A Christmas Story Not Found in the Bible

Written and recorded by John Walsh, December 2022

Read the Story

When I read the Christmas story, I’m struck by the quality of the people involved. Several of them are older, Zacharias, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna. Two of them are young, Joseph and Mary. We know these people are emotional about what is going on, but the Bible doesn’t include that in the story. It’s because the emphasis is not on them. It’s all about Jesus.

Still, when the people of that day heard the story, they understood what emotions were involved. And today, thanks to research about the first-century Jewish population, we can make a good guess about what they were going through.

With that in mind, the story I’m about to tell you is not found in the Bible. It is simply my attempt to fill in what was happening behind the events of the Christmas story.

It starts with Mary going home after visiting cousin Elizabeth. The distance between Jerusalem and Nazareth was about 90 miles. It was a long walk, especially for a 3-month pregnant girl. But Mary wasn’t alone on this road. No woman, or even a man, would ever travel alone in those days. There was safety in numbers. She was a part of a group of travelers going home after a festival in Jerusalem.

Men were required to go to three festivals a year, so most of her fellow travelers were men. But she was with a family within the group. They adopted her for the duration of the trip, since she agreed to help watch over their small children. Cousin Zacharias had made all the arrangements for her safe travel.

If her adopted family knew her secret, they wouldn’t have been so willing to have her with their children. No, they simply trusted the old priest, confident he would only represent a young girl of the highest moral character. Little did they know she was pregnant and didn’t have a husband. But they didn’t know, Zacharias didn’t mention it, and she wasn’t going to volunteer that information. Fortunately, her morning sickness had all but disappeared. At fourteen years old, her youthful strength kept anyone from noticing.

As she walked along, she remembered her trip going the other direction. She had been eager to spend time with Elizabeth because she needed the counsel of a wise older woman, and her mother was not that person. Her parents had given their permission for this visit because they felt Elizabeth might need help during her last three months before giving birth.

She remembered how she kept rehearsing telling Elizabeth about her angelic visit and her present condition. All that worry had been in vain. As soon as her cousin saw her, she ran over and hugged Mary and said, “Oh, you’re blessed above all women, and that child you’re carrying is blessed. How am I worthy to have the mother of my Lord visit me?”

Those words immediately created a bond between the two women, like nothing she had experienced in her entire life. Zacharias also accepted her into their home, though he said nothing. She was reassured by the kind, gentle, accepting look in his eyes. Elizabeth told her how Zacharias saw the angle six months before. He couldn’t talk because of his doubts. The angel had said, “You won’t be able to talk until everything I’ve said comes true.”

Elizabeth snickered. “Fortunately, even though I had my doubts, I can still talk. I guess the angel knew you were coming and needed my counsel.” Both women giggled, but Zach didn’t see the humor in it at all. Still, he would write notes with his counsel and advice. The note Mary remembered the most was about the “two other silent people” in the room – the ones inside of Mary and the ones inside of Elizabeth – Jesus and John.

Mary remembered their many cups of tea, their doing chores together and their times of prayer. It was nice to have an understanding woman around during her morning sickness. She also enjoyed going into the village with the old priest, since Elizabeth couldn’t go out in public.

Elizabeth’s advice was so valuable, but one question she couldn’t answer. “What should I do if my parents don’t believe I’m still a virgin?”

“Oh Mary, mother of my Lord, you have hard days ahead of you. Your parents are dear to me, and I love them as my own children. But they are not going to believe you – unless that same angel talks to them. You need to pray and ask for God’s provision and protection. Zacharias and I will continually be praying for you as long as we live.”

Mary did pray, pleading … “Oh God, I can’t expect Joseph to understand. I know he’ll cut me off since he is not the father. Lord, send your angel once again and have him talk to my father. Tell him this child is from you. Surely you don’t want your Son to be raised as an outcast beggar.”

Mary thought on all of this as she completed her journey back home. It didn’t take long before her mother saw Mary’s condition. What happened after that was terrifying to a young teenage girl. First was the interrogation. “Who is the father? What’s his name? Did Joseph do this?”

She was slapped for blaspheming when she explained that the child was from God himself. “Tell me the truth, Mary. Were you raped by one of those filthy Roman soldiers?”

Nothing she said calmed the rage within their home. She continued to pray, but it didn’t seem to do any good. Mary’s father couldn’t stop shouting, a sharp contract to Zacharias who hadn’t said anything.

Joseph and his father set up a meeting with her father to cancel the engagement. It was decided she would not be stoned to death. Instead, she was to be “set aside” to live in her shame with her illegitimate child.

With this, everything calmed down at home. A resolution was reached. Mary was to leave the house, never to return. She couldn’t even go pack her things. She was to go outside and sit on the rock under the big tree. As their last bit of kindness, her mother went and grabbed a few essentials for her to take with her.

Mary sat on the rock and sobbed. “Why Lord? Why didn’t you prepare my father. You sent your angel to Zacharias and to me. Why not my father?”

