Joseph's Dilemma

The story of the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew is told in eight verses. Embedded in this short narrative is "Joseph's dilemma." Listeners are told that, "When Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit" (1:18). What happens next has long been debated. We are made to assume that Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, but that he does not know that she is with child from the Holy Spirit. This information is made k