offering at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple.25 Accordingly, their betrothal must
have been of the simplest, and the dowry settled the smallest possible.26 Whichever of the
two modes of betrothal27 may have been adopted: in the presence of witnesses - either by
solemn word of mouth, in due prescribed formality, with the added pledge of a piece of
money, however small, or of money's worth for use; or else by writing (the so-called
Shitre Erusin) - there would be no sumptuous feast to follow; and the ceremony would
conclude with some such benediction as that afterwards in use: 'Blessed art Thou, O Lord
our God, King of the World, Who hath sanctified us by His Commandments, and
enjoined us about incest, and forbidden the betrothed, but allowed us those wedded by
Chuppah (the marriage-baldachino) and betrothal. Blessed art Thou, Who sanctifiest
Israel by Chuppah and betrothal' - the whole being perhaps concluded by a benediction
over the statutory cup of wine, which was tasted in turn by the betrothed. From that
moment Mary was the betrothed wife of Joseph; their relationship as sacred, as if they
had already been wedded. Any breach of it would be treated as adultery; nor could the
band be dissolved except, as after marriage, by regular divorce. Yet months might
intervene between the betrothal and marriage.28
16. The best defence of this view is that by Wieseler, Beitr. zur Wurdig. d. Evang. pp.
133 &c. It is also virtually adopted by Weiss (Leben Jesu, vol. i. 1882).
17. This view is adopted almost unanimously by modern writers.
18. This view is defended with much skill by Mr. McClellan in his New Testament, vol.
i. pp. 409 -422.
19. So Grotius, Bishop Lord Arthur Hervey, and after him most modern English writers.
20. The Davidic descent of the Virgin -Mother - which is questioned by some even among
orthodox interpreters - seems implied in the Gospel (St. Luke i. 27, 32, 69; ii. 4), and an
almost necessary inference from such passages as Rom. i. 3; 2 Tim. ii. 8; Hebr. vii. 14.
The Davidic descent of Jesus is not only admitted, but elaborately proved - on purely
rationalistic grounds - by Keim (u. s. pp. 327 -329).
21. This is the general view of antiquity.
22. St. Luke i. 36.
23. Reference to this union of Levi and Judah in the Messiah is made in the Test. xii.
Patriarch., Test. Simeonis vii. (apud Fabr. Cod. Pseudepigr. vol. ii. p. 542). Curiously,
the great Hillel was also said by some to have descended, through his father and mother,
from the tribes of Judah and Levi - all, however, asserting his Davidic origin (comp. Jer.
Taan. iv. 2; Ber. R. 98 and 33).
24. Comp, Maimonides, Yad haChaz Hil. Sanh. ii. The inference would, of course, be the
same, whether we suppose Mary's mother to have been the sister-in-law, or the sister, of
Elisabeth's father.
25. St. Luke ii. 24.