Strange Story: The Birth of Jesus Part 5 Plans

In the Bible we are not told anything about the conversation between Joseph and Mary after the angel had appeared to Joseph. That is left to our imaginations. Here is some help to guide your imagination in ways that are culturally correct for their time and place.

“My God,” the father of “The Rebellious One,” saw “The One Who Is Increasing” coming from a distance and he could tell that the young man had a stupid grin on his face. What was wrong with him? Did he have no shame? Did he not know the word “remorse”?

“The One who Is Increasing” could hardly wait to talk to “the Rebellious One” but cultural norms required that he speak with her father first and tell him of his decision. So he tried to hide the smile that kept threatening to burst upon his face and he kept his statement short. He told “My God” that he had decided to marry his daughter and he was willing to pay any fine levied upon him.

Her father gave a slow but affirmative gesture, then walked away.

“The One who Is Increasing” looked around but did not see “The Rebellious One” anywhere. But he found her mother working at the cooking fire which was outside in the courtyard, under what we would call an awning. He asked her to please go get “The Rebellious One” for him. He said, “Tell her it is urgent. I must see her immediately.”

The middle-aged woman glared at him but did not speak. She kept stirring. He offered to do the stirring for her if that would free her up to go find her daughter. That was met by an even deeper scowl as if to say, “There is no way I will let you get close to anything of mine because you will contaminate it. You are defiled and everything you touch will be defiled.”

So he crossed his arms and stood there looking at her intently. He hoped that his stance and his eyes would communicate that he was serious and would not move from her presence until he had spoken to “The Rebellious One.”

Finally she relented and left the cook pot unattended. She was gone just a few seconds, but “The Rebellious One” took her time in coming out of the door of the house into the courtyard. When she did, her head was down, her eyes were on the ground. She walked very slowly as if each step required all the strength and courage she could muster. Others would have interpreted this body language as guilt, but he knew it was dread. She was afraid of what his answer might be. She feared she would have to live the rest of her life in the care of angry parents whom she had disgraced in the eyes of the entire community. She could not look him in the eye. She knew what he was thinking about her, or she thought she knew.

He wanted to take her somewhere private, away from the angry eyes of her father and mother, but it would be wrong for him to take her outside of the courtyard. So he motioned with his hand inviting her to a far corner of the courtyard where at least they could speak without being heard. She obviously wanted the same thing.

He started by telling her in a reassuring tone that he had good news. Then his voice became an excited whisper as he recounted his own encounter with an angelic messenger during the night. At the mention of the angel her head came up and her eyes met his. She seemed to be asking him with her eyes if there was indeed a glimmer of hope in this strange situation. He told her what the angel had said and that he now believed she had told him the truth. He would marry her and together they would raise this special child.

Relief flooded her face, then gratitude and then joy. She wanted to throw her arms around him and give him a huge hug, but she refrained. They were engaged to be married, yet she could not hug him publicly due to social norms, nor in front of her parents due to their unique situation. She knew there would still be rejection from others, including her parents, and she knew there would be hard times, but his acceptance of her changed her life in a profound way. Now she could breathe again. Being accepted by another human being, even just one, seemed like a confirmation of God’s acceptance of her.

They looked into each other’s eyes for a long time.

Then he took a step away from her and said, “I need to speak with your father again and make plans for a wedding ceremony. I would like it to be soon.”

He saw her eyes say “thank you,” and then her lips silently framed the same words. The fact that this was communicated silently made it more powerful than speaking it.

So once again he approached her father who had been pretending to be busy with the animals but in reality, he was just doing the same thing over and over again while trying to listen. The younger man asked the older man something like this, “Would you agree that, in this present situation, a simple wedding, held as soon as possible, would be advisable”?

The girl’s father only had to think for a short moment, then made an affirmative gesture before speaking two words, “Yes, tomorrow.”

The young man made his way back to his betrothed trying not to bounce too obviously. The grin on his face conveyed to her what words could not express.

She gave him one of her beautiful smiles and said, “I have been thinking about your name as well. I believe you are in the process of increasing even though right now we are surrounded by difficulties. I am convinced you are indeed “Going Up,” so from now on, when we are alone, I will call you “Up.”

To navigate to Part 6 of this story click on The Birth of Jesus Part 6 A Wedding.