Why God Chose Joseph: The Righteousness That Shows Mercy

The fourth expository work of Rev. Sang Ho Bae is focused on a biblical character. This time, it was Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.

Why did God choose Joseph to be the legal father of Jesus? By worldly standards, he was not someone who had anything to boast about. He was a carpenter, a profession regarded as lowly at the time, and he was from Galilee, a remote region whose people were often treated by the Jews as if they were Gentiles. He was not a man of great learning, nor was he an influential figure of power. And yet, he was chosen to become the earthly father of Jesus.

Then what kind of man was he that God chose him? Scripture says, “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly” (Matt 1:19). Joseph was a righteous man. At that time, the standard of righteousness was the Law, and one who was faithful to the Law was regarded as righteous.

In Jewish tradition, betrothal carried almost the same legal force as marriage. Joseph knew that the child Mary was carrying was not his. According to the Law, if a betrothed woman was judged to have slept with another man, she was to be punished (Deut. 22, 24). Therefore, this situation was not something that could simply be overlooked from a legal standpoint.

Yet Joseph was a man who was faithful to the Law and at the same time merciful. The phrase “not wanting to expose her” shows that Joseph did not wish to drag Mary into court, disgrace her publicly, or subject her to harsh punishment. Instead of a public accusation, he intended to choose a quiet divorce. Joseph was a man who held both law and mercy, justice and compassion, together.

In the Old Testament, a “righteous person” does not simply mean someone who keeps the Law well. A righteous person is one who shows mercy to the weak and acts in ways that preserve life.

Righteousness and mercy are not in conflict; true righteousness inherently contains mercy. Joseph was precisely that kind of righteous man—one whose righteousness was accompanied by mercy.

There is a saying, “Even the law has tears.” The law is a standard that distinguishes right from wrong, but in the process of enforcing or applying the law, a warmth that considers a person’s circumstances is necessary. The purpose of the law is to protect people, and therefore applying the law in a way that crushes a person contradicts its very purpose. Thus, the law must uphold justice yet be applied in a way that preserves life.

In the United States, there is a judge named Frank Caprio. He is widely known for showing compassion and consideration to those who violate traffic laws but are in financial hardship. When someone clearly violated a traffic rule but was struggling economically, he would impose the fine but then have it paid through the Filomena Fund, established by his family. Law and mercy must go together.

God did not give only the Law that exposes sin, but He also gave the sacrificial system that covers the sins of those who have broken the Law. God did not give only prophets; He also gave priests. The roles of prophet and priest are different. The prophet stands on God’s side, proclaiming His word and exposing the sins of the people without alteration. In contrast, the priest stands on the people’s side, bearing their sins as his own, making atonement, and coming before God in intercessory prayer with the breast piece engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel upon his chest.

God is the One who holds both justice and mercy together. Jeremiah was a man who possessed these two hearts. As a prophet, he rebuked the sins of the people, yet his rebuke was accompanied by tears. He was grieved by the sins of the people, and he wept as he foresaw the coming judgment of God because of those sins. It pains me today when I see pastors and elders sharply criticizing the church on YouTube. Their criticisms are not without basis, but the problem is that their words show no trace of the sorrow that comes from truly loving the church. Though they speak as if seeking the purification of the church, in reality one can sense a desire to display their own righteousness.

Moses, the leader of Israel, sternly rebuked the people for the golden calf incident, yet he cherished them more than his own life, even saying, “Please blot me out of Your book.” Samuel, likewise, was a man who held both justice and mercy together—rebuking sin while never ceasing to pray for the people. Joseph, the husband of Mary, was such a man as well.