Ver. 1. THE BOOK OF THE GENERATION OF JESUS CHRIST,.... This is the genuine title of the book, which was put to it by the Evangelist himself; for the former seems to be done by another hand. This book is an account, not of the divine, but human generation of Christ; and not merely of his birth, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM BEGAT ISAAC,.... The descent of Christ from Abraham is in the line of Isaac; Abraham begat Ishmael before Isaac, and others after him, but they are not mentioned; because the Messiah was not to spring from any of them, but from Isaac, of whom it is said, "in Isaac shall thy seed be called",... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JUDAS BEGAT PHARES AND ZARA OF THAMAR,.... The genealogical account of Christ goes on from Judah in the line of Phares, with whom Zara is mentioned; not because they were twins, for so were Jacob and Esau, and yet the latter is taken no notice of; but it may be because of what happened at their... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ARAM BEGAT AMINADAB,.... Which, with what follows in this verse, exactly agrees with the genealogical account in Ruth 4:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SALMON BEGAT BOOZ OF RACHAB,.... That Salmon begat Boaz, is affirmed in Ruth 4:21 but it is not there said, nor any where else in the Old Testament, as here, that he begat him of Rahab, that is, of Rahab the harlot. This the Evangelist had from tradition, or from the Jewish records. That the Mes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESSE BEGAT DAVID THE KING,.... The descent of the Messiah runs in the line of David, the youngest of Jesse's sons, who was despised by his brethren, and overlooked and neglected by his father; but God chose him, and anointed him to be king, and set him on the throne of Israel; hence he is calle... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOLOMON BEGAT ROBOAM,.... Called Rehoboam, 1 Kings 11:43 of Naamah an Ammonitess, 1 Kings 14:21. AND ROBOAM BEGAT ABIA, sometimes called Abijam, as in 1 Kings 14:31, sometimes Abijah, 2 Chronicles 12:16 and sometimes, as here, Abia, 1 Chronicles 3:10. Him Rehoboam begat of Maachah, the daughter... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ASA BEGAT JOSAPHAT,.... Called Jehoshaphat, 1 Kings 15:24 whom Asa begat of Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi, 1 Kings 22:42. He also was a very good prince. AND JOSAPHAT BEGAT JORAM; called Jehoram, 1 Kings 22:50 to whom his father gave the kingdom, because he was the firstborn, 2 Chronicles 21... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OZIAS BEGAT JOATHAM,.... Called Jotham, 2 Kings 15:7 him Ozias begat of Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok, 2 Kings 15:33. AND JOATHAM BEGAT ACHAZ, or Ahaz, 2 Kings 15:38 to him the sign was given, and the famous prophecy of the Messiah, Isaiah 7:14. AND ACHAZ BEGAT EZEKIAS, or Hezekiah, 2 Kings... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EZEKIAS BEGAT MANASSES,.... Or Manasseh, 2 Kings 20:21. Him Hezekiah begat of Hephzibah, 2 Kings 21:1. He was very remarkable both for his sins, and for his humiliation on account of them. AND MANASSES BEGAT AMON, of Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah, 2 Kings 21:19. He was a very wi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSIAS BEGAT JECHONIAS,.... This Jechonias is the same with Jehoiakim, the son of Josias, called so by Pharaohnecho, when he made him king, whose name before was Eliakim, 2 Kings 23:34 begat of Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah, 2 Kings 23:36. AND HIS BRETHREN. These were Johanan, Zedek... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THEY WERE BROUGHT TO BABYLON,.... Not Jechonias, but the father of Jechonias, and the Jews. JECHONIAS BEGAT SALATHIEL. Not Jechonias mentioned in the former verse, but his son, called Jehoiachin, 2 Kings 24:6 and Coniah, Jeremiah 22:24 both which are rendered Jechonias by the Septuagint... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ZOROBABEL BEGAT ABIUD,.... The children of Zorobabel are said in 1 Chronicles 3:19, to be Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister, but no mention is made of Abiud: he seems to be the same with Meshullam the eldest son, who might have two names; nor is this unlikely, since it was usua... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 1:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 1:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JACOB BEGAT JOSEPH,.... According to an old tradition mentioned by p Epiphanins, this Jacob, the father of Joseph, was named Panther, and which name perhaps is originally Jewish; and it may be observed, that Joseph is sometimes called by the Jewish writers Pandera q, and Jesus בן פנדירא, the son... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ALL THE GENERATIONS FROM ABRAHAM,.... The Evangelist having traced the genealogy of Christ from Abraham, which he divides into "three" parts, because of the threefold state of the Jews, "first" under Patriarchs, Prophets, and Judges, "next" under Kings, and "then" under Princes and Priests, gives... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST,.... The Evangelist having finished the genealogy of Christ, proceeds to give an account of his birth, which includes both his conception and bringing forth; and which he says WAS ON THIS WISE, F1 ΟΥΤΩΣ so, "after this manner", and which was very wonderful and astonish... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JOSEPH HER HUSBAND,.... To whom she had been betrothed, and who was her husband, and she his wife according to the Jewish law, Deuteronomy 22:23 though not yet come together, BEING A JUST MAN, observant of the law of God, particularly that which respected adultery, being wholly good and chaste... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHILE HE THOUGHT ON THESE THINGS,.... While he was revolving them in his mind, considering what was most fit and proper to be done, whether to dismiss her publicly or privately; while he was consulting within himself the glory of God, the peace of his own conscience, and the credit of Mary, BEH... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS.] For though she was with child, it could not be known any otherwise than by prediction or divine revelation, that she should have a son, whose name should be called Jesus; a name of the same signification with Joshua and Hosea, and... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW ALL THIS WAS DONE,.... These are not the words of the Angel, but of the Evangelist; observing that Mary's being with child of the Holy Ghost, and her conception in such an extraordinary manner, whilst a pure virgin, before she and Joseph came together, who though espoused to him, was untouched b... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD,.... These words are rightly applied to the virgin Mary and her son Jesus, for of no other can they be understood; not of Ahaz's wife and his son Hezekiah, who was already born, and must be eleven or twelve years of age when these words were spoken; nor of any ot... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JOSEPH BEING RAISED FROM SLEEP,.... That is, being awaked out of sleep, του υπνου "that sleep", into which he either naturally fell, whilst he was meditating on the affair of Mary's being with child; or rather into which he was cast by the Lord, on purpose that he might have a revelation of the... [ Continue Reading ]
"AND KNEW HER NOT",.... Or "but he knew her not", και answering to the Hebrew ו that is, had carnal knowledge of her, or copulation with her, though his wife. The words are an euphemism, or a modest way of expressing the conjugal act, and is a very ancient one, see Genesis 4:1 and what has been used... [ Continue Reading ]