THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. с a I. 1 THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 d Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas e and his brethren; 3 and Judas begat Phares and Zara Title] GOSPEL, from god and spel, good message" or "news" a translation of the Greek "euangelion," which means the same. This name came to be applied to the writings themselves which contain this good news, very early. Justin Martyr, in the second century, speaks of "the memoirs drawn up by the Apostles, which are called gospels (euangelia)." according to Matthew] as delivered by Matthew, implies authorship or editorship. It is not merely equivalent to of Matthew, which would have been said, had it been meant. Nor does it signify that the original teaching was Matthew's, and the present gospel drawn up after that teaching. Eusebius tells us, that Matthew "delivered to writing the gospel according to him." : CHAP. I. 1-17.] GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST. 1. book of the generation] Not always used of a pedigree only see reff. Here however it appears that it refers exclusively to the genealogy, by "Jesus Christ" being used in the enunciation, and the close being "Jesus which is called Christ." Then ver. 17 forms a conclusion to it, and ver. 18 passes on to other matter. Jesus] See on ver. 21. Christ] The word is equivalent to the Hebrew Messiah, anointed. It is used of kings, priests, prophets, and of the promised Deliverer. It is here used (see ver. 16) in that sense in which VOL. I. f Gen. xxxv. 22-26. e Gen. xxv. 26. g Gen. xxxviii. 27. it became affixed to Jesus as the name of our Lord. It does not once thus occur in the progress of the Evangelic history; only in the prefatory parts of the Gospels, here and vv. 16, 17, 18: Mark i. 1: John i. 17, and once in the mouth of our Lord Himself, John xvii. 3; but continually in the Acts and Epistles. This may serve to shew that the evangelic memoirs themselves were of earlier date than their incorporation into our present Gospels. son... son] both times refers to our Lord. Son of David was an especial title of the Messiah: see reff. That He should be son of Abraham, was too solemn a subject of prophecy to be omitted here, even though implied in the other. These words serve to shew the character of the Gospel, as written for Jews. Luke, ch. iii. 23 ff., carries his genealogy further back. 2. and his brethren] These additions probably indicate that Matt. did not take his genealogy from any family or public documents, but constructed it himself. 3.] These children of Judah were not born in marriage: see Gen. xxxviii. 16-30. Both the sons are named, probably as recalling the incident connected with their birth. The reason for the women (Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba) being mentioned, has been variously assigned: it might be, to meet the objection of the Jews to our Lord's birth: or for the sake of minute accuracy. B h Ruth iv. 18. of Thamar; and 24. xi. 2: xii. 21: r 2 Kings xv. h h h Phares begat Esrom; and h Esrom begat Aram; 4 and Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and "Naasson begat Salmon; 5 and h 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 [a that had been the wife] of Urias; 7 and * Solomon begat k q see 2 Kings Roboam; and1 Roboam begat Abia; and m Abia begat Asa; xiv. 21: xv.7. 8 and Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and P Joram begat Ozias; 9 and and Joatham begat Achaz; and 8 2 38. 20. 21. Kings xvi. t2 Kings xx. u2 Kings xxi. 18. v 2 Kings xxi, 26. 10 and Ezekias begat Manasses; and "Manasses begat Amon; and ▾ Amon begat Josias; 11 and Josias begat and 1 Chron. Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were W see note: iii. 15, 16. a not expressed in the original. It most probably is, that the Evangelist omitted what was ordinary, but stated what was doubtful or singular. It has been suggested, that as these women are of Gentile origin or dubious character, they may be mentioned as introducing the calling of Gentiles and sinners by our Lord also, that they may serve as types of the mother of our Lord, and are consequently named in the course of the genealogy, as she is at the end of it. 5. Rachab] It has been imagined, on chronological grounds, that this Rachab must be a different person from Rahab of Jericho. But those very grounds completely tally with their identity. For Naashon (father of Salmon), prince of Judah (1 Chron. ii. 10), offered his offering at the