Joseph & Mary's Quiet Divorce?

[uncleauberon]

Fellow posters,

I have a question that is focused on ancient jewish culture.
Was it acceptable and/or common for Betrothed couples to have “relations”?

The Bible tells us that Joseph was a just man.

When Mary was found “with child” he decided to Divorce her quitely.

What does this mean ? What is “a quiet divorce” ?
But, she was “with child” her infidelity was apparent.

Betrothal was an official relationship that would need an official divorce.

He had a few options :

• Joseph could have rejected Mary and rejected the child and divorced her for infidelity.

• She would have been stoned to death and Joseph would have been clear.

• Joseph could have kept the secret & married Mary and claimed the child as his own. (Which he did)

• Yet wouldn’t her family & friends have known that Mary was already with child ?
• Does this mean that they accepted “premarital realtions” ?

• Joseph could have used some other pretense for divorce {ie: I don’t like her cooking}

• In which case, wouldn’t the family and friends have assumed that the child was Joseph’s
• Would they have accepted that Joseph and Mary had premarital relations, yet he had other reasons for the divorce ?

Have I missed any other options?

Is there somthing to this in the scripture or the culture that I don’t understand ?

thanks

Todd

 

[Ryan_King]

The ancient Jewish culture did not have the same unequivocal attitude toward premarital relations as do modern traditional religions. To the ancient Jews, the acceptability of premarital relations depended on whether or not the couple was betrothed. Betrothal was more than a modern engagement; it involved a ceremony, and required a divorce to end it. It was a solemn covenant not far removed from marriage. Thus, it was not entirely condemned for a betrothed couple to consummate their relationship before the actual marriage. (It must also be said that, at this time, Christ had not instituted marriage as a sacrament). Thus, had Joseph divorced Mary quietly, he would not have given a reason, and everyone would have assumed that the child was Joseph’s, which would not have been so scandalous as otherwise.

I hope this helps.

Ryan King