Matthew 1

Who is Jesus?

Verses 1-17

The opening chapter of the New Testament gives the reader an account of who Jesus is. We learn about the ancestors of Jesus, which are important for us to know. Jesus is the Christ meaning that he is the promised Messiah. The Messiah was promised to David (2 Samuel 8:16, John 8:42). Jesus is called the Son of David indicating his royal title as King. He is also called the Son of Abraham which is referring to Christ as the promised Messiah to the Jewish people (Genesis. 22:18, Galatians 3:16).

 

Name meanings

David - Beloved, youngest son of Jesse.
Abraham - Father of a multitude, son of Terah.
Jesus - Saviour, God is my Salvation. Greek for the Hebrew Joshua.

Christ - Messiah, anointed one. Messiah is from the Hebrew for Christ.

Here in Matthew 1, we have the account of Jesus’s genealogy from Joseph’s side and the genealogy from Mary his mother's side is found in Luke 3: 23-38. Luke’s genealogy is written backwards from Jesus to Adam. The two allow us to read the royal line and the physical line of Jesus.

Sadly, many will skip over these long lists of names in the Bible, thinking that they can learn nothing by reading them. These lists are not useless, and a lot can be learnt from reading them. Look carefully at the text. Nothing is useless in the Bible. God has reasons for giving us these lists of names.
One reason is to teach us that God keeps His promises. He promised to send a Saviour from David’s line. God is faithful and trustworthy. These verses prove to us that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Take heart, God keeps His word.

The Birth of Jesus Christ
Verses 18-22

Joseph and Mary did not consummate their marriage until after the birth of Jesus. The word betrothed appears in the text. The modern-day equivalent would be engaged. The birth of Jesus Christ is supernatural. He was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. No one can explain nor give another example of this miracle. The power of the Holy Ghost in the case of Christ’s birth seems to us to be impossible and beyond the understanding of mankind. His birth is unique in the sense that Christ is the only man to be born in this way.

Jesus Christ was not tainted by the fall of mankind. Original sin did not corrupt his body, nor his soul. In Genesis 3 we learn that the Saviour would not inherit the sinful nature of Adam/man. In Genesis 3:15 the Bible says the seed of the woman, meaning Mary, shall bruise the head of the serpent. Also, Galatians 4:4-5 says, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Joseph who was a descendant of King David was a just man and one of integrity. God honoured Joseph’s godly conduct.

Name meaning

Mary - The anglicised version of the Hebrew name Miriam.
Joseph - God has multiplied.

 

 

Joseph and Mary’s faithfulness
Verses 23-25

 

The Holy Bible is very careful not to call Joseph the physical father of Jesus. Our Lord and Saviour was conceived by the Holy Ghost. Joseph was not the physical father of Jesus, but he was the earthly father or the legal father of Jesus. Joseph did have the responsibility of an earthly father.

Being found with child and unmarried was a very humiliating condition for Mary. In Jewish society, a woman who was in Mary’s situation was frowned upon. This would have been very embarrassing for Mary and her family. As Mary was betrothed to Joseph meaning that Mary was a virgin, she had not known a man. This is a way of saying that Joseph and Mary had not had sexual intercourse.

Joseph wanted to privately divorce Mary. He did not want to make a public example of her as he was a just man with a righteous attitude. The grounds for the divorce was Mary’s suspected infidelity. Under the law infidelity was a just cause for divorce. A marriage covenant had been made so divorce was necessary to dissolve the marriage commitment. Joseph was reassured that he should marry Mary as the angel of the Lord appeared to him and testified to Mary’s loyalty and faithfulness to him. We learn in St. Luke’s Gospel that the angel of the Lord was Gabriel (Luke 1:26).

 

God keeps his promises. The prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin came to pass over 700 years after God revealed that truth to his people. See Isaiah’s prophecy 8:14.

Jesus was called Emmanuel which means, “God with us”. Jesus is the promised Messiah. He is God in the flesh. God was manifest in human flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). God desired to come to earth in the form of a human body and soul and suffer on the cross for the penalty of sin. The blood of the sinless Christ, our Saviour reconciles us to the Father. Christ came to save His people from the penalty, practice, and presence of sin. Christ is also with us today. Through the Holy Ghost, He dwells in us as believers.

Joseph’s plan to break the marriage plans with Mary was swiftly thwarted. He heeded the words of the angel and took Mary as his bride. There must have been a great sense of joy, peace, and relief in Joseph’s heart to learn that Mary his wife-to-be remained committed and faithful to him. The causes Joseph had to not marry her sounded logical and reasonable, but God reassured him.

God gives us many reasons to trust Him. He daily reassures us of His faithfulness to us. Even though many times we fail to do what is right and do that which is sinful God still pours out His blessings. He is a great God and worthy of honour. There are great blessings and joys in following Christ and obeying the Word of God. The life of Joseph is one of many found in Scripture. His life is a great testimony to the greatness of God.

God also blessed Mary and Joseph in their marriage with the gift of children. The Bible says that Joseph knew her. This is another way of saying they had sexual intercourse. Joseph and Mary did not have carnal knowledge of each other until after Jesus’s birth. Jesus was Mary’s firstborn which would indicate that the couple had other children after Jesus, which would have been half-siblings of Jesus Christ.

Let us not try to explain things that are above and beyond our limited understanding. Proverbs 3:6 encourages us to acknowledge God in all that we do, and He will direct us in all righteousness. Jesus was named Saviour as He came to save His people and “Emmanuel” points to His divine nature. Jesus is truly God and truly man. This is the foundation of Christianity and the Gospel. Without this fundamental doctrine, the Christian faith would be just another world religion. One man-made religion among many. Christianity is the only religion that teaches a personal God, personal Saviour, and personal salvation. Christianity is the one true religion, and the Holy Bible is the only book that has been given by God.

Jesus was subject to everything that we are as humans apart from sin. He felt pain, sorrow, temptation, rejection, hunger, and thirst. Yet, He was God. This is Good News. God the creator of the earth and everything in it can sympathise with us. He can personally identify with mankind and what is meant to be a real man. He lived among us as one of us and continues to make His presence known on earth. He once dwelt as one of us and now from his heavenly Kingdom pours out His grace, love, mercy, and peace on a sin-sick and dying world.