Reflections
Joseph the Courageous Man: A Retelling of the Christmas Story from Joseph’s Point of View
by Olusola Adegbite
Joseph was entitled to a virgin wife according to the customs of his time and Mary was it. They were betrothed and their families began to make the final marriage plans. Only a few more months, and then Joseph would have Mary all to himself. He would boast to his friends that Mary was the best.
Then came the day when Mary had sent a message to Joseph saying that she was pregnant. Mary also said she told everyone that she was on a fast so that no one would disturb her in her room lest they see her and suspect that she was pregnant before the wedding day. Mary knew it was up to Joseph to decide what he would do with her. People would soon start asking questions.
Joseph wondered what Mary’s pregnancy meant. The town knew him to be a decent man. Mary’s pregnancy meant that the town would suspect him of sleeping with her before their wedding night—an indelible stain on his character. Would the town folks destroy his integrity saying how he lacked self control? Or would they call Mary a seductress or a prostitute? How shameful!
And their families? Both of them would become the bad examples throughout their generations. People would tell stories like “do not be like Mary and Joseph whose sexual lust destroyed them.” Or the people would rename their parents as “parents with licentious children.” The rumours would be endless.
Worse still, Joseph wondered how he got to be involved in a pregnancy that was not his. He had not even touched Mary let alone have sex with her.
Joseph just wanted the truth from Mary, that she should tell him who raped her or whom she was sleeping with or whether she really wanted to marry him or someone else. Mary said that she had never slept with anyone, that she was faithful to him, and that she wanted to marry him. “God made me pregnant” was Mary’s reason for her pregnancy.
Such blasphemy! At that point, Joseph knew that he had had enough. How dare Mary lie against God? They both knew that the Jewish God was different to the Greek and Roman gods. Those gods could impregnate other men’s wives because they were just as lustful as humans. Those stories were forbidden for the Jews. How dare Mary claim to be like that vestal virgin Rhea who was impregnate by a god who came in the form of a snake? How dare Mary buy into those idolatrous ideas? Joseph left the room in anger. No one would blaspheme against his God.
As days rolled by, Joseph knew that when everyone finds out about Mary’s pregnancy, she would be stoned at the market-square. He loved her and would not be the one to expose her. Only a few more months and her protruding belly will give her away. Before then, he would break-off their engagement quietly, go his separate way, and keep Mary in his prayers.
Then an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him that Mary was indeed pregnant by the Holy Spirit and that the baby was a special baby, the messiah who would save Joseph’s people from their sins and that Joseph should not end the engagement. As strange as it all seemed, Joseph woke up convinced that it was God who sent this angel. He would not get the virgin wife he was entitled to. He cannot boast to his friends as he would have loved. He would have to be father to a child that was not his. He would love a woman whose destiny was much bigger than his. If people asked how Mary got pregnant so soon, who knows what Joseph will say? And this child, who knows what kind of child this would be? This was much bigger than he bargained for. Yet, he would marry her and protect her for reasons that were beyond him. Talk about courage.
