Matthew 1:18-25

TWO GREAT TRUTHS

‘Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise … He called His Name Jesus.’

Matthew 1:18

The verses (18 to 25) begin by telling us two great truths. They tell us how the Lord Jesus Christ took our nature upon Him, and became man. They tell us also that His birth was miraculous: His mother Mary was a virgin.

I. A great mystery.—These are very mysterious subjects. They are depths which we have no line to fathom: they are truths which we have not mind enough to comprehend. Let us not attempt to explain things which are above our feeble reason: let us be content to believe with reverence, and let us not speculate about matters which we cannot understand. Enough for us to know that with Him who made the world nothing is impossible. We may safely rest in the words of the Apostles’ Creed: ‘Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary.’

II. The conduct of Joseph.—It is a beautiful example of godly wisdom, and tender consideration for others. He did nothing rashly: he waited patiently to have the line of duty made clear. In all probability he laid the matter before God in prayer. The patience of Joseph was graciously rewarded. He received a direct message from God upon the subject of his anxiety, and was at once relieved from all his fears.

III. The two names.—One is ‘Jesus’: the other ‘Emmanuel.’ One describes His office: the other His nature. Both are deeply interesting.

(a) Jesus means ‘Saviour.’—This is His special office. He saves them from the guilt of sin, by washing them in His own atoning blood; He saves them from the dominion of sin, by putting in their hearts the sanctifying Spirit; He saves them from the presence of sin, when He takes them out of this world to rest with Him: He will save them from all the consequences of sin, when He shall give them a glorious body at the last day.

(b) ‘Emmanuel’ signifies ‘God with us.’—There was a union of two natures, the divine and human, in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is a point of the deepest importance. We should settle it firmly in our minds that our Saviour is perfect man as well as perfect God, and perfect God as well as perfect man. If we once lose sight of this great foundation truth we may run into fearful heresies. The name Emmanuel takes in the whole mystery. Jesus is ‘God with us.’

IV. The two natures.—If we would have a strong foundation for our faith and hope we must keep constantly in view our Saviour’s divinity. He in whose blood we are invited to trust is the Almighty God; all power is His in heaven and earth. None can pluck us out of His hand. If we are true believers in Jesus our heart need not be troubled or afraid. If we would have sweet comfort in suffering and trial we must keep constantly in view our Saviour’s humanity. He is the Man Christ Jesus, who lay on the bosom of the Virgin Mary as a little infant, and knows the heart of a man. He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

—Bishop J. C. Ryle.

Illustration

‘More than seven hundred years before Christ’s birth, the prophet Isaiah had announced that a Saviour should be born, and that His name should be called Emmanuel. Of course the prophet’s knowledge came to him from God. But is it not very wonderful that all this should have been known and spoken of so many years before it happened? In the middle of the seventh chapter of Isaiah we find it all plainly written down. Not much notice probably was taken of it, at the time. Ahaz, the King of Judah, to whom the words were spoken, could not have understood their meaning. The prophet who spoke them passed away from earth, without any sign of the coming Messiah. Hundreds of years rolled by until the prophecy itself must have been almost forgotten. And then at last God’s Word came true. The hour for its fulfilment had arrived. Christ was born at Bethlehem, of a Virgin Mother. Now here we see how true the Bible is. God’s Word cannot fail. Generations lived and died, the seasons came and went, and at length in God’s good time that promise was performed. His revealed Word can stand against time and change. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of our God shall stand for ever.” ’