The Birth of Jesus the Messiah (1:18-25)

The Birth narrative of Jesus the Messiah is the first of Matthew’s five ‘infancy’ narratives (1:18-2:23). These narratives seek to show that from the time of His childhood Jesus has fulfilled the scriptures. In each account Matthew quotes an Old Testament prophetic promise which has been fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Even in His birth, something that no man could plan or manipulate themselves, fulfills promises that were given by God to the prophets.

Matthew is concerned with telling the birth narrative through Joseph's perspective. The reason he does this because it is his intent to show Jesus as the son of David, the Messiah who has been promised to Israel through the Scriptures. Yet the inclusion of the narrative is not as much concerned with the miraculous nature of the birth (as is Luke's) as it is with showing how Jesus became the son of David while not having Joseph as a natural father.

The narrative begins with Joseph discovering that the young girl to whom he is betrothed is pregnant. Though Matthew is clear to show that the Child is of the Holy Spirit from the beginning (v. 18), Joseph did not know. Betrothal in Jewish custom was as binding as marraige, with all the same stipulations for adultery, divorce, and widowhood.

We see here Joseph's temprance and mercy toward Mary by desciding to divorce her 'secretly' (a way within the law that a man could provide a divorce certificate before two or three witnesses). Incedently it was seen as weakness within ancient near eastern cultures for a man to discover an adulterous relationship and act with mercy toward his wife.

The angel of God comes to Jospeh in a dream to give him command from the Lord. The angel commanded Joseph to not shrink back from taking Mary as his wife. There would have been much for him to be afraid/ashamed of. To outsiders either (1) Mary committed adultery and Joseph did not provide the certificate of divorce - a sign of weakness upon Joseph; or (2) Joseph and Mary had not been faithful to stay chaste during their perscribed betrothal.

Either way the Lord was clear that Joseph was not to shrink back from taking her as his wife. The reason was that the Child, the Son, in her womb was conceived of the Holy Spirit.

The next command is the punch of the narrative. Joseph is commanded to name the Child Jesus.

In naming a child a Jewish father effectively claimed that son as his own, and his family name was bestowed upon the child fully. Thus, when Joseph obeys in righteousness to the command of the Lord to name his Son Jesus, he is legally adopting and claiming Jesus as his own son - thus making him of the line of David, a true Son of David, rightful heir to the throne of David over the nation of Israel.

More to come...