As I’m writing this, we’re just five days away from Christmas Day, and I’m growing increasingly conscious of two very different approaches to the day in our culture here in rural Wales.

There are those people who are frantically trying to prepare the Christmas they aspire to and still have hope of obtaining.

I’m afraid I see all that happening and the inbuilt cynic in me tends to think: ‘we’ll see how they’re doing by Christmas evening!’

But I also see people who are aware they won’t be getting the Christmas they’d aspire to getting this year, and they are going around with a different disposition ranging from grief to some form or other of either contented or sorry resignation.

Now, I have to say, from the social point of view, my selfish side is looking forward to New Year’s Eve this year because that’s when my offspring are due to be about and we’re off to keep the tradition on a particular day of supporting the Scarlets together.

But Christmas is going to be less self-serving this year as we fulfil responsibilities of another sort.

I WILL have the quiet contentment and the joy of feeding cattle early first, and then the day is handed over for other things.

For others, they won’t see anybody today.

For others, the presents will be unexpected and disappointing.

And that’s where my jumper comes in.

If you have been watching this Word for the Week on video

HERE

you will notice that I’m wearing a particularly colourful sweater today.

This is one of the few links I have left now from my own warm, loving … and ferociously knitting … Welsh Mam.

She put hours of herself into the is jumper and I came to love it.

It is warm.

VERY warm.

She’d stumped up and bought really heavy wool.

She’d spent ages, behind my back, of her OWN time (of which she didn’t have a lot in that stage of her life) knitting this intricate pattern into it.

But when I opened the bulky package that distant Christmas morning, as the colour scheme leapt out and assaulted my eager eyeballs and I suddenly realised with my teenage brain that I would have to be SEEN wearing this Christmas gift …

I heard myself saying quietly under my breath: ‘Oh no!’

And what I didn’t realise was that my wonderful Welsh Mam was standing right behind me as I unpacked it, so that she could see the joy at my present in my eager eyes.

I’ve got to say, this became one of my favourite jumpers as I came to feel the benefit of it.

But my point is that sometimes you get at Christmas what you really don’t want, aspire to or see the need of.

But you learn better.

And THAT is exactly what happened with both Mary and Joseph as they saw what the were getting for THEIR first Christmas together.

Here’s the story.

1) Background to Matthew 1:18-25

a) Historical Background

The narrative occurs in 1st-century Judea, a region under Roman rule. Jewish life revolved around strict adherence to the Mosaic Law, the Temple in Jerusalem, and messianic hopes tied to the Davidic covenant.

Betrothal (engagement) was legally binding, and any breach of it, like apparent infidelity, carried severe social and legal consequences.

Adultery was punishable by death (Deut. 22:23-24), though by the Roman era, public shame and divorce were more common responses.

And whilst at this point in history Angelic visitations and divine dreams were seen as valid means of divine communication, consistent with Jewish traditions, these were definitely seen as occurrences firmly rooted in history … in the past … as Heaven had seemed to be sealed up for the last 400 years so what had just started happening again was startling.

And these startling developments were set against a particular background.

b) Political Background

Historically in the Old Testament, God had used the sort of things that had been happening politically to turn His Old Testament people back from sin to Himself.

And as the angel appeared to Joseph that day, Roman domination had brought high taxes and limited autonomy for the Jewish people.

Herod the Great, a Roman client king, ruled Judea in a far from godly or beneficial way.

Many Jews longed for a messiah who would overthrow Roman rule and establish Israel’s independence.

We’ll see shortly that Jesus’ identification in our passage as the Son of David is obviously going to be very politically significant, linking Him to the promise of an eternal kingdom promised in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, but let’s be careful we don’t jump the gun.

This event also takes place against a certain social and cultural background.

c) Social Background

Honour and shame were central to Jewish culture.

Joseph, described as "righteous," must navigate the tension between protecting his honour and showing compassion to Mary in the unwelcome-looking Christmas message of the angel.

