Nancy Dawson
That’s right. It’s may be a year long process or more. She’s probably around 14, somewhere in that age. She’s probably a teenager, which was very common. But it’s a legally binding contract when you are betrothed to someone. This is why, when she’s found to be with child of the Holy Spirit, the Incarnation through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit on her, Joseph thinks either she’s been violated or that he must divorce her.
Because it is a legal contract that they have, and he is a righteous man. Thank goodness she has someone like him. He’s from the line of David. This is why both of them go from Nazareth in Galilee down to Bethlehem for the census of Caesar Augustus. And so both of them are from this line of David, and they are going to be registered together. And of course, this is when Jesus is born.
David Capes
What’s interesting is that initially we’re told that Joseph is a righteous man. Which means, in that context, that he’s willing to do what God’s law says, which is to divorce her. But he wants to do so quietly, so as not to bring shame upon her or upon her family. I learned that by reading this book right here. It’s a wonderful book! Matthew Through Old Testament Eyes. It’s written by, myself! So that’s the
context. But Joseph has an experience of the angel of the Lord who tells him through a dream, not to put her away. In fact, he is to take her as his wife.
Nancy Dawson
And that Scripture is very clear that they do not have relations until after Jesus is born. But after that, they have four sons and at least two daughters, because it’s always stated as “sisters of Jesus”. It’s always in the plural. So, these are half-brothers and half-sisters of Jesus. Of course, one of them is James, the half-brother, and he becomes the head of the church in Jerusalem.
David Capes
He must have been the oldest then, next to Jesus.
Nancy Dawson
Well there is one named Joseph. So, I assume he’s named after the father. There’s a Simeon, there’s a James, and there is Judas, or Jude, and he is the author of the epistle of Jude.
David Capes
So, “all in the family,” as they say. And that’s one of the things that a number of scholars have pointed out, is that to be from that family line is to have a certain amount of authority in that world. This guy was a brother of Jesus. Wow. And Paul even talks about the brothers of Jesus. The brothers of Our Lord, I think he says. And he uses the term kurios, not just the word Jesus. He was using the title of a fully divine person at that point.
Nancy Dawson
So, you see that Mary is not only an image bearer, but it’s through the seed of the woman that was away promised back from Genesis 3:15. It’s the seed of the woman that is going to give rise to the redemption of Israel. Mary was said many times to ponder these things in her heart. But clearly, when she declares, “I am your maid servant”, she realizes that her call is special. That these lines between the secular and the sacred, she is going to be the vessel that brings that forth the Messiah. Jesus grows in her womb just like a normal baby, and in his humanity, he is born of this woman.
David Capes
Mary, blessed are you among women.
Nancy Dawson
She is the most blessed, the most blessed. Blessings are the final end to the covenant, to bring peace, to bring blessings, And this is what Jesus will do. It’s through him that all of God’s providential plan of redemption is fulfilled, and it’s with her, yet it’s through her. She doesn’t understand everything, but she accepts it, and she says, “Let this be unto me, as you have said.”
David Capes
That 14- or 15-year-old girl could not have fathomed what was going to transpire in her life. One of the things that Protestants do is sideline Mary because other denominations often elevate her. Maybe too far. But I think in sidelining her the way we do, we ignore the one who becomes that vessel through whom redemption comes.
Nancy Dawson
The Magnificat, I mean, she is totally aware of Israel’s past, and so she has this sense of things coming to a grand fulfillment, and it does. All of the Old Testament points to Jesus, and all of the New Testament is about the new creation that takes place in the person of Jesus. We all look back to this moment, this Advent moment, this time when she bears the Son of Man, the Son of God.
David Capes
Yes! It’s a wonderful study. Thanks for being with us today. And we look forward to your book coming up about all the women of the Bible? We’ll have you back to talk about that when that book is out. Thanks. Dr Nancy Dawson.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