setting up of the tabernacle (Num. vii. 12) 39 years before the taking of Jericho. So that Salmon would be of mature age at or soon after that event; at which time Rahab was probably young, as her father and mother were living (Josh. vi. 23). Nor is it any objection that Achan, the fourth in descent from Judah by Zara, is contemporary with Salmon, the sixth of the other branch since the generations in the line of Zara average 69 years, and those in the line of Phares 49, both within the limits of probability. The difficulty of the interval of 366 years between Rahab and David does not belong to this passage only, but equally to Ruth iv. 21, 22; and is by no means insuperable, especially when the extreme old age of Jesse, implied in 1 Sam. xvii. 12, is considered.-I may add that, considering Rahab's father and mother were alive, the house would hardly be called the house of Rahab except on ac count of the character commonly assigned to her. 8. Joram .. Ozias] Three kings, viz. Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah (1 Chron. iii. 11, 12), are here omitted. Some think that they were erased on account of their connexion, by means of Athaliah, with the accursed house of Ahab. Simeon is omitted by Moses in blessing the tribes (Deut. xxxiii.): the descendants of Zebulun and Dan are passed over in 1 Chron., and none of the latter tribe are sealed in Rev. vii. But more probably such erasion, even if justifiable by that reason, was not made on account of it, but for convenience, in order to square the numbers of the different portions of the genealogies, as here. Compare, as illustrating such omissions, 1 Chron. viii. 1 with Gen. xlvi. 21. 11. Josias .. Jechonias] Eliakim, son of Josiah and father of Jechonias, is omitted; which was objected to the Christians by Porphyry. The reading which inserts Joacim (i. e. Eliakim) rests on hardly any foundation, and would make fifteen generations in the second "fourteen." The solution of the difficulty by supposing the name to apply to both Eliakim and his son, and to mean the former in ver. 11 and the latter in ver. 12, is unsupported by example, and contrary to the usage of the genealogy. When we notice that the brethren of Jechonias are his uncles, and find this way of speaking sanctioned by 2 Chron. xxxvi. 10, where Zedekiah, one of these, is called his brother, we are led to seek our solution in some recognized manner of speaking of these kings, by which Eliakim and his son were not accounted two distinct generations. If we compare 1 Chron. iii. 16 with 2 Kings 17. see notes. carried away to Babylon: 12 and after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel 1Chron. iii. 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. 18 Now the b 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 bread, generation. xxiv. 17, we can hardly fail to see that there is some confusion in the records of Josiah's family. In the latter passage, where we have "his father's brother," the LXX render "his son." 12. Jecho nias. . . . Salathiel] So also the genealogy in 1 Chron. iii. 17. When, therefore, it is denounced (Jer. xxii. 30) that Jechoniah should be childless,' this word must be understood as explained by the rest of the verse, 'for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah.' Salathiel Zorobabel] There is no difficulty here which does not also exist in the O. T. Zerubbabel is there usually called the son of Shealtiel (Salathiel). Ezra iii. 2, &c. Neh. xii. 1, &c. Hag. i. 1, &c. In 1 Chron. iii. 19, Zerubbabel is said to have been the son of Pedaiah, brother of Salathiel. Either this may have been a different Zerubbabel, or Salathiel may, according to the law, have raised up seed to his brother. 13. Zorobabel. . . . . Abiud] Abiud is not mentioned as a son of the Zerubbabel in 1 Chron. iii.-Lord A. Hervey, On the Genealogies of our Lord, p. 122 ff., has made it probable that Abiud is identical with the Hodaiah of 1 Chron. iii. 24, and the Juda of Luke iii. 26.-On the comparison of this genealogy with that given in Luke, see notes, Luke iii. 23-38. 17. fourteen generations] If we carefully observe Matthew's arrangement, we shall have no difficulty in completing the three "fourteens." For the first is c render, For when. from Abraham to David, of course inclu- So 18-25.] CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS BIRTH. 