I delved into the language used in Matthew 1:18-25

Engaged: means more than today—marriages often arranged, the man and woman often strangers. The year-long engagement gave them time to get to know each other—could be alone without chaperone—if child conceived during this time, no shame—engagement legally binding.

Before they lived together: before Joseph could have been the father of Mary’s child.

She was found with child: Joseph learned that she was to have a child.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit: no man fathered this child—Son of God.

Her husband: emphasizes the legal and moral commitment of the engagement.

An upright man: kept the spirit as well as the letter of the Law—a genuinely good man—justice and mercy.

Expose her to the Law: the child wasn’t his—adultery was the natural assumption—under the Law, he could have had her stoned to death—too merciful for that.

Divorce her quietly: he was too just to ignore the apparent wrong done to him—Mary seemed to have broken the Law and shouldn’t be allowed to get off Scot free—Joseph couldn’t acknowledge the child as his.

Joseph, son of David: the angel reminds him of his lineage—the expected Messiah was to be of that house, too.

Have no fear about taking Mary as your wife: God isn’t expecting Mary to be punished for her “sin”—there is no shame in any of this.

He will save His people from their sins: He will heal the rupture in the relationship between God and humans—not to be a political, warrior king.

They shall call Him Emmanuel: not necessarily His name—an epithet—a further expression of His nature—means “God is with us.”

Received her into his home: this had to have been before Mary’s pregnancy was obvious else the village gossips would have been buzzing about how it wasn’t proper for them to be living apart with a child on its way—Joseph’s sense of justice wouldn’t have let him dally too long in deciding to divorce her, and that was a quick, easy procedure—wedding probably not too long after her return from visiting Elizabeth.

He had no relations with her: it couldn’t have been any other way—to touch the Ark of the Covenant had meant death—Mary was the Ark of the Son of God, far holier still—Joseph’s sense of reverence would have been an operative factor here.

From there I went on to Luke 1:1-9.

Caesar Augustus: the most powerful man in the world—held by many to be a god.

Published a decree: his word was quite literally law.

Ordering a census: “How great is my power? How large is the tax base? Are my governors being honest in forwarding taxes?”

Of the whole world: if it wasn’t part of the Roman Empire, it wasn’t part of the civilized world—“barbarians” (not part of the Empire) didn’t count for anything.

Everyone went to register: woe to the one who didn’t!

Each to his own town: the seat of his family’s patriarch—women would go with husband or father.