'ON TO THE MARGINS"

‘ON TO THE MARGINS”

            The first Christmas story in the Bible in Matthew’s Gospel begins with a seemingly dull genealogy, but with careful reading, it produces some spectacular insights.   It is intended to tie Jesus’ line with Abraham and David, but genetically it  does not work because Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus.  All the other genealogies have only men listed, but Matthew’s includes five women.  It is extraordinary that women are in this genealogy, but these five women are not the pillars of the faith:  Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (though listed in Matthew as “the wife of Uriah”), and Mary.   Why not list Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and others? 

            The answer likely lies in the fact that these are all women on the margins.  Tamar has to use her wits in a patriarchal system and poses as a prostitute (Genesis 38).  Rahab is a foreigner in Jericho who assists the Hebrews in capturing the city, and some scholars believe that she was the matron of a house of prostitution (Joshua 2).  Ruth is another foreigner who sticks with her mother-in-law Naomi and leaves her land to return to Naomi’s home in Bethlehem – she becomes the great-grandmother of David (Book of Ruth).  Bathsheba, not even called by name in this genealogy, is a participant in adultery with King David, which results in the murder of her husband Uriah (II Samuel 11-12).

            As we saw last week, Mary has been asked to go even further out to the margins of life, as she agrees to allow herself to become pregnant by someone other than her fiancé.  She risks the death penalty, but she says “yes.”  She was already oppressed as a woman, and by agreeing to this request from the angel Gabriel, she has put herself in the complete mercy of her fiancé Joseph and the male-dominated system in which she lives her life.

            And now, it is Joseph’s turn to wrestle with this situation.  Matthew’s genealogy in chapter one is followed by the story of Joseph’s crisis over Mary’s pregnancy by someone other than him.  Mary’s being pregnant before marriage is not a big issue, but for Joseph, her being pregnant by someone other than him is a great offense.  While it was rarely used, the death penalty is on the table for this offense (Leviticus 20:10+).  Matthew tells us that Joseph is no longer willing to marry Mary, but he is wrestling over how to end the engagement.  The least disruptive course would be to send her back to her father’s family in disgrace.  He could also have her stoned in public as a punishment, or he could require her to go the priest and confess and be made to drink a bitter herb, with the hope of aborting the fetus.  Matthew tells us that he has decided to spare Mary as much public shame as possible and send her back to her father’s house.   As Mary’s pregnancy becomes more evident, she will obviously be in public disgrace, but that is beyond Joseph’s control.

            Matthew tells us that an angel comes to Joseph in a dream and tells him: “Don’t be afraid.”  It is the hallmark call of these Biblical Christmas stories: don’t be dominated by fear.  The angel is not identified in this story, so we don’t know if it is Gabriel or not.  Gabriel’s appearances tend to be in public, not in private, so perhaps this is another messenger from God.  The angel tells Joseph to listen to Mary, to listen to women.  It is asking Joseph to move out form the center of patriarchy towards the margins, where God is moving and acting.  The angel asks Joseph to take Mary as his wife and to offer her the patriarchal protection that he has as a man.  The angel asks Joseph to move from the center of patriarchy to the margins, to allow himself to give up part of his power as a man in a male-dominated system.

            In a great surprise, Joseph also says “Yes,” and he becomes the father and protector.  He takes Mary and the baby-to-be under his male protection.  He gives up some of his status and power in order to protect this family.  He moves toward the margins, and we are glad that he did!  This move is costly to Joseph – we never him speak in the Gospel accounts;  he doesn’t have a “Magnificat” like Mary does; no visionary prophecy like Zechariah had when John the Baptizer is born.  Indeed he disappears after the birth stories.

            Joseph gives up some of his male privilege and power when he claims Mary and Jesus.  And, perhaps he serves as a role model for the boy Jesus.  As Jesus grows to be a man, where does he learn that stuff about giving up power and privilege, that losing of self?  It sounds like he learned it at home, from his father Joseph and his mother Mary.

            In this Christmas season, may we dream dreams, as Joseph did.  In these crazy and scary times, let us be listening for God’s messengers to us, asking us not to afraid, asking us to move towards the margins, asking us to follow Joseph’s path, towards love and justice.