What kind of man would load a 9 month pregnant woman on a donkey and travel cross country in winter?

Question

Jesus' dad was a jerk!

Answer 1

Lighten up! It's a myth!
Neither Bethlehem nor Nazareth were part of the Roman Empire at the time, or paid Roman taxes, so how could Joseph have gone there for tax assessment? Maybe he should be patron saint of the IRS.

Answer 2

Jesus Dad was God.

The Bible does not talk much about Joseph except to tell us he was a tekton, or carpenter, and that he was a good man.

Just for the less educated in the world there were censuses conducted at the time of Christ.

Herod the great, died around 4BC which would put the birth of Christ before that. The information we have on census in Palestine is sketchy although Roman rule demanded that taxes be paid and generally those taxes were based on population determined by Census.

It would have been in Herod's best interest to have a Census for the purposes of Roman taxation taken AND to make that census difficult for the people being counted, or if you prefer, easier on the census takers. By making people go to the ancestral birth city Herod the Great did both.

Herod Antipas built a city named Sepphoris near Nazareth where construction workers, tektons or carpenters, would have been employed.

Prior to the construction Joseph and Mary were from an agricultural based community and were used to walking. There is no mention of Mary on a donkey in the scripture, although many people believe Joseph had Mary ride on a Donkey rather than walk.

I could continue to rip apart the historical, political and sociological aspects of this situation relating all of them to scripture, but, if you were really interested you would already know all this.

Pregnant women all over the world walk hundreds of miles during their pregnacy, but, I would not expect anyone who has never been out of thier arm chair to know any of this.

Answer 3

Actually she wasn't 9 months pregnant when they started, and they went because they were required to do so - Joseph as a businessman was required to travel to the nearest large town(or his hometown) to be counted - and taxed - as part of the Roman census. All members of his household were required to be present - so that means the pregnant lady gets to come too. At least she got to ride instead of walk.

Failure to do so on his part would have mean jesus was born and raised as a street urchin, cause stepdaddy Joseph would have been jailed (or possibly worse) for failing to comply with the Roman law. And since Romans ran the area at that time, he'd have been in deep poop.

So, how would the story have been different if jesus had been a street beggar, preaching his word from the corners while soliciting funds? Probably treated the same way street corner prophets get treated today - and we'd have not religion called Christianity.

Solly- good quote, wrong part of the book!

EDIT - Claude - wrong. There were YEARLY censuses taken during that time - had been for decades prior in Rome, something that continued. It was truly a populace control, and done more often in occupied territories than in Rome But you went to the nearest big town for it, not always your hometown. Census was done in spring after planting or in fall after harvest - spring was easier- warmer time of year, so it's not like he was hauling her about in the winter.

Answer 4

Every man 2007 years ago would have taken pregnant woman on donkey, horse or camel in Palestine. These were the only transportations they had. When God wants to give a healthy child to a woman, He protects that child under any conditions or circumstances.

Isn't it foolish to judge a man of 2007 years ago with the standards of 21st Century and think why didn't he call 911 or drove pregnant woman in a comfortable Cadillac?

Answer 5

A man who trusts God and wanted to obey the census laws. David accepted what the angel told him about the baby being "conceived of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:20
He took Mary with him because "Caesar Augustus required that all the world be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city." Luke 2:1-3.
Merry Christmas. JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!!

Answer 6

It is debatable as to what time of year it was, but even winters in the desert are mild. We do not know that she was a full nine months along in her pregnancy. The travel may have brought about an early birth. Look at the size of Israel, we have states far larger! Riding upon the donkey was probably a treat, as women were accustomed to walking everywhere.

In an era where women were basically defenseless, leaving her alone would have probably been the worse thing to do.

Men are capable of being total jerks..........conceiving babies they will not support.........Joseph reared a child who was not his own. I think that makes him a pretty good guy!

Answer 7

In those days nobody was an exception to the Census and people had to go to their respective hometowns to be censed. Failure to do that was punishable by death. (Quite effective to keep people accounted for).

Joseph had no choice but to obey the Caesars decree.

By the way. The cesus never took place in the winter. It often was conducted in the late spring season, when temperatures were warm enough to allow people to live going through the dessert. The Early Catholic Church in the late 1st Century CE was the one who set up Christmas to be during the winter.

Answer 8

A donkey is gentle, calm and walks slowly. A safe way to travel for a pregnant woman. Their Rolls Royce had gone in for servicing.

Answer 9

I'm watching Easy Rider right now and I think any of the fellers in the desert commune would have done the same with no more reason than a random whim.

Ringa ding ding ding ding golly geesh ~ quit picking on poor ol' Joseph. At least he didn't make her walk.

Ooh. Here comes Jack Nicholson ~ gotta scoot.

Answer 10

Joseph had no choice. Toward the end of Mary's pregnancy the Emperor Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken of the Roman Empire and ordered every one to return to his home town to be registered. Since Joseph was a descendant of David, he went with Mary to Bethlehem.

Peace be with you

Answer 11

One who had to respect the ordinances set forth in the national census and be present at hometown,also being unable to get a train or bus meant the other alternative would be to make her walk!
Also Jesus wasn't born in December!!