Break off quietly ….? What? Why?
Joseph the Carpenter of Nazareth seems to have been a decent man and a kindly one. He faced these troubling questions.
Below is the core story, as we have it.
First of all, Mary's experience:
In the sixth month [of Elizabeth's pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[a] But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”[b] The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:26-39 NRSVUE).
Then there is Joseph, the carpenter, of Nazareth:
“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered 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 home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a] because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21 NIV).
HERE IT IS AGAIN, BUT LET'S TEASE IT OUT A LITTLE....
Looking (again) at the story from Mary’s viewpoint:
In the sixth month [of Elizabeth's pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
Were Mary and Joseph "locals" in Nazareth town? Did either of them have people there? (They both had connection to Judea.)
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
The accounts make it clear that Joseph was not the birth father. Yet his ancestry proved to be important. Mary was a young woman who evidently had a "respectable" reputation. (Further on we learn that she was sexually inexperienced, but knowledgeable.)
And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[a]
Where was Mary? Indoors? Outdoors? Alone? The greeting sounds positive enough. But how suddenly did Gabriel come to Mary? What did Gabriel look like to her? What kind of encounter was this?
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
She was confused and disturbed (NLT). Note, it was the words and not the appearance that perplexed Mary. Surely that torpedoes the prevailing tradition of angelic winged beings in dresses?
We sympathise with Mary. Just what was this unknown person saying and why?
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Was Mary fearful at Gabriel's coming? Whatever his appearance, he must have been credible as bringing God's message. To be told that God was favouring her was special - God's favourite.
And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
Just shocking at that point. This unknown "male" talking about a conception in her! About a baby - hers! No doubt Mary did expect to have a baby at some future time.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High,
Her baby will be great and known as the Son of the Most High? Her baby! That just sounds weird. She was not even connected to the "powers-that-be"; she was an unknown, really.
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Her baby will occupy David's (long lost) throne? David his ancestor? (Matthew 1 and Luke 3 show an ancestral line through Joseph, the man to be the supposed father of Jesus.)
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”[b]
Mary, whatever her age, knew enough about "the birds and the bees" to know that she needed the male component to conceive. The CSB translates v34 more literally: “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” Definitely impossible - humanly speaking.
The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
I wonder how well Mary understood the angelic explanation. The Holy Spirit figures largely in the New Testament, but what was her understanding of him? The parallel expression of the power of the Most High was an explanation. The CEV translates v35: “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you."
And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Well, Elizabeth had a male in her life (and he also had a story to tell). The impossible made possible was that Elizabeth was considered to be unable to bear a child, but, said the angel, she was actually then well on the way.
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Mary could not have grasped the whole significance of this conversation. Nonetheless, she calls herself the servant of the Lord. The servant word is used to cover the status of slave. Mary could say to God, your will be done - and mean it with her heart.
Mary surely had a lot to think about - but maybe little time to do it?
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
In those days - was it an immediate and urgent decision? Mary was in haste - why? Did she need an understanding support in her unprecedented condition? Did Nazareth promise only rebuke? It was not so with Elizabeth.
(Above, in bold, Luke 1:26-39 NRSVUE)
“This is how the birth of Jesus the MessiahActually, of "Jesus Christ" or as per some manuscripts, of the Christ.
came about: His mother Mary was pledged
That is a legal and binding agreement - I wonder who was involved in reaching that agreement
to be married to Joseph,
How had the engagement come about; had the couple met before that? Where did they meet? Galilee or Judea?
but before they came together,
That is, before the estate of matrimony was entered, ie, sexual relations (see above)
she was found to be pregnant
Found! Who did the finding, and when, and where? How did they find? Did the grapevine bring a report from Judea to someone and thus to Joseph? Or, was this after Mary returned and was showing?
I assume the way this is reported it was not Joseph who “found”. He must, then, have been told. Why was he trying to solve his problem alone? At this remote time and in this very different culture it seems strange.
through the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit came into Mary's story early (see below). The point is stressed. This is an explanatory note Joseph did not have at the beginning.
Because Joseph her husband
They were not yet living as man and wife but Joseph has the status of husband. (These days some people live together first and may later make the legal contract, or not.)
was faithful to the law,
Joseph's adherence to the Law meant he could not avoid divorcing Mary on the ground of adultery.
and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly
What do you think - was Joseph a man torn between kindness and duty? Were they a young couple in love (like in the "Song of Solomon")? Clearly Joseph gave the shocking matter thought. He did not just react in disgust, or anger, or from wounded pride. He took his time and considered how he could lessen Mary's disgrace.
I do not follow Joseph's reasoning - the baby was coming! He was disowning the child and Mary. Would that not have been clear if he went ahead with the divorce, despite his good intention? How would mother and child fare, wherever they were? Or, is the answer that Mary still in Judea and was Joseph thinking she could remain there?
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
This dream was the first reported but there were more to come. How did Joseph recognise the message as coming from the Lord?
and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
Joseph's way is clear - their marriage is secure. (The NIV's explanatory "home" emphasises the completion of the marriage and entry to cohabitation.) That sounds like Mary was right there in Nazareth and they could complete the marriage process right away.
because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son,
As with Mary, Joseph is informed that the Holy Spirit is responsible for the pregnancy. I wonder how much Joseph knew about him?
and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a]
The NIV note explains: Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.
because he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus will become the one who rescues. Rescues his people. Does that sound like a nationalistic limitation? Not so - for though "his own" were the Jewish people, Jesus broadened the mission to reach the whole world, the world which God loved so much.
Rescue from their sins - why is saving necessary? People need to be separated from their sins. Their sins are like a millstone hung round the neck of the drowning.
(above, in bold, Matthew 1:18-21 NIV).
Conclusion
So - had Mary hastily "cleared out" to Judea (she went for about 3 months)? If so, Joseph was left in ignorance of Mary's advancing pregnancy. It seems clear that Mary had not told Joseph of her fearful experience and her agreement. Why did they not talk it over?
However, Mary herself had no precedent nor reported guidance on how to proceed. I wonder if she had any living parents or close relatives in Nazareth, or elsewhere? Was she just working in a household there? Why did she go off to far away Judea to her relative? Was that where her relatives were?
When she returned was she “showing” to the alert eye?
"Divorce her quietly". Actually, I am not sure I can see what Joseph thought he could accomplish in his plan. If Mary, "divorced" from their pledged estate, remained in Nazareth and carried the child to term, how would she fare? I do not know how unmarried mothers were regarded then. It is only comparatively recently that in Western culture the fact could be accepted and much harsh treatment ended. (What happens in other cultures today?)
Paul gave the believers in Galatia a concise summary:
This is how it was with us. We were like children ruled by the powers of this world. But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children (Galatians 4:3-5 CEV).
A time.
A Son.
A woman.
The Law.
A freedom.
A becoming.
May you be blessed by God
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash
Photo by Stephanie Hau on Unsplash
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