That Mary would be taken as a wife was an unquestioned expectation. It was a decision-making process that began long before her consciousness of it. Mary was part of an extended family all living together in attached dwellings. Mary’s whole family would have been involved in the considerations of who would be an appropriate husband. It would have been the usual custom for the family to select a man known to them. He was perhaps known to Mary. It is likely the man was older than Mary, possibly a widower, possibly with children. This might be the description of Joseph. Little information is provided in the Gospels about Joseph. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, when an adult Jesus returns to his village and locals describe Jesus as “the carpenter’s son,” they do not even name Joseph. If the reference is to Joseph, it is possible Joseph worked in the home, in the village, and possibly beyond it, traveling to neighboring villages for steady carpentry work. Matthew and Luke identify Joseph as the betrothed of Mary. Betrothal would have been a public event, formalizing the union of Mary and Joseph and witnessed by the extended family and other persons in the village. Matthew and Luke also provide a genealogy of Jesus stating he is the son of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so forth, through to King David and Solomon and additional descendants ending in Joseph. However, Joseph is then identified as not being Jesus’ father for it is the Holy Spirit that is asserted as impregnating Mary. The Gospel of Matthew has most of the little information we have on Joseph. Much of that information revolves around the question of Mary’s pregnancy and angels who visit Joseph in reference to Mary’s pregnancy. The Gospels are written to assert Jesus’ divinity, as the son of God, not the son of Joseph. Joseph is written as knowing Mary is pregnant and knowing that he is not the father. Joseph is portrayed as a caring man. He is “unwilling to expose her to the law” and “decided to divorce her quietly.” Extra Biblical sources give considerations to the possibility Mary was mistreated, perhaps raped, and Joseph does not want to see her hurt further. Joseph stands by his betrothed and does what is best for Mary. Matthew’s use of angels appearing to Joseph portrays him as a trusting man. He is willing to accept a greater good is being asked of him. Joseph appears once more in the story of 12-year-old Jesus being lost in Jerusalem and being found conversing with the teachers in the Temple. Joseph then disappears from the Gospel. He is not recorded as present during any of Jesus’ adult ministry. Mary is present but without her caring husband. She seems to be a widow who is accompanied by other women friends and by her son.
Prayer: Spirit of Communion, guide me as a caring friend.
Question: Who are the friends who have cared for me during difficulty?
December 10, 2023 Gospel Mark 1:1-8 Second Sunday of Advent