Mary and Joseph had not planned on becoming pregnant before the wedding. That might pass in some societies but not in their small Palestinian community 2,000 years ago. Joseph was good man with integrity flowing from his broken heart. When he discovered his fiancée was “with child,” Joseph would not “disgrace her” and instead “planned to send her away secretly” (Matthew 1.19). However, God had different plans which He made clear in a dream to Mary’s betrothed.
Joseph was more than just a good man. He verged on greatness when he chose to risk shame and public humiliation for marriage plans with “his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant” (Luke 2.4-5) in his home town of Bethlehem.
