When you say the word, Christmas you’ll find only a few that won’t smile. I mean, who doesn’t get caught up in the so-called “magic” of Christmas? We sing carols, buy gifts, and spend time with loved ones. But most of all, it’s important to remember that Christmas is about the birth of our Savior who later would pay the ultimate price for mankind to obtain eternal life and reconciliation with the Creator. While the celebration of any birth is important, I’ve remained fascinated with the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. The characters in the nativity story each play a strategic role in God’s purpose of bringing Jesus to the earth.
The Cast of Characters
Between Matthew and Luke, chapters one and two, we find our nativity characters. In Luke’s account, we have Elizabeth and Zechariah, promised to birth John the Baptist (Luke 1). We have shepherds in the field keeping watch over their flocks and later leaving to go worship Jesus (Luke 2:8- 20). Anna and Simeon work in the temple and meet Jesus as he comes in (Luke 2:21- 38). Matthew adds Magi from the East bringing gifts to Jesus when he could have been upwards of two-years-old (Matthew 2:1- 12), and, last but not least, we have Mary and Joseph (Matthew 1:16-2:23; Luke 1:22-2:52).
Meet an Average Joe
Of all the men and women God decided were necessary to place around the birth story of Jesus, I’ve always been perplexed when it came to Joseph, Jesus’ father. When reading the nativity story, I can’t help but feel that Joseph got a raw deal. His story begins in Matthew 1 with the genealogy of his powerful family. While none of his family tree was mistake free, it’s impossible to find a list of more esteemed Bible characters, especially all in one family. We’re introduced to this young carpenter in Matthew 1:16, and his life story begins a couple of verses later. Joseph is about to enter into an arranged marriage, but before they tied the knot, Mary was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18). Joseph, being an honorable man, did not want to embarrass her so he decides to divorce Mary quietly (Matthew 1:19). In my humble opinion, here’s where I feel life begins to get unfair for Joseph. After reasoning in his mind that a divorce is the best way to go, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph and tells him he has to remain in this relationship (Matthew 1:20). While one might say, “Gabriel, what’s in her is conceived by the Holy Spirit,” I would say, “Imagine Joseph saying that to his carpenter friends while picking up some tools and wood down at the local Home Depot!” While Joseph knows the baby in Mary is from the Holy Spirit, it was probably challenging for them to drown out the whispers. I can think of some of the local women gathering around a well comparing Jesus’ age to Joseph and Mary’s consummation.
Speaking of consummation, now that Joseph has been called to take care of a son who technically isn’t his and marry a woman with a possible tarnished reputation, if I were Joseph and God threw me this curveball, I can imagine saying, “Well, at least I have a wife I get to enjoy being with.” The problem with that is we read that Joseph had no union with Mary until after she gave birth to Jesus (Matthew 1:25). Not only does Joseph have to remain in a marriage he initially planned to end, take care of a child that isn’t biologically his, fight through possible whispers of gossip, but now Joseph cannot enjoy his wife sexually for nearly a year. I hope you’re counting these cons, because we’re only getting started.
Finally, after fighting potentially a host of rumors, looking over the fact he’s going to be taking care of a child that’s technically not his, and not being able to consummate your marriage for a minimum 10 months, Joseph and Mary are providentially moved to the next stage of God’s plan. By way of a census, they find themselves in Bethlehem placing their newborn baby Jesus in a manger (Luke 2:7). Wait, wait, wait! You mean since Joseph decided to take one for the team, God didn’t decide to bless him with Israel’s best five-star guest house???
It Gets Worse
Eight days after His birth, Jesus is named, and, upon the completion of purification according to the law (Leviticus 12), Joseph and Mary offer a sacrifice for Jesus. During this process, they meet Simeon and Anna, receiving a prophetic word concerning Jesus’ destiny. When hearing all of these great things about Jesus that caused Mary and Joseph to marvel, I couldn’t help but think how awkward it was for Joseph to come from Davidic kingly lineage, have his family lose the kingdom, but now hear the dynasty is going to be restored, not to Joseph, but to his son. It seems average-Joe is skipped over once again. Jesus was promised to be king and reign forever, but in this life Joseph would never get to live the life of royalty of his forefathers.
So… after not being able to divorce a woman with a bad reputation, taking care of a son that’s technically not his own, not being able to enjoy his wife sexually, and hearing how great Jesus’ destiny would be, I can imagine Joseph assuming, after all of this work getting Jesus into the world safely, it can only get easier. Knowing the story like we do, we know Joseph, Mary, and Jesus’ life grows increasingly difficult. Bringing Jesus in the world was one hurdle, but ensuring his safety is step number two.
