BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 1:25

Thursday, 1 August 2024
 
and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:25
 
 “And he knew her not until that she brought forth the Son, her Firstborn. And he called His name JESUS” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it said that after his visitation by the messenger, he thoroughly aroused from his sleep and did as the angel commanded him, taking to him his wife. Now, Matthew continues the narrative, saying, “And he knew her not.”
 
This is a biblical euphemism, meaning that he did not have intercourse with her. The first of many times this is mentioned in Scripture is in Genesis 4 –
 
“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.’” Genesis 4:1
 
Joseph refrained from consummating his marriage to Mary until a certain point. However, at some point after that time, they would have come together as husband and wife. That is seen in the next words, “until that.”
 
The Greek says heós hu, until that. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says of this concerning the word heós, “with the genitive of the neuter relative pronoun οὗ [hou] or ὅτου [hotou] it gets the force of a conjunction, until, till (the time when).” In other words, up until a certain point, Joseph did not know his wife intimately. However, that certainly changed after the time “she brought forth the Son.”
 
The birth of Jesus was untainted by any hint of sexual intercourse between Joseph and Mary. She was a virgin, and her virginity remained until the birth of her Son, “her Firstborn.”
 
The words are a standard designation. They do not imply she had other children. It simply calls out that this Child, regardless of whether He had siblings or not, was the Firstborn of Mary. As He is also God’s only begotten, Jesus is also the Firstborn of God –
 
“For to which of the angels did He ever say:
‘You are My Son,Today I have begotten You’?
And again:
‘I will be to Him a Father,And He shall be to Me a Son’?
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’” Hebrews 1:5-6
 
Of this, the words of Exodus 4:22 should be reviewed –
 
“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”’”
 
Israel, the nation, is said to be the Firstborn of the Lord. This means through adoption. God selected them to carry out His purposes, leading to the coming of the Messiah. However, Jesus is the Firstborn in the sense of being begotten.
 
A couple who could not have their own children might adopt a child who becomes their firstborn. However, later that condition could change, and they beget a child through the life-generative process. This is the difference between the two.
 
Next, and in accordance with the words of the messenger, Matthew notes, “And he called His name JESUS.”
 
It is Joseph who named the Child in accordance with the divine instructions. Mary was also told that His name was to be Jesus, but the text records that Joseph is the one who is credited with following through with what he was instructed. Mary, though the human mother of Jesus, is seen to otherwise portray a minor role in the events that take place in the gospel records.
 
Life application: Although the biblical record does not speak of any future intimacy between Joseph and Mary, the way that Matthew writes of Joseph’s keeping separate from Mary until a certain point is a strong indication that their refraining from intercourse was only temporary. For example, this is recorded in Genesis 38 –
 
“So Judah acknowledged them and said, ‘She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.’ And he never knew her again.” Genesis 38:26
 
When something is set and final in this manner, the Bible generally says so to highlight the matter. Not only is there no such statement concerning Joseph and Mary, but exactly the opposite is the case. This is contrary to the aberrant teaching of Roman Catholicism, which dogmatically states that Mary was a perpetual virgin.
 
There is no biblical support for this. The teaching was only decided upon in the year 553, hundreds of years after anyone could have known whether this was the case or not. In other words, it was a decision based on vapor and nothing else.
 
But why would the church want to make this claim? It is the same reason for innumerable decisions in the Roman Catholic Church: to direct people’s attention away from Jesus. Contrary to Scripture alone, the RCC holds to the Bible, plus the authority of the church. Contrary to Christ alone, the RCC holds to the mediation of Christ, plus the intercessory ability of Mary, the Pope, etc. Contrary to faith alone, the RCC holds to faith plus works in the process of justification. Contrary to grace alone, the RCC teaches merit apart from the grace of God. Contrary to the glory of God alone, the RCC uses exalted titles for the dead (such as Mary) and the living (the living pope at any given time), etc.
 
There is nothing acceptable about the doctrines of the RCC. Everything taught is tainted with the machinations of man. Whether Joseph and Mary came together or not after the birth of Jesus is not specifically addressed in Scripture because it has no bearing on where our eyes should be directed, which is to Jesus. Let us not get caught up in strange teachings that misdirect us from this key doctrine.
 
Lord God, may we be faithful to hold to Scripture alone for our doctrine concerning You and the theology that we pursue. Keep us from those who would misdirect us and confuse us in our walk. Thank You for Your word which is sufficient to instruct us. And thank You for Jesus who is the central figure presented in Your word. Amen.
Mathew 1
 
1 Scroll: Genealogy Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham.
 
2Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3And Judah begot Perez and Zerah from Tamar, and Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4And Ram begot Amminadab, and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5And Salmon begot Boaz from Rahab, and Boaz begot Obed from Ruth, and Obed begot Jesse. 6And Jesse begot David, the king.
 
And David, the king, begot Solomon from the of Uriah. 7And Solomon begot Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. 8And Asa begot Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9And Uzziah begot Jotham, and Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10And Hezekiah begot Manasseh, and Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11And Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers upon the Babylon deportation.
 
12And after the Babylon deportation, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13And Zerubbabel begot Abiud, and Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14And Azor begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15And Eliud begot Eleazar, and Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom birthed Jesus, being called the Christ.
 
17Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen. And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen. And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen.
 
18And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: For his mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, rather before they came together, she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb. 19And Joseph, her husband, being righteous and not willing to expose her to disgrace, intended to send her away secretly. 20And him, having pondered these, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, you should not fear to receive Mary your wife, for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is. 21And she will bring forth a son, and you will call His name JESUS. For He will save His people from their sins.”
 
22And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23“Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,” which is being translated, “With Us: The God.”
 
24And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep, did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him, and received his wife. 25And he knew her not until that she brought forth the Son, her Firstborn. And he called His name JESUS.
 

Matthew 1:24

Wednesday, 31 July 2024
 
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, Matthew 1:24
 
“And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep, did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him, and received his wife” (CG).
 
The previous verse finished the explanation of the words of the messenger that Joseph received as he dreamed. With these things complete, Matthew now records, “And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep...”
 
There is a slight difference in texts here. Some use the word diegeiró, to arouse completely. Others use the word egeiró, to arouse. The difference is the prefix dia, or through, which intensifies the word egeiró.
 
Further, the Greek has an article before the word “sleep.” It wasn’t just a regular sleep but a personal sleep that included a formal visit from the messenger of the Lord. As such, it seems likely that Joseph wasn’t just aroused but fully aroused from the sleep in order to take the next action recorded by Matthew. He “did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him.”
 
In the words of the angel, Joseph was told to take Mary as his wife and to name the child Jesus. Implied, although not specifically recorded, was that he was not to consummate the marriage until after the birth of Jesus. That will be seen in the next verse. For now, it records, “and received his wife.”
 
