Matthew says of Joseph, “Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, …” This may well have meant Joseph was a “tsadiq”, one who was a serious student of Torah, and who diligently followed the law.
Matthew continues, “… and because he did not want to disgrace her ….” This was a kind and loving consideration. But it put Matthew in a dilemma. Following Torah, technically Mary was to be stoned. A quiet divorce was an act of forgiveness.
Matthew says, then both because he’s a tsadiq and because he didn’t want to disgrace her, these two things together, called for the forgiving divorce.
Doesn’t this anticipate the new righteousness Jesus is bringing, forgiveness of sin for the repentant? Yes, it does!
Matthew 1 contains one of my very favorite verses in the whole Bible, which I often quote to myself, pray for others, calligraph, and talk to others about: “Immanuel…God with us.” Matthew 1:23. Just four words…but they say so much.