Mary’s mother slipped out quietly, and without saying a word, put the few things next to her daughter and turned away. Mary could do nothing but sob. She now had two options, becoming a prostitute or becoming a beggar. The first was out of the question. It wasn’t even an option for Mary. No, she would find shelter in one of the caves nearby and learn how to beg.

Suddenly she heard another voice. “Mary.” She looked up and saw Joseph standing nearby. She turned away and started to sob again. Why would he come here and rebuke her? It was a grace he didn’t demand she be put to death, but after all, he didn’t have a choice. The angel had said she would give birth to a son. She simply wanted him to go away.

Joseph took a step closer and softly said, “Mary, an angel appeared to me last night. He explained everything. Come and be my wife. I will take care of you and your precious child.”

She slowly turned around and looked at him. God had sent his angel, but not to her father. With thanksgiving in her heart, she stood up as Joseph picked up her things. Together they made their way to the rabbi’s house.

Two years later, Joseph watched Mary’s little boy toddling up to him from across the floor. The child looked up with a smile as he reached up his chubby arms. Joseph picked him up and held him close. He knew who this child was – Messiah! As he felt the little head resting on his shoulder, he thought back over the last couple of years.

He was a man who made plans, prepared for them, and carried them out. His original plans did not include anything about welcoming the Messiah into the world. He was just a common man from Nazareth who wanted to marry a hometown girl and set up a proper Jewish home. He had carefully worked out his future.

Even as a young person, he had high moral standards. His father allowed him to be a part of the bride selection process. He wanted someone who was godly and trustworthy. Together, they thought they had found just the right person. Mary definitely fit the young man’s ideals for a wife. He believed in her integrity and purity.

He and his father had gone to Mary’s home and had successfully negotiated with her father about a marriage. It was the most exciting day of his life. He immediately began working to provide for the practical details of their future life together. He knew it would take him a year of work before his father would allow him to proceed with the marriage.

Then it happened. Boom, just like that! His whole world had come crashing down around him. The news of Mary’s pregnancy had completely devastated him! She wanted to meet with him and explain … well, he just didn’t want to hear anything she had to say. He had been working for months building the addition on his father’s house for the two of them. Anticipating her arrival was on his mind night and day. He thought she was making preparations as well. He envisioned her spending her days and nights thinking about him. Obviously, she had another man to think about. He felt betrayed, and his hopes of a godly home was put on hold.

When he and his father went to talk to her parents about the situation, they were devastated as well. They offered no excuses. They said that they would pay back the dowry and agree to whatever punishment Joseph decided to enforce. In fact, they said that no matter what he decided to do, Mary was leaving their house. At that point, the conversation was directed toward Joseph. Both fathers gave him advice on how to punish her but said that it was up to him to decide what to do.

Now, two years later, there he sat in Bethlehem, holding her child in his arms. It had taken nothing less than an angel from heaven to convince him that Mary was all he knew her to be, and more. The angel had given him strict orders to accept Mary and make her his wife. He was still in awe of God’s miracle of having a virgin give birth to His Son.

God’s plans for him were completely different than his own. God had chosen him to bring strength and stability into Mary’s life. She needed him! Every young Jewish girl hoped and dreamed of being the mother of Messiah. But when it happened, there was no praise, no honor. Instead, she was left alone, rejected, and disgraced.

But the harsh reality was, by accepting her, he took on her disgrace and rejection. He remembered the hardship they had in Nazareth. Their marriage had been a quiet event instead of a happy village festival enjoyed by their friends. All his work of adding to the family house was stopped. He had to find another place for them to live.

No one wanted to hire him. He had to travel outside of town to get work. When he received the command to go to Bethlehem, he knew he couldn’t leave Mary behind, even though she was seven months pregnant. They had traveled to this hometown of David together.

What they found in Bethlehem was acceptance. Family opened their homes to them. When Jesus was born, shepherds came in from the fields and rejoiced with them. Simeon and Anna accepted them at the Temple. Joseph set his jaw and quietly said to Jesus. “We won’t be going back to Nazareth. There is nothing there for us.”

Then he smiled as he held Jesus out at arm’s length. “Son, Bethlehem was the city of David. What better place than here to raise you, the Son of David, the future King of Israel.” He once again hugged the child. Joseph had given up his old sets of plans, and now he had a new set. He planned to spend the rest of his life in Bethlehem.

The next day, some men from the east came to their house. They bowed down before their new King and set rich gifts in front of him.

That same night, an angel appeared to Joseph with a new set of plans, and new direction. He was to leave Bethlehem that very night and go to Egypt. Little did he know how much his life could change, again. The wealth from the wise men would support the family while he became an apprentice to a carpenter. He gained skills at working with wood and stone. It would elevate the family from being poor, to becoming a prosperous middle-class family. They could afford a proper education for the children and take those annual trips to Jerusalem.

Joseph didn’t return to Bethlehem. He was led back to Nazareth. Years before, he had left the town poor and rejected. Now he returned with a skill every village needed, but few had. He returned as a carpenter.