Miriam grew up in Nazareth, a suburb of ?? She slept with a travelling serviceman of which she had no idea she had become pregnant. Soon after she met Joseph, an honest, genuine man and practicing Jew. Joseph was the perfect man for Miriam (Jewish for Mary) and very soon after courting they were betrothed. 

Months later as Miriam started to notice hormonal changes and her abdominal region started to change shape, she realised she was pregnant and recalled to herself what she thought was just a fling.

 Being fluent in Jewish Law, Miriam knew the consequences of her actions could lead to stoning or even death. Joseph had also questioned her over the changes he had noticed in her and realised that his fiancé was in fact pregnant. This must have felt like his whole world had turned upside down. His love for Miriam was so strong that he decided to call off the wedding so as not to disgrace her name. 

Miriam was desperate, she fabricated a story in a last ditch attempt to keep the man she loved and to try to reconcile her relationship. More importantly from her perspective she didn't want to be put to death and this was her only hope. 

Miriam had a heart to heart with Joseph, she explained that she had been spoken to by an Angel of God who had said God would make her pregnant by means of the Holy Spitit, without ever knowing a man. She explained her child would become great and Joseph must believe her! This wasn't too convincing, but Miriam was sincere, a storyteller and a very good one, hence why Jesus was so good at it.

Joseph had doubts, but he loved Miriam and if that meant bringing up someone else's child to spend a lifetime with the women he loved then he would play along with this story. From this day forward Joseph told everybody he knew that the Angel Gabriel came to him in a dream to explain the child his wife will give birth to was born by means of Holy Spirit. She was off the hook and little did she know, but she had started the biggest domino effect the world has ever seen up to they point and the biggest fabrication in religious history. Miriam's illegitimate son, was to become Jesus, the Son of God...