Matthew 1: 18 -25
Now the birth of JESUS CHRIST
was on this wise:
When as His+ mother Maryam
(Aramaic/Syriac)
was espoused to Joseph,
before they came
together,
she was found with CHILD+
of the HOLY SPIRIT.
Then Joseph
her GOWRA, her guardian-husband (Aramaic/Syriac),
being
a RIGHTEOUS man,
and not willing to make her a public example,
was minded to
put her away privily.
But of these things he was considering (Gk,
literal)
behold, the angel of the LORD
appeared unto him in a dream,
saying,
Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to
take unto thee Mariam (Gk) thy
wife:
for THE ONE+ in her
has
been generated ( a one-time occurence)
from out of the
SPIRIT
is HOLY.
(Greek, awkward but literal)
And she shall bring forth a
SON+,
and thou shalt call His+ Name
JESUS:
for HE+ shall save His+ people
from their sins.
Now all this was done,
that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken
of the LORD
by the prophet, saying,
Behold,
a virgin shall be with CHILD+,
and shall bring forth a SON+,
and they shall call His+ Name EMMANUEL,
which being interpreted is,
GOD WITH US.
Then Joseph being raised from sleep
did as the angel of the LORD
had bidden him,
and took unto him his wife:
And knew her not
till she had brought forth
her firstborn son:
and he called His+ Name
JESUS.
Heart-breaking ! Our dear
brother Joseph, what troubled thoughts he must have endured for several hours after Mariam's condition was
discovered.
However, Joseph was of the line
of David as well as Mariam. Joseph ALSO was CHOSEN of GOD --- as well as Mariam
--- for his purpose during the
Incarnation of CHRIST JESUS.
The Syriac-Aramaic Peshitta text
records Matthew 1:16 like this:
"Jacob fathered Joseph,
the
guardian of Maryam,
from whom
was born Y'SHU+,
Who+ is
called the M'SHIKHA. "
Later, in verse 19, Joseph is
called Mariam's ba-al, or husband.
But the Syriac Text, which dates
back to the early centuries of Christendom, tells us that Joseph was indeed
functioning as a GUARDIAN for the first nine months of their marriage !
Joseph was chosen because young
Mariam needed a human guardian to cover her as she carried the Divine BABE+ in
her womb. Both Mariam and the BABE+
needed to be protected from the zealous righteous ones who would stone a
Hebrew woman who was with child, without a husband.
When The LORD selected Joseph to
protect Mariam and the Divine BABE+ in her womb, HE knew the kind of man Joseph
was... and was not.
Let's ponder the righteousness
exhibited by Joseph in this most trying circumstance... which, indeed, is where
righteousness counts.
First of all, righteous Joseph
was not willing to marry a "loose" woman who had defiled
herself; he maintained the righteous standards of the Mosaic Law.
Although maintaining the
Scriptural standard of righteousness, Joseph was also not willing to
expose the young woman to public scorn and shunning, at best, and possible
stoning. Thus, we see in Joseph that true righteousness is guided by mercy.
In a quandry, Joseph was not
hasty in action, but was pondering WHAT was the right way to be righteous-yet-merciful in this harrowing situation. Joseph's integrity held him bound to
doing the right thing by GOD and avoiding taking vengeance for the supposed
immoral conduct of his un-faithful, betrothed wife.
In his integrity, Joseph was also bound to do that which was best for the young woman who disappointed him in her betrothal vows.
So, Joseph's decision was this:
He would keep the standard of righteousness, but Joseph would "put her away" ( dismiss her, sever the betrothal bond ) privately, to cause her and the child the least amount of wounding.
Now ... how Joseph would have
been able to end the legal, public espousal covenant without exposing Mariam's
condition is a puzzlement.
Would Joseph
have been able to take her to another village and legally perform the divorce, and thus keep her hidden ?
The literal Greek places
the adverb "secretly" between two verbs:
"... he purposed
SECRETLY to dismiss her."
Could that phrase possibly
be rendered with this alternative meaning ? :
Joseph secretly
determined
( i.e., without asking
counsel of another person
or telling anyone )
that he
would divorce her.
The LORD, however, provided evidence to Joseph before he contacted the elders to divorce her. The LORD sent a SUPERNATURAL dream, re-assuring Joseph that Mariam was still chaste, and
in her obedience, she was chosen to carry the Long-Awaited MESSIAH.
Chaste Joseph responded
WITH A SIMILAR level
of faith and obedience
to the Living Word of The LORD
unto him !
To his great credit, Joseph believed
the Word of The LORD to him in that dream. He obeyed immediately without
question... just like Mariam obeyed immediately without question.
Joseph directly took Mariam into his home and covered her and the
BABE+ in her womb, providing for them and guarding them through nine long months of pregnancy amongst their fellow townspeople.
He took her with him on the long
journey to Bethlehem during the taxation of Ceasar Augustus, which required both of them to be present at the registration for taxation, as it seemingly is phrased in Scripture. Luke 2:5.
This man of integrity did not claim the rights of a
husband until after the BABE+ had been born.
So, not only was Joseph a
righteous man of the Law, he was also a man of integrity: GOD did not have to tell him to wait until
after the BABE+ was born in order to consummate the marriage.
Joseph was compassionate as well as
righteous, and walked in integrity without being commanded to do so.
In all this,
Who
was Joseph proclaiming?
Surely, Joseph did NOT proclaim
SELF. Self was NOT on the throne through any of those mysterious days and months.
Joseph set to his seal that GOD IS TRUE and worthy to be trusted.
Our own integrity, our standards, our compassion should testify that ...
JESUS CHRIST
has come
in the flesh.
We, like Joseph, PROCLAIM HIM+ to the World by our life ... a life lived in integrity, GOD-centered standards, CHRIST-centered compassion.
We do RIGHT because
of OUR LOVE FOR HIM+,
Who+ always did right
because of His+ Love
for His+ Heavenly FATHER...
... and His+ love for us.
Let us Pray:
O FATHER ALMIGHTY, we bless THEE for Thy great power, established in Righteousness, established in Holiness.
Help us to PROCLAIM the CHRIST+ CHILD as HE+ becomes Incarnate in our hearts by faith. Teach us to stand firm in Thy Truth, and with Compassion and Integrity walk in righteousness all the days of our lives.
Change whatever is amiss in the temper and disposition of our souls,
For the sake of the INCARNATED CHRIST Who+ lives and reigns with THEE, and Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, both now and forever, world without end, to the ages of the ages.
Amen.
