The Other Person in the Story

Luke 2:1-7, Matthew 1:18-24, 2:13-15

Ann Weems, in her book “Kneeling in Bethlehem”, wrote these lines in the poem “Getting to the Front of the Stable?” We know little about Joseph, except that he was from the line of King David, and worked in Nazareth as a carpenter. Matthew and Luke present him as a kind, and deeply spiritual man. ...the opening of Matthew’s Gospel gives the whole of David’s line, to prove Joseph comes from King David. It is a puzzle as to why he is a carpenter in Nazareth, when he is a descendant of a wealthy land-owning family in Bethlehem, royal blood flowing in his veins. Work as a carpenter was equivalent to slave labour. Something drastic must have happened. The second-century Book of James and fourth century History of Joseph the Carpenter present him as a widower with children at the time he met Mary in Nazareth. I would assume that this is the origin of the idea that Joseph was older than Mary

William Willimon, former Dean of Duke University Chapel, now a bishop in Alabama, tells of an incident which happened while preparing for the Christmas pageant at Duke Chapel. The director of the pageant had just received a phone call from the mother of the young man who was to play Joseph. Her son was sick and would not be able to play his part. “We have no Joseph!” was the directors cry. “Not to worry,” Willimon reassured her. “We can get a shepherd to fill in. Joseph doesn’t have a speaking part. He just stands there.”

It occurred to me, watching the movie “Nativity Story” again, that the interpretation of the whole story really put “legs” under Joseph, so to speak. He was a real person, with real feelings, who also went against the culture of his people. Mary could not have made it without him. Probably neither could Jesus.

The texts tell us that Joseph also had visions. When he is ready to put Mary aside and not marry her, an angel comes to him. And he listens! When they are in danger in Bethlehem, another warning comes, and he takes Mary and Jesus to live in Egypt until Herod is dead. He gives up everything to save the two of them. It was custom that when a man agreed to take on a child not of his own making, he still became that child’s father for the purposes of records and posterity. The only way Jesus could have descended from the line of David was if Joseph was willing to take him as his own. In fact, Joseph is a critical part of the story, and yet we have reduced him to the role of potted plant on a stage. A non-speaking part which just stands there. In stage lingo, he would be the equivalent of the spear-carrier, the expendable extra who gets bumped off as the tale unfolds.

I want to stand up for Joseph. He was a critical and integral part of this whole scenario. He wasn’t an extra who just stood there. In every reading of the story, all the carols we sing, all the art work, Mary and the shepherds and the kings, all get the attention. Joseph is stuck at the back of the stable, wearing brown and holding a staff, looking as if he really has nothing to do with this.

I want to bring him to the front of the stable. In our tradition Mary has been recognised as the first disciple. As little more than a child herself, she was asked to break completely with culture and tradition, risk the displeasure of the man to whom she was engaged, to follow God’s call.

If Mary was the first disciple, I suggest that Joseph was the second. When I say disciple, though, let me be clear. Both these people were not followers of Jesus - they were Israelites called by God and told they were to be parents of the Messiah, the one for whom all Israel.

Let’s look at the two texts - first, from Matthew:

The birth of Jesus happened in this way: Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph was a righteous man, and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he thought to quietly put her aside.

As he was considering this, a messenger of God appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, take Mary as your wife, because her child comes from the Holy Spirit. She will have a son, and his name should be Joshua, which means “The Lord saves.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the messenger had told him and took Mary home as his wife....

.....and from Luke:

So Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Bethlehem in Judea, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Joseph knew the Scriptures, and he generally lived with the scriptures as a guide. What the scriptures said was clear; he should get rid of the disgrace of Mary, and get a legal decree separating them before a marriage took place. It was tantamount to a divorce. - and that was the gentler interpretation of the law.

But Joseph, instead of interpreting literally and to the letter of the law, chooses the God of compassion, of kindness, love, forgiveness. I am sure he didn’t sleep a lot. What had happened to Mary had not only changed her life in the village of Nazareth, it had changed his as well. No matter what he did, he would be remembered either as the guy who *did* get taken for a ride, or almost got taken. The law was clear. But rather than endanger her or the baby, he decides to simply separate from her quietly. Then a messenger comes to him, with the same message. It is safe to take Mary as his wife. And Joseph says yes.

Rev. Joseph Harvard, at First Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC, says this about Joseph’s choice.
“He said a bold, brave, risky yes to God. He said a yes to the surprising God, who not only asked Joseph to say yes, but asked him to look beyond the clear lines of the law, to see that God was doing something new in his midst. He asked Joseph to be a part of this new thing, and Joseph did.”

...and finally, the rest of the Matthew text:
When the Magi had gone, a messenger from God came to Joseph in a dream. "Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child in order to kill him." So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod."

Here, Joseph is told to make a hurried retreat into Egypt, and wait for the angel to come *again*, when it would be safe for him to go home. He literally gave up everything he was, everything he had, his home, his work, his reputation - *everything* - in order to do this incredible thing. He set out on a journey in a harsh land, where he could easily have been attacked by bandits. Desert nights are never warm. He had to take food for himself and Mary *and* the donkey. He knew where Bethlehem was, but then along comes God and says now go to Egypt. ...and do what? No idea, but he gets up and goes.

Here is the whole poem by Ann Weems:

Who put Joseph in the back of the stable?
Who dressed him in brown,
put a staff in his hand,
and told him to stand
in the back of the creche,
background for the magnificent light
of the Madonna?

God-chosen, this man Joseph was faithful
in spite of the gossip in Nazareth,
in spite of the danger from Herod.
This man, Joseph, listened to angels
and it was he who named the Child
Emmanuel.

Is this a man to be stuck for centuries
in the back of the stable?

Actually, Joseph probably stood in the doorway
guarding the mother and child
or greeting shepherds and kings.

When he wasn’t in the doorway,
he was probably urging Mary

to get some rest,
gently covering her with his cloak,
assuring her that he would watch the Child.

Actually, he probably picked the Child up in his arms
and walked him in the night,
patting him lovingly
until he closed his eyes.

This Christmas, let us give thanks to God
for this man of incredible faith
into whose care God placed
The Christ Child.

As a gesture of gratitude,
let’s put Joseph in the front of the stable
where he can guard and greet
and cast an occasional glance
at this Child who brought us life.

Sources:
1. Walter Murray, Applewood United Church, Mississauga, from the 2001 Gathering Worship Resources.

2. Rev. Joseph Harvard, First Presbyterian Church, Durham, North Carolina: from the December 23, 2007 sermon “Getting to the Front of the Stable.”

3. Ann Weems, ‘Getting to the Front of the Stable.’ in “Kneeling in Bethlehem”. Westminster John Knox Press, July 1996. Pp. 52-53.