BIBLES NET. COM
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page
|
[Previous] [Next] |
Matthew Henry |
M A T T H E W.
CHAP. I.
This evangelist begins with the account of Christ’s parentage and
birth, the ancestors from whom he descended, and the manner of his
entry into the world, to make it appear that he was indeed the Messiah
promised, for it was foretold that he should be the son of David, and
should be born of a virgin; and that he was so is here plainly shown;
for here is,
I. His pedigree from Abraham in forty-two generations, three fourteens,
II. An account of the circumstances of his birth, so far as was
requisite to show that he was born of a virgin,
Thus methodically is the life of our blessed Saviour written, as lives
should be written, for the clearer proposing of the example of
them.
| The Genealogy of Christ. |
|
|
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David,
the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat
Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat
Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and
Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth;
and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat
Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia
begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram
begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz
begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and
Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time
they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat
Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and
Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat
Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and
Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born
Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen
generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon
are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into
Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Concerning this genealogy of our Saviour, observe,
I. The title of it. It is the book (or the account, as the
Hebrew word sepher, a book, sometimes signifies) of the
generation of Jesus Christ, of his ancestors according to the
flesh; or, It is the narrative of his birth. It is Biblos
Geneseos—a book of Genesis. The Old Testament begins
with the book of the generation of the world, and it is its glory that
it does so; but the glory of the New Testament herein excelleth,
that it begins with the book of the generation of him that made
the world. As God, his outgoings were of old, from everlasting
(Mic. v. 2),
and none can declare that generation; but, as man, he was sent forth
in the fulness of time, born of a woman, and it is that generation
which is here declared.
II. The principal intention of it. It is not an endless or needless
genealogy; it is not a vain-glorious one, as those of great men
commonly are. Stemmata, quid faciunt?–Of what avail are ancient
pedigrees? It is like a pedigree given in evidence, to prove a
title, and make out a claim; the design is to prove that our Lord Jesus
is the son of David, and the son of Abraham, and
therefore of that nation and family out of which the Messiah was to
arise. Abraham and David were, in their day, the great trustees of the
promise relating to the Messiah. The promise of the blessing
was made to Abraham and his seed, of the dominion to David and
his seed; and they who would have an interest in Christ, as the
son of Abraham, in whom all the families of the earth are to be
blessed, must be faithful, loyal subjects to him as the son of
David, by whom all the families of the earth are to be
ruled. It was promised to Abraham that Christ should descend from him
and to David that he should descend from him
Ps. lxxxix. 3, &c. cxxxii. 11);
and therefore, unless it can be proved that Jesus is a son of
David, and a son of Abraham, we cannot admit him to be the
Messiah. Now this is here proved from the authentic records of the
heralds’ offices. The Jews were very exact in preserving their
pedigrees, and there was a providence in it, for the clearing up of the
descent of the Messiah from the fathers; and since his coming that
nation is so dispersed and confounded that it is a question whether any
person in the world can legally prove himself to be a son of
Abraham; however, it is certain that none can prove himself to
either a son of Aaron or a son of David, so that the priestly
and kingly office must either be given up, as lost for ever, or be
lodged in the hands of our Lord Jesus. Christ is here first called
the son of David, because under that title he was commonly
spoken of, and expected, among the Jews. They who owned him to be
the Christ, called him the son of David,
ch. xv. 22; xx. 31; xxi. 15.
Thus, therefore, the evangelist undertakes to make out, that he is not
only a son of David, but that son of David on whose
shoulders the government was to be; not only a son of
Abraham, but that son of Abraham who was to be the father
of many nations.
In calling Christ the son of David, and the son of
Abraham, he shows that God is faithful to his promise, and will
make good every word that he has spoken; and this.
1. Though the performance be long deferred. When God promised Abraham a
son, who should be the great blessing of the world, perhaps he expected
it should be his immediate son; but it proved to be one at the distance
of forty-two generations, and about 2000 years: so long before can God
foretel what shall be done, and so long after, sometimes, does God
fulfil what has been promised. Note, Delays of promised mercies, though
they exercise our patience, do not weaken God’s promise.
2. Though it begin to be despaired of. This son of David, and
son of Abraham, who was to be the glory of his Father’s house,
was born when the seed of Abraham was a despised people, recently
become tributary to the Roman yoke, and when the house of David was
buried in obscurity; for Christ was to be a root out of a dry
ground. Note, God’s time for the performance of his promises is
when it labours under the greatest improbabilities.