Joseph had thought to put away Mary secretly for what he supposed she had done. Now, he rather openly confirms the marriage, ensuring that those who are close to Mary would not inappropriately judge her for being pregnant before the marriage was formalized.
 
The message of the dream was sufficient for Joseph to know for certain that the hand of the Lord was involved in what was taking place. Therefore, he obediently complied with all that he was instructed to do.
 
Life application: Since the time of Christ’s incarnation, other women have made similar claims concerning being pregnant without male involvement. No such claims are to be accepted. At one point in human history, God directly intervened in the human experience by uniting with His creatures in the Person of Jesus.
 
Today, women can be artificially inseminated, but this still means that a man is involved in the process. The generation of human life is not possible without this, except in the case of Jesus.
 
What God has done in Christ is the single most important aspect of human existence. From the conception and birth of Jesus to His crucifixion and resurrection, nothing in all of history even comes close to this. Without Jesus, we are fallen and separate from God, condemned by the sin we have inherited.
 
However, in the coming of Christ, the line of sin is cut. We can now have full restoration with God through simple faith in what He has done. If Mary’s child was not born of God, there would be no hope for humanity. To deny the virgin birth is a point of heresy that cannot be overcome by those who hear and accept it.
 
Either Christ Jesus is God, or we stand condemned. When Paul says in Romans 10:13, “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,’” he is not saying “Lord” meaning “Master.” He is telling us that Jesus Christ is the Lord, Yehovah, of the Old Testament. Thus, to not call on Jesus as the incarnate Lord God means you will not be saved.
 
Calling on a created savior is idolatry. It is placing a part of the creation as the means of salvation, but we are told that “salvation is of the Lord (Yehovah)” (Jonah 2:9) and that Yehovah is Israel’s Savior (Isaiah 43:3 & 45:15). Be confident in your understanding of who Jesus is. He is the Lord God, our Savior.
 
Glorious Almighty God, thank You for what You have done to bring us back to Yourself. It is incredible, and yet it is certain: You have come in the Person of Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, honor, and power to You alone. Thank You, O God, for Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 1:23

Tuesday, 30 July 2024
 
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
 
“‘Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,’ which is being translated, ‘With Us: The God’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Matthew noted that the things that were conveyed by the messenger to Joseph were done in order that a prophecy of the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled. Now, Matthew cites that prophecy so that we can understand what is being referred to. And so, he writes –
 
“‘Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,’ which is being translated, ‘With Us: The God.’”
 
It is a literal translation of the name and the title. In a case like this, the article before “God” does not need to be included as it is understood that there is one God. Further, the prophecy from Isaiah doesn’t include any article. However, because of the words of Isaiah to the House of David, the One true God, Yehovah, was understood to be who he was referring to. He said –
 
“Then he said, ‘Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?’” Isaiah 7:13
 
Isaiah had just cited the words of the Lord (Yehovah) in verse 7:10. Therefore, the inclusion of the article from the Greek is not inappropriate. Yehovah is the One and only true God. This is why Isaiah said, “weary my God.” A point is being made about the nature of the One to come. After saying his words to the house of David, Isaiah continues with his words of prophecy –
 
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
 
The name Immanuel comes from im, with, and el, God. The form of the word Immanu, having a pronominal suffix, indicates a plural marker. Thus, it means With Us, God. Matthew gives a direct transliteration from the Greek – Emmanouél.
 
In the words of Isaiah, he uses the term almah, translated as “virgin.” That signifies a young woman. Using this word generally signifies a virgin, such as in the account of Rebekah in Genesis 24, but it does not necessarily mean it is so. It is the feminine form of elem, a young man. Because of this, Jewish rabbis and scholars dismiss that this is a future prophecy of the coming of Christ Jesus.
 
However, this flies in the face of Jewish history, which always understood it to refer to a virgin who would bear a child. This is confirmed by the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, which predates the coming of Christ by about two hundred and fifty years –
 
ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Εμμανουήλ (LXX).
 
Idou hē parthenos en gastri hexei kai texetai huion kai kaleseis to onoma autou Emmanouēl.
 
In their translation, the rabbis used the word παρθένος, parthenos, a virgin. It is this translation that Matthew refers to for his words. His citation is almost a letter for letter translation of Isaiah 7:14.
 
His use of parthenos was to clear up any ambiguity in what was being conveyed. Even if a young woman in Isaiah’s time was used as a reference to the fulfillment of the immediate prophecy given by the Lord, the rabbis clearly understood that a greater fulfillment of the prophecy was ahead in the coming of the Messiah.
 
As human biology demands that virgins cannot have a child on their own, then there must be something coming that defied the understanding of those who anticipated their Messiah. Only in the pronouncement to Mary in Luke 1 can the concept of a virgin bearing a child without the seed of a man be understood –
 
“And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35
 
As Mary will be the mother of the Child, and because she is a human, the Child will be a human male. As God is the Father of the Child, the Child will be The God. Thus, the pronouncement of the prophet of the words of the Lord finds its ultimate fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah – Immanuel: God With Us.
 
Because Isaiah referred to his God, Yehovah, then the words of Matthew are fulfilled – Meth’ hēmōn ho Theos: With us: The God. Though the Hebrew word elohim can mean God, god, gods, or even spirits or people, the term ha’elohim, the God, is only used when referring to the true God. Jesus Christ is very God of very God. He is the Incarnation of Yehovah in human flesh.
 
Life application: Despite two thousand years of Jewish attempts to deny the incarnation of God in Christ, this is exactly what their own Scriptures speak of from beginning to end. If you encounter a Jewish rabbi or scholar who adamantly denies that Jesus is the Lord, you have your work cut out for you. But if you know what you are talking about, you can easily defend the truth of Scripture.
 
Others, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, deny that Jesus is God. In this, they proclaim another (a false) Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4), and thus they proclaim a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). Therefore, they stand accursed before God.
 
Be sure to speak about what you know to be true. And be firm in your convictions. God has come to dwell among us! All hail the name of our Lord, our Savior, and our God – JESUS!
 
Lord God, may we continue to pursue a right understanding of who Jesus is all our days. We proclaim Jesus is Lord! Our God is among us, having come in human flesh. Praise You, O God, for what You have done for us. Hallelujah and Amen.
 

Matthew 1:22

Monday, 29 July 2024
 
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Matthew 1:22
 
“And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying...” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the messenger noted to Joseph that the Child’s name was to be Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Now, the narrative continues, saying, “And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord.”
 
Matthew will now cite an Old Testament prophecy. It is one that was uttered by the Lord, Yehovah, to King Ahaz in Isaiah 7. The words of prophecy, as recorded by Matthew, are said to be fulfilled (has come to pass) in the coming of Christ Jesus. And yet, it was a prophecy given to Ahaz about a matter that would be fulfilled at his time.
 
