Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 1:24-25

"And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS." — Matthew 1:24-25 (ASV)

Remigius of Auxerre: Life returned by the same entrance through which death had entered. Through Adam's disobedience we were ruined; through Joseph's obedience we all begin to be restored to our former condition. For in these words, the great virtue of obedience is commended to us when it is said, And Joseph rising from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord had commanded him.

Glossa Ordinaria: He not only did what the Angel commanded, but did it as he was commanded. In the same way, let everyone who is warned by God break off all delays, rise from sleep, and do what is commanded.¹

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Took unto him does not mean he took her home, for he had not sent her away. He had only put her away in his thoughts, and now he took her back in his thoughts.

Remigius of Auxerre: Or, he took her to the extent that, with the wedding rites completed, she was called his wife, but not so far as to lie with her, as it follows, And knew her not.

St. Jerome: Helvidius goes to unnecessary trouble to make this word know refer to carnal knowledge rather than to mere acquaintance, as though anyone had ever denied that, or as if the foolish ideas he refutes had ever occurred to any person of common sense. He then goes on to say that the adverb until denotes a fixed time when that which had not happened before would take place. Therefore, from the words, He knew her not until she had brought forth her first-born Son, he claims it is clear that Joseph did know her afterward. In proof of this, he gathers many examples from Scripture.²

To all this we answer that the word until must be understood in two senses in Scripture. And concerning the expression knew her not, he himself has shown that it must be referred to carnal knowledge, though no one doubts that it is often used for acquaintance, as in the passage, The child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and His parents knew not of it (Luke 2:43).

Likewise, until often denotes a fixed period in Scripture, as he has shown, but it also often refers to an infinite time. For example, in the verse, Even to your old age I am He (Isaiah 46:4)—will God then cease to be when they have grown old? Also, the Savior says in the Gospel, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of this world (Matthew 28:20). Will He then leave His disciples at the end of the world? Again, the Apostle says, He must reign till He has put His enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25).

It should be understood, then, that what might have been doubted if it had not been written is expressly declared to us; other things are left to our own understanding.ⁱ

So here the Evangelist informs us about the point where there could have been error—that she was not known by her husband until the birth of her Son—so that we might infer from this that she was even less likely to have been known afterward.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Just as one might say, "He did not tell it as long as he lived," would this imply that he told it after his death? Impossible. So, while it is credible that Joseph might have known her before the birth, while he was still ignorant of the great mystery, how could he approach her after he understood how she had been made a temple of the Only-Begotten of God? The followers of Eunomius, who have dared to assert this, think that Joseph also dared to do it—just as the insane think all people are as mad as they are.

St. Jerome: Lastly, I would ask, why then did Joseph abstain at all up to the day of birth? He will surely answer, because of the Angel's words, That which is born in her, etc. He, then, who paid so much attention to a vision as not to dare to touch his wife—would he, after he had heard the shepherds, seen the Magi, and known so many miracles, dare to approach the temple of God, the seat of the Holy Spirit, the Mother of his Lord?³

Pseudo-Chrysostom: It may be said that know here simply means to understand; that whereas before he had not understood how great her dignity was, after the birth he then knew that she had been made more honorable and worthy than the whole world, for she had carried in her womb Him whom the whole world could not contain.

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, because of the glorification of the most holy Mary, she could not be "known" by Joseph until the birth. For she who had the Lord of glory in her womb, how could she be known? If the face of Moses, while talking with God, was made so glorious that the children of Israel could not look upon it, how much more could Mary not be known, or even looked upon, who bore the Lord of glory in her womb? After the birth, Joseph knew her by sight, but not by carnal relations.

St. Jerome: From the words her first-born Son, some very wrongly suspect that Mary had other sons, saying that first-born can only be said of one who has brothers. But this is the custom of Scripture: to call the first-born not only one who is followed by brothers, but the first child born to the mother.

For if only he was first-born who was followed by other brothers, then no first-born offering could be due to the Priests until the second child was born.⁴

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, He is first-born among the elect by grace, but by nature the Only-Begotten of God the Father and the only Son of Mary. And called His name Jesus, on the eighth day, when the circumcision took place and the Name was given.⁵

Remigius of Auxerre: It is clear that this Name was well known to the Holy Fathers and the Prophets of God, but especially to him who spoke, My soul fainted for Thy salvation (Psalm 119:81), and, My soul hath rejoiced in Thy salvation (Psalm 13:5). It was also known to him who spoke, I will joy in God my Saviour (Habakkuk 3:18).

1. ord. et ap. Anselm ex Beda cit.
2. Cont. Helvid. c. 5
3. cont. Hevlid. 8
4. Cont. Helvid. 10
5. ord.