III. The particular series of it, drawn in the direct line from Abraham
downward, according to the genealogies recorded in the beginning of the
books of Chronicles (as far as those go), and which here we see the use
of.
Some particulars we may observe in the genealogy.
1. Among the ancestors of Christ who had brethren, generally he
descended from a younger brother; such Abraham himself was, and Jacob,
and Judah, and David, and Nathan, and Rhesa; to show that the
pre-eminence of Christ came not, as that of earthly princes, from the
primogeniture of his ancestors, but from the will of God, who,
according to the method of his providence, exalteth them of low
degree, and puts more abundant honour upon that part which
lacked.
2. Among the sons of Jacob, besides Judah, from whom Shiloh came,
notice is here taken of his brethren: Judas and his brethren. No
mention is made of Ishmael the son of Abraham, or of Esau the son of
Isaac, because they were shut out of the church; whereas all the
children of Jacob were taken in, and, though not fathers of Christ,
were yet patriarchs of the church
(Acts vii. 8),
and therefore are mentioned in the genealogy, for the encouragement of
the twelve tribes that were scattered abroad, intimating to them
that they have an interest in Christ, and stand in relation to him as
well as Judah.
3. Phares and Zara, the twin-sons of Judah, are likewise both named,
though Phares only was Christ’s ancestor, for the same reason that the
brethren of Judah are taken notice of; and some think because the birth
of Phares and Zara had something of an allegory in it. Zara put out his
hand first, as the first-born, but, drawing it in, Phares got the
birth-right. The Jewish church, like Zara, reached first at the
birthright, but through unbelief, withdrawing the hand, the Gentile
church, like Phares, broke forth and went away with the birthright; and
thus blindness is in part happened unto Israel, till the fulness of
the Gentiles become in, and then Zara shall be born–all Israel
shall be saved,
Rom. xi. 25, 26.
4. There are four women, and but four, named in this genealogy; two of
them were originally strangers to the commonwealth of Israel,
Rachab a Canaanitess, and a harlot besides, and Ruth the Moabitess; for
in Jesus Christ there is neither Greek, nor Jew; those that are
strangers and foreigners are welcome, in Christ, to the
citizenship of the saints. The other two were adulteresses, Tamar
and Bathsheba; which was a further mark of humiliation put upon our
Lord Jesus, that not only he descended from such, but that is decent
from them is particularly remarked in his genealogy, and no veil drawn
over it. He took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh
(Rom. viii. 3),
and takes even great sinners, upon their repentance, into the nearest
relation to himself. Note, We ought not to upbraid people with the
scandals of their ancestors; it is what they cannot help, and has been
the lot of the best, even of our Master himself. David’s begetting
Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias is taken notice of
(says Dr. Whitby) to show that the crime of David, being repented to,
was so far from hindering the promise made to him, that it pleased God
by this very woman to fulfil it.
5. Though divers kings are here named, yet none is expressly called a
king but David
(v. 6),
David the king; because with him the covenant of royalty was
made, and to him the promise of the kingdom of the Messiah was given,
who is therefore said to inherit the throne of his father David,
Luke i. 32.
6. In the pedigree of the kings of Judah, between Joram and Ozias
(v. 8),
there are three left out, namely, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah; and
therefore when it is said, Joram begat Ozias, it is meant,
according to the usage of the Hebrew tongue, that Ozias was lineally
descended from him, as it is said to Hezekiah that the sons which he
should beget should be carried to Babylon, whereas they were
removed several generations from him. It was not through mistake or
forgetfulness that these three were omitted, but, probably, they were
omitted in the genealogical tables that the evangelist consulted, which
yet were admitted as authentic. Some give this reason for it:–It being
Matthew’s design, for the sake of memory, to reduce the number of
Christ’s ancestors to three fourteens, it was requisite that in this
period three should be left out, and none more fit than they who were
the immediate progeny of cursed Athaliah, who introduced the idolatry
of Ahab into the house of David, for which this brand is set upon the
family and the iniquity thus visited to the third and fourth
generation. Two of these three were apostates; and such God
commonly sets a mark of his displeasure upon in this world: they all
three had their heads brought to the grave with blood.
7. Some observe what a mixture there was of good and bad in the
succession of these kings; as for instance
(v. 7, 8),
wicked Roboam begat wicked Abia; wicked Abia begat
good Asa; good Asa begat good Josaphat; good
Josaphat begat wicked Joram. Grace does not run in the
blood, neither does reigning sin. God’s grace is his own, and he gives
or withholds it as he pleases.