As such, it is a prophecy with a dual significance. This is not a stretch by Matthew, looking to shove the coming of Christ Jesus into an obscure and already fulfilled verse. Rather, it is a prophecy that was understood all along to be messianic in nature.
 
That is evidenced in the words of the coming verse. That we can know this was anticipated to refer to the Messiah will be explained then. For now, Matthew continues by saying that the prophecy was spoken by the Lord “through the prophet, saying...”
 
The Lord spoke to Israel, but He did so indirectly through Isaiah. The words that lead to the prophecy say –
 
“Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 ‘Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.’12 But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!’13 Then he said, ‘Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?’” Isaiah 7:10-13
 
The Lord first spoke to Ahaz directly. The words are in the second person, singular. When Ahaz punted and refused to ask for a sign, the Lord, through Isaiah, responded to the “house of David.” Though Ahaz was the king, the address by Isaiah is made in the second person plural.
 
The meaning is that not only will there be an immediate fulfillment of his words to Ahaz, but the words are intended to extend to the House of David in a more relevant way. This is only implied, but the implication was understood to be there, nonetheless.
 
Life application: When reading the Bible, there are themes that may repeat, even if it seems that what was prophesied was already fulfilled in the past. For example, the prophets speak of the fall of Babylon in the Old Testament, something that actually occurred in the past.
 
Babylon came against Israel according to prophecy. The Babylonians destroyed the land and took the people captive to Babylon. Eventually, Babylon was destroyed according to the prophecies stated in the Old Testament.
 
One could wipe his hands and say, Wah-lah, that’s the end of that. However, the New Testament also refers to the destruction of Babylon, even citing the Old Testament. For example –
 
“‘And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!’Then he answered and said,‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen!And all the carved images of her godsHe has broken to the ground.’” Isaiah 21:9
 
“And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’” Revelation 14:8
 
The Lord is repeating themes and historical events to show that there is a system by which things are accomplished. Nothing is random or haphazard. The Lord works out events in a physical realm while also repeating these things in the spiritual realm.
 
A way that this occurs is through typology. To understand this more fully, you can go to the sermons from the Superior Word and see where typology from one story directs the flow of events in future accounts. The Lord explains this through Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes –
 
“That which has been is what will be,That which is done is what will be done,And there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9
 
Things will repeat so that when they occur, we can know that the directive hand of the Lord has brought them to pass.
 
Lord God, help us to see the wonderful things that You have laid out in Your word, even things that are still hidden and waiting to be uncovered. May we look for Your guiding hand in the unfolding of history by looking back to what has been. In doing this, we can know that You are directing us and all events according to a wise and detailed plan. All is well because You have it all under control. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:21

Sunday, 28 July 2024
 
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
 
“And she will bring forth a son, and you will call His name JESUS. For He will save His people from their sins” (CG).
 
Joseph was just told that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit. The messenger continues, saying, “And she will bring forth a Son.”
 
The words not only demonstrate the presence of God in the process, but more, they also reveal the directive hand of God. The Child will not merely be opening Mary’s womb, but the Lord is directing what type of child will be born, a Son. Understanding that, it next says, “and you will call His name JESUS.”
 
The words of this verse are similar to what was said to Mary –
 
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” Luke 1:31
 
Mary was told this, and even if she then told it to Joseph, it is still right that the messenger would repeat it to him now. His words confirm the words of Mary, or they establish the matter for Joseph if she had not yet told him. Either way, he is informed what will come to pass concerning the Child, and he is told what the Child’s name will be.
 
This is not a unique event in Scripture. The names of Isaac and Ishmael were given before they were born. Josiah’s name was prophesied before he was born. Also, the name of Cyrus, King of Persia, was stated in a prophecy before he was born. In the New Testament, John the Baptist had his name designated before he was born.
 
Though the name of Samson was not given before he was born, details concerning him were described. Such events as this show that God is in control of the redemptive narrative, and He intervenes at key points to continue having history unfold according to a set plan.
 
The name Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua. It is a shortened form of Yehoshua, Joshua. Whereas Yehoshua means The Lord is Salvation, Yeshua means Salvation, or He Will Save, coming from the verb yasha, to deliver or save. Joshua anticipated the coming of Christ through his name.
 
In the coming of Christ, the type is fulfilled: the Lord, Yehovah, is Salvation. Therefore, the messenger provides the reason for the selection of the name, saying, “For He will save His people from their sins.”
 
Thus, as happens so often in Scripture, a pun is formed, “You shall call His name Salvation, for He will save His people from their sins.”
 
The implication of the messenger’s word is that Christ has a group of people that will be saved. It is also implied that some will not be saved because they are “not His people.” What is also explicit is that people have sin from which they must be saved. Without this process, they remain in a state of condemnation. Jesus has come to correct this in His people.
 
Life application: It is not uncommon for people to argue over the name of Jesus. Some argue that His name is originally a different Hebrew name than Yeshua, deriving their opinion from one Old Testament passage or another. However, it is most commonly accepted that His name is either Yehoshua or Yeshua.
 
As He is the Lord, Yehovah, in human flesh, it makes less sense to call him The Lord is Salvation (Yehoshua). Rather, He is the Lord who is Salvation (Yeshua). However, fighting over this is not necessary.
 
Another way people argue over Jesus’ name is to insist that we should use the Hebrew name only because that is His “real” name. As Jesus isn’t the way a Hebrew would speak, it is somehow bad to them that we would say “Jesus.”
 
This dismisses the fact that the vast majority of people don’t pronounce any biblical name as it actually is. Some are so far from the Hebrew that when the Hebrew is heard, we don’t even know who is being referred to. To say we must pronounce Jesus’ Hebrew name would necessitate that we do so with all biblical names. It is unreasonable to hold to this view.
 
Languages were developed by God. They continue to change as time passes. As they do, we accommodate to the general use of names within a language. The name Yeshua is transliterated into the Greek as Iésous (ee ay soos). If God wanted us to say Yeshua today, He wouldn’t have had the New Testament given to us in Greek.
 
From Iésous, the English language developed through the Germanic languages. Iésous eventually became Jesus (Yesous). Germans don’t have the hard J (think of Johannes Kepler). The name then moved to the English people as Jesus with a hard J. Within English, this same name is actually pronounced quite differently depending on where you are. If you go to a southern church in the U.S., it sounds like Jayzuz. And so forth.
 
There are YT videos that give the name of Jesus in many languages throughout the world. Different people groups will pronounce the name differently. But in the end, our Jesus is the Christ of the nations as well as the Messiah of Israel. However you pronounce His name, do it with respect. He is our Lord. He is our JESUS.
 
