Unafraid Read Free Page B

God will order his angels to protect his Son. The Lord himself will guard him.”
    The darkness rolled back, and Joseph saw the stars through his window. He stared at them for a long while. Smiling, he went back to sleep.

          
    Anne wept in relief, but Mary seemed not the least surprised by Joseph’s decision to marry her quickly. In fact, she crossed the room and put her hand on his arm, surprising him with a demand. “I must go to my relative Elizabeth.”
    Her mother protested. “Why would you want to go there? The hill country is a hard journey—”
    “Oh, Mother, it doesn’t matter. Elizabeth is with child!”
    “Don’t be ridiculous! She’s long past her time of bearing children.”
    “The angel told me she’s with child.”
    “And what do you suppose people will say when you suddenly marry Joseph and then go off to the hill country of Judea?”
    “What does it matter what people say if it’s the Lord’s will I go?”
    Joseph saw how the journey could solve several problems. The angel had said nothing about announcing to the citizenry of Nazareth that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit and would give birth to the Messiah. What if the news did get out? What sort of dangers might present themselves to the child? When Mary’s pregnancy became apparent, there would be gossip. However, if they went on this journey together . . .
    “As soon as we are married, I will take Mary to visit her relative.”
    “People will talk,” Anne said.
    Yes, people would talk, but the condemnation would be aimed at him rather than Mary.

          
    When Mary’s pregnancy became apparent, some in Nazareth thought they now understood the reason for Joseph’s haste in marrying her. Women whispered at the well while the men shook their heads and clucked their tongues in the synagogue. What did anyone really know about Joseph, other than that he was a carpenter come from Bethlehem? Poor Joachim. The man had trusted the carpenter because he was a relative, a descendant of David. Surely Joachim’s bones were crying out now that it was evident Joseph had taken conjugal rights before those rights were due. Some went to the rabbi and insisted the couple be disciplined so that other young people wouldn’t think such behavior was condoned in Nazareth! The rabbi said Joseph had acted within his rights under the contract, gifts having been exchanged and documents signed.
    A voice came out of the shadows at the back of the synagogue. “Will you not destroy the evil among you?”
    The rabbi raised his head from the Torah. “Who speaks?”
    “Does Scripture not say the Lord hates haughty eyes and a lying tongue?” The voice was deep and dark and familiar to many. “We must destroy the wickedness among us.” Men glanced at one another and voices began to swell as the accuser remained in the shadows. “Who is this carpenter who defies the Law? Who is this girl who plays the harlot?”
    A man stood, face flushed. “He’s right!” Others joined in agreement.
    Chilled, the old rabbi raised his hands. “The Law also says there shall be two witnesses. Let them come forward.”
    A low rumble moved through the gathering of men, but no one moved. Men looked about. Trembling, the rabbi rolled open the Torah. “The Lord also hates a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among brothers.” He spoke quietly, but the words carried.
    The accuser departed.
    Soon after, all gossip regarding Joseph and Mary died when Roman soldiers arrived in Nazareth carrying a decree from Caesar Augustus. A census of all who inhabited the earth was being taken. Men cried out in dismay. Did this Roman “god” realize what chaos his decree would create? For the order was that everyone must return to the village of his birth in order to be counted.

JOSEPH had dreaded this moment since he’d heard the decree read. He looked between the two women at the table—one so young and lovely his heart turned over,