Art Reading Scripture
- trinitymilaca
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
But just when Joseph had resolved to (divorce Mary), an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:20
St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal is a massive Church dedicated to Joseph, husband of Mary and protector of Jesus. An Oratory may refer to a small chapel, which this is not, or a society of priests and a place whose rules are a bit more lax than those of a Cathedral, (look it up.) The images throughout the Oratory tell the stories of Joseph. In the basement is a Nativity Museum with over 100 displays. The scene showing the visitation of the angel to Joseph in a dream is part of a series of pictures that arch their way over the altar. Joseph's eyes are closed showing that he is asleep during the visitation.
Luke told stories of angelic conception/birth announcements to Zechariah and Mary. Zechariah and Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist. When Zechariah objected to the idea of a child due to old age the angel silenced him for nine months. When Mary, alone, received the announcement, she also voiced her objections due to the fact that she was unmarried. She of course did not get reprimanded but rather, praised. In both instances the angel began the announcement with, "Do not be afraid...".
Matthew wrote Joseph's story of the angelic announcement. As with Mary, he was alone when he received it. He being a righteous man, upon finding out Mary was pregnant, showed what compassion he was able by separating from her quietly. The angel appeared to him in a dream, as messengers from God often did, rather than face to face as in Luke. It must have been a pretty vivid and compelling dream! Joseph obeyed the message to remain with Mary and be her husband in spite of the odd event of her pregnancy.
The Infancy Gospel of James expands on the bare story of Matthew. In it Joseph arrives home to find Mary pregnant. He smacks his head, falls to the ground and weeps. "With what sort of countenance shall I look to the Lord God? What shall I pray concerning this maiden? ... Who is he who deceived me? Who did this evil?" Joseph was ashamed that he could not protect Mary, and outraged that Mary left alone had been defiled? He protested to Mary, "Having been cared for by God, why did you do this, forgetting the Lord your God?" Mary also wept bitterly, saying she remained pure. She said, "As the Lord my God lives, I do not know whence it came to me." Joseph retreated into himself to debate if he should hide this thing and violate the law, or, if this was from God, fail by delivering innocent blood to the judgement of death. He decides to secretly dismiss her. That night the angel came to Joseph and he believed. He praised God and "guarded the child."
Joseph's troubles were far from over. In the Infancy Gospel all this takes place in Jerusalem rather than Nazareth. The priest in the Temple found out about it. A tribunal was called and Mary was questioned. "Mary, why did you do this? Why did you humble your soul, forgetting the Lord your God?" Joseph, under suspicion of actually being the father, protested in self defense, "As the Lord God lives, I am pure regarding her." The priest demanded that Mary and Joseph, "drink the water of the Lord's testing," (Numbers 5:11-29), in which a woman drinks bitter water mixed with dust from the Temple floor. If she is pure nothing happens. If she has committed adultery she will immediately miscarry. Numbers does not require the male to drink ( because the accusation in Numbers comes from a jealous husband) and so does not elucidate the potential consequences for Joseph. Joseph adjourned to the desert for a while and came back healthy. Mary also went into the desert after drinking and came back whole. They were released and left praising God. Sometime much later they traveled from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, just three miles away.
The Infancy Gospel of James written sometime after 150 CE is not in the Bible. It tells a different story of Mary, Joseph and Bethlehem. It's from this writing that find Mary riding a donkey, Jesus being born in a cave (foreshadowing the tomb), the presence of a midwife who helps deliver the baby, and a few other traditional details. Perhaps the Gospel stories were too brief and someone thought they needed filling out. Many Bible stories have become for us blends of Bible and tradition, which we accept and enjoy. The gospel of God's love remains. Jesus is born of woman, cared for by a father, and lived to become our teacher, savior and life.
Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.
Pastor Tim Bauer