Now, obviously, patriarchal principles in Palestinian culture placed men as decision-makers in family and legal matters, so Joseph holds all the cards.

The ball is very clearly placed in Joseph’s court and he might have every social justification in reacting petulantly, but Joseph is portrayed as considerate and obedient to God’s direction.

You’ve got to bear in mind that marriages were social contracts with economic and familial implications, adding complexity to Joseph’s choice.

d) Economic Background

The economic background to the story is this: most Jews, including Joseph, likely lived modest lives. Joseph’s role as a carpenter (τέκτων) suggests he was a skilled tradesman, though not wealthy.

Dowries and betrothal agreements carried financial weight, and that made the decision to divorce Mary quietly a significant economic sacrifice.

2) Semantic Structural Analysis of Matthew 1:18-25

Structure of the Passage:

a) Introduction of the Problem (v. 18)

The miraculous conception of Jesus and the potential scandal of Mary’s pregnancy.

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[^d^]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.”

Verse 18: ἡ γένεσις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ("the birth/origin of Jesus Christ") introduces the narrative and highlights His divine origin.

b) Joseph’s Dilemma (v. 19)

His righteousness and intention to divorce Mary quietly.

“Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”

Verse 19: δίκαιος ὢν ("being righteous") establishes Joseph’s character. λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι ("to divorce her quietly") suggests a compassionate but cautious approach.

c) Divine Revelation through the Angel (vv. 20-21)

The angel’s command and explanation of the miraculous conception and Jesus’ mission.

Verse 20: “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

The imperative μὴ φοβηθῇς ("do not fear") reassures Joseph, emphasizing divine intervention.

Verse 21: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[^f^] because he will save his people from their sins.”

The name Ἰησοῦς (Jesus) derives from Hebrew Yeshua, meaning "Yahweh saves," with the promise σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ("He will save His people") explaining His mission.

d) Fulfillment of Prophecy (vv. 22-23)

Verse 22: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:²³“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[^g^] (which means “God with us”).

Connection to Isaiah 7:14.

ἵνα πληρωθῇ ("so that it might be fulfilled") explicitly ties the event to prophecy.

Verse 23: The term Ἐμμανουήλ ("God with us") is transliterated from the Hebrew, underscoring Jesus’ divine presence.

e) Joseph’s Obedience (vv. 24-25): His response of faith and action.

Verse 25: The use of οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτήν ("did not know her") clarifies the virginal conception.

Joseph exemplifies righteousness, compassion, and obedience to God despite personal and societal pressures.

3) Main Theological Points and Issues

1. The Virgin Birth

Central to the doctrine of the Incarnation, affirming Jesus’ divine origin and sinless nature (Isaiah 7:14).

The quotation of Isaiah 7:14 relies on the Septuagint (LXX), which uses παρθένος ("virgin"), while the Hebrew ‘almah means "young woman." Critics debate whether Isaiah directly predicted a virgin birth or if Matthew reinterprets the text typologically.

2. Jesus as the Savior:

The name Jesus (Ἰησοῦς) reflects His role as the one who will save His people from their sins (v. 21).

3. Fulfillment of Prophecy:

This passage emphasises the continuity between the Old Testament and the life of Jesus, confirming Him as the promised Messiah (vv. 22-23).

Let's look at that a bit more closely ...

4) Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies

1) Tension Between Secular Ideologies and Matthew 1:18-25

The virgin birth challenges naturalistic interpretations and requires faith in divine intervention.
The role of prophecy raises questions about how Old Testament texts prefigure New Testament events.
At the root of it, Matthew 1:18-25 challenges secular presuppositions by asserting spiritual realities that defy naturalistic explanations.
The existence of angels, divine communication through dreams, and God’s direct intervention in human history oppose secular ideologies that prioritize empirical evidence and human autonomy.
Secular perspectives often dismiss the supernatural as mere myth, whereas this passage presents a living God actively fulfilling promises made centuries earlier in the Old Testament.
But the virgin birth, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 7:14), and Jesus’ divine mission to save humanity (v. 21) underscore the reality of a God deeply engaged in human affairs.

