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Older Folks Confirmed Christmas Story

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By ADON TAFT

Published: December 24, 2007

The Christmas story is seen most often as a story of the young — the birth of the baby, Jesus, in a Bethlehem stable; the role of his virginal teenage mother, Mary; the puzzled but accepting attitude of his earthly father, a youthful carpenter named Joseph; the involvement of the worshiping shepherds, whose job was for young men (as in the Biblical accounts of Joseph and his brothers or the young David and others).
Even today's secular observance of the holy day focuses on the young — children excited about gifts brought by Santa in his Rudolph-drawn sleigh and placed under the festive tree the kiddies helped decorate.
However, those of an older generation played a vital part in the full account and meaning of the momentous occasion whose anniversary (actual date unknown) is celebrated annually at this time of year.
It was to a much older relative, Elizabeth (described in the Bible as "well stricken in years"), that Mary first disclosed her mysterious pregnancy. And it was Elizabeth, herself amazingly six months pregnant with her first child despite her advanced age, who confirmed what the angel had told Mary: the child she was to bare and name Jesus was the Son of God, the Savior of mankind.
Interestingly, it was John the Baptist, that son of the expectant Elizabeth and her elderly priest-husband Zacharias, who 30 years later would proclaim to the crowds that Jesus was "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29 and 1:36.
Shortly after Jesus was born and circumcised, according to Jewish custom, Mary and Joseph took their "first-born son" (they later had other children) to the Temple to be dedicated to the Lord. It was there that Simeon, a devout old man who was near death, created quite a stir when he held the babe in his arms and gave a prayer of thanks to God because "mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Luke 2:30
Anna, described as a widowed prophetess "of great age," who also was in the Temple added to the excitement when she echoed the thought expressed by Simeon. She "spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." Luke 2:38
Such utterances were of significance not only because those making them were pious but because they were elderly. In biblical times, perhaps more so than today, older folks were held in high regard.
For example, after Moses, himself an old man, received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, he spent the next several months expanding on the kind of life following those commandments would entail. One of the things he emphasized (Leviticus 19:32) was showing respect to oldsters. In New Testament passages such as I Timothy 5:1,2, young people are advised to treat older men as if they were their fathers and older women as if they were their mothers.
There was no Social Security program in those days, but extended family households were not unusual and religious congregations were directed to take special care of elderly widows and orphaned children. Religious training was to take place at the knee of the parents and grandparents.
When telling the Christmas story, they might note that the babe in the manger grew to be young man teaching not only the way to live but how to have eternal life, ultimately giving his own life to make that possible.
It was to an elderly man, Nicodemus, the highly regarded member of the Sanhedrin, that Jesus explained that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3: 3)." He then added that "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:14-16)."
Consequently, it was Nicodemus, bringing the mixture of myrrh and aloes used in preparing the body, who showed up at the burial of Jesus to demonstrate that he had become a believer. He thus confirmed that the Christmas story is as much for older folks as for the young.
So Merry Christmas to one and all.

Adon Taft is a resident of Brooksville. If you have questions about any issue connected with aging, except medical conditions, please write to "Life to the Fullest," Hernando Today, 15299 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, Fla. 34613, or send e-mail to adontaf

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bethlehem stable • lamb of god • prayer of thanks • elderly priest • joseph and his brothers • baby jesus • jewish custom • biblical accounts • teenage mother • thanks to god • christmas story • momentous occasion • prophetess • date unknown • son of god • luke 2 • holy day • john the baptist • mother mary • kiddies

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