confirm that the foetus, which was conceived in her, was of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1: 20).
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1: 20)
Confirmation from an angel implied that he doubted her story. His doubt led to 2 options:
- leave her privily
- report her to court, resulting death penalty to Mary (by stoning) and make her as public example.
Joseph was considering first option, when an angel came to him and told him to be not afraid to take Mary as his wife, because her foetus was of Holy Spirit. Confirmation from the angel vanished his doubt and, then, he took her as his wife.
Reason for his consideration to leave Mary was his fear and doubt regarding foetus in her womb.
Version
Christmas on December 25 