After an arduous nine months, Joseph and Mary have to drop their lives in Israel to escape to Egypt due to Herod ordering the killing of boys two-years-old and younger (Matthew 2:13). Once in Egypt, they’re never allowed to get comfortable due to God calling them back to Israel once Herod dies. Joseph had his eyes set on Judea, but, fearing the reign of Herod’s son Archelaus, he has to settle for the district of Galilee, more specifically Nazareth (Matthew 2:22). Culturally, Galileans were more open to the Hellenistic influence of the time, so they were considered less sophisticated compared to their Judean neighbors in the south. Judea also followed Jewish customs more strictly than the Galileans. This could be due to the fact there was such a distance from Galilee to the Levitical leadership of the temple in Jerusalem, Judea. In other words, Joseph had his eyes set on what he considered to be a more sophisticated upbringing for Jesus; instead, he has to settle for something many viewed as lower class.
Lastly, when remembering the parents of Jesus, Joseph once again gets the short end of the stick. We all seem to hold Mary in high esteem while Joseph is barely mentioned. Don’t get me wrong– Mary holds extreme importance as the vessel through which God became man, but I believe Joseph’s role in the early life of Jesus is just as important. What does Joseph get in return? We don’t know how his story ends. Joseph is last mentioned in Luke 2:41- 52 when Jesus is left at the temple. After that, the life of Joseph fades into obscurity. Call me selfish, but I would have requested of God that since I’m doing a lot of work in taking care of Jesus, can I please be remembered as the greatest man of the New Testament? Instead, most theologians and Bible historians believe Joseph died sometime after Jesus was 12-years-old.
After careful Bible study of the life of Joseph, we’ve found he couldn’t divorce Mary when he wanted, he had to take care of Jesus who biologically was not his son, he probably had to fight rumors and gossip, he couldn’t consummate his marriage for months, he had to go to Bethlehem where his son was born and laid in a manger, and, once his son is born, he’s told his son will be king in Israel, restoring the kingship of his forefathers while he remains a carpenter. He wants to live in Judea but has to settle for Nazareth, and, lastly, he walks off the pages of the Bible never to be heard from again.
The BIG Question
After reading that, you would have to agree with me that it seems Joseph drew the short straw in heaven, and God gave him a difficult task where there seems to be no earthly reward. Here’s where we’re faced with the second most important life question after salvation:
Can you give your life to something greater than yourself and remain satisfied when you don’t receive any special acknowledgement?
The life of the believer is one of daily crucifixion (Galatians 2:20). While we were once dead IN our sinful nature (Ephesians 2:1- 3), now we consider ourselves dead TO our sinful nature and carnal desires. Daily, we should seek to please God and pray His will above our own (Matthew 6:10). I now understand why it was always hard for me to read the Nativity story: It was because I was viewing it through the lens of my selfishness. Selfishness has become so commonplace in our society that the life of a selfless man stands out as odd. Throughout the life of Joseph, you never hear him ask, ‘What’s in it for me?”
It’s Bigger Than Me
Now I understand why God used Joseph as well as all of the characters surrounding the nativity story. Each person involved was able to surrender to a purpose greater than him or herself. Elizabeth said to Mary, “Blessed is the child you will bear. But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42, 43). While Elizabeth was delighted with the birth of her child, she understood her son was just an opening act to the main attraction: Jesus. Once Zechariah’s mouth was opened, the only thing he could proclaim was a plan bigger than himself. He said a horn of salvation has been raised up from the line of David (Luke 1:69). Zechariah’s neighbors and relatives said, “Don’t name your child John,” but Zechariah says he’s a part of a plan bigger than me: “His name is John.” Then Zechariah declares his son John will be a prophet who will prepare the way for the Most High (Luke 1:76). In other words, when his mouth opened, Zechariah came to the realization after nine months of silence that this plan of God was bigger than him. When John the Baptist was of age, he concluded that Jesus must become greater, and he must become less (John 3:30). Magi and shepherds came from the East to give gifts to a child they didn’t know, then left to never be heard of again. We see Simeon in the temple, and he’s kept alive under the promise he’ll see Jesus. Anna is fasting and praying in the temple all day, not much concerned with her life as she sees what God is doing is bigger than her. They were all willing to play the background, knowing God was up to something great. When the angel came to Mary to tell her who Jesus was to be, she said in Luke 1:38, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” Lastly, we see selflessness in Joseph, willing to nurture and protect his child for the purpose of God to be fulfilled in the earth.
How was Joseph able to endure hardship and trials while placing his desires to the background and pushing God’s will to the forefront? He and Mary humbled themselves to a plan bigger than anything they could have initially imagined. Besides Jesus’ mother and the beheading of John the Baptist, we don’t hear the latter story of anyone in the nativity story. They were there to play their part until God removed them from the pages of scripture. You must become content with what God has called you to do because your call and purpose are usually a part of a much bigger plan that will likely outlast your lifetime.
If you’re still feeling like some of this could be a little unfair, just remind yourself God is not asking you to do something that He himself didn’t do. Jesus even surrendered his life to buy you and I back. Imagine for a moment being Jesus, and your sole purpose was being born was to die. There’s no suffering, hardship, or trial we face in this world today that can compare to the eternal reward awaiting us for our obedience. This Christmas, join me in a funeral– and lay to rest every desire you’ve placed above God’s will for your life. Say to God, “I want to die to my plans, will, and wants, and I release myself to obedience to what you want for my life first. Amen.”