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Advent · Year A

Fourth Sunday in Advent

December 21, 2025

The Dream of Saint Joseph, Philippe de Champaigne
The Dream of Saint Joseph, Philippe de Champaigne, c. 1642–43The National Gallery, London
Joseph sleeps in his chair with his carpenter’s tools at his feet; an angel swoops down and points upward, while Mary kneels at her prayer desk behind him.Just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”Philippe de ChampaigneA Brussels-born painter who worked in Paris for Cardinal Richelieu and the queen, known for calm, exact religious pictures.The National Gallery, LondonFounded in 1824 with thirty-eight pictures bought from a banker’s estate, and still free to enter, as its founders insisted.The National Gallery, London
LSB Three-Year Lectionary
GospelMatt. 1:18-25Mt 1:18-25
EpistleRom. 1:1-7Rom 1:1-7
Old TestamentIsa. 7:10-17Is 7:10-17
PsalterPs. 24Ps 24

Overview & Insights

“You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Matthew tells the nativity from Joseph’s side and in legal terms. Betrothal in this period was binding, which is why verse 19 can speak of a private divorce, and why Joseph’s being righteous and yet unwilling to expose her is presented as a tension rather than a contradiction. Revelation reaches him in dreams four times in the first two chapters, a pattern that recalls the other Joseph of Genesis 37 to 50. Two names are given to the child and both are interpreted: Jesus, a common name in the period, is glossed by its Hebrew root, the Lord saves, and applied to sins rather than enemies (v. 21), while Immanuel arrives with the citation of Isaiah 7:14 (v. 23). Verse 25 records the naming as Joseph’s own act, which is how a legal father takes a son into the line just traced.

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Take it further: Matthew 1:18-25

Commentary

Working Preacher: Matthew 1:18-25Working Preacher: Mt 1:18-25 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary exegesis on Joseph's obedience and Matthew's use of Isaiah 7:14.

Enduring Word: Matthew 1Enduring Word: Mt 1 Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse by verse evangelical notes on the genealogy and the angel's message to Joseph.

Precept Austin: Matthew 1 CommentaryPrecept Austin: Mt 1 Commentary Precept Austin

Verse level study helps and gathered quotations on the nativity account.

BibleHub: Matthew 1:18 CommentariesBibleHub: Mt 1:18 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregated classic commentaries on Joseph's dilemma and the virgin birth.

StudyLight: Matthew 1StudyLight: Mt 1 StudyLight

Combined commentary set, including Barnes and Gill, on the chapter.

Sermons That Work: A Daring Plan Sermons That Work · Episcopal Church

Anglican homily on Isaiah 7:10-16 and Matthew 1:18-25 read together.

Background & Word Study

BibleHub Interlinear: Matthew 1:18BibleHub Interlinear: Mt 1:18 BibleHub

Greek text with parsing for how Matthew describes Mary's pregnancy.

BibleProject: Matthew 1-13 OverviewBibleProject: Mt 1-13 Overview BibleProject

Animated overview of the first half of Matthew's Gospel and its literary design.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Matthew 1Catena: Mt 1 Catena

Patristic comment chain on the virgin birth and the naming of Jesus.

Worship & Prayers

Three-Year Series Prayers of the Church resources.lcms.org

LCMS's own prayers of the church keyed to the three-year series, the authentic Lutheran liturgical source for this Advent 4 service.

Podcast

Brainwave 328 - Fourth Sunday of Advent workingpreacher.org

Sermon Brainwave episode discussing this week's exact texts, Matthew 1:18-25 and Isaiah 7:10-16.

Art & Music

Joseph's Dream diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu

Vanderbilt ACT artwork explicitly tagged to Matthew 1:18-25, depicting the angel appearing to Joseph as he sleeps.

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