8. The captivity of Babylon is mentioned as a remarkable period in this
line,
All things considered, it was a wonder that the Jews were not lost in
that captivity, as other nations have been; but this intimates the
reason why the streams of that people were kept to run pure through
that dead sea, because from them, as concerning the flesh,
Christ was to come. Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it,
even that blessing of blessings, Christ himself,
It was with an eye to him that they were restored, and the desolations
of the sanctuary were looked upon with favour for the Lord’s
sake,
Dan. ix. 17.
9. Josias is said to beget Jechonias and his brethren
(v. 11);
by Jechonias here is meant Jehoiakim, who was the first-born of Josias;
but, when it is said
(v. 12)
that Jechonias begat Salathiel, that Jechonias was the son of
that Jehoiakim who was carried into Babylon, and there begat
Salathiel (as Dr. Whitby shows), and, when Jechonias is said to
have been written childless
it is explained thus: No man of his seed shall prosper.
Salathiel is here said to beget Zorobabel, whereas Salathiel
begat Pedaiah, and he begat Zorobabel
but, as before, the grandson is often called the son; Pedaiah, it is
likely, died in his father’s lifetime, and so his son Zorobabel was
called the son of Salathiel.
10. The line is brought down, not to Mary the mother of our Lord, but
to Joseph the husband of Mary
(v. 16);
for the Jews always reckoned their genealogies by the males: yet Mary
was of the same tribe and family with Joseph, so that, both by his
mother and by his supposed father, he was of the house of David; yet
his interest in that dignity is derived by Joseph, to whom really
according to the flesh he had no relation, to show that the kingdom of
the Messiah is not founded in a natural descent from David.
11. The centre in whom all these lines meet is Jesus, who is called
Christ,
v. 16.
This is he that was so importunately desired, so impatiently expected,
and to whom the patriarchs had an eye when they were so desirous of
children, that they might have the honour of coming into the sacred
line. Blessed be God, we are not now in such a dark and cloudy state of
expectation as they were then in, but see clearly what these prophets
and kings saw as through a glass darkly. And we may have, if it be not
our own fault, a greater honour than that of which they were so
ambitious: for they who do the will of God are in a more honourable
relation to Christ than those who were akin to him according to the
flesh,
Jesus is called Christ, that is, the Anointed, the
same with the Hebrew name Messiah. He is called
Messiah the Prince
(Dan. ix. 25),
and often God’s Anointed
(Ps. ii. 2).
Under this character he was expected: Art thou the Christ–the
anointed one? David, the king, was anointed
so was Aaron, the priest
and Elisha, the prophet
and Isaiah, the prophet
(Isa. lxi. 1).
Christ, being appointed to, and qualified for, all these offices, is
therefore called the Anointed–anointed with the oil of gladness
above his fellows; and from this name of his, which is as ointment
poured forth, all his followers are called Christians, for they
also have received the anointing.
Lastly. The general summary of all this genealogy we have,
where it is summed up in three fourteens, signalized by remarkable
periods. In the first fourteen, we have the family of David rising,
and looking forth as the morning; in the second, we have it flourishing
in its meridian lustre; in the third, we have it declining and growing
less and less, dwindling into the family of a poor carpenter, and then
Christ shines forth out of it, the glory of his people
Israel.
| The Birth of Christ. |
|
|
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his
mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together,
she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing
to make her a public example, was minded to put her away
privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of
the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son
of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth
a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the
Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn
son: and he called his name JESUS.
The mystery of Christ’s incarnation is to be adored, not pried into. If
we know not the way of the Spirit in the formation of common
persons, nor how the bones are formed in the womb of any one
that is with child
much less do we know how the blessed Jesus was formed in the womb of
the blessed virgin. When David admires how he himself was made in
secret, and curiously wrought
perhaps he speaks in the spirit of Christ’s incarnation. Some
circumstances attending the birth of Christ we find here which are not
in Luke, though it is more largely recorded here. Here we have,
I. Mary’s espousal to Joseph. Mary, the mother of our Lord, was
espoused to Joseph, not completely married, but contracted; a
purpose of marriage solemnly declared in words de futuro–that
regarding the future, and a promise of it made if God permit. We
read of a man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her,
Deut. xx. 7.
Christ was born of a virgin, but a betrothed virgin,
1. To put respect upon the marriage state, and to recommend it as
honourable among all, against that doctrine of devils which
forbids to marry, and places perfection in the single state. Who
more highly favoured than Mary was in her espousals?
2. To save the credit of the blessed virgin, which otherwise would have
been exposed. It was fit that her conception should be protected by a
marriage, and so justified in the eye of the world. One of the ancients
says, It was better it should be asked, Is not this the son of a
carpenter? than, Is not this the son of a harlot?
3. That the blessed virgin might have one to be the guide of her youth,
the companion of her solitude and travels, a partner in her cares, and
a help meet for her. Some think that Joseph was now a widower, and that
those who are called the brethren of Christ
(ch. xiii. 55),
were Joseph’s children by a former wife. This is the conjecture of many
of the ancients. Joseph was just man, she a virtuous
woman. Those who are believers should not be unequally
yoked with unbelievers: but let those who are religious choose to
marry with those who are so, as they expect the comfort of the
relation, and God’s blessing upon them in it. We may also learn, from
this example, that it is good to enter into the married state with
deliberation, and not hastily–to preface the nuptials with a contract.
It is better to take time to consider before than to find
time to repent after.
II. Her pregnancy of the promised seed; before they came
together, she was found with child, which really was of
the Holy Ghost. The marriage was deferred so long after the
contract that she appeared to be with child before the time came
for the solemnizing of the marriage, though she was contracted before
she conceived. Probably, it was after her return from her cousin
Elizabeth, with whom she continued three months
(Luke i. 56),
that she was perceived by Joseph to be with child, and did not herself
deny it. Note, Those in whom Christ is formed will show it: it will be
found to be a work of God which he will own. Now we may well
imagine, what a perplexity this might justly occasion to the blessed
virgin. She herself knew the divine original of this conception; but
how could she prove it? She would be dealt with as a harlot.
Note, After great and high advancements, lest we should be puffed up
with them, we must expect something or other to humble us, some
reproach, as a thorn in the flesh, nay, as a sword in the
bones. Never was any daughter of Eve so dignified as the Virgin
Mary was, and yet in danger of falling under the imputation of one of
the worse crimes; yet we do not find that she tormented herself about
it; but, being conscious of her own innocence, she kept her mind calm
and easy, and committed her cause to him that judgeth
righteously. Note, those who take care to keep a good conscience
may cheerfully trust God with the keeping of their good names, and have
reason to hope that he will clear up, not only their integrity, but
their honour, as the sun at noon day.
III. Joseph’s perplexity, and his care what to do in this case. We may
well imagine what a great trouble and disappointment it was to him to
find one he had such an opinion of, and value for, come under the
suspicion of such a heinous crime. Is this Mary? He began to
think, “How may we be deceived in those we think best of! How may we be
disappointed in what we expect most from!” He is loth to believe so ill
a thing of one whom he believed to be so good a woman; and yet the
matter, as it is too bad to be excused, is also too plain to be denied.
What a struggle does this occasion in his breast between that jealousy
which is the rage of man, and is cruel as the grave, on the one hand,
and that affection which he has for Mary on the other!
Observe,
1. The extremity which he studied to avoid. He was not willing to
make her a public example. He might have done so; for, by the law,
a betrothed virgin, if she played the harlot, was to be stoned
to death,
But he was not willing to take the advantage of the law against
her; if she be guilty, yet it is not known, nor shall it be known from
him. How different was the spirit which Joseph displayed from that of
Judah, who in a similar case hastily passed that severe sentence,
Bring her forth and let her be burnt!
Gen. xxxviii. 24.
How good it is to think on things, as Joseph did here! Were
there more of deliberation in our censures and judgments, there would
be more of mercy and moderation in them. Bringing her to punishment is
here called making her a public example; which shows what is the
end to be aimed at in punishment–the giving of warning to others: it
is in terrorem–that all about may hear and fear. Smite the
scorner, and the simple will beware.
Some persons of a rigorous temper would blame Joseph for his clemency:
but it is here spoken of to his praise; because he was a just
man, therefore he was not willing to expose her. He was a
religious, good man; and therefore inclined to be merciful as
God is, and to forgive as one that was forgiven. In the
case of the betrothed damsel, if she were defiled in the field, the law
charitably supposed that she cried out
and she was not to be punished. Some charitable construction or other
Joseph will put upon this matter; and herein he is a just man,
tender of the good name of one who never before had done anything to
blemish it. Note, It becomes us, in many cases, to be gentle towards
those that come under suspicion of having offended, to hope the best
concerning them, and make the best of that which at first appears bad,
in hopes that it may prove better. Summum just summa injuria–The
rigour of the law is (sometimes) the height of injustice.
