THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. -Usherian year of the World, 4000. -Alexandrian year of the World, 5498. -Antiochian year of the World, 5488. -Constantinopolitan AEra of the World, 5504. -Year of the Julian Period, 4709. -AEra of the Seleucidae, 308. -Year before the vulgar AEra of Chris... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:2. _ABRAHAM BEGAT ISAAC_] In this genealogy, those persons only, among the ancestors of Christ, which formed the _direct_ line, as specified: hence no mention is made of _Ishmael_, the son of Abraham, nor of _Esau_, the son of Isaac; and of all the twelve patriarchs, or sons of Jacob... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:3. _PHARES AND ZARA_] The remarkable history of these twins may be seen, Genesis 38: Some of the ancients were of opinion, that the evangelist refers to the mystery of the _youngest being_ _preferred to the eldest_, as prefiguring the exaltation of the Christian Church over the synag... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:8. _JORAM BEGAT OZIAS_] This is the Uzziah, king of Judah, who was struck with the leprosy for his presumption in entering the temple to offer incense before the Lord. See 2 Chronicles 26:16, c. _Ozias_ was not the immediate son of _Joram_: there were three kings between them, _Ahaz... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:11. _JOSIAS BEGAT JECHONIAS, C._] There are _three_ considerable difficulties in this verse. 1. Josias was not the _father_ of Jechonias he was only the grandfather of that prince: 1 Chronicles 3:14-13. 2. Jechonias had no _brethren_; at least, none are on record. 3. Josias died 2... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:12. _JECHONIAS BEGAT SALATHIEL_] After Jechonias was brought to Babylon, he was put in prison by Nebuchadnezzar, where he continued till the death of this prince, and the accession of _Evilmerodach_, who brought him out of prison, in which he had been detained thirty-seven years, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:16. _JESUS, WHO IS CALLED CHRIST._] As the word Χριστος _Christ_, signifies the anointed or anointer, from χριω, to _anoint_, it answers exactly to the Hebrew משיח _mashiach_, which we pronounce _Messiah_ or _Messias_; this word comes from the root משח _mashac_, signifying the same t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:17. _FOURTEEN GENERATIONS_] Matthew 1:11, Matthew 1:11. The Jews had a sort of technical method of summing up generations in this way. In _Synopsis Sohar_, p. 132, n. 18, we have the following words; "From Abraham to Solomon were fifteen generations; and then the moon was at the full... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:18. _ESPOUSED TO JOSEPH_] The word μνηστευθεισης, from μνηστευω, to _contract_, or _betroth_, refers to the previous marriage agreement, in which the parties mutually bound themselves to each other; without which, no woman was ever married among the Jews. Among the Hindoos, a woman i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:19. _TO MAKE HER A PUBLIC EXAMPLE_] παραδειγματισαι, to expose her to public infamy; from παρα, _near_, and δεικνυμαι, _I_ _show_, or _expose_; what is oddly, though emphatically, called in England, _showing up_-exposing a character to public view. Though Joseph was a _righteous_ man... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:20. _THAT WHICH IS CONCEIVED_ (or formed) _IN HER_] So I think γεννηθεν should be translated in this place: as it appears that the human nature of Jesus Christ was a _real creation_ in the womb of the virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The _angel of_ _the Lord_ mentioned here w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:21. _JESUS_] The same as Joshua, יהושע Yehoshua, from ישע _yasha_, he _saved, delivered, put in a state of safety_. See on Exodus 13:9; Numbers 13:16, and in the preface to _Joshua_. _HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS._] This shall be his great business in the world: the gre... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:22. _BY THE PROPHET_] ISAIAH is _added_ here by several MSS., versions, and fathers. The prophecy is taken from Isaiah 7:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:23. _BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD_] We have already seen, from the preceding verse, that this prophecy is taken from Isaiah 7:14; but it may be necessary to consider the circumstances of the _original_ promise more particularly. At the time referred to, the kingdom of Judah,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 1:25. _HER FIRST-BORN SON_] Τον υιον αυτης τον πρω-οτοκον. Literally, _That son of hers, the first-born one_. That Mary might have had _other_ children, any person may reasonably and piously believe; that she had _others_, many think exceedingly probable, and that this text is at least... [ Continue Reading ]