Skip to main content

Jesus' Birth according to Matthew

Recently, I heard Jesus' birth recounted in Matthew (1:18-25) spoken about as if it were an object lesson on obedience.

The speaker emphasised the fact that just as Joseph was obedient to the voice of an angel of the Lord in a dream so we also were to be obedient to the direction of the Lord.

Viewing this passage I would have to say that I think it is not primarily about Joseph's obedience at all. It's more about the faithfulness of God in keeping covenant with his people by his sending of a new King, a deliverer who will save his people from their sins.

For firstly consider that the passage is preceded by 17 verses of genealogy that we readers usually ignore to get to the birth story. In doing that we just show how Western we are because we have little knowledge of our ancestors in the way that Middle-Eastern peoples have.

Jesus Christ has an impressive lineage that begins in Matthew's account with Abraham the patriarch but goes through David the King. Jesus comes from the kingly tribe of Judah (1.3). Matthew wants to show that Jesus Christ is the son of David. And not only so but that Jesus Messiah is the fulfilment of the promises made in the covenants with David (and with Abraham).

Secondly, in the next chapter (2:1-12) Jesus is sought as the 'King of the Jews' and worshiped as a king (v11).

The birth story is told without fanfare but shows the amazing circumstances of Jesus' birth for he is born of a virgin!

The great line in this pericope is 'and you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save [deliver] his people from their sins' (1.21).

According to Matthew, the salvation of God's people from their sins is the mission of Jesus; this being embedded in his very name. Jesus means salvation [from sin].




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reigning With Christ by F J Huegel

Reigning With Christ by F J Huegel (1963) is a book of only 88 pages yet it is filled with crucial truths of the Christian faith organised around the theme of the enthroned believer . It's fair to say that the theme he concisely addresses in this small book is much neglected today. For the press of technological life with its bustle and speed is such that we can forget that present life, so ' real' to us, is temporary (2 Cor 4.18) and as in the first century, 'the form [Greek, "schema"] of the world is passing away' (1Cor 7.31). It's easy to read this work and though it has 20 chapters, they are short and pithy. However, reading it requires a meditative attitude so as to allow the Spirit to work on our hearts.
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus Anointed For His Death!

In John's gospel account, chapter 12 and verses 1-8 we read, 12  Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Besieging Love of God

Heard in church today the bewitching song based on Psalm 139 and felt myself struck dumb by the line: and with love everlasting you besiege me I sat and couldn't get the image of the besieging love of God out of my head. As great powerful armies besieged cities in ancient times, so the love of God in Christ, lays siege to our hearts, encompassing them round and about.
Post a Comment
Read more