The film does not pay much attention to the associated story of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, which is interesting (as an opportunity for more dramatic controversy) because her husband Zacharias was told not to speak (or blog!) for three months! Also, there isn't much attention to the angel Gabriel visit.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
"Joseph of Nazareth" had some explaining to do
The second in the “Friends of Jesus” (or “Close to Jesus”)
series from Barnholz and Artisan is “Joseph of Nazareth” (2000).
The film opens with an impressive shot of the kind of work
the 35-year-old widower can do with his hands.
We could say he has a “real job” and has “paid his dues”. Pretty soon, we learn of tragedies in the
family dealing with the Romans, and Joseph sees little sense in resisting. He is asked by elders to wed Mary, who is
younger than would be an acceptable age in modern culture. (English teachers have to cover this point with
ninth graders when teaching Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet’.)
There are a number of versions of the lineage of Jesus, and
of the exact manner in which Joseph was approached. In this film, he promises chastity, but soon
notices Mary’s pregnancy. In ancient
cultures, he would have had the legal right to stone her (although that doesn’t
make sense here before he is wed). His
kind treatment of her (and willingness to forgo his pride) is seen as a
testament to his faith. In time, he has
some explaining to do. At least, she
should not appear pregnant until he has built her home. If she is not with his child, why is he
willing to raise it? (The same situation
is going on right now in the soap “Days of our Lives”.) It would appear that Joseph accepts chastity
and the possible abuse of his reputation just out of loyalty to God.
I have a posting about this Christmas scenario on my “Bill
Boushka” blog on Dec. 24, 2007, based on a sermon given by James Somerville of
the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington DC. Somerville said “Joseph
had some explaining to do.” Somerville
has since gone on to take a pastorship
in Richmond, VA.
There is a biological aspect to Virgin Birth: Logically,
Mary could have only born a female child.
The only way the DNA information for the Y-chromosome for a male child
could have gotten to her would have been a virus (even like a retrovirus).
In this society, men had definite obligations to the
community, to protect women and children even when not married. They had an obligation to marry if asked to,
when not able to do so out of their own social bearing.
The movie does show Joseph getting instructed in lucid
dreams, which may seem a bit hokey, or maybe not. There is an anticipation of “Inception”.
The well-known story of Jesus in the temple at age 12
appears near the end of the movie. Jesus is obviously “different”. The Bible has him at a younger age than would
be really effective dramatically (say maybe 18). We do encounter teens like this,
sometimes. I wasn’t aware that Joseph
died in his late 40s.
Joseph is played by Tobias Moretti, and he looks a bit
weathered for 35. Mary is played by
Stefania Rivi.
The film does not pay much attention to the associated story of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, which is interesting (as an opportunity for more dramatic controversy) because her husband Zacharias was told not to speak (or blog!) for three months! Also, there isn't much attention to the angel Gabriel visit.
The film does not pay much attention to the associated story of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, which is interesting (as an opportunity for more dramatic controversy) because her husband Zacharias was told not to speak (or blog!) for three months! Also, there isn't much attention to the angel Gabriel visit.
Yahoo has an answer page of Joseph’s “online reputation”,
here.
The music score (by Marco Frisina) is schmaltzy, and has a
Mahler-like theme spanning octaves.
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