Lord God, we stand in awe of what You have done. You have come to us in the Person of Jesus our Savior. May You be eternally praised for Your goodness to the sons of Adam for redeeming us unto Yourself. All hail the name of Jesus. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:20

Saturday, 27 July 2024
 
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20
 
“And him, having pondered these, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, you should not fear to receive Mary your wife, for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is’” (CG).
 
Joseph was considering putting Mary away secretly. Because of this, Matthew now writes, “And him, having pondered these.”
 
Joseph was considering how he could protect Mary despite her seemingly obvious transgression. She was pregnant, and he was not the father despite her being betrothed to him. The timing, location, and circumstances of how to divorce her probably weighed heavily on his mind. But while he was considering these, it next says, “behold a messenger of the Lord.”
 
There is no article before “Lord” in the Greek. However, in the English it would be cumbersome to leave it off because there is one God who is the Lord. Therefore, the article is rightly supplied in italics. The Lord sent a messenger to reveal what had transpired. This messenger “appeared to him in a dream.”
 
The Lord appears in various ways to His people. In the case of Joseph, he may have been pondering letting Mary go while tossing and turning on his bed. In order to soothe his troubled mind, the Lord appeared in his dream.
 
This word, onar, dream, is found only six times, and all six uses are by Matthew. It refers only to a sleep dream. In this dream, the messenger appeared, “saying, ‘Joseph, son of David.’”
 
The words clearly identify Joseph as a son of David. He is being instructed on why things have transpired as they have. In other words, Mary was selected to be the mother of Jesus because she was the betrothed of Joseph. It is his relationship to King David that precipitated the events that transpired.
 
If this same Mary was betrothed to a descendant of King Saul of the tribe of Benjamin, she would not have been selected to bear Jesus. However, in order to establish the male line of ancestry leading back to David for the rights of inheritance, his betrothed wife was selected to be the human receptacle through whom would come the Messiah. Therefore, the angel continues, “you should not fear to receive Mary your wife.”
 
Some translations say something like, “to take Mary as your wife.” This is incorrect. She is already betrothed to him and is considered his wife, even if the marriage is not yet consummated. He is not to fear to receive her, meaning to complete the union, because she is his wife. This is obvious because he was planning on divorcing her, something one can only do with a wife.
 
Joseph will not sin in having a woman who has conceived in the manner she has. He should not feel as if she was unfaithful to him or forced by someone else. Rather, God Himself was directing the events that took place. The messenger explicitly reveals that with the words, “for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is.”
 
Again, no article precedes “Holy Spirit.” The construction in the Greek bears emphasis. Joseph is being given the absolute assurance that Mary’s pregnancy is of God. Rather than being from that which is unholy, it is a birth that is Most Holy. Such are the magnificent workings of God in Christ.
 
Life application: The Roman Catholic Church, in particular, has an obsession with Mary. This is so extreme in some circles that Jesus isn’t even a secondary thought in their religious lives. Mary is elevated to the highest point of their idolatrous beliefs.
 
Entire websites are constructed to exalt her and to detail the basis of worship to her. And yet, as this verse in Matthew reveals, it is because of Joseph that Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Lord Jesus. It is Joseph’s genealogy which directed the choice to be made. Mary was blessed to have been betrothed to a son of David.
 
From there, she was blessed to be selected by God to be the human instrument by which Jesus would come into the world. Even if Mary descends from David in her own genealogy, it was through Joseph that the right to the throne was established.
 
The focus, therefore, is to be on Jesus, not Joseph or Mary. These were participants in God’s unfolding plans, but they are in no way to be considered as the objects of adoration, much less idolatrous adoration. No hint of this is to be found in Scripture. All eyes on Jesus!
 
“Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” 2 Timothy 2:8-10
 
Lord God, to You alone, we owe all of our praise and thanks for what You have done. In the coming of Christ Jesus, we can now behold You in His face. Glory to You in the Highest, O God. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:19

Friday, 26 July 2024
 
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. Matthew 1:19
 
“And Joseph, her husband, being righteous and not willing to expose her to disgrace, intended to send her away secretly” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it noted that Mary was betrothed to Joseph but that before they came together, she was pregnant. Matthew noted that the Child was from the Holy Spirit, but Joseph was obviously unaware of this or didn’t believe it. Therefore, Matthew now continues with, “And Joseph, her husband, being righteous.”
 
This is the first of many comparative verses in the New Testament that must be considered in the proper context. Paul, using the same Greek adjective, dikaios, says –
 
 “As it is written:‘There is none righteous, no, not one.’” Romans 3:10
 
Matthew, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, calls Joseph righteous. And yet, Paul, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit says that there is none righteous. Thus, one can deduce that because God is not fickle, that Matthew is speaking in a comparative sense in relation to other humans and within the standards set forth for them in a particular context. However, Paul speaks of the defect of sin in man and compares him to the ultimate standard, which is God.
 
Of Joseph and his being righteous, Matthew next says, “and not willing to expose her to disgrace.”
 
This is an explanation of his righteousness. He understood the fallen nature of humanity, including Mary, and he did not want her to be publicly exposed as a harlot. Rather, he was willing for her to save face by taking her shame of infidelity upon himself. With the child reckoned as his, he could find another reason for divorcing her. As it next says, he “intended to send her away secretly.”
 
It cannot be that Mary told Him that she was pregnant with the Holy Spirit, that he believed it to be true, and that he then wanted to keep the perception of a blight off of the mother of the Messiah. It is not until the coming verse that he will know the truth of that matter.
 
Rather, he is simply a tender man with a righteous disposition who wanted to protect Mary from the harm of the actions he believed she had been a part of (See Deuteronomy 22:13-27). As such, at some point, he would seek a petition for divorce for some particular reason (see Deuteronomy 24:1).
 
Joseph’s actions, however, bring about a sort of dilemma. If the punishment for Mary’s actions was to be stoned (Deuteronomy 22) as required in the law, and yet he determined to put her away secretly, then how could he be deemed as a righteous man? The answer follows the same logic as Jesus displayed in John 8. The law clearly demanded that the woman caught in the act of adultery was to be stoned, and yet, this did not happen.
 
Joseph knew that he had failed to uphold the law in his own life, and yet, the law allowed for the atonement of sin. If Mary had failed, and yet the law could provide a covering for her actions (as was certainly the case with David and Bathsheba – see 2 Samuel 12:13), then Joseph chose to follow that course of action and have Mary spared. Thus, his righteousness is demonstrated in his actions.
 