That court of conscience which moderates the rigour of the law we call
a court of equity. Those who are found faulty were perhaps
overtaken in the fault, and are therefore to be restored with
the spirit of meekness; and threatening, even when just, must be
moderated.
2. The expedient he found out for avoiding this extremity. He was
minded to put her away privily, that is, to give a bill of
divorce into her hand before two witnesses, and so to hush up the
matter among themselves. Being a just man, that is, a strict
observer of the law, he would not proceed to marry her, but resolved to
put her away; and yet, in tenderness for her, determined to do
it as privately as possible. Note, The necessary censures of those who
have offended ought to be managed without noise. The words of the
wise are heard in quiet. Christ himself shall not strive nor
cry. Christian love and Christian prudence will hide a multitude
of sins, and great ones, as far as may be done without having
fellowship with them.
IV. Joseph’s discharge from this perplexity by an express sent from
heaven,
While he thought on these things and knew not what to determine,
God graciously directed him what to do, and made him easy. Note, Those
who would have direction from God must think on things
themselves, and consult with themselves. It is the thoughtful,
not the unthinking, whom God will guide. When he was at a loss,
and had carried the matter as far as he could in his own thoughts, then
God came in with advice. Note, God’s time to come in with instruction
to his people is when they are nonplussed and at a stand. God’s
comforts most delight the soul in the multitude of its perplexed
thoughts. The message was sent to Joseph by an angel of the
Lord, probably the same angel that brought Mary the tidings of the
conception–the angel Gabriel. Now the intercourse with heaven, by
angels, with which the patriarchs had been dignified, but which had
been long disused, begins to be revived; for, when the
First-begotten is to be brought into the world, the
angels are ordered to attend his motions. How far God may now, in an
invisible way, make use of the ministration of angels, for extricating
his people out of their straits, we cannot say; but this we are sure
of, they are all ministering spirits for their good. This angel
appeared to Joseph in a dream when he was asleep, as God
sometimes spoke unto the fathers. When we are most quiet and composed
we are in the best frame to receive the notices of the divine will. The
Spirit moves on the calm waters. This dream, no doubt, carried its own
evidence along with it that it was of God, and not the production of a
vain fancy. Now,
1. Joseph is here directed to proceed in his intended marriage.
The angel calls him, Joseph, thou son of David; he puts him in
mind of his relation to David, that he might be prepared to receive
this surprising intelligence of his relation to the Messiah, who, every
one knew, was to be a descendant from David. Sometimes, when great
honours devolve upon those who have small estates, they care not for
accepting them, but are willing to drop them; it was therefore
requisite to put this poor carpenter in mind of his high birth: “Value
thyself. Joseph, thou art that son of David through whom the
line of the Messiah is to be drawn.” We may thus say to every true
believer, “Fear not, thou son of Abraham, thou child of God; forget not
the dignity of thy birth, thy new birth.” Fear not to take Mary for
thy wife; so it may be read. Joseph, suspecting she was with child
by whoredom, was afraid of taking her, lest he should bring upon
himself either guilt or reproach. No, saith God, Fear not; the
matter is not so. Perhaps Mary had told him that she was with child by
the Holy Ghost, and he might have heard what Elizabeth said to her
(Luke i. 43),
when she called her the mother of her Lord; and, if so, he was
afraid of presumption in marrying one so much above him. But, from
whatever cause his fears arose, they were all silenced with this word,
Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. Note, It is a great
mercy to be delivered from our fears, and to have our doubts resolved,
so as to proceed in our affairs with satisfaction.
2. He is here informed concerning that holy thing with
which his espoused wife was now pregnant. That which is conceived in
her is of a divine original. He is so far from being in danger of
sharing in an impurity by marrying her, that he will thereby share in
the highest dignity he is capable of. Two things he is told,
(1.) That she had conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost; not
by the power of nature. The Holy Spirit, who produced the world, now
produced the Saviour of the world, and prepared him a body, as
was promised him, when he said, Lo, I come,
Heb. x. 5.
