Скачать или смотреть The betrothal customs in 1st century Jewish cultur 1

In 1st-century Jewish society, the process of marriage was vastly different from modern Western customs. It was a two-stage legal process that explains why Joseph’s discovery of Mary’s pregnancy was not just a personal shock, but a major legal and social crisis.

1. The First Stage: Kiddushin (Betrothal)
Unlike a modern engagement, which is a promise to marry, the Kiddushin was a legally binding contract that made the couple husband and wife in every sense except for physical cohabitation.

The Contract: A formal agreement (Ketubah) was signed, and a "bride price" (Mohar) was paid by the groom’s family to the bride’s father. This compensated the family for the loss of a worker and provided a safety net for the woman.

Legal Status: During this period, which usually lasted about a year, the woman was considered "set apart" for her husband. If the groom died during this time, she was considered a widow. If she was unfaithful, it was legally treated as adultery.

The Purpose: This year allowed the groom to prepare a place for his bride—usually an addition to his father’s house—and for the bride to prepare her trousseau and demonstrate her purity.

2. The Second Stage: Nissu'in (The Marriage)
The second stage was the "home-taking." The groom would process to the bride’s house with his friends, often at night with lamps, and escort her back to his home for a week-long feast. Only after this ceremony did the couple begin living together.

3. The Dilemma of Mary and Joseph
When the Gospel of Matthew says Mary was "found to be with child" before they came together, it highlights a terrifying legal reality:

The Charge of Adultery: Because they were in the Kiddushin phase, Mary’s pregnancy looked like a violation of the marriage covenant. Under strict Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 22:23-24), the penalty for an unfaithful betrothed virgin was death by stoning.

The Social Shame: In the honor-shame culture of 1st-century Galilee, this would have brought immense disgrace to both the House of David (Joseph) and Mary’s family.

Joseph’s Options: 1. Public Trial: He could have accused her publicly, leading to her trial and potential execution. 2. Private Divorce: He could sign a writ of divorce before two witnesses without stating the cause publicly. This is what Joseph, being a "just man," intended to do to protect her from public shame (Matthew 1:19).

4. The Angelic Intervention
The Angel’s message to Joseph—"Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife"—was a command to proceed immediately to the second stage (Nissu'in). By taking her into his home, Joseph publicly accepted the child as his own, providing Mary with legal protection and the child with a royal lineage.

Cultural Significance

This cultural background shows that Jesus was born into a situation of extreme social vulnerability. The "King of Kings" began his earthly life under a cloud of suspicion, protected only by the faith of a humble carpenter who chose to trust a dream over a legal right to divorce.