those who assume Matthew is relating a virginal conception, the statement that Joseph ‘had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son’ (1.25) serves to underline that Mary remained a virgin until after she had given birth. Again, however, this is by no means the only way to understand its function. It can be read as simply continuing to make clear that Joseph was not the father and to underline that he remains righteous throughout this whole affair. He behaves precisely how someone concerned to uphold the law strictly should do. So, for example, when Josephus discusses the
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