Hence he is said to be made of a woman
(Gal. iv. 4),
and yet to be that second Adam that is the Lord from
heaven,
1 Cor. xv. 47.
He is the Son of God, and yet so far partakes of the substance
of his mother as to be called the fruit of her womb,
Luke i. 42.
It was requisite that is conception should be otherwise than by
ordinary generation, that so, so though he partook of the human
nature, yet he might escape the corruption and pollution of it, and not
be conceived and shapen in iniquity. Histories tell us of
some who vainly pretended to have conceived by a divine power, as the
mother of Alexander; but none ever really did so, except the mother of
our Lord. His name in this, as in other things, is Wonderful. We
do not read that the virgin Mary did herself proclaim the honour done
to her; but she hid it in her heart, and therefore God sent an angel to
attest it. Those who seek not their own glory shall have the honour
that comes from God; it is reserved for the humble.
(2.) That she should bring forth the Saviour of the world
(v. 21).
She shall bring forth a Son; what he shall be is intimated,
[1.] In the name that should be given to her Son: Thou shalt call
his name Jesus, a Saviour. Jesus is the same name with Joshua, the
termination only being changed, for the sake of conforming it to the
Greek. Joshua is called Jesus
from the Seventy. There were two of that name under the Old Testament,
who were both illustrious types of Christ, Joshua who was Israel’s
captain at their first settlement in Canaan, and Joshua who was their
high priest at their second settlement after the captivity,
Christ is our Joshua; both the Captain of our salvation, and the
High Priest of our profession, and, in both, our Saviour–a
Joshua who comes in the stead of Moses, and does that for us which the
law could not do, in that it was weak. Joshua had been called
Hosea, but Moses prefixed the first syllable of the name
Jehovah, and so made it Jehoshua
to intimate that the Messiah, who was to bear that name, should be
Jehovah; he is therefore able to save to the uttermost,
neither is there salvation in any other.
[2.] In the reason of that name: For he shall save his people from
their sins; not the nation of the Jews only (he came to his
own, and they received him not), but all who were given him
by the Father’s choice, and all who had given themselves to him
by their own. He is a king who protects his subjects,
and, as the judges of Israel of old, works salvation for them.
Note, those whom Christ saves he saves from their sins; from the
guilt of sin by the merit of his death, from the dominion of sin
by the Spirit of his grace. In saving them from sin, he saves
them from wrath and the curse, and all misery here and hereafter.
Christ came to save his people, not in their sins, but
from their sins; to purchase for them, not a liberty to
sin, but a liberty from sins, to redeem them from all
iniquity
(Tit. ii. 14);
and so to redeem them from among men
to himself, who is separate from sinners. So that those who
leave their sins, and give up themselves to Christ as his
people, are interested in the Saviour, and the great salvation
which he has wrought out,
Rom. xi. 26.
V. The fulfilling of the scripture in all this. This evangelist,
writing among the Jews, more frequently observes this than any other of
the evangelists. Here the Old Testament prophecies had their
accomplishment in our Lord Jesus, by which it appears that this was he
that should come, and we are to look for no other; for this was he
to whom all the prophets bore witness. Now the scripture that
was fulfilled in the birth of Christ was that promise of a sign which
God gave to king Ahaz
(Isa. vii. 14),
Behold a virgin shall conceive; where the prophet, encouraging
the people of God to hope for the promised deliverance from
Sennacherib’s invasion, directs them to look forward to the Messiah,
who was to come of the people of the Jews, and the house of David;
whence it was easy to infer, that though that people and that house
were afflicted, yet neither the one nor the other could be abandoned to
ruin, so long as God had such an honour, such a blessing, in reserve
for them. The deliverances which God wrought for the Old-Testament
church were types and figures of the great salvation by Christ; and, if
God will do the greater, he will not fail to do the less.
The prophecy here quoted is justly ushered in with a Behold,
which commands both attention and admiration; for we have here the
mystery of godliness, which is, without controversy, great, that God
was manifested in the flesh.
1. The sign given is that the Messiah shall be born of a virgin. A
virgin shall conceive, and, by her, he shall be manifested in
the flesh. The word Almah signifies a virgin in the
strictest sense, such as Mary professes herself to be
(Luke i. 34),
I know not a man; nor had it been any such wonderful sign as it
was intended for, if it had been otherwise. It was intimated from the
beginning that the Messiah should be born of a virgin, when it was said
that he should be the seed of the woman; so the seed of the
woman as not to be the seed of any man. Christ was born of a virgin not
only because his birth was to be supernatural, and altogether
extraordinary, but because it was to be spotless, and pure, and
without any stain of sin. Christ would be born, not of an
empress or queen, for he appeared not in outward pomp or
splendour, but of a virgin, to teach us spiritual purity, to die to all
the delights of sense, and so to keep ourselves unspotted from
the world and the flesh that we may be presented chaste virgins to
Christ.
