tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736427810720155529.post6560245237072106538..comments2023-08-09T07:48:53.962-04:00Comments on Bear Witness to the Light: Behold, The Days Are Coming When I Will Raise Up To David A Righteous BranchFr. John L. Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16167510362871783781noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736427810720155529.post-20776945826463557612009-12-18T11:01:00.804-05:002009-12-18T11:01:00.804-05:00Joseph's righteousness is responsible for his ...Joseph's righteousness is responsible for his "fear", because at the same time, he knew that he was not the father of Mary's child, and he knew that Mary was a virtuous young woman. <br /><br />Joseph knew that, according the the Law of Moses, a man who was betrothed to his wife, but not yet married to her, had several options. He could denounce her as an adulteress, and she would be stoned to death at the town gates. He could acknowlege the child as his own, and wedding plans would go forward. He could divorce her quietly, and she would be sent to the district near the town gates, where she would live with her child as if she were a widow. <br /><br />As Matthew tells us in today's gospel, Joseph was seriously considering the last of these options when the Angel Gabriel appeared to him, and told him that it was not by another man, but by the power of the Holy Spirit that the child had been conceived (Matthew 1:20). <br /><br />Those who believe that Mary and Joseph had normal relations after the birth of Jesus probably also believe that Joseph was the father of Jesus, which suggests that they have never read -- or do not understand -- Matthew 1:20. Acting on the message he received from God regarding Jesus' conception, Joseph would have seen Mary as worthy of the respect and homage due to the woman chosen as God's spouse, and the mother of the Messiah. His attitude was certainly one of awe, but there was no threat of peril -- after all, he had been chosen as the Messiah's foster-father and guardian.Fr. John L. Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16167510362871783781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736427810720155529.post-28030445212610615482009-12-18T08:25:30.745-05:002009-12-18T08:25:30.745-05:00Joseph's righteousness made him afraid to take...Joseph's righteousness made him afraid to take Mary into his house, because he could see that she was now someone else's wife. The Old Testament has many dire warnings about the eternal consequences of sleeping with another man's wife. Prostitutes are far preferrable to other men's wives. Joseph was afraid he might be sinning against God and man by taking Mary into his house.<br /><br />How could he quietly put away a girl who was already pregnant? It would be a public scandal. Maybe he was planning to say that the child was his (to protect Mary) but that, having jumped the gun so to speak, he had changed his mind about the wedding (to protect his immortal soul). A man was entitled to divorce his wife, after all. <br /><br />Many Christians believe that Mary and Joseph had normal marital relations after Jesus' birth. I think that a righteous man like Joseph, who believed and acted on the messages he received from God regarding Jesus' conception, would have seen Mary as someone else's wife whom he touched at his peril.<br /><br />It's strange how the shadow of adultery hangs over this first part of the Gospel, because adultery is such a metaphor for lack of faithfulness to the one true God.<br /><br />I'm off to the mountains. Happy Christmas, Father!Sarah in the tenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13680566205364331756noreply@blogger.com