By the Way: The most famous second banana
By Pastor Jim Bredeson on December 21, 2019.
What do these people have in common? Tonto, Ethel Mertz, Robin, Barney Fife, George Costanza, St. Joseph…wait!? What! What does St. Joseph, the husband of Mary, have to do with these other popular figures? Well, they are famous “second bananas.” A “second banana” is the term used to describe an actor who is less important than the star. It seems to me that Joseph is sometimes a bit sidelined in the nativity story. There are two descriptions of the birth of Jesus in the Gospels. The more familiar is certainly the Gospel of Luke which still resonates in the beauty of its King James Version language. But the Gospel of Matthew (where we hear about the Magi, the famous “Three Wisemen”) is told from the perspective of Joseph. What was his role? Was he just a secondary character? We are told that Joseph was a “good man.” He was pledged to be married to a young woman named Mary. It seems as if he truly loved Mary and wanted the best for her. In spite of the shame he must have felt, he determines not to publicly humiliate Mary but “divorce her quietly.” Furthermore, we know that he was a man of faith who was obedient to the call of God. Three times he receives a dream from the Lord which he quickly obeys. But apart from being a good role model and father figure for Jesus, he had a role which was very important. He is told first “You are to name him Jesus.” And then later, “And Joseph named him Jesus. This is important as it is a matter of legitimacy. Maternity is never doubted. This is why to this day a person’s Jewishness is determined through the mother. Paternity on the other hand is reflected in the name. It is more than a matter of male dominance that children take their father’s family name. It is the father stating unequivocally that these children are his. Connected to legitimacy is lineage. There are two genealogies in the Gospels which vary from King David on. It is thought that the family tree recorded in Matthew is that of Joseph, and, that the one reported in Luke is Mary’s. Both are clearly descended from David but one (most likely Joseph) was descended from Solomon where as the other (most likely Mary) was descended from the third son of David and Bathsheba, Nathan. This means that Jesus stands in the royal line. The third role which Joseph fulfilled was identity. Identity in large measure determines destiny. A name is important. Maybe you remember the old Johnny Cash song “A Boy Named Sue.” The name Jesus in itself summarizes the message of Christmas: “for he will save his people from their sins.” Second bananas have an important role to play in moving a story forward. Joseph wasn’t just some peripheral bystander. He was an integral and important part of the Christmas story. Rev. Pastor Jim Bredeson is senior pastor at Victory Lutheran Church. 8-7
