Nativity lectures 2023a

Christ is born: the family is the subject of the first lecture based on the following verse:

18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph

Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 1

To follow are three other lectures titled;
Christ is born: the scandal
Christ is born: a Spirit-driven conception
Christ is born: the God who is with us

Christ is born: the family

In the Catholic Church the family with which Messiah is associated has a high profile.  The mother, has her name adorning thousands of school buildings, houses of worship, and streets.  I, for a long time did not develop any curiosity about who St. Joseph might have been. Duh! Duh, and duh! My slow start does not change the facts.  Mary was a holy girl.  She didn’t have to do any miracles, and won’t be canonized by the Catholic church for her character to be declared unequivocally.  She didn’t have to do any miracles to be called a saint, or holy.  Joseph was a just man, loving and forgiving.  One does not quickly find a man who discovers his fiancee pregnant and works to protect her honour.  While the Christ-child is the Highest’s son (Luke 1:32) and Son of God (Mark 1:1, Luke 1:35, John 11:27), he is also Mary’s child, and Mary’s husband, having no part in the procreative process, is recognized as the boy’s father.

Father and mother, parents

“And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.” (Luke 2:33, NASB)

“Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.” (Luke 2:41, NASB)

Siblings

“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?” (Matthew 13:55, NASB)

The wider family, the Davidide clan

The Christ-child belongs to humanity and the Jewish clan most associated with divine promises.  Here is the beginning of the clan into which Christ was born.

Ruth’s son, a redeemer, destined for fame 

13) So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14) Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.” (Ruth 4:13-14, NASB)

A “forever” deal

“He is a tower of deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” (2 Samuel 22:51)

“But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” (1 Kings 2:45, NASB)

“then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 9:5, NASB)

We have seen that the Christ, God’s anointed ruler, belongs to a family, but what is the distinguishing feature of the family at the time of birth we shall see shortly.

Holy and dysfunctional

Just like holy and girl we do not expect to find holy and dysfunctional united.  Why does God not pick a couple with no discernible problems?  What does he have up his sleeve?  Perfect people are usually proud and puffed up.  Coming down God’s sleeve is the mystery of the ages, an impossible thing happening in the public eye.  Consternation was the natural reaction to little unknown David going out to battle the Philistine giant.  We too may be horrified that Israel’s ruler – the môshal – comes from little Bethlehem.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Micah 5:2

Christ is born into a family with a husband who was sure that he was not the father of his wife’s unborn child.  The potential for dysfunction can hardly be greater.  The drama is gripping as potential dysfunction is transformed into a display of grace and cooperation with God.

Even the dysfunctional learn

We do not know how a pregnancy may have been hidden in first century Judea, but we have one clue. This supposed cover-up turns into a learning experience.  We learn that Mary conceives when her cousin Elizabeth was three months pregnant.

“And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.” (Luke 1:36, NASB)

39) Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40) and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. (Luke 1:39-40, NASB)

And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home. (Luke 1:56, NASB)

We are certain that Mary learned some essential lessons about being a mother as she watched Elizabeth for the last 3 months of her pregnancy unfold.  Such is the family into which Christ was born: not endowed with great riches, huge estates and great fame, but united by God’s unique intervention.

The family into which Christ later baptizes believers is not unlike the family into which he was born.  Two features distinguish the Bethlehem family from the divine family: it is not limited by human DNA and no member dies.