Life application: As noted, the comparative example given in this verse must take into account the context of what is being said and done. For example, Jesus said –
 
“Why do you call Me good [agathos]? No one is good [agathos] but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17
 
And yet, Jesus says elsewhere –
 
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out [agathos]of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” Matthew 12:35
 
As in the example above, one must consider the context of what is being said. Jesus was making a point about going around calling people good. The thought of goodness implies a standard. Therefore, a standard must be considered when making an evaluation and stating a claim about being good.
 
A great example of this is Joseph of Arimathea who is called a good [agathos] and just [dikaios] man in Luke 23:50. The same word for good is used to describe him as is the same word concerning being righteous used by Paul in Romans 3:10. Just as in English, there are different contexts in what we are referring to when making statements. Considering the context will help us to understand what is being conveyed.
 
Too often, Christians get legalistic or self-abasing when the term “good” is used based on Jesus’ words of Matthew 19:17. But if the context implies that a person is good, such nonsense can and should be avoided. Getting caught up in semantics can be harmful to rightly considering the overall concept of what the Bible is telling us. So, consider the context when evaluating what is said, and you will do well.
 
Lord God, may we use wisdom when considering Your word so that we will properly apply the context in what is being said. In this way, we will not make errors in our thinking. We desire to properly consider Your intent, so help us to do so. We pray this to Your glory. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:18

Thursday, 25 July 2024
 
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18
 
“And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: For his mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, rather before they came together, she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb” (CG).
 
The previous verse explained the number of generations from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian exile, and from the Babylonian exile to the coming of Christ. Now, it says, “And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus.”
 
Matthew immediately begins with an explanation of how Christ Jesus was conceived. He has just carefully detailed the line of Jesus, demonstrating that with all certainty He descended from Abraham and then David in a legal manner. This established His right to the Davidic throne. However, there is more to be considered, and so Matthew next says, “For his mother Mary...”
 
Mary is a human being. As all things produce after their own kind, she will have a human child. This is the pattern set in Genesis 1. It has remained without exception since creation. Mary’s life was a typical one in regard to marriage at that time as Matthew next notes with the words, “having been betrothed to Joseph.”
 
Marriages were often arranged in Israel. For example, in Judges 14, Samson saw a girl he wanted to marry, and he told his parents. They accompanied him to her home and Samson then spoke to the girl, liked her, and a marriage was agreed upon. Something like this was probably the case with Joseph and Mary.
 
She was now his in a legal sense, which was protected by the Law of Moses. However, in the case of Mary, it next says, “rather before they came together.”
 
Though most translations skip the word é, which is translated as or, rather, than, etc., it is an important thought. It is a conjunction used disjunctively, distinguishing things or thoughts which either mutually exclude each other or where one will take the place of the other.
m
In this case, Matthew is noting that Mary is betrothed, and so she is the legally espoused wife of Joseph, but rather, something else is brought into the relationship before they actually united in marriage: this but now this. The thing that occurs is that “she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb.”
 
Said plainly, Mary was pregnant. Joseph has a legal right to Mary, but he has not yet consummated the marriage, and yet she is pregnant. In the normal course of events, a man must lie with a woman in order for her to conceive.
 
Should this have been the case, it would be considered adultery. In the Law of Moses, he had a right to have her stoned. At his discretion, he could divorce her and be done with the matter. But Matthew clearly stated that the child in her womb was “from Holy Spirit.”
 
The words bear no article in the Greek. This is the same as Luke 1:35. It was understood that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Yehovah, this is seen, for example, in Psalm 51:11 and Isaiah 63:10, 11. In Daniel, the term “Spirit of Holy God” is used several times.
 
In other words, the Spirit Yehovah has generated a Child in the womb of Mary. As all things reproduce after their own kind, this means that this Child is, in fact, Yehovah, the God of Israel.
 
Life application: What is recorded in Matthew is unmistakable in its meaning. Jesus Christ bears the right to the Davidic throne because of the genealogy of Joseph. Joseph had the right of marriage to Mary through their betrothal. Mary is a human. Before Joseph’s marriage to Mary was consummated, she was found to be pregnant by Yehovah’s Holy Spirit.
 
Thus, this God/Man, Jesus Christ, is being clearly represented as having the right to the Davidic throne. This is what Matthew’s commentary is unmistakably revealing to us. With this set forth, the ongoing narrative will use this thought to continue through its pages. The Lord God has united with humanity and has come to redeem His people. Praise God for what He has done!
 
Lord God, What Your word tells us is simply astonishing. We stand in awe of Your workings in the stream of time and human existence as You fulfill every promise that You have made to Your people. Thank You for allowing us the honor of seeing it laid out in Your word and having it realized in our lives through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory to You, O God. Amen.

Matthew 1:17

Wednesday, 24 July 2024
 
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Matthew 1:17
 
“Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen. And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen. And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen” (CG).
 
The previous verse noted the birth of Jesus, who is called Christ. With that noted, Matthew now sums up his genealogical listing, beginning with, “Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen.”
 
The listings of generations, as noted purposefully omit some names. Matthew is setting forth a memory technique by listing the three triads in set intervals of fourteen generations each. These triads set forth the proposition that Jesus is the great Son of David, prophesied in 2 Samuel 7, a passage known to be messianic in nature –
 
“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-16
 
The listing begins with Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people. The genealogies to David are fourteen, upon which the listing pivots. The name of David in Hebrew is דוד (DVD/daleth vav daleth). The letter daleth represents the number 4. The letter vav represents the number 6. Thus, it equates to 4+6+4 = 14.
 
This is the key upon which Matthew is setting forth his listing. The list then continues, saying, “And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen.”
 
Jeconiah (aka Coniah) was the king deported to Babylon. Of him, the Lord, through Jeremiah, said –
 
 “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off; 25 and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of those whose face you fear—the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of the Chaldeans.’” Jeremiah 22:24, 25
 
David’s kingly line in Judah was cut in Coniah, represented by the plucking off of the signet. And yet, the line remained in Babylon. From there, Matthew next says, “And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen.”
 
No king reigned from the time of the Babylonian exile. However, the line of the signet in Judah was restored in Zerubbabel, a returnee from Babylon –
 
“‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:23
 
It is this anticipation of the restored kingly line of David that was anticipated in the coming of the Messiah. Matthew is indicating that the promised eternal kingdom is fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. Of the number fourteen, E.W. Bullinger says –
 
“FOURTEEN being a multiple of seven, partakes of its significance; and, being double that number, implies a double measure of spiritual perfection. The number two with which it is combined (2x7) may, however, bring its own significance into its meaning, as in Matthew 1, where the genealogy of Jesus Christ is divided up and given in sets of 14 (2x7) generations, two being the number associated with incarnation.”
 
As there are three triads, Bullinger notes that “three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine.”
 
We are being given numerical hints of the perfection of what God has done in Christ through the manner in which the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to complete this genealogical listing.
 
Interestingly, the total number of generations is forty-two. It is defined by Bullinger, saying “is a number connected with Antichrist. An important part of his career is to last for 42 months (Rev 11:2, 13:5), and thus this number is fixed upon him. ... Being a multiple of seven, it might be supposed that it would be connected with spiritual perfection. But it is the product of six times seven. Six, therefore, being the number of Man, and man's opposition to God, forty-two becomes significant of the working out of man's opposition to God.”
 
Jesus is shown to be the Christ in the two genealogies submitted by Matthew and Luke. However, there cannot be an antichrist if there is no Christ. Thus, at the coming of Christ, there also came the spirit of antichrist. The four uses of the term in Scripture come from the hand of John –
 
“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18
 
“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22
 
“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:2, 3
 
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 2 John 1:7
 
John specifically reveals that the incarnation of God in Christ is the central point upon which the spirit of the antichrist is revealed. Thus, to deny the deity of Jesus Christ is the spirit of antichrist. To deny Jesus is God incarnate is to then deny the Father. This is why Paul says –
 
“...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
 
To proclaim Jesus is Lord is to proclaim that He is Yehovah incarnate. When one proclaims this, he has overcome the spirit of the antichrist. Jesus alone is the dividing line for who can be saved. Upon which side will you stand?
 
Life application: Jesus Christ is the defining figure in all of human history. Adam was created, and from him all people descend. However, in his fall, all men fell because all sinned in Adam. Death is the wages of sin and so all die. However, Jesus came to restore life. As all die in Adam, all in Christ live. This is carefully explained by Paul in the book of Romans.
 
John shows us that those who deny the incarnation of God in Christ have no connection to God the Father. The only way to overcome this spirit of the antichrist is to accept that God alone, through the incarnation of Christ, has done everything necessary for man to be saved.
 
Who is Jesus to you? What does grace mean to you? How do you perceive your relationship with the Law of Moses? If you are trying to merit God’s favor through law observance, you cannot be pleasing to God. This is because if Jesus is God, then He has done everything necessary to satisfy what He promised He would satisfy in the coming of the Messiah.
 
How can you do more than God to reconcile yourself to Him? You cannot. Therefore, law observance, after the coming of Christ, is the spirit of the antichrist, denying the Father/Son relationship. Think it through, put away your self-righteousness. Yield yourself to God’s grace through accepting that He has done it all through Jesus.
 
Lord God Almighty, Thank You for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

Matthew 1:16

Tuesday, 23 July 2024
 
And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. Matthew 1:16
 
“And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom birthed Jesus, being called the Christ” (CG).
 
The previous verse ended with, “and Matthan begot Jacob.” The genealogy of Jesus now continues with, “And Jacob begot Joseph.”
 
The name Joseph has a dual meaning. It is derived from yasaph, to add. However, it is also connected to asaph, to take away or remove. Both were on the mind of Rachel when she bore Joseph –
 
“Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘God has taken away [asaph] my reproach.’ 24 So she called his name Joseph, and said, ‘The Lord shall add [yasaph] to me another son.’” Genesis 30:22-24
 
Thus, the name means Increaser, or He Shall Add. But it has a secondary intended meaning of Remover, or He Shall Take Away. This Joseph recorded in Matthew is begotten of Jacob, his natural father. Joseph is the husband of Mary. It is through Joseph, the father, that the right to the kingly line of David is established.
 
Both Matthew and Luke acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ. However, the genealogy of Luke does not read the same as Matthew. Rather, it says, “Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli...” (Luke 3:23).
 
This seems to throw a monkey wrench into Jesus’ lineage. However, Luke 1 & 2, establish that Joseph is not the natural father of Jesus. Rather, Jesus was begotten of God as indicated in Luke 1 –
 
“And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35
 
Both Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies were compiled before the destruction of the temple. Therefore, what was recorded was verifiable at that time. With this in mind, Bengel provides a list of assertions to be considered the details of the explanations for these assertions are quite extensive but are necessary to obtain a right understanding of what is going on in the two genealogies.
 
Only the key points will be included. Any removal of content is without providing ellipses, and so for a more thorough understanding of Bengel’s comments, such as verse references and citations, refer to his commentary –
 
---------------------------------------------
 
Messias or Christ is the Son of David.
 
This is admitted by all.
 
Even in their genealogies both Matthew and Luke teach that Jesus is the Christ.
 
This is clear from Matthew 1:16, and Luke 3:22.
 
III. At the time when Matthew and Luke wrote the descent of Jesus from David had been placed beyond doubt.
 
Both Matthew and Luke wrote before the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, when the full genealogy of the house of David, preserved in the public records, was easily accessible to all: and our Lord’s adversaries did not ever make any objection, when Jesus was so frequently hailed as the Son of David.
 
The genealogy in St Matthew from Abraham, and that in St Luke from the creation of man, to Joseph the husband of Mary, is deduced, not through mothers but fathers, and those natural fathers.
 
This is evident in the case of all those ancestors, whose names St Matthew and St Luke repeat from the Old Testament. Wherefore it is not said, whether Ruth had been the wife of Mahlon or Chilion; but Obed is simply said to be the son of his real father Boaz by Ruth [though his legal father was Mahlon.] From Abraham to David the same ancestors are evidently mentioned by both Matthew and Luke; so that there can be no doubt but that both Evangelists intend not mothers but fathers, and those, fathers by nature, from David to Joseph. Thus, in the books of Kings and Chronicles, as often soever as the mother of a king is mentioned alone, it is a sign that he whom her son is said to have immediately succeeded was his natural father.
 
The genealogy in Matthew from Solomon, and that in Luke from Nathan, is brought down to Joseph, not with the same, but with a different view[respectu, relation, regard.]
 
This is clear from the preceding section.
 
Jesus Christ was the Son of Mary, but not of her husband Joseph.
 
This is evident from Matthew 1:16.
 
VII. It was necessary that the genealogy of Mary should be drawn out.
 
Without the genealogy of Mary, the descent of Jesus from David could not be proved, as follows from what has just been said.
 
VIII. Joseph was for some time reputed to be the father of the Lord Jesus.
 
The mystery of the Redeemer’s birth from a virgin was not made known at once, but by degrees; and, in the meanwhile, the honourable title of marriage was required as a veil for that mystery. Jesus, therefore, was believed to be the Son of Joseph, for instance, after His baptism, by Philip (John 1:45); in the time of His public preaching, by the inhabitants of Nazareth (Luke 4:22; Matthew 13:55), and only a year before His Passion by the Jews (John 6:42). Many still clung to this opinion even after our Lord’s Ascension, and up to the time, therefore, when, a few years subsequently to that event, St Matthew wrote his gospel.
 
It was therefore necessary that the genealogy of Joseph also should in the meanwhile exist.
 
