Dancing Around the Four Sides

In Jose Saramago's book 'The Gospel According to Jesus Christ' (which caused such a furor that he was forced to leave to emigrate) there's an interpretation of scripture that I've always found fascinating. Joseph overhears soldiers talking about how Herod has ordered them to kill all the first-born sons that night, and in a panic he flees home to his family and they go into hiding. Afterwards a mysterious figure who appears to Mary from time to time - confirmed later to be Satan - tells Mary that "Herod will be forgiven for his sin, but Joseph won't be forgiven for his." Mary doesn't understand, of course, so he explains. It was God's will that Joseph warn his neighbours about the impending massacre and so they could save their children, and he didn't do it. Therefore he is just as guilty of their deaths as Herod is.