It is best to start with the smallest unit of social life when dealing with the question of the unity between the sacred and the secular that should have implications over the entire spectrum of human life. For, it is in the family that one learns all about life that is to unfold in course of time just as a foundation supports the entire building that goes up into the air resisting the magnetic pull of the earth down below. The importance of a good family life for the development of healthy children is indisputable as there is no other institution that can match its natural efficiency and viability in bringing up children into responsible adults and conscientious citizens of the world. The rules governing such bringing up of children and building up a society of good citizens are invariably inspired by the Holy Spirit within the concrete ambiance of the society concerned. The wisdom and discretion of the parents as well as the understanding and development of the children physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually constitute the essential rules guiding family life. This should be clear from our treatment of the points in the Posts under 'Family life'.
By being born in a family, just like any other child in all appearances, Jesus was able to absorb the normal human values inculcated in family life where the full potentialities of a child could find their expression. The Synoptic Gospels, on the whole, stress on the manifestation of the physical reality of Jesus in the world, while the Gospel of John goes deep into the spiritual import of the Word made flesh. While the Gospel of Mark starts with the public life of Jesus, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke go back to his birth and infancy as well giving us a full picture of his family background. It is true that the two versions of the birth and infancy of Jesus in Matthew and Luke differ on various points to such an extent that the the inevitable question of their veracity arises in our minds. We shall not attempt to directly answer this problem here as we have treated the same elsewhere (See the blog site: christologiainsitu.blogspot.com).
We may say in general that there is no contradiction between the narratives in Matthew and Luke as regards the birth and infancy of Jesus as they are meant to be complementary by the later writer Luke who was aware of the writings of Matthew. A contradiction could be said to occur if the authors were concerned with only biographies of Jesus without any intention to use them to convey their specific message encapsulated in the reality of Jesus. While Matthew was intent on presenting Jesus to a Jewish audience, Luke's concern was more with the gentiles and salvation in Jesus Christ for all. Accordingly Luke modified both the genealogy and the infancy incidents relating to Jesus and proclaimed the universal relevance of salvation through Jesus Christ and at the same time placed them in a historical context of the Roman governance of Judea. Here we may see the interplay of the sacred and the secular both in Matthew and in Luke. Matthew achieved it through the announcement of the birth of Jesus by the angel of the Lord to Joseph in a dream who was determined to get out of the marriage contract to Mary who was found with child before they came together. The secular nature of the whole incident was enhanced by introducing King Herod in the background in direct confrontation with the chief priests and lawyers of the Jews as well as the wise men from the East. As for Luke, the sacred was introduced by Archangel Gabriel to the simple village girl Mary in her daily routine of secular life strengthened by a similar message to Elizabeth, Mary's kinswoman, through her husband Zechariah in sacred precincts. The secular background is furnished by the decree of Augustus Caesar and the census besides the presence of the shepherds at Bethlehem and their visit to the Infant Jesus. When we speak of the family of Jesus, inevitably questions on his father, mother, brothers and sisters arise in our minds as they are referred to in the Bible.
Since Matthew and Luke very clearly highlight the virgin birth of Jesus, Joseph is presented as his foster-father and as Mary's lawful husband who was destined by God to take care of baby Jesus and his mother Mary. Joseph admirably fulfilled his duty by engaging the secular realities of the world inimical to the life and safety of Jesus who contained in himself the core of the sacred dimension of life itself. The life of Joseph as the head of the Holy Family was nothing short of a battle against the vicissitudes of daily life, compounded by the ignorance and selfishness of the powerful and mighty rulers of the times. Joseph overcame every obstacle in the life of the Holy Family by artfully combining the sacred and the secular in following divine guidance and meeting the challenges thrown up by circumstances unforeseen until then. An example of such a challenge may be seen in the fact that on return from Egypt with the mother and the child Joseph came to know that Archelaus, Herod's son, was the king of Judea and he was afraid to settle down there. On being warned in a dream, Joseph went to Nazareth of Galilee and began to live there with Jesus and Mary (See Matthew, 2: 22-23).
As for those who don't believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, Mary herself may be quoted as claiming Joseph to be the father of Jesus when she reminded him at the Temple of Jerusalem that his father and she were searching for him in great anxiety (See Luke, 2: 48). Such an interpretation of the text betrays a complete misappropriation of the context against all rules of textual interpretation. Actually the intention of the author was to hear from the lips of Jesus himself the proper relationship of the son and the father and that was skilfully presented by Jesus' clarification who his real father was (See Luke, 2: 49). While Jesus clarified that it was his all-important duty to be busy with his Father's business by enlightening the people around him by the Word of God, he immediately set out with Joseph and Mary to live with them in obedience to their words. Here again we see how the sacred and the secular aspects of life were combined and followed by Jesus himself. (To be Cont'd).
