Breaking the Word

…Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." (Mt 1:1-16.18-23)

The passage speaks about the birth of Jesus. Saying this, the passage confirms that Mary was the mother of Jesus. Nothing else is give about Mary except that she was betrothed to Joseph and she was virgin. Mary has only one title in this and that is ‘she is the Mother of Jesus’ and that too virgin mother of Jesus. These are the first and earliest information about Mary in the Gospel of Matthew.

The information about Mary is further confirmed by what follows in the story. Joseph because he was a righteous man he wanted to send away Mary because she was with a child. This confirmation can be given only by Joseph. The story is narrated in such a way that even Joseph receives this information from God. Joseph also confirms that Mary is the mother of Jesus but through the working of the Holy Spirit.

This message is again revealed by the angel. Angels are the messengers of God. They communicate rather they reveal what God wants to do or say to the people. The angel not only reveals the birth of Jesus but also reveals the mission of Jesus. He has a double role to play: as Jesus he is the savior of the world and as Emmanuel he is ‘God with us’. Mary is born to be the Mother of Jesus who is the saviour of the world and he is God with us.

And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way. (Lk 6:20-26)

Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God. All types of people were trying to be members of this or Jesus was opening the doors of the kingdom open to all people. People had different expectations from Jesus. He clearly voiced his views on the people who would be part of this movement.

He gave four blessing (promises) and four woes (warnings). They were in line with what we find in the book of Deuteronomy. There (in the book of Deuteronomy) we find long lists of blessings for those who obeyed the law and curses for those who did not obey the law. This was the part of the covenant, the agreement between the people and God. Here Jesus gives his blessings and warnings to the new people of Israel.

The blessings and warnings of Jesus seem to be a radical version of the laws. This new version seems to put things upside-down or rather we might say right-side-up. The poor, the hungry, those who weep and those who are hated are blessed. The kingdom which Jesus has brought in is putting the right-side-up. God takes the side of the suffering and he dwells with the suffering.