Jehovah's Emissary Appears to Joachim

(Gospel of the Birth of Mary 2:1 - 2:14)

After Joachim had been there for awhile, he happened to be alone on a certain day when an emissary of Jehovah, bathed in a brilliant light, appeared beside him.  Joachim was alarmed by his presence, but the luminous being sought to allay his fears and spoke to him, "Fear not, Joachim, nor be troubled by my appearance, for I am an emissary sent by Jehovah to inform you that your prayers have been heard and that your sacrifices have been seen by God on high.  He is surely aware of the shame you feel and how you have been unfairly rebuked for not having children.   But God punishes sinful behavior and not the misfortunes of nature.  It happens that he may close the womb of a woman, but does so for a reason, that he might open it in a wondrous way -- so that the baby born be not the result of carnal lust, but a boon from God.

"For the mother of your nation, Sarah, was she not barren even until she was eighty years old?  Yet, even in her old age, at the end of her years, she gave birth to Isaac, who received the promise of a blessing for all nations.   Rachel, as well, in favor with Jehovah and beloved by Jacob, remained barren for a considerable period, but afterwards was the mother of Joseph, who not only ruled Egypt as governor, but spared many nations from perishing for want of food.  Who among the judges was more courageous than Samson or holier than Samuel, yet both of them had mothers who were barren."

"But if reason will not convince you of my contention that women do frequently conceive in later years and that those who have been barren often, to their great surprise, give birth, then perhaps you'll be convinced when your wife Anna presents you with a daughter that you will name Mary.

"In  accordance with your vow, from her early childhood she will be devoted to Jehovah and from the womb she will be inspired by the Spirit Divine.  She will not eat or drink anything that is ritually impure.  Her education will come not from the common folk of the street but from the temple of Jehovah, so that she will not be exposed to any slanderous talk or bad influences.

"Having been born, miraculously, of a woman once barren, she will, in the course of years, give birth in a unique manner, for while yet a virgin she will produce the Son of the exalted God.  He will be called Jesus and, as his name signifies, be the savior of all nations.

"This will be sign of the things that I relate to you: when you arrive at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem you will meet there your wife Anna.  She will be very perturbed that you had not returned sooner and will be overjoyed to see you."

After saying this, the emissary of Jehovah departed from Joachim's presence.

Notes
1. There appears before Joachim an emissary of Jehovah (usually translated "angel," but I have avoided using the term since it so ambiguous in meaning; the popular conception of an angel is not at all what is meant in the biblical texts -- the word means messenger, but messenger in the archaic sense of an emissary, representative, or agent).  This emissary seems to be a luminous being, not like the Jehovan agents in Genesis who appeared to be totally human.  This description fits that of exalted spirit beings that have been reported by mystics in all cultures and periods of history.

2.  The theme of the barren woman conceiving, the older, childless wife giving birth to a great, or divine man is a common theme, not only, as the emissary attests, in Hebrew history and folklore but in that of other peoples as well.  The great man, enlightened teacher, the bringer of revelation, the savior must have something special about his birth.  Even wholly historical figures like Alexander and Caesar supposedly had births that were not ordinary.  For a good story, everything must be extraordinary about an extraordinary man.  It is a rule that is followed infallibly.

3.  The emissary announces that Mary will not only give birth to the savor Jesus, but it will be a virgin birth.  In many ancient religions the great or heroic men are sons of a god who has impregnated a human woman.  There is no suggestion here that the deity will physically impregnated Jesus' mother, but will do so in some spiritual sense.  The scenario is illogical, since the birth of a physical being must be the result of a physical act of impregnation.  We know now that a virgin birth is possible through artificial insemination and that reproduction is also possible through cloning.  A male child cannot be the clone of his mother, so some genetic material must be furnished, through some means, by a male human being, or genetically compatible humanoid.  Jesus had, therefore, a physical father, even if his soul, his spirit were divine.  This fact, unalterable even by miracle, is not addressed by this, or any other gospel.

4.  A significant statement is made by the emissary when he says that God does not punish men for the misfortunes of nature, but for sinful conduct, that is, a man is morally responsible for his own actions and not for what may happen to him, things  over which he has no control.