The New Testament introduces Joseph, the husband of Mary and the legal father of Jesus, as a figure who received direct divine guidance to fulfill his role in the Messiah’s birth and early life. His story, detailed primarily within the Gospel of Matthew, is marked by a series of supernatural interventions. This divine communication arrived through a messenger whose instructions were precise, providing reassurance and direction during moments of uncertainty and danger. These encounters highlight the necessity of Joseph’s obedient participation in the unfolding events.
The Unnamed Messenger
The identity of the celestial being who communicated with Joseph is a frequent point of inquiry, but the scriptural answer is clear in its lack of a specific name. The text consistently refers to the messenger as “an angel of the Lord” across all four recorded instances of communication in the Book of Matthew. The narrative describes the appearance exclusively as an intervention that occurred while Joseph was asleep, specifically appearing to him “in a dream.” The absence of a personal name for this messenger emphasizes the function of the being as a representative of the divine will rather than focusing on its individual identity.
The Four Visits and Their Purpose
The first message arrived after Joseph learned of Mary’s unexpected pregnancy and was contemplating divorcing her quietly. The angel appeared to him in a dream, confirming that the child conceived in her was from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). The messenger instructed Joseph to take Mary as his wife and name the son Jesus, explaining that this name meant, “He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This initial intervention served to validate Mary’s situation and establish Joseph’s legal role as the child’s father.
The second visit occurred after the Magi had departed from Bethlehem following the child’s birth. The angel again appeared in a dream with a direct command, warning Joseph that King Herod intended to search for and kill the young child (Matthew 2:13). Joseph was instructed to take the child and his mother and flee immediately to Egypt, remaining there until he received further notice. Joseph’s immediate obedience to this warning saved the family from Herod’s subsequent massacre of male infants in the region.
The third communication came while the family was still residing in Egypt. The angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to inform him that Herod had died and that the threat to the child’s life was over (Matthew 2:19-20). The instruction was simply to return to the land of Israel, as those who sought the child’s life were now deceased. Joseph responded by gathering his family and beginning the journey back toward his homeland.
Upon arriving in the region, Joseph learned that Herod’s son, Archelaus, was now reigning over Judea, the area encompassing Bethlehem and Jerusalem. This news created a new sense of fear regarding the safety of the child, causing Joseph to hesitate and consider an alternate destination. The fourth and final warning arrived in a dream, directing Joseph to avoid the danger in Judea by diverting his route (Matthew 2:22).
Following this instruction, the family traveled north and settled in the district of Galilee. They specifically moved to the town of Nazareth, which was their original hometown.
Distinguishing Joseph’s Encounters from Mary’s Annunciation
The distinction between Joseph’s four prophetic dreams and Mary’s encounter is often missed, leading to the assumption that a named angel visited Joseph. The Gospel of Luke provides a detailed account of the angel Gabriel being specifically sent by God to the town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26). Gabriel engaged Mary in a direct, waking dialogue, during which she was able to ask questions about the nature of the miraculous conception (Luke 1:34).
In contrast, the communications with Joseph, all delivered while he was in a state of sleep, were straightforward, non-dialogic commands that required only immediate obedience. Gabriel is a figure named earlier in Luke’s Gospel, having also appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:19). The consistent anonymity of the messenger in Matthew’s account of Joseph’s dreams serves to keep the focus on the divine authority of the message rather than the personality of the one delivering it.