It was necessary that all those who believed Jesus to be the Son of Joseph, should be convinced that Joseph was descended from David. Otherwise they could not have acknowledged Jesus to be the Son of David, and consequently could not acknowledge Him to be the Christ. When therefore the angel first appeared to Joseph, and commanded him to take unto him his wife, he called him (Matthew 1:20) the Song of Solomon of David: because, forsooth, the Son of Mary would for a time have to bear that name as if derived from Joseph. In like manner, not only was Jesus in truth the first-born (Luke 2:7; Luke 2:23) of His mother, but it behoved also that He should be reputed to be the first-born of Joseph: those, therefore, who are called the brethren of Jesus, were His first cousins, not His half-brothers. It is needless to attempt, as some have done, to prove the consanguinity of Joseph and Mary from their marriage: for even if David be their nearest common ancestor, St Matthew’s object is attained. St Matthew then has traced the genealogy of Joseph, but still so as to do no violence to truth: for he does not say that Jesus is the Son of Joseph, but he does say that He was the Son of Mary; and in this very sixteenth verse he intimates, that this genealogy of Joseph, which had its use for a time, would afterwards become obsolete. Mary’s descent from David was equally well known at that time, as appears from St Luke.
 
Either Matthew gives the genealogy of Mary, and Luke that of Joseph; or Matthew that of Joseph, and Luke that of Mary.
 
This clearly follows from the preceding sections.
 
The genealogy in Matthew is that of Joseph; in Luke, that of Mary.
 
St Matthew traces the line of descent from Abraham to Jacob: he expressly states that Jacob begat Joseph, and expressly calls Joseph the husband of Mary. Joseph therefore is regarded throughout this genealogy as the descendant of those who are enumerated, not on Mary’s account, but on his own. Matthew, indeed, expressly contradistinguishes Joseph from Mary as the son of Jacob; but in St Luke, by a less strict mode of expression, Heli (Luke 3:23) is simply placed after Joseph. Since, then, Joseph is described in Matthew as actually the son of Jacob, St Luke cannot mean to represent him as actually the son of Heli. The only alternative which remains, therefore, is to conclude that he is the son of Heli, not in his own person, but by virtue of another, and that other his wife. Mary, then, is the daughter of Heli. The Jewish writers mention a certain מרים בת עלי, Mary, the daughter of Heli, whom they describe as suffering extreme torments in the infernal regions. St Luke does not, however, name Mary in his genealogy; for it would have sounded ill, especially to Jewish ears, had he written “Jesus was the Son of Mary, the daughter of Heli, the son of Matthat,” etc.—on which account he names the husband of Mary, but that in such a manner that all may be able to understand (from the whole of his first and second chapters), that the name of Mary’s husband stands for that of Mary herself.
 
XII. That in St Luke is the primary, that in St Matthew the secondary genealogy.
 
When a genealogy is traced through female as well as male ancestors, any descent may be deduced in many ways from one root; whereas a pedigree, traced simply from father to son, must of necessity consist only of a single line. In the genealogy, however, of Jesus Christ, Mary, His mother, is reckoned with His male ancestors, by a claim of incomparable precedence. In an ordinary pedigree ancestors are far more important than ancestresses. Mary, however, enters this genealogy with a peculiar and unrivalled claim, above that of every ancestor whatever of the whole human race; for whatever Jesus derived from the stock of man—of Abraham, or of David—that He derived entirely from His mother. This is the One Seed of Woman without Man. Other children owe their birth partly to their father, partly to their mother. The genealogy of Mary, therefore, which is given in St Luke, is the primary one. Nor can that of Joseph, in St Matthew, be considered otherwise than secondary, and merely employed for the time, until all should become fully convinced, that Jesus was the Son of Mary, but not of Joseph. St Matthew mentions Jechoniah, although he is passed by in the primary genealogy.
 
XIII. Whatever difficulty yet remains regarding this whole matter, so far from weakening, should even confirm our faith.
 
The stock of David had, in the time of Jesus of Nazareth, dwindled down to so small a number (see Revelation 22:16), that on this ground also the appellation “Song of Solomon of David” was used by Antonomasia[21] for “The Messiah.” And that family consisted so exclusively of Jesus and His relatives, that any one who knew Him to belong to it could not fail, even without the light of faith, to acknowledge Him as the Messiah, since the period foretold by the prophets for His manifestation had already arrived, and none of our Lord’s relations could be compared with Himself. Our Lord’s descent, therefore, from the race of David, as well as His birth at Bethlehem, were less publicly known; nay, rather He was in some degree veiled, as it were, by the name of Nazarene, that faith might not lose its price. And thus men, having been first induced on other grounds to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, concluded, on the same grounds, that He must be the Son of David. The necessary public documents, however, were in existence, whence it came to pass, that the chief priests, though employing every means against our Lord, never questioned His descent from David. Nay, even the Romans received much information concerning the Davidical descent of Jesus. Of old the facility with which His descent could be traced, showed Jesus to be the Son of David: now the very difficulty of so doing (caused as it is by the destruction of Jerusalem, and all the public records which it contained), affords a proof, against the Jews at least, that the Messiah must long since have come. Should they acknowledge any other as the Messiah, they must ascertain his descent from David in precisely the same manner that we do that of Jesus of Nazareth. As light, however, advanced, the aspect of the question has not a little changed. Jesus was called, on various occasions, “The Son of David,” by the multitude, by the blind men, by the woman of Canaan: but He never declared to His disciples that He was the Son of David, and they, in their professions of faith, called Him, not “The Son of David,” but “The Son of God;” He invited, also, those who called Him the Son of David, to advance further. In the first instance our Lord’s descent from David was rather a ground of faith, afterwards it became rather an obstacle to faith. No difficulty can now be a hinderance to them that believe.—See 2 Corinthians 5:16. Jesus is the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
 
XIV. Matthew and Luke combine ulterior objects and advantages with the genealogy.
 
If the Evangelists had merely wished to show that Mary and also Joseph were descended from David, it would have been sufficient for their purpose, had they, taking the genealogies as they exist in the Old Testament for granted, commenced at the point where these conclude, namely, with Zorobabel, or at any rate with David himself, and traced the line through Nathan or Solomon down to Jesus Christ. St Matthew, however, begins further off, viz. with Abraham, and descends through David and Solomon. St Luke, on the other hand, ascends to Nathan and David, and thence beyond Abraham to the first origin of the human race. Each of them, therefore, must have had at the same time a further object in view.
 