For believers, this confrontation invites faith in a transcendent God who operates beyond material constraints.

The tension highlights a critical distinction: secular ideologies reduce human experience to physical phenomena, while Matthew’s narrative reveals a God who transcends, interacts with, and redeems creation.

2) The direct claim to prophetic fulfilment

The use of the name ‘Christ’ in vv. 17 &18 χριστός (christos) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in the LXX (the Greek translation of the OT known as the Septuagint) into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”).

After the fall of the monarchy (if not before) the Messiah comes to be understood to be the One Who will fulfil the promises to David in (for example) 2 Samuel 7:12-13:
“When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

In the NT the development of this idea of ‘the Messiah’ or ‘the Christ’ starts there.

It is also used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul’s letters to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.

Then in v. 23 there’s a direct quotation from Isaiah 7:14, which describes the virgin birth and the name Immanuel ("God with us").

It is unclear whether the author is citing the Hebrew or the Greek translation of the Old Tesament.

The use of the word παρθένος (parthenos, “virgin”) may be due to its occurrence in the Greek translation, but it is also possible that what we read here is the author’s translation of the Hebrew term עַלְמָה (’almah, “young woman”.

The Hebrew name Emmanuel literally means “God (is) with us.”

This phrase occurs three times in the OT in close proximity, and subsequent uses are likely related to preceding ones.

You get it here in Isaiah 7 and then twice in the next chapter in Isaiah 8:8-10:
“will overflow all its channels,
    run over all its banks
⁸and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it,
    passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land,
    Immanuel^[^b^]!”

⁹Raise the war cry,^[^c^] you nations, and be shattered!
    Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
    Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
¹⁰Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;
    propose your plan, but it will not stand,
    for God is with us.^”

The context there is of the foreign invader (Assyria) coming in to conquer God’s people to turn them back to Him from their wayward life through sheer desperation at the experience of foreign domination and oppression.

The idea in Isaiah 8 is that even in the depths of that experience there will come a point where relief is found in the experience of God coming to be with them … Immanuel, God with us.

So, given what we said earlier about the historical and political situation in Joseph’s day, it seems very likely the present author had each of these verses in mind when he defined the name in v. 23.

Yes, God is coming to deliver them.

It is NOT going to be the sort of Christmas present they had wanted or aspired to, but (like my Mam’s knitted jumper) it will be very much the one that they need!

2) How This Passage Adds to Our Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation

Matthew 1:18-25 reveals that God’s plan of salvation centres on Jesus Christ, who fulfills the promises of the Old Testament and inaugurates a new covenant.
Jesus’ name (Yeshua, "Yahweh saves") signifies His mission to rescue humanity from sin (v. 21).
The virgin birth demonstrates His divine nature, ensuring that salvation comes not through human effort but through God’s initiative.
The prophecy of "Immanuel" ("God with us," v. 23) emphasizes the relational aspect of salvation: God dwells among His people, bridging the separation caused by sin.
Joseph’s obedience reflects human participation in God’s plan, pointing to the necessity of faith and submission.

Overall, this passage confirms that salvation is both a divine act of grace and a fulfilment of God’s redemptive promises to Israel and the world.

3) Where this event fits in salvation history

Matthew 1:18-25 marks a pivotal moment in salvation history - the Incarnation.

This event fulfils Old Testament prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 7:14).
It bridges the promises of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants (Genesis 22:18; 2 Samuel 7:12-16).
The virgin birth being foretold here now begins to initiate the New Testament era, where God’s redemptive work culminates in Jesus Christ.
And by identifying Jesus as the "Son of David," the narrative affirms His role as the Messiah, through whom God will establish His eternal kingdom.

So, really, this moment taken together with Luke’s account of the angel appearing to Mary marks the transition in salvation history from prophetic anticipation to fulfilment.

