Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:18 Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. The custom of betrothal was different from "engagement" in modern society. Customarily the parents of a young man chose a young woman to be engaged to their son. A second stage of betrothal involved official arrangements and a prenuptial agreement before witnesses, which was a legally binding contract and could be broken only by a formal process of divorce. found to be with child. Mary is about four months pregnant, having spent three months with Elizabeth, her "relative" (Luke 1:36, 56).

1:19 Betrothed partners were referred to as husband and "wife" (v. 20), though they were not yet considered to be married, and having sexual relations during that period was considered immoral. put her to shame. Sexual unfaithfulness during betrothal was considered adultery, and under the Mosaic law carried the death penalty by stoning. divorce her quietly. Joseph intended to maintain his personal righteousness, yet he desired to show compassion even though Mary appeared to be an adulteress.

1:20 Behold represents Greek idou, used frequently by Matthew to signal emphasis, prompt the reader to pay special attention, or introduce something new or unusual. The angel of the Lord is Gabriel (cf. Luke 1:26).

1:21 The name Jesus was given to sons as a symbolic hope for the Lord's anticipated sending of salvation through a Messiah who would purify his people and save them from oppression (see note on v. 1). But the angel points to a more important theme: to save his people from their sins. Salvation from sins was a repeated promise in OT prophets (e.g., Isa. 40:2; 53:6; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-27; Dan. 9:24; Zech. 13:1).

1:22 All this took place to fulfill. This is Matthew's "fulfillment formula," by which he points to an event or teaching of Jesus that fulfills an OT passage, indicating: (1) a direct prediction-fulfillment (e.g., vv. 22-23); (2) the intended full meaning of the OT Scripture (e.g., 5:17-20); or (3) a divinely orchestrated analogical/typological correspondence to Israel's history (e.g., 2:15, 17-18).

1:23 the virgin. The Greek word parthenos ("virgin") corresponds to the Hebrew term ‘almah, which is used in the prophecy of Isa. 7:14 regarding the virgin birth of the coming Savior (see note on Isa. 7:14). The Hebrew word ‘almah ("virgin" or "maiden") generally denotes an unmarried woman who is a virgin (e.g., Gen. 24:43; Ex. 2:8; Ps. 68:25). The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 (occasioned by threat of attack on Judah in the time of Isaiah; see notes on Isa. 7:10-17), 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 in the person of Jesus the Messiah. This brings further affirmation of the promise that God (Immanuel) will be with his disciples in every age, to empower them in their commission to "make disciples of all nations"--as Jesus reaffirms in the closing words of Matthew's Gospel: "behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (cf. Matt. 28:20).

1:24 he took his wife. Mary, being betrothed to Joseph, was already considered to be his wife (cf. notes on vv. 18, 19).

1:25 The name "Jesus" specifies what he does ("God saves"), while the messianic title "Immanuel" (v. 23) specifies who he is ("God with us"). Matthew concludes his Gospel with the same theme: "I am with you always" (28:20).