The Gospel of St Matthew
Class #3 –
Chapter 1 – the Birth of Christ
- Opening Prayer
- Recap/review/questions
- Read Chapter 1:18-25
Matthew 1:18-25 (King James Version)
18Now 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.
19Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20But 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.
21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23Behold, 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.
24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
- An explanation of Jewish marriage custom & process:
- Engagement – could have been made when the couple were still children (ie., arranged by their parents or by a professional matchmaker – the couple may never have even seen each other) – as Barclay says, marriage was considered way too serious a step to be a “matter of the heart”.
- Betrothal – a ratification of the engagement.
i. The couple can refuse the match but, if they do not, the betrothal is binding
ii. It lasts for one year.
iii. They are considered ‘man and wife’ although they do not yet enjoy marital rights – a woman whose betrothal dies during this year is known as “a virgin who is a widow”.
iv. A betrothal can only be ended by a legal divorce.
- Marriage – takes place after one year of betrothal.
- The naming of Jesus
- The child is given his name by God, NOT his parents.
i. The naming of an object is a sign of ownership or lordship – this baby did not belong to Joseph or even to Mary…he belonged to God.
ii. But – it is Joseph who has the honor of naming the child (not Mary!)
1. Joseph was to play the role of father.
- Vs 21 – ‘Thou shalt call his name Jesus”
i. From Psalm 130 - 7Let
ii. Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means ‘Jehovah is salvation’.
iii. Joseph is told in verse 21: “for he shall save his people from their sins”.
iv. Jesus came not to be king, but to bring salvation!
- Vs 23 – and “they shall call his name Emmanuel”.
i. God with us.
1. See – Isaiah 7:14 14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
2. This is not a prayer, it is a declaration of a new truth!
3. This is a terribly blasphemous claim for any Jew
a. Romans considered Jews atheists because they refused to make any physical depiction of God.
4. This is also terribly exclusive – God was here and present in a way that denies or makes impossible ANY other religion – Christianity is not and cannot be inclusive of other claims about God because Christianity makes the claim that God came to us in the person of Jesus Christ to declare Himself once and for all.
God has done things in His own way!
5. This claim, at the very beginning of Matthew, also sets the stage for everything else Matthew will tell us about Jesus…this beginning means we cannot just accept Jesus as a good and moral teacher.
- We have the Triune God at work:
- God the Father reveals himself through
- God the Son, Jesus, Emmanuel
- Through the power of God the Holy Spirit
- The Miracle of the Virgin Birth:
- Matthew makes clear the “Virgin Birth”, although it receives less emphasis than we see in Luke.
i. Arguments against:
1. There are pagan parallels this is likely drawn from
2. The two genealogies
3. Was not generally part of early Christian literature or preaching.
4. Is only directly addressed in Matthew and Luke
5. Is intrinsically improbable.
6. And is ultimately unnecessary.
ii. Counter arguments
1. Not really! It is very very unlikely in a Jewish culture – God did not do such things. Further, most other cultures have god (Zeus for example) making babies with humans, NOT the other way around.
2. Different genealogies make different points – so what?!
3. & 4 Isn’t normally part of modern preaching or teaching either. There are allusions to it in other parts of the New Testament (see Mark 6:3, Gal 4:4 and Rev 12:1-4)
1. It is a miracle – we accept the incarnation and resurrection, why not this?
2. What we deem necessary and what God chooses to do need have no correlation. The deity of Christ need not be tied to the virgin birth, but, aside from the miraculous, it does make sense…
iii. Read Chrysostom, pp 12 ACCS – “The Simple Mystery of the Conception”
8. What about Joseph….?
a. Read Anonymous ACCS pp 16 – “Why Joseph also needed a Revenlation”
i. He was just
1. Justice may have mercy but it also requires a proper (righteous) response.
ii. He did not have Mary’s perfect faith or call to obedience.
b. Read Chrysostom ACCS pp 17 – “Joseph to name Jesus”
THE SIMPLE MYSTERY OF THE CONCEPTION. CHRYSOSTOM:
Do not speculate beyond the text. Do not require of it something more than what it simply says. Do not ask," But precisely how was it that the Spirit accomplished this in a virgin?" For even when nature is at work, it is impossible fully to explain the manner of the formation of the person. How then, when the Spirit is accomplishing miracles, shall we be able to express their precise causes? Lest you should weary the writer or disturb him by continually probing beyond what he says, he has indicated who it was that produced the miracle. He then withdraws from further comment. "I know nothing more," he in effect says, "but that what was done was the work of the Holy Spirit."
Shame on those who attempt to pry into the miracle of generation from on high! For this birth can by no means be explained, yet it has witnesses beyond number and has been proclaimed from ancient times as a real birth handled with human hands. What kind of extreme madness afflicts those who busy themselves by curiously prying into the unutterable generation? For neither Gabriel nor Matthew was able to say anything more, but only that the generation was from the Spirit. But how from the Spirit? In what manner? Neither Gabriel nor Matthew has explained, nor is it possible.
Do not imagine that you have untangled the mystery merely by hearing that this is the work of the Spirit. For we remain ignorant of many things, even while learning of them. So how could the infinite One reside in a womb? How could he that contains all be carried as yet unborn by a woman? How could the Virgin bear and continue to be a virgin? Explain to me how the Spirit designed the temple of his body. THE
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 4.3.8
WHY JOSEPH ALSO NEEDED A REVELATION. ANONYMOUS:
Hearing Mary's words and reflecting on her life did not allow Joseph to think badly of her. But as he reflected on her conception he still was not able to think well of her completely. Joseph's mind fluctuated between two alternatives. He was fearful of keeping her, while he did not dare to betray her. It was thus necessary that Joseph also have a revelation. Mary herself had seen the angel and heard him speaking to her about her conception and that of
Therefore the angel appeared to him for three reasons. First, lest an ignorant but just man should do an unjust thing for a just cause. Next, for the sake of her mother's honor, for if Mary had been put away-not among believers but among unbelievers-the woman could not be above foul suspicion. Third, realizing it was a holy conception, Joseph would in the future keep himself more diligently under control in her regard....
He protected himself first according to the system of justice, then out of fear of this type of birth, But why didn't the angel come to Joseph before the virgin's conception in order that he might not think what he was thinking? That he might not suffer the fate of Zacharias, who incurred the blame of unfaithfulness on the conception of his wife who was already an old woman.2-' For it was even more incredible that a virgin rather than an old woman could conceive. If this established high priest did not believe it would be feasible, how much more would his fellow countryman not believe it
would be SO? INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 1
Joseph to Function as a Father JOSEPH To NAME JESUS. CHRYSOSTOM:
It was as if the angel were saying to Joseph, "Do not imagine that, because he is conceived of the Holy Spirit, that you have no part in the ministry of this new dispensation. In the conception you had no part. You never touched the virgin. Nevertheless I am giving you what pertains to a father. I give you the honor of giving a name to the One who is to be born. For you, Joseph, shall name him. For though the offspring is not your own, yet you are called to exhibit a father's care toward him. So on this occasion, at this moment of giving him a name, you stand in significant relation with the one who is born," Then lest on the other hand anyone should, out of all this, suspect him to be the father, hear what follows and with what exact care the angel states it: "She shall bring forth a Son." He does not say "bring forth to you" but merely "she shall bring forth," putting it indefinitely, since it was not merely to him that she brought forth, but to the whole world. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY
