MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:1 The Arrival of Jesus the Messiah. Matthew’s introduction echoes Genesis 1:1. The word in Matthew 1:1 rendered “genealogy” (Greek _genesis_) implies that it is a book of “beginnings” (see note on Gen. 2:4). “The book of the genealogy” appears to function as a heading for t... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:3 The inclusion of five women in Jesus’ genealogy—TAMAR, Rahab and Ruth (v. Matthew 1:5), Bathsheba (“the wife of Uriah,” v. Matthew 1:6), and Mary (v. Matthew 1:16)—is unusual. Descent was usually traced through men as the head of the family. It is also remarkable that thr... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:6 Matthew may have drawn from 1 Chronicles 3:10. Both genealogies omit several of the kings found in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Such omissions were a common practice in genealogies (see note on Matt. 1:1–17). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img");... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:12 JECHONIAH (2 Kings 24:8) was so evil that his family was cursed (Jeremiah 22:30). Yet the legal claim to the throne could still come through Jechoniah’s line. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:16 JESUS is the rightful legal heir to the covenant promises associated with David (v. Matthew 1:6) and Abraham (vv. Matthew 1:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:17 FOURTEEN GENERATIONS. Matthew does not mean ALL the generations that had lived during those times; see note on vv. 6b–11. Rather, he counts 14 generations within each major section. He uses the genealogy as a way to mark the major periods of Israel’s history. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:18 MARY HAD BEEN BETROTHED TO JOSEPH. In the custom of betrothal, parents chose a young woman to be engaged to their son. A second stage of betrothal involved official arrangements and a legally binding marriage agreement before witnesses. Only a formal process of divorce c... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:19 Betrothed partners were referred to as HUSBAND and “wife” (v. Matthew 1:20), though they were not yet married. Having sexual relations during betrothal was considered adultery. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:20 The ANGEL OF THE LORD is Gabriel (see Luke 1:26). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:21 JESUS. See note on v. 1. SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. See Isaiah 40:2; Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 31:31. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var ima [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:22 ALL THIS TOOK PLACE TO FULFILL. Matthew often points to an event or teaching of Jesus that fulfills an OT passage. He does this to indicate: (1) a direct prediction and fulfillment (e.g., vv. Matthew 1:22); (2) the intended full meaning of the OT Scripture (e.g., Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:23 THE VIRGIN. The Greek word corresponds to the Hebrew term in Isaiah 7:14 (see note there). The prophecy in Isa. 7:14 points to God’s enduring promise for the line of David. Matthew thus presents the virgin birth of Jesus as God’s miraculous fulfillment of this promise.... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 1:24 HE TOOK HIS WIFE. See notes on vv. 18, 19. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]