18. espoused] i. e. betrothed. The interval between betrothal and the consummation of marriage was sometimes considerable, during which the betrothed remained in her father's house, till the bridegroom came and fetched her. See Deut. xx. 7. came together] Here to be understood of living together in one house as man and wife. Chrysostom well suggests, that the conception was not allowed to take place before the betrothal, both that the matter might take place more in privacy, and that the Blessed Virgin might escape slanderous suspicion. was found not merely for was, as some have said, but in its proper meaning :she was discovered to be, no matter by whom. The words "of (by) the Holy Ghost," are the addition of the Evangelist declaring the matter of fact, and do not Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, d 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 y Ezek. xxxvi. JESUS: for HE shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which d render, an. 29. belong to the discovery. 19. husband] so called, though they were as yet but betrothed: so in Gen. xxix. 21. Deut. xxii. 24. just] "and not willing" is, not the explanation of just, but an additional particular. He was a strict observer of the law, and (yet) not willing to expose her. The sense of kind,'' merciful,' proposed by some instead of just, is inadmissible. privily] Not without any writing of divorcement,' which would have been unlawful; but according to the form prescribed in Deut. xxiv. 1. The husband might either do this, or adopt the stronger course of bringing his wife to justice openly. The punishment in this case would have been death by stoning. Deut. xxii. 23. 20. behold] answers to the Hebrew "hinneh," and is frequently used by Matt. and Luke to introduce a new event or change of scene: not so often by Mark, and never with this view in John. an angel] The announcement was made to Mary openly, but to Joseph in a dream; for in Mary's case faith and concurrence of will were necessary,-the communication was of a higher kind,—and referred to a thing future; but here it is simply an advertisement for caution's sake of an event which had already happened, and is altogether a communication of an inferior order: see Gen. xx. 3. But see on the other hand the remarks at the close of the notes on ver. 21. son of David] These words would recall Joseph's mind to the promised seed, the expectation of the families of the lineage of David, and at once stamp the message as the announcement of the birth of the Messiah. May it not likewise be said, that this appellation would come with more force, if Mary also were a daughter of David? The addition, "thy wife," serves to remind Joseph of that relation which she already held by betrothal, and which he was now exhorted to recognize. See above on ver. 19. from 21. Jesus] The same name as Joshua, the former deliverer of Israel. Philo says, "Jesus is, being interpreted, "The salvation of the Lord."" He emphatically: He alone: best rendered, perhaps, it is He that.' his people] In the primary sense, the Jews, of whom alone Joseph could have understood the words: but in the larger sense, all who believe on Him: an explanation which the tenor of prophecy (cf. Gen. xxii. 18: Deut. xxxii. 21), and the subsequent admission of the Gentiles, warrant. Cf. a similar use of 'Israel' by St. Peter, Acts v. 31. their sins] It is remarkable that in this early part of the evangelic history, in the midst of pedigrees, and the disturbances of thrones by the supposed temporal King of the Jews, we have so clear an indication of the spiritual nature of the office of Christ. One circumstance of this kind outweighs a thousand cavils against the historical reality of the narration. If I mistake not, this announcement reaches further into the deliverance to be wrought by Jesus, than any thing mentioned by the Evangelist subsequently. It thus bears the internal impress of a message from God, treasured up and related in its original formal terms.- "Sins" is not put for the punishment of sin, but is the sin itself the practice of sin, in its most pregnant sense. How suggestive it is,' remarks Bishop Ellicott, that while to the loftier spirit of Mary the name of Jesus is revealed with all the prophetic associations of more than David's glories-to Joseph, perchance the aged Joseph, who might have long seen and realized his own spiritual needs, and the needs of those around him, it is specially said, thou shalt call his name Jesus: for He shall save his people from their sins.' Historical Lectures on the Life of our Lord, p. 56. 22. that it might be fulfilled] It is impossible to interpret that in any other sense than |