The Point of the Gospel--Joseph

Joseph {Matthew and Luke}

(Matthew traces Joseph’s lineage back to Abraham to convince the Jews of Jesus’ legitimate claim to being the Messiah, despite immediately after stating that Mary’s pregnancy originated from the Holy Spirit. Joseph wasn’t the father, which in those days, Mary being betrothed to him—more than an engagement and requiring a divorce to end it—could have gotten Mary stoned to death for adultery. Luke, not Jewish, states it was only thought that Joseph fathered Jesus. He brings the genealogy all the way back to Adam to emphasize that Jesus came for all people.)

Joseph was betrothed to Mary. When he discovered her pregnancy, he decided to divorce her quietly and not hold her up to public condemnation. An angel came to Joseph in a dream to encourage him to go ahead with the marriage as the child Mary carried was from the Holy Spirit and would save his people from sin. (Matthew says Joseph married her before Jesus’ birth. Luke says the couple were pledged to be married. Both agree Joseph had no physical relationship with his betrothed until after Jesus’ birth.)

Personal Thoughts: We humans are good at seeing what we want to believe is true. Even the writers of the Gospel differed. I know many believe Scripture is sacred and not prone to human prejudice or error. Personally, I consider that the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives and anything said or written by people, influenced thought they may be by the Holy Spirit, should be used as a guide with a grain of salt.

Consider Genesis. God created the light and separated it from the darkness. There was evening and morning—the first day. We all know the earth becomes light or dark as it rotates toward or away from the sun. God made two great lights, the bigger (sun) to create day and the lesser (moon) for light at night, on the fourth day.

If you believe God created the physical principles by which the universe works then this makes no sense. Of course, believers say, God can do anything He likes, but what purpose would be served to go around His own creation? It’s a simple mistake made by the writer(s) who didn’t understand physics. My point being: where there’s one mistake, there’s more. Read the Bible as a guide but let the Holy Spirit be your truth.

More on The Point of the Gospel next Friday.