Mary and Joseph, part 1

This morning, the eve of Christmas Eve, I was thinking about Mary and Joseph and what might have been going on in their lives. As I thought about it, I felt called to write the following. It is not historically correct. If you enjoy it, let me know. If you do not like it, move on to something else. Yes, I will be using modern days and dates, with Jesus being born in 4 B.C on December 25th. 

They had been traveling for a several days. It was now the Sabbath. They were unable to travel on this day because it was the day of rest for the Lord. They were gathered with other families as they were traveling to their hometowns. Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that everyone was to go to their hometown to be counted, which meant that they were going to have to pay more taxes. Joseph thought to himself, "There is always more taxes. We can barely afford the taxes as it is." But he knew that he had to head to Bethlehem with his betrothed. He was from the City of David. 

Sitting with others who were heading south, they shared their food with one another. It was nice to have others with whom to travel. It would have been a long, lonely trip if he had to make the trip by himself. Yet, if he was by himself, he might have been much closer to Bethlehem, but Mary, his betrothed was great with child. So, they had to move slowly and carefully. She was such a good woman. There were sometimes when she grumbled about the roughness of the ride on the donkey. Mary's father has given them the donkey for the trip. He wanted his daughter and future grandchild to be as comfortable as possible. It was tough for her to be comfortable. It would soon be time for the baby to born. Joseph was praying that they would make it to Bethlehem. He did not want his baby to born somewhere along the trip. That would not be pleasant, though it did happen to others throughout the years.

He looked over at Mary and smiled. He loved her greatly. They had a difficult time about 8 months ago. Yes, they were betrothed. But they were faithful to the Law. They did not engage in those actions that would lead to the way of family. They knew this was according to the Law of YHWH. It had been difficult for Mary was a pretty woman. But he knew that he wanted to follow the will of God. He was doing all he could to be a God–fearing husband. He would never give in to the sinful actions. He was looking forward to the time when the betrothal would be over. 

And then, it happened. Mary came to him with news that shook his world. "Joseph, I am with child," she had said to him. He stared at her. His mind was a jumble. "What? How? When? Who?" The questions tumbled from his lips. He could not believe she would do this awful thing. Did she not care about what YHWH said? Did she not care for him as much as he cared for her? Why would she do such a thing?

She reached out and took his hands. He shook them free. He could not believe it. "Joseph, please listen. I have not been unfaithful..." "Of course, you have," Joseph shouted. "You had to be. There is no other way for you to be with child." He began to shake. He could not believe what he was hearing. "I must think," he said. Turning from her. She grabbed his arm, “Wait,” she pleaded. “Please, let me tell you what happened.”  Joseph stopped, turned towards Mary. He was sure that the look on his face was not pleasant. She as taken aback by the way he looked at her. But then she continued to explain to him. It was an incredible story. It was beyond belief. He listened but at the same time he shook his head in disbelief.

An angel had appeared to her, she explained. The angel even had a name, “Gabriel.” Really? The angel told her that she was blessed by YHWH. He had chosen her to carry His Son, the Son of David. “What?” Joseph said, perhaps too harshly for the situation but he was upset and could not believe she would invoke the name of YHWH or David. She did not stop. She was looking at him steadily, eyes open, with no sign of deception on her face. He had come to know her expressions. He knew them so well. He had memorized every part of her face and all her expressions. He could tell when she was hiding something, but that did not seem possible now. Yet…

She continued. She was told that she would become with child. The child would be the Son of David, the promised one. Just hearing that made Joseph’s heart leap, but he pushed those feelings away as it was impossible. She had even asked Gabriel how it was possible since she had never been with a man. She was pure and was going to remain that way until the time of the betrothal was over. Gabriel told her that she would still be pure for Joseph. This would be a great act of the Spirit of YHWH. She would be with child without ever having been with a man, for this child would not be born of human will or a man’s desire but would be the Son of God. The Son of God! At that, Joseph said, “I must think,” and he walked out the door, leaving Mary standing there, with that look of pleading.

Joseph loved Mary with his whole heart. She was a dear woman, a precious jewel among women. But how could this be? He walked around the village of Nazareth, trying to figure out what to do, what to say. He did not return to Mary that day. In fact, he came to a decision, one he did not want to make but it was the only one he could make. He would divorce her. It broke his heart to do so. He so loved her. But how could he accept that she was unfaithful? How could he accept another man’s child? That is the only answer there could be, it was another man’s child. So, he would divorce her. Yes, that is it. But he could not do it openly. He would do it quietly, only her family and the priest would know the reason. He did not want her stoned for adultery. As much as it hurt him, he could not do that to Mary. She was a part of his life and heart. Yes, he would divorce her quietly. He would tell her tomorrow. He would sleep on it tonight and tell her the next day what he had decided. He knew it was the right thing to do.

That night, he slept. It was not a good sleep, but he slept. Fitfully. He loved Mary. But he could not live that way. He could not accept her explanation. It was just too incredible, too impossible. Then, in the middle of the night, something amazing happened. An angel appeared to him. It was Gabriel. But that is not possible, yet here he was, in his dreams. Was it a dream? And he was told to take Mary as his wife for she had not been adulterous. She was still pure, a virgin. The angel reminded him of that which Isaiah had written so many years before – the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and he shall be called Immanuel. Yes, he will be “God with us.”

Joseph sat up straight on his bed. He knew what he needed to do. He would take Mary as his wife. He would declare the child his own so that there would be no questions, no adulterous talk. He would bear the burden of the shame of her being with child while they were betrothed. He would accept that people will think that he could not control his passion for his wife. It would be tricky, but he would accept it.

