Advent Day 19: Joseph

 

We know very little about Joseph other than his family line.  Joseph of Nazareth's family line traced from Abraham, through the line of King David   This was an important fulfillment of prophecy.   We know Joseph's father was named Jacob, based on the genealogy provided for us at the beginning of chapter 1 of Matthew's book.

Joseph was likely not from Nazareth.  He settled in Nazareth after returning to Egypt with Mary.   We know from a later chapter that Joseph's trade was as a carpenter or craftsman of some sort.  We can learn only that much from scripture.

It is supposed that Joseph was likely in his 30s at the time of his betrothal to Mary...But most Rabbis of that time thought that young men of 18-24 were the best ages for young men to marry.  It was why there had been a major change in the Ketubah or marriage contracts that were signed.   Joseph may have been nearer Mary's age, though if in his mid-twenties, there was still quite an age difference.  

What we do know is that Joseph, a man, was betrothed to a girl, Mary.    He likely was happy about his prospective bride and the coming fulfillment of  their relationship.  One thing I have learned through my husband and my own sons is that men too have dreams of their future home, wife and children.  They daydream as women do about their future  

Joseph likely  had been working to provide for his bride and future.  All was well until Mary had an encounter with the angel Gabriel.

When Mary returned from her visit to Elizabeth she would likely have told  Joseph of her pregnancy.

The sleepless nights and gut wrenching days of pondering that must have gone on after her revealing this to him can easily be imagined.  Much as the scholars would have us believe that men and women were highly devout and as saintly as they came, they were humans and God had proven over and over again that he could and would use mere humans, some less likable than others, to achieve his means.   While western thinking and eastern thinking, and even  centuries can change many perspectives, there are some things that are just natural human reactions.    The best amongst us when doubt steps into a relationship has a choice of how we shall react.  But the emotional response, regardless of what action we take,  is generally about the same across human experience where heartache is concerned.  

The scripture tells us that Joseph was a just man and thought to put her away  (divorce) quietly.  Of course, he believed her but...how could he?  How on earth could this thing she'd told him be the truth?  Still...he'd only known her character to be gentle and sweet...Surely someone had taken advantage of her!  Surely she must be shielding another?  Surely...surely she had told him the truth....

He might have easily divorced her on the grounds that she had committed adultery, because the betrothal was fully binding.  While no one could prove by whom she'd become pregnant they could prove that she was pregnant. It might be called betrothal but  it WAS a marriage in the strictest sense.  I do not know if the sentence for adultery was still death...We can go well ahead in the Bible to the woman at the well who had had many husbands...She obviously had lived.  But there was most certainly stigma attached to being an adulteress.  

To divorce Mary quietly, would also carry a heavy financial  penalty.  It would mean that he himself would be saying he was at  fault, that he would pay the 200 denarius to her for divorce.   Obviously people would assume he'd had his way with her...and he was willing to allow that.  He obviously felt that was better than to shame her with an accusation of adultery.  

That very choice is proof of Joseph's gentleness and kindness and compassion.

Divorce is never something to be undertaken lightly and is never an easy decision to make.  In the days in which Joseph lived it was a matter of spiritually breaking a holy partnership.  Who of us who have been divorced, hasn't experienced that wrenching inside to know we'd failed more than another human.  We'd failed in the most sacred of vows.  And that's us in today's world,  in a culture that seems to not blink  even once at divorce.

Matthew 1:20-21  But while he thought about these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  21And she will bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Matthew says that Joseph, being roused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took her as his wife, but did not know her till she had brought forth her first born son.

At that time when a bridegroom 'took' his bride he went to her parents home, lay with her on a bridal cloth, consummated their marriage and once he had shown the blood stained cloth as proof that she was a virgin, their lives together began.   The scripture does not tell us how Joseph and Mary accomplished this.  Luke simply says that "he took her as his wife."

Luke seems to use the same sort of phraseology here as he used when Mary set out on her journey to Elizabeth.  He implies that upon awakening,  Joseph went right to Mary, his mind set.    Mary would have been about 3 months along in her pregnancy, perhaps, not yet showing.

Joseph and Mary had spiritually chosen to be one, perhaps having a far deeper commitment than they had at the signing of the Ketubah or marriage contract.   They were now united in a purpose to raise the Son of God,  the maiden and this carpenter and each did so knowing that they both had an encounter with an angel of God.

song:  A Jewish Prayer  Yamma Ensemble