Matthew 1:18-25

Okay...once every one or two weeks.

My aim for each of these postings will be two-fold: 1) to highlight the main point of the text; and 2) to show you how we got there. The big question we should always seek to answer is why did Matthew include this narrative or discourse in the book (and we are looking for something more specific than 'because God said to'). What purpose does it serve?


Several kinds of clues will help us to find the main point of any biblical historical narrative:


1. CONTEXT
Contest is king!! Any individual narrative should be interpreted in light of the whole account. The whole account should also be interpreted in light of the individual narrative. It is a constant process of looking at the big picture then zooming in on the details then back out to the big picture, etc.
2. AUTHORIAL/ EDITORIAL/ NARRATOR COMMENTS
The author or narrator gives clues to his reader of how to interpret a text. Sometimes these are almost parenthetical, but very important.
3. THEMATIC STATEMENTS:
The author or narrator sometimes provides a thematic statement which reveals the theme of his work. Have you seen anything like this in your reading of today's passage?
4. REPETITION
Anytime an author uses a phrase over and over is important and must be investigated.
5. AUTHORITATIVE SPEAKERS
The author places key dialogues in the mouths of various speakers. Authoritative speakers can be good or evil. In Mark, the demons know what they are talking about when they identify Jesus as the Son of God - thus what they say about him is important. In our passage for today, there is a very important speaker. Who do you think it is?
6. DIALOGUE OR DIRECT DISCOURSE
When indirect discourse turns to direct discourse this is a clue that careful attention should be paid to what is being said.
7. OT QUOTATIONS
These are not always used to prove a point but to add emotive punch. One thing is certain - they are not there for no reason. Pay close attention to them.

So here we go.

First, lets look at the context. The context of the book of Matthew affirms that one of Matthew’s purposes in writing this passage as well as the entire Gospel was to hold up Jesus as the promised Messiah. The main features of the context which support this understanding are the genealogy in chapter 1 and the numerous references to fulfilled Old Testament prophecies found throughout the book.

The genealogy at the beginning of the book opens with the words, “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Here at the outset Matthew immediately refers to Jesus as the Messiah, a key clue as to the theme of the book. The following two phrases, ‘the son of David, the son of Abraham,’ lend strong support to this idea. It was prophesied in Jeremiah 23:5 that the Lord would raise up an heir to David who would be called ‘the LORD our righteousness.’ Also, God promised Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen 12:3); Matthew holds here that Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham. Thus, Matthew shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises to both David and Abraham.

Additionally, we see in the book of Matthew at least twelve times that he points out Old Testament prophecies which were fulfilled in Christ. “This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet . . .” (2:15). “Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled . . .” (2:17). “This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet . . .” (4:14). “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet . . .” (13:35). Time after time Matthew methodically shows that it is Jesus who fulfills the Messianic prophecies. It is Jesus who is the Messiah.

These references to fulfilled Old Testament prophecies are helpful in determining the key verse in 1:18-25, since this passage itself contains such a reference. The key verse is verse 22, “Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.” If our goal is to determine why Matthew included this narrative, statements like this are pure gold. This verse quite plainly states the reason for the inclusion of this particular story: this event fulfills Scripture which prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin.

Verse 22 sheds light on the whole passage and answers the questions that naturally arise from the text such as: 1) Why was Mary with child by the Holy Spirit? 2) Why was Mary found to be pregnant before she and Joseph had come together? 3) Why did the angel of the Lord appear to Joseph in a dream telling him to take Mary as his wife? 4) Why was Joseph told that Jesus would save His people from their sins? 5) Why did Joseph marry Mary and keep her a virgin until she had given birth? The answer to all these questions is found in verses 22-23: “Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’”

Why is this important? Matthew is writing to a predominantly Jewish audience. They are familiar with the OT Scriptures. They know the Messianic prophecies of the OT. Matthew is saying, "What we have here is the Messiah."

Additionally, we have a prominent authoritative speaker in this passage. Yes, the angel. Any time an angel says something in Scripture it can be trusted. This angel explains the whole thing to Joseph. This child has been conceived of the Holy Spirit. He will save His people from their sins.

So, we have both an angel and the OT Scriptures testifying to who Jesus is. The list of those making the same testimony will grow in the coming chapters, so watch for it.

Matthew’s intended meaning in 1:18-25 is that Jesus is Immanuel, 'God with Us', the Messiah, born of a virgin, the One who was promised in Scripture.

Application? The application of a text should flow from the intended meaning of that text. There is not always going to be a clear imperative. Many times the application is simply to meditate on the truth revealed in the passage. I believe that is the case in this passage.

When was the last time you meditated on the incarnation - God becoming man? This act of love was prophesied long before the Holy Spirit placed that Holy Seed in the womb of Mary. God's provision for the sins of His people was not a last minute idea. It was not plan B. It wasn't contingent upon any other plan not working. It was the only way, the only plan, the one glorious act of God ordained before time began, before creation, before the fall. As God breathed life into the nostrils of Adam, He knew that He would place His Son in the womb of Mary. And here, as Joseph hears the truth about Mary and her child, God is keeping the greatest promise ever made, by sending His son in the form of a human baby. He will save His people from their sins.

Through the end of the chapter and through chapter 2, Joseph never looks back but is a man on a mission, preserving the child from those who would destroy Him. Undoubtedly, those words perpetually echo in his head, "He will save His people from their sins."

Let all the trivial things clamoring for our attention right now be silenced. Let us quiet ourselves. God is with us. He has kept His promise. He has saved His people from their sins.

Take some time to ponder these things. Our next passage will be Matthew 2:1-12.