St Luke, as is evident at first sight, makes a full recapitulation and summary of the lineage of the whole human race, and exhibits with that lineage the Saviour’s consanguinity to all Gentiles, as well as Jews: St Matthew, writing to the Hebrews, begins with Abraham, thus reminding them of the promise which had been made to that Patriarch. Again, St Luke simply enumerates the whole series, through more than seventy steps, without addition or comment: whereas St Matthew, besides several remarkable observations which he introduces in particular cases concerning the wives and brothers of those whom he mentions, and the Babylonian Captivity, divides the whole series into three periods; and, as we shall presently consider, enumerates in each of these periods fourteen generations. And hence, also, we perceive the convenience of the descent in Matthew, and the ascent in Luke: for in this manner the former was enabled more conveniently to introduce those observations and divisions; the latter, to avoid the stricter word ἐγέννησε, begat, and take advantage of the formula ὡς ἐνομίζετο, as was supposed, and in an exquisite manner to conclude the whole series with God.—ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός, who is called Christ) St Matthew is dealing with the Jewish reader, who is to be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, by such means as His genealogy. And accordingly he here and there [throughout his Gospel] expresses and establishes what the other Evangelists take for granted. The force of the name Christ recalls especially the promise given to David concerning the Kingdom of the Messiah: and the force of the name Jesus recalls especially the promise given to Abraham concerning the Blessing.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
As for Joseph, he is next called “the husband of Mary.”
 
This is fully established in the gospel records. The name Mary, from the Hebrew Miriam, may mean Obstinacy (Stubbornness), Beloved, Myrrh, or something else, depending on the root word. Matthew next says, “from whom birthed Jesus.”
 
The name Jesus is from the Hebrew name Yeshua. It means Salvation. Mary is the human mother of Jesus and, as Bengel rightly notes, Jesus’ humanity comes wholly from her. He is the Seed of the Woman. His father is God and as His mother is human, and as all things reproduce after their own kind as indicated in Genesis 1, then Jesus is the God/Man.
 
As sin travels to offspring from the human father, then Jesus is the fulfillment of the sign of circumcision. He is the One to “cut” the transfer of sin from father to child because He is the sinless Son of God. Thus, Matthew next says, “being called the Christ.”
 
The verb is a present participle. He is and always will be the Christ, meaning “the Anointed One.” The word has the same meaning as the Hebrew word Messiah. God Anointed Jesus to be the Savior of the world, a role He fulfilled in His earthly ministry.
 
Life application: All hail the name of Jesus.
 
Lord God, You have done great things for us. Thank You for coming in the Person of Jesus Christ to restore us to Yourself. All praise, glory, and honor belong to You. Amen.

Matthew 1:15

Monday, 22 July 2024
 
Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. Matthew 1:15
 
“And Eliud begot Eleazar, and Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob” (CG).
 
The previous verse ended with, “and Achim begot Eliud.” The genealogy of Jesus continues next with, “And Eliud begot Eleazar.”
 
Eleazar means God Has Helped or Whom God Helps, coming from el, God, and azar, to help. Next it says, “and Eleazar begot Matthan.”
 
Matthan means Gift, coming from the verb nathan, to give. You may know someone named Nathan. Now you can explain his name to him and get him interested in reading the Bible. The genealogy now comes to the final name before the coming of Christ Jesus, saying, “and Matthan begot Jacob.”
 
The name Jacob comes from the Hebrew name Yaaqov. That is derived from aqev, the heel or hind part, which is derived from the verb aqav, to follow at the heel. Thus, the name means Heel Catcher. This, in turn, signifies Supplanter because when one grabs another’s heel, he will trip him up and take his place. The name also means Who Closely Follows After, He Who Sets Down His Heel, and so forth. It is a rich name with a variety of meanings.
 
Life application: There is a lot of coded information in this genealogy of Christ. A study by Dr. Ivan Panin recorded in the book Numerics in Scripture by Mark Vedder concerning this genealogy gives incredible mathematical patterns that seem impossible to be random. In fact, a definite wisdom and intelligence was used to make them.
 
Is this the work of Matthew, or did Matthew simply copy these things down under the inspiration of the Spirit. The chances weigh heavily towards the latter. If Matthew had intentionally made this list with these patterns in mind, it would certainly have been recorded somewhere. However, it wasn’t until the 1800s that Dr. Panin discovered these patterns.
 
Take time to search the internet on his work.  You can also obtain a copy of the book by Mark Vedder online. It is a fascinating and incredible study that will leave you satisfied that you are on the right track when you are following Jesus. It is just one more of countless subtle proofs that God’s hand is clearly resting upon His sacred word.
 
Lord God, even with all of the proofs and evidences imaginable concerning the reliability of Your word, we still have to accept, by faith, that Jesus actually died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. We did not witness it, and so we must have faith that it is so. And we do. Nothing else makes sense in this tiring world without Jesus. But with Him, all is fresh, alive, and new. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew 1:14

Sunday, 21 July 2024
 
Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Matthew 1:14
 
“And Azor begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud” (CG).
 
The previous verse ended with, “and Eliakim begot Azor.” The genealogy of Jesus continues next with, “And Azor begot Zadok.”
 
Zadok means Righteous or Just, coming from the word tsadeq, to be just. After him, it says, “and Zadok begot Achim.”
 
Achim means Raised Up or Established, either coming from the Hebrew qum, to arise or stand, or kun, to establish. After him, the list continues with, “and Achim begot Eliud.”
 
Eliud means My God is Majestic or My God is Praise, coming from el, God, and either hod, majesty, or yada, to praise. The “i” is possessive and thus “My God.” These three men were honored to be in the line of David leading to Jesus, other than that, nothing is known of them from a historical perspective.
 
Life application: Sometimes, it is hard to discern exactly what root a name is derived from. This is true in the Hebrew Bible, and so how much more difficult is it when a name is transliterated from Hebrew into Greek. Assumptions must be made as to which root the name is derived from.
 
There are times when an analysis is surely correct, but unless it is absolutely certain, it is good to consider a variety of possibilities. Such studies can lead one into a marvelous tapestry of gleaning information about the Hebrew language, so don’t hesitate to try one.
 
The study of the Bible involves the study of many other things, such as the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, also numbers, names, types of gemstones, metallurgy, and on and on. There are almost an endless number of avenues in which to study the Bible, so don’t get bogged down or in a rut in your daily reading!
 
Instead, look for new and exciting things to consider. What about trees? One can do an extensive study on the trees in the Bible, gleaning incredible insights into why God selected certain trees. Their wood, their sap, their leaves, and their fruit all can give us insights into what God is conveying to us.
 
Be ready to dive in! Pick a topic and go for it. You will be blessed each time you do.
 
Lord God, Your word is so deep, rich, and magnificent that we can study it all our lives and still find more that we can learn. There seems to be no end to the marvelous tapestry contained within the words, lines, and pages of Your precious word. Help us to study it and revel in it all the days of our lives. Amen.