Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Matthew
Book: Matthew
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The genealogy of
Jesus.
(1-17) An
Angel appears to
Joseph.
(18-25)
1-17 Concerning this genealogy of our
Saviour, observe the
chief intention. It is not a needless genealogy. It is not a
vain-glorious one, as those of great men often are. It proves
that our
Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the
Messiah was to arise. The promise of the blessing was made to
Abraham and his seed; of the dominion, to
David and his seed. It
was promised to
Abraham that
Christ should descend from him, Ge
12:3; 22:18; and to
David that he should descend from him, 2Sa
7:12; Ps 89:3, &c.; 132:11; and, therefore, unless
Jesus is a
son of
David, and a son of
Abraham, he is not the
Messiah. Now
this is here proved from
Well-known records. When the
Son of God
was pleased to take our nature, he came near to us, in our
fallen, wretched condition; but he was perfectly free from
Sin:
and while we read the names in his genealogy, we should not
forget how low the
Lord of
Glory stooped to save the human race.
18-25 Let us look to the circumstances under which the Son of
God entered into this lower world, till we learn to despise the
vain honours of this world, when compared with
Piety and
Holiness. The
Mystery of
Christ's becoming
Man is to be adored,
not curiously inquired into. It was
So ordered that
Christ
should partake of our nature, yet that he should be pure from
the defilement of original
Sin, which has been communicated to
all the race of
Adam. Observe, it is the thoughtful, not the
unthinking, whom
God will guide.
God's time to come with
instruction to his people, is when they are at a loss. Divine
comforts most delight the soul when under the pressure of
perplexed thoughts.
Joseph is told that
Mary should bring forth
the
Saviour of the world. He was to
Call his name
Jesus, a
Saviour.
Jesus is the same name with
Joshua. And the reason of
that name is clear, for those whom
Christ saves, he saves from
their sins; from the guilt of
Sin By the merit of his
Death, and
from the power of
Sin By the
Spirit of his
Grace. In saving them
from
Sin, he saves them from wrath and the
Curse, and all
misery, here and hereafter.
Christ came to save his people, not
in their sins, but from their sins; and
So to redeem them from
among men, to himself, who is separate from sinners.
Joseph did
as the
Angel of the
Lord had bidden him, speedily, without
delay, and cheerfully, without dispute.
By applying the general
rules of the written
Word, we should in all the steps of our
lives, particularly the great turns of them, take direction from
God, and we shall find this safe and comfortable.