It underscores the movement from a shadowy, preparatory phase under the Law to the realization of God’s promise to bring salvation to all people through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

And as these two passages launch the beginning of the Christ-event, they set the stage for the unfolding of the Kingdom of God with the coming in the flesh of the Kingdom’s King.

5) Applications for Contemporary Experience

In Western Culture:

In Western culture major themes of relevance might include:

Faith amidst Scandal: Like Joseph, Christians may face challenges to social norms or reputations but are called to trust God’s plan.
God’s Presence: The promise of "God with us" assures believers of divine presence and guidance in a secular, often sceptical society.

In Rural Wales:

In rural Wales in particular major themes of relevance might include:

Obedience in Faith: Joseph’s quiet faith and action resonate with rural communities where personal relationships and community expectations hold significant weight.
Support in Crisis: The angel’s reassurance parallels the work of organizations like Y Grwp, which offer care and hope in times of uncertainty.

Divine Fulfillment: The passage’s emphasis on prophecy reminds rural communities of God’s enduring faithfulness and presence in their lives.

So, what does this mean for us in rural Wales today?

First, it reminds us that God works through ordinary people and places.

Mary and Joseph weren’t wealthy or powerful.

Joseph was a carpenter, and Jesus was born in a stable, not in a palace.

This resonates with life here in the Heart of Wales, where much of what we do happens quietly, behind the scenes.

Second, it speaks to the importance of faith and obedience.

Joseph had every reason to walk away, yet he trusted God’s plan.

In our own lives, we may face situations where God calls us to step out in faith, even when it’s uncomfortable or uncertain.

Thirdly, this is a powerful reminder that while we do seem to excel at coming up with our own analysis of what our problem consists of and what will fix it … we’re not that great at the analysis of the human problem nor fixing things for ourselves.

God’s best Christmas present for us may well not be quite as we’d imagined … just like my sweater, and just like God’s plan for saving humanity which came to Joseph through the angel ahead of the first Christmas he had ever known.

Finally, it assures us that God is with us when we put our trust in Him and follow on behind Him in His ways, leaving our ways and our aspirations in order to do so.

The name “Immanuel” isn’t just a title; it’s a promise … and where He brings His presence, He brings His power.

Whether we’re facing loneliness, disappointment, or unexpected challenges this Christmas, we can hold onto the truth that God can be present with us in it all when we put down our own self-sufficiency to lean on His arm and walk with Him, His way, throughout our daily experience.

Closing Reflection

As we approach Christmas, let’s remember that it’s not about having the perfect day or the perfect gifts. It’s about receiving the gift of God’s mercy, His presence and His power … even if it doesn’t at first look like anything we might aspire to.

For Mary and Joseph, their first Christmas was filled with the unwanted and the uncertain, but it was also filled with the promise of God’s presence and purpose.

And for me, that jumper (initially a source of teenage embarrassment) turned out to be (as we say in Welsh) ‘just y peth’ … just the thing.

This Christmas, whatever your circumstances, may you turn to Him in simple trust and experience the warmth of God’s presence and the joy of His unexpected life-transforming gift.

Thanks for reading, and I wish you a very blessed Christmas.

Deep-Dive Blog - Hosea 14:1-2 - 'When He sees that empty Chapel, with its locked and shuttered doors ...'

Introduction In the early 20th century, when this chapel building was erected, nonconformist Christianity was a dominant force in Wales. Nonconfomity’s early 20th. century dominance Statistical data detailing the num…

image for True Story: Meet the Author - Your story and the story of everything - John 1:1-5 with Sammy Davies kindly guesting for us this summer with some pretty fresh and interesting things to say about reasons we believe.

True Story: Meet the Author - Your story and the story of everything - John 1:1-5 with Sammy Davies kindly guesting for us this summer with some pretty fresh and interesting things to say about reasons we believe.

This text is an autogenerated transcript of a recording available in the video section of this website. What's your story when you stop, when you think about it your life, your experiences? It's unique isn't it? It's utterly unique, more unique t…