12/24/2019
Are you a child that was conceived out of wedlock, perhaps while your parents were engaged... or betrothed? Have you thus carried a burden through life regarding this socially unacceptable occurrence, and felt less than other children who were born “legitimately”? Well, perhaps you should consider yourself fortunate because Jesus faced this same stigma throughout His life, and was looked on in the same manner.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.”
Luke 2:4-5 ESV
“Joseph registered with Mary his betrothed who was with child”... this tells us that no marriage had taken place before Jesus was born. They couldn't have been married because that would have required Joseph to have consummated the marriage, and we know that he didn’t have sexual relations with Mary before Jesus was born.
“but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:25 ESV
So by custom Jesus was seen in the eyes of every Jew to have been born, just as He was conceived, outside of wedlock. If you have any doubt of this then listen to them as they later accuse Jesus of being immorally born...
“You are doing the works your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God."”
John 8:41 ESV
In the culture of the time, a man sleeping with a betrothed woman was considered a grave transgression, and the penalty was death; not just for the woman, but for the man as well... yet how would stoning have been possible when there was no intercourse, and when the father was God Himself? Where is the violation of law? Listen to the closest law regarding this in Deuteronomy...
“"If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Deuteronomy 22:23-24 ESV
This is how Mary would have been judged in the eyes of her society if Joseph hadn’t saved her by Initially deciding to end the betrothal quietly, and then by obeying the Angel that came in his dream, and marrying her...
“And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,”
Matthew 1:19-20, 24 ESV
Even so, Jesus was considered by others as being illegitimate because He was conceived out of wedlock, and this was deemed to be illegitimate under the law. So if you consider yourself illegitimate in any way, then remember that you suffer no differently than Jesus, and that He knows the pain you have felt. Let any guilt or suffering you feel be placed in His hands, and find comfort in this. Remember the suffering of Jesus didn’t begin at Calvary... it began at birth.
“They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."”
John 8:19 ESV
So today is Christmas Eve, and tomorrow we will celebrate the birth of our savior, and Redeemer, who would be looked down on by men, suffer at their hand, die by their doing, and be resurrected to end all sin and death, even for those in whose eyes He was considered less... illegitimate... the Son of Mary. Today let’s remember how incredible the sacrifice that God made for us truly was, and just how far His love was extended for us. For those who bear the stigma of “illegitimacy”, consider yourself absolved, and set free by Christ as He came into the world in this most unconventional way... sinless, and pure.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for this day when we await the coming of your legitimate Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for the symbolic way in which we celebrate His first coming, but also, thank you for our anticipation of the second coming that might even be this moment... or tomorrow. Holy Father we shout praises of joy towards heaven as we lift up our savior, and your grace that flows through Him. Help us Merciful Father to see that He was like us in every way, in our pain, our suffering, our emotions, even our customary shortcomings, and that in the end you made Him to take on sin for us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God whose Son leads us through our many sufferings in life, through the darkness of death, into glowing resurrection, and eternal righteousness before you. Praised be your name for the love you have for us, and for sending your only begotten Son to teach us that even though we are simply men we can find your favor, and be pleasing to you. Forgive us our sins Holy Father, and hear the prayer of Jesus as He pleads for us from the cross, because so often we don’t know what we do. All glory is yours Lord, made perfect in your grace, and by abiding in Jesus, as He abides in us. Help us Father, the illegitimate children of Eden, the Sons and daughters that sin did birth, and which Jesus suffered to legitimize, and make pure. Hear us sing of His birth, and our hope in Him.
Rich Forbes