Mary & Josiah: Jesus in the Jewish Wedding, Part 7

Would you make the same choice Joseph did?

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Mary and Joseph: 

“Now the birth of Jesus Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed [ketubah] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to divorce her away secretly.” (Matthew 1:18–19) 

1. Joseph and the father of Mary had signed a ketubah and were 100 % married: 

1. The Holy Spirit calls Joseph "her husband" before they had "come together" (she was a virgin) 

2. Joseph was going to divorce her. 

2. Mary was in a vulnerable position at the mercy of her husband: She was pregnant before the chuppah (formal stage two consummation ceremony) and had no "virginity cloth." 

1. “Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason, the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:34–35) 

3. Joseph was a "righteous man": 

1. He did not want to disgrace her even though he believed she was an adulterer. 

2. He was going to divorce her secretly by merely handing her the "get" (divorce paper) without making an accusation of adultery. 

3. This meant that Joseph was required to return the inventory of assets the bride had brought into the marriage and pay the "bride price" to her father. 

4. He was righteous because he had grounds to accuse her, "get even with her" as is the motive in many divorces, keep her inventory of assets and not have to pay the 50-shekel bride price. 

5. Joseph had everything to gain by openly accusing her and it cost him much to divorce her secretly.

6. How many divorcing spouses would give up a solid, winnable legal position in court and adopt the losing position, merely to protect the reputation of their spouse at great personal financial disaster?

Joseph had two choices: