Thomistic Bible Study: Matthew 1 (Podcast)
Summary
TLDRThis script offers an in-depth analysis of the first chapter of Matthew's Gospel through the perspective of St. Thomas Aquinas, highlighting the symbolic significance of the number 14 and the genealogy of Jesus Christ. It delves into the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, his sanctity, and wisdom, and explores the narrative of Joseph's dilemma, the angelic revelation, and the naming of Jesus. The script also addresses misconceptions about Mary's perpetual virginity and emphasizes the importance of St. Joseph as a model of authentic masculinity and fatherhood, encouraging devotion to him in the modern context.
Takeaways
- 😇 St. Thomas Aquinas is revered as one of the most intelligent individuals in history, second only to Jesus and Mary, and his insights on the Gospel are highly valued.
- 🏰 St. Thomas faced significant trials, including being kidnapped and tempted to break his vow of chastity, but his sanctity and wisdom allowed him to overcome these challenges.
- 🙏 Chastity is emphasized as a crucial virtue for pursuing wisdom and higher studies, as it helps elevate the mind to spiritual and intellectual matters.
- 📜 The first chapter of Matthew's Gospel is analyzed through the lens of St. Thomas Aquinas, focusing on the genealogy of Jesus Christ and its symbolic significance.
- 🔢 The number 14 is highlighted as significant in the genealogy, symbolizing the emphasis on David as the king and the Christ, with the repetition of 14 generations from Abraham to David, and from David to Jesus.
- 👑 The genealogy in Matthew's Gospel is contrasted with that in Luke's Gospel, showing different lineage due to Joseph's adoption, which is explained through Jewish law and St. Thomas's interpretation.
- 👶 The Annunciation to Joseph is discussed, emphasizing Joseph's humility and his role as the foster father of Jesus, chosen by God for his sanctity and grace.
- 🌟 Joseph's naming of Jesus is highlighted as a sign of his authority and the singular privilege granted to him, reflecting his unique role in the life of Jesus.
- 👨👩👧👦 The script discusses the importance of understanding the genealogy and the symbolic language used in Matthew's Gospel, which is deeply rooted in Hebrew tradition and Jewish expectations.
- 🙏 The script concludes with a call to devotion to St. Joseph, emphasizing his role in restoring authentic masculinity and fatherhood, and the importance of his intercession in spiritual life.
Q & A
Who is St. Thomas Aquinas and why is he significant in this Bible study?
-St. Thomas Aquinas is a renowned theologian and philosopher of the Catholic Church, known as the Angelic Doctor and the Common Doctor. He is significant in this Bible study because the analysis of Matthew's gospel is being conducted through his lens, highlighting his profound influence and authority in theological interpretation.
What is the significance of the number 14 in the genealogy of Jesus as presented in Matthew's gospel?
-The number 14 is significant because it is symbolic and emphasizes the importance of David in the lineage of Jesus. In Hebrew numerology, the letters corresponding to David's name add up to 14, which is a way of emphasizing 'David, David, David' in a superlative form, indicating the importance of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Davidic line.
Why did St. Thomas Aquinas' family initially want him to become a Benedict monk rather than a Dominican?
-St. Thomas Aquinas' family initially wanted him to become a Benedict monk because the Benedictines had more influence and were well-established and respected at the time. The Dominicans, on the other hand, were newer and their practice of begging for alms was considered shameful for royalty.
What is the explanation given for the different genealogies of Joseph in Matthew and Luke's gospels?
-The different genealogies are explained by the fact that Joseph was adopted. In Matthew, Joseph's father is listed as Jacob, while in Luke, it is Heli. This is because Joseph's legal father (Heli) died without an heir, and his brother (Jacob) adopted Joseph to carry on the family name.
Why did Joseph initially plan to put Mary away quietly instead of having her stoned according to Jewish law for adultery?
-There are three theories presented: 1) Joseph suspected Mary of adultery but wanted to deal with it privately out of mercy. 2) Joseph was bewildered because he knew Mary was pure but was also pregnant and couldn't reconcile these facts. 3) Joseph, out of reverence and humility, did not consider himself worthy to be the spouse of the mother of the Messiah and planned to step aside.
What is the theological significance of Joseph naming Jesus?
-The act of naming signifies authority. By naming Jesus, Joseph exercises a unique authority over him, which is a singular privilege granted by God. This act underscores Joseph's role as the earthly father of Jesus and his unique position in the divine plan.
How does the script address the claim that Mary was not a perpetual virgin?
-The script refutes this claim by explaining that the word 'until' in the phrase 'he knew her not until she brought forth her firstborn son' does not necessarily imply a change in state after the appointed time. It emphasizes that the birth of Christ was not brought about by Joseph, without insinuating anything about Mary's virginity afterward.
What is the importance of St. Joseph in the current cultural context, especially regarding fatherhood?
-St. Joseph is seen as a model for authentic masculinity and fatherhood. In a time of crisis for these roles, devotion to St. Joseph is encouraged as a way to restore and heal the understanding of what it means to be a man and a father.
What is the significance of the 'Holy Holy Holy' in the Catholic Mass?
-The repetition of 'Holy' three times in the Mass is a reflection of the Hebrew practice of emphasizing the superlative by repeating a word three times, hearkening back to the church's Jewish roots and emphasizing the supreme holiness of God.
Why is the story of St. Thomas Aquinas chasing a prostitute with a burning brand significant?
-The story illustrates St. Thomas Aquinas' commitment to chastity and his resistance to temptation. It is a testament to his sanctity and the virtue of perfect chastity, which is considered essential for the pursuit of wisdom and higher studies.
Outlines
📖 Introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas and Matthew's Gospel
The video begins with an introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas, revered as the Angelic Doctor and the Common Doctor of the Church. The speaker expresses admiration for Aquinas, considering him highly intelligent and recounts a story from his youth where he was kidnapped to prevent him from becoming a Dominican. Despite being tempted, Aquinas maintained his vow of chastity, which is emphasized as a crucial virtue for wisdom and higher studies. The speaker then sets the stage for a detailed examination of the first chapter of Matthew's Gospel through the lens of Aquinas.
🔢 The Significance of the Number 14 in Matthew's Genealogy
This paragraph delves into the symbolic meaning of the number 14 in the genealogy presented in Matthew's Gospel. The speaker explains that in Hebrew, each letter corresponds to a number, and the name David (DVD) sums up to 14. This number is used three times (14, 14, 14) to emphasize the importance of David as the king and the Christ, the anointed one. The speaker also discusses the possibility that Matthew's Gospel was originally written in Aramaic, highlighting the deep connection between the Gospel and Jewish roots.
👨👨👦 The Mystery of Joseph's Lineage in Matthew and Luke
The speaker addresses the apparent contradiction in the genealogy of Joseph between Matthew and Luke's Gospels. In Matthew, Joseph is said to be the son of Jacob, while in Luke, he is the son of Heli. The explanation provided is that Joseph was adopted, with his biological father being Jacob and his adoptive father being Heli. This adoption was in accordance with Jewish law, where a brother would marry the wife of a deceased brother to continue his lineage. The speaker clarifies that this does not disprove Christianity but rather adds depth to the understanding of Joseph's lineage.
🤔 Theories on Joseph's Reaction to Mary's Pregnancy
The speaker discusses three theories explaining why Joseph wanted to put Mary away quietly instead of having her stoned for adultery, as per Jewish law. The first theory, supported by St. Augustine, suggests Joseph thought Mary had committed adultery. The second theory, the bewilderment theory, posits that Joseph was confused because he knew Mary was chaste but was also pregnant. The third theory, favored by St. Thomas and the speaker, is the reverence theory, where Joseph, knowing the prophecy of a virgin birth, felt unworthy to be the spouse of the mother of God. The angel's reassurance to Joseph is then highlighted, emphasizing the divine intervention in this scenario.
👶 The Authority of Joseph in Naming Jesus
This paragraph focuses on the significance of Joseph naming Jesus, which is seen as an act of authority. The speaker draws parallels with Genesis, where Adam names Eve, demonstrating his authority over her. Joseph's naming of Jesus is portrayed as a singular privilege, emphasizing Joseph's role as the earthly father of Jesus. The speaker also discusses the implications of this authority, suggesting that Joseph's role was crucial in Jesus' life and that his obedience to Joseph was part of his fulfillment of the Fourth Commandment.
🙏 The Perpetual Virginity of Mary and the Role of St. Joseph
The final paragraph addresses the claim that Mary was not perpetually a virgin, based on a misinterpretation of Matthew 1:25. The speaker argues that the word 'until' does not imply a change in Mary's virginity after Christ's birth. Using linguistic and biblical evidence, the speaker defends the perpetual virginity of Mary. The speaker also encourages devotion to St. Joseph, suggesting that his role in the life of Jesus and Mary is a model for understanding authentic masculinity and fatherhood, especially in the modern context.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡St Thomas Aquinas
💡Chastity
💡Genealogy of Jesus
💡Adoption of Joseph
💡Perpetual Virginity of Mary
💡Humility of Joseph
💡Authority in Naming
💡Devotion to St Joseph
💡Hebrew Numerology
💡Theological Interpretation
💡Cultural Crisis of Fatherhood
Highlights
Introduction to St Thomas Aquinas as a significant figure in the study of the Bible.
The story of St Thomas Aquinas's life, emphasizing his intelligence and sanctity.
The tale of St Thomas's brothers kidnapping him to break his vow of chastity.
St Thomas's response to temptation by chasing a prostitute with a burning brand.
The importance of chastity for the pursuit of wisdom and higher studies.
The authority of St Thomas Aquinas's interpretations due to his sanctity.
The structure of Matthew's Gospel, emphasizing the significance of the number 14.
The symbolic meaning of the number 14 in relation to the name David in Hebrew.
The genealogy of Jesus Christ as presented in Matthew's Gospel, highlighting the repetition of 14 generations.
The difference in genealogies between Matthew and Luke, and the concept of levirate marriage.
The explanation of Joseph's dual fatherhood due to adoption in Jewish law.
The theories explaining why Joseph wanted to put Mary away quietly.
The angel's message to Joseph about the virgin birth and the naming of Jesus.
The significance of Joseph naming Jesus and the authority it implies.
The devotion to St Joseph as a response to the crisis of fatherhood and masculinity.
The declaration of the Year of St Joseph by Pope Francis and its impact on devotion.
The interpretation of 'until' in Matthew 1:25 and its implications for Mary's perpetual virginity.
Apologetic arguments against the claim that Mary and Joseph had other children.
Transcripts
welcome to the first episode of to mytic
Bible study today we're going to take a
look at the first chapter of Matthew's
gospel and we're going to look at it
through the lens of St Thomas aquinus
who is the Angelic doctor the common
doctor he is also my favorite doctor of
the church St Thomas aquinus is I really
believe the single most intelligent
person ever to have lived other than
Jesus and Mary some of the stories about
his life are incredible whenever he was
a small boy he was planning on becoming
a monk and his family was fine with that
they sent him to become a Benedict monk
because the Benedicts had a little bit
more clout and they were established and
everybody respected the
Benedicts but the problem was that St
Thomas even though he was from a royal
family in Italy St Thomas wanted nothing
to do with the Benedicts he felt that
God was calling him to become a
Dominican now those Dominicans were kind
of a new thing they weren't well
established and they went around and
begged for alms and this was considered
shameful for royalty to go around
begging so you may have heard this story
before but it Bears repeating St
Thomas's Brothers while he's on his way
to become a Dominican kidnap him as a
young man and they lock him in a tower
St Thomas often times gets the
reputation of being a brain in a jar but
nothing could be further from the truth
this man lived an incredibly exciting
and eventful life and he was tempted and
he was tempted greatly and it's only
because of his preeminent sanctity that
he was able to attain to his excellence
in wisdom so his brothers kidnap him and
they lock him in this Tower and they
decide that they're going to tempt him
to break his vow of Chastity so that he
will not become a Dominican cuz
anything's better than the Dominicans so
they send a prostitute into his room
this young man St Thomas they send a
prostitute into his room to try to tempt
him to break the sixth and Ninth
commandment but this young man St Thomas
grabs a brand from the fire and chases
this poor woman out of the room and then
there's different versions of the story
but my favorite one is that after he's
chased this woman out of the room he
takes the brand from the fire tra a
cross on the door and then kneels down
and begins to pray shortly thereafter
our lady appears to St Thomas and gives
him the virtue of perfect
Chastity now if you want to pursue
wisdom if you want to pursue higher
studies the most necessary virtue
outside of the virtue of
studiousness is Chastity why because if
you're going to to elevate your mind to
spiritual matters and to intellectual
matters then you have to have your mind
off of the lower things you have to not
be thinking about food and not be
thinking about sex so that you can think
about the higher things the spiritual
things so the reason that St Thomas is
able to become this incredible
incredible Saint in the Catholic
tradition and he's able to become
literally the wisest man ever to have
lived is because of his pre-eminent
sanctity and his preeminent cacity so
whenever we're reading St Thomas we're
not just reading the opinions of some
guy that lived 800 years ago but we're
reading the opinions and the thoughts of
a man who has been elevated by the
church to the position of common doctor
the universal doctor the doctor of
doctors so when you quote St Thomas
because the church has given him that
level of authority you can cite him as
an authority so we're going to go
through and we're going to talk about
what St Thomas says about chapter 1 of
Matthew's gospel and if you keep this in
mind and mole over it I think you'll
find that it's not only fruitful
intellectually but this will give you a
lot more flesh on the bones of the
Gospel so that whenever you're reading
it and you're doing Leo deina you can
start to enter more deeply into the
mystery of the Gospel so without further
ado let's jump in here looking at
chapter one of Matthew's gospel what
you'll notice is a giant list of
names and at first that can be a little
intimidating because all of these names
are about 17 syllables and they are all
words you've never heard before so it
can be a little bit
intimidating but the things to note for
our study is that it starts with
Abraham then it goes 14 generations to
David then it goes 14
generations to
Jesus so what can we note here about
chapter one it starts with Abraham goes
to David Goes to Jesus and there's three
sets of 14 why is the number 14
important there's multiple reasons that
the number 14 is symbolic but the one I
want to focus on for now is that in
Hebrew every letter of the Hebrew
alphabet corresponded to a
number and if you look at the name David
it would have been spelled with three
letters in Hebrew I don't know what the
Hebrew characters are called I'm just
going to call it DV and D so David would
have been spelled DVD in Hebrew and the
number that's associated with d is three
the number that's associated with v is8
and the number that's associated with
with the again is three so if you add up
3 8 and three you get 14 so 14 here is
the number of David so the point that
Matthew is making because keep in mind
Matthew is writing this gospel in Judea
to the Jewish people Matthew's gospel is
the most Hebrew of any of the gospels
and if you believe St Jerome and St
Thomas then think the ma Gospel of St
Matthew was originally written in
Aramaic we don't have that copy anymore
what we have is the Greek but it's the
most Hebrew of the gospels and so
whenever Matthew is writing this gospel
he does
1444 what is he saying he's saying David
David David that's important the Jews
look back at David and they see the king
they see the Christ the anointed one of
God that's what they see in David so
whenever Matthew says David David David
14144 he's making an emphatic point
because in Hebrew they don't have good
better best they don't have the
superlative the way that we have it in
English what you would do if you wanted
to say that something was good is you
would repeat the word good twice so if
you wanted to say something was better
you would say it's good good and if you
wanted to say that something was the
best you would say it's good good good
that sounds a little absurd in English
but think about what we say in the mass
we don't say holiest we say holy holy
holy sonus Sanctus Sanctus the reason
that we have that threefold Holy there
is it's hearkening back to our Hebrew
Roots as Catholics our Jewish roots as
Catholics so whenever Matthew is writing
this he is saying David David David IST
he's making the point that this guy who
is born of the Blessed Virgin Mary who
is supposedly the son of Joseph this guy
is David David David he is the David IST
he is the Fulfillment of what David was
supposed to be so when you look at this
list of names the first thing you see is
a bunch of strange names you've never
heard of before but once you break it
down a little bit and dig into the text
you can see that Matthew's being
incredibly
intentional with the language that he's
using and Incredibly intentional with
the point that there is 14 14 14 David
David
David so whenever we're looking at
Joseph and at Joseph's genealogy there's
something interesting here that we need
to note and it's important to get this
right and to have a good understanding
of this because if you look at Matthew's
gospel it says that Jacob begot Joseph
so who is Joseph's father according to
Matthew's gospel it's Jacob there we go
but if we look at Luke's gospel in Luke
chapter 3 there is also a genealogy of
Christ and in that genealogy in Luke
3:23 it says say Jesus himself was
beginning about the age of 30 years
being as it was supposed the son of
Joseph who was the son of heli who was
of matat and so it goes on and lays out
Joseph's lineage in Luke 3 so we have
here in Matthew's gospel Joseph and
who's Joseph's father in Matthew's
gospel well the answer is that it is
Jacob and if you go into Luke's gospel 3
vers 23 it says that Joseph is the son
of heli so what the heck is going on
here the gospels are clearly
contradicting one another and they're
clearly wrong and so this disproves all
the claims of Christianity right wrong
there's something deeper going on here
when you dig into the text a little bit
more remember the Jews had a law and
according to that law if a man got
married and then died without producing
an offspring his brother would marry his
wife and bring up children in his name
so what happened
to Joseph's father is he married his
brother's wife so you can see here that
this is Matthew's gospel this is the
genealogy of Matthew's gospel and this
is the genealogy of Luke's gospel so
they're the same until you get to David
once you get to David things change so
you can see here is David and according
to Luke David's son is Nathan you can
see here's David and according to
Matthew David's son is Solomon so if you
look this chunk of the
lineage is completely different from one
side to the other why is that the case
it's because Joseph was adopted that's
the simplest way to put it why why does
it say that Joseph's father was Jacob in
Matthew's gospel and say that Joseph's
father was heli in Luke's gospel the
reason is because Joseph was adopted
Joseph's biological father was named
Jacob Joseph's adopted father was named
heli that's the explanation that St
Thomas gives is that St Joseph was
adopted St Joseph's legal father died
without producing children so his
biological father raised him in the name
of his deceased legal father so why did
the gospel say that Joseph has different
dads the reason is because Joseph was
adopted which a lot of people don't know
and I think that it's actually
incredible to think about Joseph and
Mary and the Saints having a family life
they had families they had people that
they looked up to they had family
traumas they had family problems if you
believe the mystics they actually think
that Joseph had a ton of family Strife
so to recap what we got so far we have
the generation of Jesus Christ this is
the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to
David down to Christ it's 14 14 14
because 14 is the number of David David
David David it's in the superlative
whenever you want to say something is
the superlative in Hebrew you say it
three times that's why we have the Holy
Holy Holy at
Mass okay that was a lot I hope you guys
are still bearing with me here here we
go and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of
Mary um of whom was born Jesus who is
called the Christ so all the generations
from Abraham to David are 14 generations
and from David to the transmigration of
Babylon are 14 generations and from the
transmigration of Babylon to Christ 14
Generations 14 14 14 it's very
repetitive now the generation of Christ
was in this wise when as his mother Mary
was espoused to Joseph before they came
together she was found with child of the
Holy Ghost whereupon Joseph her husband
being a just man and not willing to
publicly expose her was minded to put
her away privately okay what is going on
here there's something very difficult in
this text because according to the
Jewish law you're supposed to Stone an
adulterous and Joseph is a just man so
why would a just man not want Justice
served according to the law if he knows
that his wife is an adulteress well
there's three explanations to this
difficulty in the gospel why did Joseph
want to put his wife away quietly
instead of having her stoned according
to the law even though he was a just man
there's three explanations for why St
Joseph behaved the way that he did the
first explanation is that Joseph thought
that Mary had committed adultery Joseph
thought that Mary had been unfaithful
this this line of thinking this way of
thinking is held by St Augustine
personally I don't agree with this and
neither does St Thomas but St
Augustine's theory is that Joseph
thought that Mary was an
adulteress and so he wanted to put her
away privately and quietly because
Mary's sin was a private sin and not a
public sin and so as an act of Mercy he
wanted to put her away quietly secretly
because her sin was secret and so it
deserved a secret punishment that's
basically what Augustine thinks he
thinks that Joseph thought that Mary was
guilty of adultery if we move into the
second theory the second theory is the
bewilderment Theory this Theory
basically states that St Joseph knew
that Mary was incredibly holy and chaste
and that Mary would never never commit
adultery he knows that for a fact but he
also knows she's
pregnant according to this Theory Joseph
does not make any judgment a righteous
man a just man will not judge until he
has all the evidence and all the
circumstances weighed out this is why
Christ says judge not lest you be judged
you're not supposed to judge rashly or
hastily and so St Joseph sees Mary's
pregnant and St Joseph knows I didn't do
it and St Joseph knows that Mary is
incredibly pure and chased so Joseph
takes these pieces of information and he
can't reconcile them he can't so he's
essentially completely bewildered and
you can only imagine if this is the case
how incredibly
difficult those days must have been for
Joseph before Mary or excuse me before
the angel reveals that Mary is pregnant
of the Holy Spirit can you imagine how
difficult those days must have been
incredible and the third Theory and this
is the one St Thomas holds and this is
the one that I personally like the most
is called the reverence
Theory this theory states that St Joseph
knew that Mary was pregnant and knew the
prophecy of the Messiah being born of a
virgin he knows that he knows that his
wife is pregnant and a virgin and he
knows that the Messiah is going to be
born of a virgin because he's very well
acquainted with the scriptures and he
knows the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 7
so what does he do well your wife is
going to be the mother of the Messiah
and the mother of God and you're a
carpenter St Joseph looks at that
situation and realizes Lord I am not
worthy to be the spouse of the the
mother of God lord I am not worthy to be
the Foster father of the Son of God and
so St Joseph plans on putting his wife
away quietly because of his humility and
he sees his own defects and he sees his
own weakness and he thinks Lord there is
no way that I can accomplish this task
and that's why God has to send the angel
to reassure him and to say Joseph do not
be afraid to take Mary your wife into
your home so those are the three
theories the first is that Joseph
suspected Mary of adultery this is held
by St Augustine it's personally my least
favorite Theory the second theory is
complete bewilderment Joseph did not
know how to reconcile the pieces of
information that he was getting and the
third is reverence that St Joseph knew
exactly what was going on and did not
consider himself worthy to be the father
of Jesus Christ the Earthly father of
Jesus Christ so those are the three
theories as to why St Joseph behaved
Saed the way that he did so here we go
but while he s on these things behold
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in
his sleep saying Joseph son of David
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife
for that which is conceived in her is of
the Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth
a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus
for he shall save his people from their
sins pause for a second
Joseph
Joseph
names
Jesus Joseph the carpenter the nobody
from
Bethlehem
names God this is incredible we read
this verse and we read it probably
quickly and we think oh I've heard this
a thousand times during Advent and
Christmas let's just go on to the good
stuff the stuff I don't remember the
stuff I haven't seen yet pause for a
second do you realize what just
happened do you realize what just
happened happened the angel comes to
Joseph and says Thou you shall call his
name Jesus what's going on here look
back at the Book of Genesis to name
something is a sign of having authority
over it this is why you name your
children and I can't name your children
this is why you name your children and
your children don't name you because you
have authority over your children and
the authority that you have you exercise
it by naming them in Genesis in the
beginning of Genesis we see that Adam
names all of the animals Adam does
showing that Adam has dominion and
authority over the animals then we see
Adam naming his wife he actually does it
twice Adam names woman generically when
he says at last this one is bone of my
bone and Flesh of My Flesh this one
shall be called woman so Adam is
exercising his authority over woman man
is showing his authority over Woman by
name her and then specifically he is the
one who names her Eve because she
becomes the mother of the living so to
name something is a sign of authority
over it and what's going on
here Joseph names Jesus Christ Joseph is
the one who gives Jesus the name above
all names Jesus on the eighth day at his
circumcision it is the singular
privilege of Joseph to bestow the name
above all names the Holy Name at which
every knee shall bend on Earth above the
Earth and below the Earth Jesus upon his
Earthly
son this is absolutely incredible what
does this mean well Jesus being a good
Jewish boy would have known The Ten
Commandments and he would have known the
fourth Commandment honor thy father and
mother Jesus Christ the son of God was
obedient to Joseph in all things Joseph
had the authority to command God this is
an incredible thing that no man sense
and no man ever will accomplish again
this is a singular privilege of Saint
Joseph which is why St Joseph Towers
over all of the other Saints in heaven
he has a singular Grace that second only
to the Blessed Virgin Mary so this may
strike you and this may come across as
me coming on a little too strong with my
theology maybe you don't think St Joseph
deserves this much honor and this much
praise maybe you think okay I'm
comfortable with saying those things
about Mary but stretching this to Joseph
that's a little too far Cameron let's
just take a break let's take a pause and
let's think about this okay remember God
gives people
offices and then gives them the grace to
fulfill that office office God never
puts somebody in a situation where
they're not able to win and to win big
so whenever God chose Joseph to be the
spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary he
chose him knowing the incredible
tremendous Graces that he was going to
give him so that he was a fit Foster
father of Jesus so that he was fit to
have this authority over Jesus God would
not have chosen Joseph if Joseph were
not able to handle the task God would
not have chosen him he would have chosen
somebody else or else made them fit for
the task so this is incredibly important
and it's incredibly important especially
for young men we need to have a Devotion
to Joseph we're living in a time where
there is an absolute crisis of
fatherhood absolute crisis so what do we
do we turn to the father we turn to
Joseph who is more in the image and
likeness of the father than any other
human being we see in heaven the Father
the Son the Holy Spirit the Holy Trinity
in heaven we see on Earth Christ Mary
and Jes Joseph we see Jesus Mary and
Joseph as an Earthly Trinity and in that
Earthly Trinity Joseph corresponds to
the father so how do we heal these
wounds that we have how do we overcome
this sort of gaping hole in our culture
right now where masculinity is
completely
completely lost it's just lost it's gone
nobody knows what it means to be a man
anymore this is how we fix it we turn to
Joseph and we have seen an incredible
incredible increase in Devotion to St
Joseph over the past 5 years ever since
Pope Francis in my opinion this is the
one of one of the best things he's done
with his pontificate it but the year of
St Joseph that Pope Francis declared
opened up the door and now I think we
are seeing more St Joseph devotion than
ever before and I think that God is
going to use St Joseph to restore
fatherhood to restore authentic
masculinity I think that's the way that
it's going to go so if anyone here does
not have a Devotion to St Joseph I would
encourage you find a simple prayer a
short prayer to St Joseph and memorize
it one of my personal favorites is the
Litany of St Joseph I memorized that a
few years ago and I've been praying it
daily ever since I highly highly
encourage you to do that that has been
one of the most powerful devotions that
I have found in my entire spiritual life
going on here to verse 24
now it says and Joseph rising from sleep
did as the angel of the Lord commanded
him and took unto him his wife and he
knew her not until she brought forth her
firstborn son and he called his name
Jesus notice he Joseph called his name
Jesus beautiful absolutely beautiful
this verse is very important for
apologetics Protestants will say this
look right here at the end of Matthew
chapter 1 and he knew or not until she
brought forth her firstborn son
therefore after she brought forth her
firstborn son
they had other children and Mary was not
perpetually a virgin blasphemy absolute
blasphemy absolute hogwash completely
false none of the church fathers thought
that none of them none of them first
linguistically I want to take a look at
this till she brought forth her
firstborn son in Latin in Greek and even
in English the word till or until does
not necessarily imply a change in state
after the appointed time let me give you
an example make this Crystal Clear could
not be clear if I am about to go on a
date with my wife and we're going to go
out to dinner and maybe watch a movie
and then come back about you know 10:30
11:00 and I go up to my 2-year-old
daughter and I say to her Seline listen
Daddy loves you be good until I get home
and then I go to the movies what do I
not mean by that what I do not mean is
Seline be good until I get home and then
stop being good and be a little monster
that that is not what I mean what I mean
is be good until I get home and then
continue to be good so the word UN in
English in Latin and in Greek does not
necessarily imply a change in state
after the appointed time so whenever
Matthew says he knew her not till she
brought forth her firstborn son what
he's emphasizing is that the birth of
Christ was not brought about by St
Joseph that's the point that he's trying
to make and he's not insinuating either
way as to if her virginity remained
intact afterwards but you can see from
the other gospels and from the church
fathers that Mary was perpetually a
virgin a couple apologetic notes if you
need them is Jesus would have broken the
Jewish law by giving his mother to St
John in John chapter 19 whenever Jesus
is hanging on the cross he sees the
disciple who he loves and he sees his
mother and he says 'woman behold your
son behold your mother and he thereby
gives his mother to St John if Jesus had
other brothers he would be breaking the
Jewish law and would be a bad Jew and he
wouldn't be fulfilling the law he would
be breaking the law there are several
other apologetic notes that you can see
about that but for this I really want to
focus Less on apologetics and more on
the theology the rich rich theology that
is in Matthew's gospel
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