I ask this on both boards.

while reading Mathew and Luke, one see's two seperate sides to the narrative, Mary's and Jospeh's.

In Mathew, Joseph is goign to out Mary away as he beelives she has been with another man, afteer all, She is pregnant, and this is a logical conlcusion as he has not made love to her.

But beign Honourable and just, he seeks ot do this quietly a ntot o brign too uch shame upon her.

The angel tells him not to, as she is innoent of all imporpritety, and to take her as his wife.

In Luke's Goslel, Mary visits her counsin,elizabeth, who is great with John the Batist in her womb, and remains for three Months with her.

Luke's ospel says this ,in Verse 39 of chpater one, 39. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

So her eis my queastion.

How id hts unfold? when did Joseph learn fo Mary's pregnancy? did he leanr of it before shed left the Hill country and entered thr City of Juda? Or did Jospeh learn of her condition while she was iwht her Cousin? Or perhaps after she returned and her condiiton was obvious?

I tend ot lean toeard the latter, sinceher leaign t visit Elizabeth woiudl leave her open to eduction by other men, in Jopehs mind, and he coidl easily imagine that she fell into sin whilevisiting elizabeth an dnow returns abotu three months Pregnant three months later.

Not that I say this happened, ny that it may appear so to jospeh.

But then, I am not sure, so, when did jospeh seek to put her zway? before she left, durign her visit to elizabeth, or after her return?

I knwo its an odd queatsion, but merley asking.

-- zarove (zaroff3@juno.com), February 16, 2005

Answers

Response to Mathew and Luke's order of events for Jospeh and Mary before Jeuss's Birth...

-- (.@..com), February 16, 2005.

Response to Matthew and Luke's order of events for Jospeph and Mary before Jeuss's Birth...

zarove-- The generally accepted position is that upon Mary's return from her visit with Elizabeth it was obvious that she was pregnant.

"But then, I am not sure, so, when did jospeh seek to put her **zway? ** before she left, durign her visit to elizabeth, or after her return?"

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand, But if it regards divorce it would have been after she returned and Joseph saw that she was pregnant.

They were not married at this point in the traditional sense, however under Jewish Law as I understand it, the pledge to be married "betrothal period" there would be no sexual relationships however the only way to break the Pledge was through a divorce. (i.e.) a "betrothed women" was regarded as married (wife).

Had Joseph not taken the divorce approach in his thought it would have required Mary to be Judged publicly and then stoned for him to get out of the deal. So divorce would have been the more humane thing to do. Hopefully this helps to answer your questions.--

-- Michael G. (NoEmail@Nowhere.no), February 17, 2005.

Response to Matthew and Luke's order of events for Jospeph and Mary before Jeuss's Birth...

I was askign pnly the order of events, nto Jospehs Motives, which I alreayd knew.

That said, thanks. I tended ot think this myself, but wanted confirmaiton.

Just wanted to get the order of events in my mind.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 17, 2005.

Response to Matthew and Luke's order of events for Jospeph and Mary before Jeuss's Birth...

This is what I meant by

"But then, I am not sure, so, when did jospeh seek to put her away? before she left, durign her visit to elizabeth, or after her return?"

Was askign when he learned of her ocndition, and thus sought to divorce her...

I sort of figured he thoguht she had been with another man and woudn uppregnant, and I thoguht this a more likely scenario in his mind, that her afair was on her visit to elizabeth.

She coidl have gone to Visit elizabeth, met a man, had a brief encounter, and ended up pregnant, only to return to Jospeh three months later and three months pregnant.

Again, I do not think this happened this way, merley what Joseph may have asusmed. ( And quiet logiclaly, sicne he woidl not at this time have any way of knowign she was stull a virign and every reason to asusme she wasnt...)

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 17, 2005.

Response to Matthew and Luke's order of events for Jospeph and Mary before Jeuss's Birth...

Correct, Since her visit to Elizabeth was more for confirmation of what the Angel told her. #1 about her condition and #2 about Elizabeths condition.

So everything involving Joseph came about after her return from the visit. He could only assume the worse until the Angel appeared to him to let him in on the events.

They say that husbands are always the last to know.

-- Michael G. (NoEmail@Nowhere.no), February 17, 2005.