484 GOSPELS (U]S"CAN"ON"ICAL)
GOSPELS (UNCANONICAL)
there.' Her pai-ents, in a transport of wonder at her, depart. They vanish from the story,* which at once (8) hurries on to describe the action taken by the priests when this wonder-child reached the age of puberty (twelve or fourteen years — the MSS vary). An angel bids Zechariah, the high priest, summon the widowers (' bachelors,' in the Armenian version) of Israel : ' let each bring his rod, and whoever has a sign shown him by the Lord, his shall the woman be.' Joseph is then suddenly introduced (9'). 'And Joseph, throwing aside his axe' — it is assumed that the readers know he was a carpenter or joiner — went out to meet the heralds (or, the widowers). A dove emerges from his rod, and he is reluctantly assigned the charge of Mary. He protests, ' I have sons, and I am an old nian,t while she is a girl. I am afraid of becoming ridiculous to the sons of Israel.' But he is warned of the penalties attaching to disobedience, and eventually agrees. Only, to ensure the credibility of the virgin-birth, the author observes that Joseph left her at once in his house and went off to a distant task of building. Meanwhile the Annun- ciation takes place, Mary visits her kinswoman Elizabeth, and returns home. When she is six months pregnant, Joseph returns home, and is distressed at her condition. He has been put in charge of this virgin, and he has failed to keep his charge ! ' Who has deceived me (her) ? Who has done this evil deed in my house and defiled the maiden ? Has not the story of Adam been re- enacted in my case? As the serpent came and found Eve alone, and beguiled her, when Adam was singing praise, so with me.' In a dream, however, an angel reassures Joseph. Neverthe- less, when the authorities of the Temple discover Mary's condition, Josej^h is charged with the crime of having secretly married a virgin whom he under- took to guard. First he, and then Mary, are made to undergo the ordeal of Nu 5^^ They pass the test scatheless. 'And the priest said, "Since the Lord God has not disclosed your sins, neither do I condemn you " (ovde iyCj Kplvu i>/ids ; of. Jn 8"). So he sent them away. And Joseph took Mary and went home, rejoicing and glorifying the God of Israel.' J
The story then (17-18^) describes Joseph and Mary travelling to Bethlehem as in Lk 2^. On the road, ' Joseph turned and saw she was sad ; but he said to himself, " Perhaps what is in her is paining her." Again Joseph turned and saw she was laughing. So he said to her, " Mary, what does this mean ? Why do I see your face now laughing and now sad ? " And Mary said to Joseph, "Because I see with my eyes two peoples, one wailing and lamenting, the other rejoicing and exulting." '§ As the time of her delivery is im- minent, Joseph leads her into a cave ((nrifiXaiov), leaves her in charge of his sons, and goes off ' in search of a Hebrew midwife in the district of Bethlclieni' (18').
A t this point ( 1 8^) the narrative || suddenly changes to the first person : ' and I Joseph was walking and not walking, etc' All nature is still and silent.
* The Armenian version (3) kills them both off ' in one year '
at this point.
t In his vehement attack on Helvidius, Jerome insists that Joseph as well as Mary was a virjfin. The Protevancjeliuin is content to show how he could not have been the real father of Jesus.
J This must have been a serviceable episode for apologetic purposes ; the story of Mt I'Sf- did not vindicate Mary to anyone except her husband. But it was specially essential to the argument of our author, who is at pains to show that there was no question of a real marriage between Joseph and Mary.
§ This prophetic vision is a blend of L,k 234 and Gn 2.'i'-^ (where the two nations are in Rebecca's womb). In pseudo-Matthew they become the Jews and the Gentiles. Here they are probably no more than the unbelieving and the believing. Mary suffers no birth-pangs ; her sorrow is purely spiritual.
li Of. UeLacy 0*Leary in/»tt«m.youf7i.4poc.x3txv. [1913], p.70f.
The birds of the air are motionless ; so are all animals and human beings within sight. Joseph secures a midwife, carefully explaining to her that Mary has conceived by the Holy Spirit. But in the middle of their conversation the narrative again * resumes the third person (19'), and a further abrupt touch t occurs in 19^, where the midwife leaves the cave ' and Salome met her.' Salome, like Thomas (Jn 20^"), refuses to believe the story of the virgin- birth without tangible evidence. This she receives, with a temporary punishment for her incredulity. She carries the child, in obedience to an angel's command, crying, 'I will worship Him (i.e. God), J for a great King has been born for Israel.' The nar- rative then proceeds (20^) : ' and she went out of the cave justified (SeStKatw/t^v??). And lo a voice said to her, " Salome, Salome, do not proclaim the miracles (TrapdSofa) you have seen, till the child reaches Jerusalem.'"' And {2V) Joseph was ready to go into Judaea,'