By being born in a family, just like any other child in all appearances, Jesus was able to absorb the normal human values inculcated in family life where the full potentialities of a child could find their expression. The Synoptic Gospels, on the whole, stress on the manifestation of the physical reality of Jesus in the world, while the Gospel of John goes deep into the spiritual import of the Word made flesh. While the Gospel of Mark starts with the public life of Jesus, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke go back to his birth and infancy as well giving us a full picture of his family background. It is true that the two versions of the birth and infancy of Jesus in Matthew and Luke differ on various points to such an extent that the the inevitable question of their veracity arises in our minds. We shall not attempt to directly answer this problem here as we have treated the same elsewhere (See the blog site: christologiainsitu.blogspot.com).
We may say in general that there is no contradiction between the narratives in Matthew and Luke as regards the birth and infancy of Jesus as they are meant to be complementary by the later writer Luke who was aware of the writings of Matthew. A contradiction could be said to occur if the authors were concerned with only biographies of Jesus without any intention to use them to convey their specific message encapsulated in the reality of Jesus. While Matthew was intent on presenting Jesus to a Jewish audience, Luke's concern was more with the gentiles and salvation in Jesus Christ for all. Accordingly Luke modified both the genealogy and the infancy incidents relating to Jesus and proclaimed the universal relevance of salvation through Jesus Christ and at the same time placed them in a historical context of the Roman governance of Judea. Here we may see the interplay of the sacred and the secular both in Matthew and in Luke. Matthew achieved it through the announcement of the birth of Jesus by the angel of the Lord to Joseph in a dream who was determined to get out of the marriage contract to Mary who was found with child before they came together. The secular nature of the whole incident was enhanced by introducing King Herod in the background in direct confrontation with the chief priests and lawyers of the Jews as well as the wise men from the East. As for Luke, the sacred was introduced by Archangel Gabriel to the simple village girl Mary in her daily routine of secular life strengthened by a similar message to Elizabeth, Mary's kinswoman, through her husband Zechariah in sacred precincts. The secular background is furnished by the decree of Augustus Caesar and the census besides the presence of the shepherds at Bethlehem and their visit to the Infant Jesus. When we speak of the family of Jesus, inevitably questions on his father, mother, brothers and sisters arise in our minds as they are referred to in the Bible.
Since Matthew and Luke very clearly highlight the virgin birth of Jesus, Joseph is presented as his foster-father and as Mary's lawful husband who was destined by God to take care of baby Jesus and his mother Mary. Joseph admirably fulfilled his duty by engaging the secular realities of the world inimical to the life and safety of Jesus who contained in himself the core of the sacred dimension of life itself. The life of Joseph as the head of the Holy Family was nothing short of a battle against the vicissitudes of daily life, compounded by the ignorance and selfishness of the powerful and mighty rulers of the times. Joseph overcame every obstacle in the life of the Holy Family by artfully combining the sacred and the secular in following divine guidance and meeting the challenges thrown up by circumstances unforeseen until then. An example of such a challenge may be seen in the fact that on return from Egypt with the mother and the child Joseph came to know that Archelaus, Herod's son, was the king of Judea and he was afraid to settle down there. On being warned in a dream, Joseph went to Nazareth of Galilee and began to live there with Jesus and Mary (See Matthew, 2: 22-23).
As for those who don't believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, Mary herself may be quoted as claiming Joseph to be the father of Jesus when she reminded him at the Temple of Jerusalem that his father and she were searching for him in great anxiety (See Luke, 2: 48). Such an interpretation of the text betrays a complete misappropriation of the context against all rules of textual interpretation. Actually the intention of the author was to hear from the lips of Jesus himself the proper relationship of the son and the father and that was skilfully presented by Jesus' clarification who his real father was (See Luke, 2: 49). While Jesus clarified that it was his all-important duty to be busy with his Father's business by enlightening the people around him by the Word of God, he immediately set out with Joseph and Mary to live with them in obedience to their words. Here again we see how the sacred and the secular aspects of life were combined and followed by Jesus himself. (To be Cont'd).
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