Skip to main contentAccessibility feedback

Did St. Joseph Have Doubts About Mary?

Question:

Did Joseph have doubts that Mary conceived Jesus through Holy Spirit before the angel of the Lord called on him?

Answer:

Whether St. Joseph was aware that Mary had conceived through the Holy Spirit is an open question. The early Church Fathers are divided on the question of what St. Joseph thought. Some believed he thought Mary had been unfaithful (Ambrose, John Chrysostom, Augustine), and some held that St. Joseph believed Mary had been faithful to him, and therefore he found the pregnancy inexplicable (Jerome, Rabanus Maurus). Another theory was that St. Joseph knew the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and became piously fearful of taking Mary as his wife (Origen, Thomas Aquinas).

Though there are various theories about what St. Joseph thought, nowhere in the tradition is there a hint of a suggestion that he heard the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and doubted it.

Did you like this content? Please help keep us ad-free
Enjoying this content?  Please support our mission!Donatewww.catholic.com/support-us