2. The truth proved by this sign is, that he is the Son of God, and the
Mediator between God and man: for they shall call his name
Immanuel; that is, he shall be Immanuel; and when it is
said, He shall be called, it is meant, he shall be, the Lord
our righteousness. Immanuel signifies God with us; a
mysterious name, but very precious; God incarnate among us, and
so God reconcilable to us, at peace with us, and taking us into
covenant and communion with himself. The people of the Jews had God
with them, in types and shadows, dwelling between the cherubim; but
never so as when the Word was made flesh–that was the blessed
Shechinah. What a happy step is hereby taken toward the settling
of a peace and correspondence between God and man, that the two natures
are thus brought together in the person of the Mediator! by this he
became an unexceptionable referee, a days-man, fit to lay his hand
upon them both, since he partakes of the nature of both. Behold, in
this, the deepest mystery, and the richest mercy, that ever was. By the
light of nature, we see God as a God above us; by the
light of the law, we see him as a God against us; but by
the light of the gospel, we see him as Immanuel, God with
us, in our own nature, and (which is more) in our interest. Herein
the Redeemer commended his love. With Christ’s name,
Immanuel, we may compare the name given to the gospel church
Jehovah Shammah–The Lord is there; the Lord of hosts is with
us.
Nor is it improper to say that the prophecy which foretold that he
should be called Immanuel was fulfilled, in the design and
intention of it, when he was called Jesus; for if he had not
been Immanuel–God with us, he could not have been Jesus–a
Saviour; and herein consists the salvation he wrought out, in the
bringing of God and man together; this was what he designed, to
bring God to be with us, which is our great happiness,
and to bring us to be with God, which is our great
duty.
VI. Joseph’s obedience to the divine precept
(v. 24).
Being raised from sleep by the impression which the dream made
upon him, he did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, though
it was contrary to his former sentiments and intentions; he took
unto him his wife; he did is speedily, without delay, and
cheerfully, without dispute; he was not disobedient to the heavenly
vision. Extraordinary direction like this we are not now to expect; but
God has still ways of making known his mind in doubtful cases, by hints
of providence, debates of conscience, and advice of faithful friends;
by each of these, applying the general rules of the written word, we
should, therefore, in all the steps of our life, particularly the great
turns of it, such as this of Joseph’s, take direction from God, and we
shall find it safe and comfortable to do as he bids us.
VII. The accomplishment of the divine promise
(v. 25).
She brought forth her first-born son. The circumstances of it
are more largely related,
&c. Note, That which is conceived of the Holy Ghost never proves
abortive, but will certainly be brought forth in its
season. What is of the will of the flesh, and of the will of
man, often miscarries; but, if Christ be formed in the soul,
God himself has begun the good work which he will perform; what is
conceived in grace will no doubt be brought forth in
glory.
It is here further observed,
1. That Joseph, though he solemnized the marriage with Mary, his
espoused wife, kept at a distance from her while she was with child of
this Holy thing; he knew her not till she had brought him forth.
Much has been said concerning the perpetual virginity of our Lord:
Jerome was very angry with Helvidius for denying it. It is certain that
it cannot be proved from scripture. Dr. Whitby inclines to
think that when it is said, Joseph knew her not till she had brought
forth her first-born, it is intimated that, afterwards, the reason
ceasing, he lived with her, according to the law,
2. That Christ was the first-born; and so he might be called
though his mother had not any other children after him, according to
the language of scripture. Nor is it without a mystery that Christ is
called her first-born, for he is the first-born of every
creature, that is, the Heir of all things; and he is the
first-born among many brethren, that in all things he may have
the pre-eminence.
3. That Joseph called his name Jesus, according to the direction
given him. God having appointed him to be the Saviour, which was
intimated in his giving him the name Jesus, we must
accept of him to be our Saviour, and, in concurrence with that
appointment, we must call him Jesus, our Saviour.
|
[Previous] [Next] |
Matthew Henry |
|
Back to Bibles Net . Com – Online Christian Library Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary – Free Download |
Copyright 2008. Bibles Net. Com. All Rights Reserved.