“be it unto me according to thy word …”
(Luk 1:38, KJV)
Within the Middle Eastern culture in which Joseph and Mary lived the act of marriage was comprised of three phases. The first phase was the engagement, a process through which either the parents or a matchmaker would orchestrate an agreement between a son/daughter or young woman/man which would ultimately culminate in a formal marriage. The second phase, termed betrothal, signified a more serious relationship where the couple was now seen as husband and wife within the tradition of the community. This would ordinarily take place a year before the commencing of the third phase, the marriage feast. (Thus we find that Jewish law considers a woman whose betrothed died during the second phase of the process a “virginal widow”.) Matt 1:18-24 makes more sense when one understands this background information, and we can understand how Joseph considered divorcing Mary even though they were only betrothed. Betrothal was considered as of such a binding degree that only divorce could render it undone.
Jesus’ conception took place during the second phase of Joseph and Mary’s marriage process. Most likely she wass twelve or thirteen years old, Joseph not older than fifteen or sixteen, the period in which such betrothals almost always took place. During this time there was a clear contract of sexual abstinence between the couple, which Joseph and Mary honoured (Matt 1:18). Based on Deut 22:23-24 Joseph had the opportunity to not only divorce Mary on account of her pregnancy but also request that she be stoned, but kindly decided to not disgrace Mary in public but instead rather secretly terminating their marriage (Matt 1:19). It is these characteristics that highlight his righteousness as a God-fearing man (as well as a New Covenant aptitude J).
Mary too was a God-fearing young woman not lacking in faith (Luke 1:45). She had thorough understanding of the promises God made to his people (Luke 1:46-55), and considered herself a bondservant (Luke 1:38), according to Fausset “a free, voluntary attendant”, thus someone who freely provides a master with the services of a slave. The angel addressed her as “favoured one” (Luke 1:28), in the original translation as “to be accepted in the Beloved” (also see Eph 1:6). This marks the attitude of heart of a slave who has earned the right to be free of his duties but still chooses to continue serving for the sake of the master. Ex 21:5-6 explains the position’s practical implications – “But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.” We can conclude that Maria was not just a random choice as incubator of one of God’s good ideas – Prov 3:3-4 was clearly part of her choice to stand in this specific position before God – “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.”
- Sela: Link today’s teaching with Acts 10:34 and Deut 32:10.
- Read: 2 Chr 8; Job 6; Rev 10
- Memorise: Job 6:14
- For a deeper understanding: Read chapter 8 of Phillip Yancey’s Reaching for the invisible God.