He quickly dressed, though it was early morning, and rushed to the place where Mary was staying. He knocked loudly till her father came to the door. He explained he needed to talk with Mary. No, it could not wait. He needed to talk to her now. They met in the main room of the house. Taking her hands in his, he looked into her eyes and said, “I believe you.” Then he told her that Gabriel had come to him. He shared all that was said. Mary had tears of joy in her eyes as they embraced. Yes, it would be all right. They trusted that what they were facing was from the LORD. As such, they were sure they could face it together.

Mary had left to go see her cousin Elizabeth. Joseph accepted it. He was aware that she was going to see if what the angel has said to her was true. For if Elizabeth was with child, after all the years of barrenness, then anything is possible for YHWH to accomplish. He would take that time and prepare the house for her return.

After 3 months, she returned, she was beginning to show that she was in the way of motherhood. Joseph accepted the looks of others. He accepted that they thought he was not faithful to the ways of the Law. That was all right. He knew the truth. This too would pass, as do all scandals. Something else would come along and they would focus on that. Until then, Joseph would shoulder the burden of guilt that others placed upon them, even though they had no guilt for they had done nothing wrong.

Looking over at Mary, as she sat upon the ground, next to their donkey, Joseph’s heart was full of love. He loved her greatly. She was even more beautiful as she was expecting the child. But she looked uncomfortable. “Are you all, Mary?” he asked her. “Yes, it is just getting close to the time,” she replied. “We will be in Bethlehem in two days,” he said. “Then you will be more comfortable.” She smiled at him, weary from travel and from carrying the baby. “We should rest now, for tomorrow we will cross the Jordan River.” They were not traveling through the land of the Samaritans. No self–respecting Child of Abraham would travel through that land.

They rose with the others the next day. It was Sunday, the first day of the week. Perhaps they would make it to Bethlehem by that evening. Joseph had said so, looking at Mary. But the look in her eyes told him that they would not make it that night. She was getting more and more uncomfortable. The time was close. Hopefully they would make to Bethlehem before the child arrived.

Joseph led the donkey while Mary sat upon it. They slowly plodded along. Those with whom they had spent the night had begun to pull away from them. They could travel faster. They did not have a woman who was great with child. Joseph thought of Elizabeth, wondering how she could handle childbirth at her age. “How did she do it?” Joseph asked Mary suddenly as they walked along. “Who?” Mary responded. Joseph laughed. “I was just thinking about Elizabeth and her child. How did she handle the childbirth in her old age? That must have been difficult.” Mary agreed, “Yet Elizabeth was so happy to have a child that she laughed in joy, even after all the pain. It gave me hope this child’s birth won’t be too difficult.” Mary said. “Elizabeth looked so happy when they gave her the child. They all wanted to name the child after this person or that person, but Zechariah would have none of it. When they brought him to be circumcised, he said, ‘His name will be John,’ That surprised us all. Why John? Then Zechariah told us that the angel Gabriel had told him to name the child John. So that is what he did. John.”

“Have you thought anymore about our child’s name?” Joseph asked. “He will be called Jesus,” Mary said firmly. “Yes, Jesus, the name the angel gave to us,” Joseph said. “The family will not be happy about that. They were wanting him to name for your father or for the High Priest. They will not understand why he should be called Jesus.” “That’s all right,” she said. “They have had a hard time understanding all that has gone on in our lives. They did not like the fact that I am with child before the betrothal was concluded. They could not accept our explanation.” “Can you blame them?” he responded. “It is unbelievable. An angel, a virgin birth, God’s Son. All of that is so beyond what might be expected. It would have been easier to accept that we had committed the sin that led to this child’s conception.” They smiled at each other. They had had this conversation many times. “Yes, he shall be named Jesus,” Joseph said.

Time passed. They stopped for lunch. The river crossing would take place after lunch. It was not a pleasant thing to do, but it was the only way. They could not travel through the land of those Samaritans. Soon, they were on the eastern bank of the river. They watched as other crossed. They could see where they must go travel avoid the deep water. Mary would remain on the donkey as they crossed the river. They stood in line as people ahead of them moved forward. Soon, they stepped into the river. It was cold, but that was expected at this time of the year. Why could Caesar not have given this order in the summer, when it would have been so much easier to cross the river. But here they were. As Joseph led the donkey into the Jordan River, he wished that a miracle would happen, like it did when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land. Why could not the LORD stop the river from flowing when I am taking the mother of His Son across the river? They I would not be wet and cold. Nor would the donkey or Mary. With every step, he thought about how miraculous that was they the people crossed the river on dry ground instead of plodding through the water and mud. Mary held tight to the donkey, confident that Joseph would lead the across the river. Soon, they were going up the far bank of the Jordan River, walking on dry ground once again.

Like the other travelers, they stopped to wring the water out of their robes. Perhaps they could put another mile or so behind them before they stopped for the night. Joseph helped Mary back on the donkey and they started west. It would not be long before they would begin to see signs of the Holy City. It was exciting to go to Jerusalem. This trip had been unexpected. It gave them another chance to see this special city. It was so much more than Nazareth. They came from a tiny village of no importance. No one famous ever came from Nazareth. There was not much to it. But Jerusalem! The Temple! The sights, sounds and smells of the city would be amazing. The excitement was building.

Tomorrow would be the day they passed through the city on the way to Bethlehem. They should be David’s City by Monday evening if everything goes well.

The other travelers were starting to make camp there ahead of them. “Joseph!” called Zechariah, “Come share our fire.” Looking at Mary, she smiled her agreement. It would be a pleasant to share Zechariah’s fire and company. He, too, was going to Bethlehem. He was traveling from Capernaum, they had met two days ago on the road. Yes, one last night on the cold, hard ground and then they would be able to sleep in a bed.

To be continued.