|
|
|
The Nativity of Jesus,
Son of Mary, Son of God
It is well known that two parents can have widely differing memories of their children and their childhood. Scripture contains two very different accounts of the amazing events that accompanied the arrival of the Lord Jesus into this world. Both their geography and their chronology appear to differ. Matthew's account gives the events from the viewpoint of Joseph, Luke's account from the viewpoint of Mary. Both must have been reported by them to the gospel writers three or four decades later. Mary completely omitted the visit of the magi and its tragic consequences. She appeared to recall their return to Nazareth as occurring some six weeks after the birth of Jesus, i.e. shortly after His presentation in the Temple and their inspiring meeting with Simeon and Anna. Joseph, on the other hand, remembered most clearly the arrival of the magi at a house, evidently in Bethlehem, and a series of five dreams, four of them his, regarding their escape from Herod and becoming refugees in Egypt until Herod's death.
A childlike explanation of the differences, that does not violate Luke's account, could well be that Mary, in her attention to the welfare of the Baby, and all that followed in the next thirty years, had forgotten the trauma that involved Joseph in long journeys, in which he took full responsibility for all the problems of travel and accommodation of mother and child. Mary simply recalled that when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. She did not however say 'straightway'. Memory has a happy knack of overlooking traumatic times in our lives. But Mary, endued and overshadowed by God's Spirit may have deliberately chosen to blot out those months of tragedy from her mind and to meditate on 'whatsoever things are lovely and of good report'. Her life was totally taken up with the care of her unique Son, pondering in her heart all that He showed her of the love of His Father. Gabriel's extensive conversation with her could never be erased. Her thrilling three months with Elizabeth, at opposite ends of their pregnancies and the excitement of the shepherds at the angelic message, would often fill her heart with joy. It was left to Joseph to take care of his wife and her holy child through those months of sadness and exile. He was given angelic instructions by means of dreams at key points until they were safely back at the their home village. He sought to return to (his house at Bethlehem?) Judea but was overruled. His account of the magi and the fleeing to Egypt formed a mosaic of dream encounters with angels and must have often been re-lived in his reflections on the arrival of Jesus in the world. Both Mary and he were told separately of the saving name of the baby: JESUS*. This name was duly given to Him at His circumcision at Bethlehem, eight days after His birth. On this memory they were totally agreed.
*JESHUA = JEHOSHUA = SALVATION OF JAH (JEHOVAH), the name given by Moses to Hoshea: JOSHUA, the soldier who led God's people into the promised land.
JT
