As we rejoice again this Christmas time over the wonder of
God becoming a man, I have been mulling over the role of the key players, apart
from Jesus, in this incredible event.
God did not just choose to place a baby or even a fully
grown man on the earth, he involved a variety of people, many of whom had no
idea at the time that they were partaking in the greatest event in history.
Mary and Joseph were both normal folk from the despised town
of Nazareth. It was a place considered polluted by non-Jews. That is why the
whole area was called Galilee of the Gentiles in Isaiah 9: 1. Mary was just an ordinary young woman going
about her ordinary life, betrothed to Joseph. Betrothal in those times was far
more binding than our engagement. It could only be broken by divorce.
Mary may have been an ordinary lady from a despised town but she had too key
points in her favour; she was a virgin and she was from the line of David.
These two were essential for the task God wanted her to do. Into her life of
domesticity came the angel Gabriel who said to her ‘Greetings, you
who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’
Mary’s reaction is fascinating. She was obviously troubled
by the sudden appearance of an angel and by his greeting but when he told her
that she would have a son and not just any son but the Son of the Most High
God, her first question is ‘how will this
be … since I am a virgin?’
How do
you conceive the Son of God especially if you are a virgin? She knew God was not going to ask her to do
something ungodly or unrighteous to fulfil this calling. She didn’t doubt, she didn’t say she didn’t
believe the angel like Zechariah but she did query how this would come about.
Gabriel gave her the answer that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her. The baby would be the Son of God in both
nature and by name.
We can imagine the wave of different emotions that Mary
would have had at this announcement – everything from a deep sense of honour to
concern about the implications of being pregnant in this way. Yet she submitted herself to God’s plan.
However
fear, bewilderment and doubt must have started to rush in. What will people think? Society would have had a lot to say about an
unmarried mother. Purity was highly regarded and Mary was pure but that was not
what people would think. How would she explain this to Joseph or her
parents?
Mary immediately hurried off to her relative Elizabeth,
another lady having a baby under very unusual circumstances. Mary was a virgin
and Elizabeth was well past conceiving age but as the angel said, ‘Nothing is impossible with God.’
Elizabeth
was the ideal person to talk things over with. She ‘was righteous in the sight of God’ and would have given Mary great
strength at this difficult time whilst she came to terms with what was
happening.
Joseph
must have been incredibly disappointed that Mary did not appear to have been
faithful to him. He too was a Godly and righteous man and he
didn’t want to expose Mary to public disgrace even though it would clear his
name and save his good standing in the community. Mary could have been stoned
but instead he decided to divorce her quietly or sign the legal papers without
any public spectacle but Gabriel came and told him to take Mary as his wife.
The child was of the Holy Spirit – Mary was still pure and a virgin.
Joseph
was obedient even though it would look as if he was actually the father of the
child. Both Mary and Joseph would be the
subject of public criticism and censure. However Joseph took her home and
brought both Mary and the child under his protection. He named the baby and by
doing so he adopted him into the family of David. Jesus was now legally of the
lineage of the kings of Judah.
Here were
two ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events. Most people in those
circumstances in those times would have been far more interested in preserving
their own reputation and good standing but both Mary and Joseph gave these up
to do God’s will. The plan to bring God’s son into the world could have fallen
at the first hurdle but God knew who he was choosing – a man and woman of
character.
Mary
and Joseph had no education, no wealth, no position, no great talents, in fact
nothing that would obviously select them to be the parents of the Son of God.
Yet they had two of the greatest qualities – they were Godly and obedient. They
must have paid a heavy price in terms of public criticism and gossip probably
for years to come.
Being
chosen to be the parents of Jesus was a hard road for these Godly people with
no obvious reward at the time. Was it worth it? You bet it was!
