Christmas

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 33A: Matthew 1–13 Comment

The relation between Jesus’ divine sonship and the Holy Spirit is evident at two other key junctures in the story of Jesus, viz., his baptism (3:16–17) and his resurrection (Rom 1:4).

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 33A: Matthew 1–13 Comment

Emmanuel, μεθʼ ἡμῶν ὁ θεός, “God with us” (LXX Isa 8:8, 10). Indeed this is not a personal name but rather a name that is descriptive of the task this person will perform. Bringing the presence of God to man, he brings the promised salvation—which, as Matthew has already explained, is also the meaning of the name Jesus (v 21b). “They” who will call him Emmanuel are those who understand and accept the work he has come to do. Matthew probably intends the words of Jesus at the end of his Gospel—“Behold I am with you always, until the end of the age” (28:20)—to correspond to the meaning of Emmanuel. Jesus is God, among his people to accomplish their salvation (see Fenton, “Matthew,” 80–82).

In the name Jesus and Emmanuel, God would save people (21b), but also provide a presence of himself.

Matthew 3. The Virginal Conception: God Becomes Human (1:18–25)

The situation described in these verses is Joseph’s legal engagement to Mary. If typical Jewish custom were followed, she may well have been still a young teenager. Joseph may have been considerably older. Engagement in ancient Judaism was legally binding and required divorce if it were to be broken, but sexual relations and living together under one roof were not permitted until after the marriage ceremony. Joseph could therefore be spoken of already as Mary’s husband, but Matthew emphasizes this was “before they came together.”

It is through vaginal conception that Jesus could be fully human and fully divine.

Christians should therefore cling to to Jesus for salvation.

Jesus became like us, but one without sin (Heb 4:15), enabling us to come boldly before God’s throne (Heb. 4:16).

Jesus had 2 fathers: one earthly and one heavenly.

First his association with Joseph as from the heir of David but also disassociates him when he says that Mary gave birth to Jesus (1:16).

Jesus’ divine origin is from the Holy Spirit (1:18).

Matthew develops this image of dual nature.

When we think of God, we think of someone who is so far from us. For instance, prayer feels like a hit and miss option to a far away God, bUT “God is with us,” breaks those wrong conceptions.

A Jewish marriage had 3 steps:

(1) engagement: a contract arranged by families to see if the couple are suited for one another

(2) then was a betrothal, a public ratification of the engagement. a one year period where the married are known as belonging to one another, but without living with one another and having sexual relationship. only was to break was a divorce.

(3) marriage, which took place at the end of the betrothal period.

God with us: Jesus Christ, who is God and Man.

Christmas is the favourite time of the year. It has gifts and family and snow and everything, but it is more than those things.

You look around and see

When you argue or point out that He is more than a man, but a God incarnate, than the world has a problem. If you wanna make Jesus a prophet, . He is not like God, same like God, but HE is God.

Phil. 2:6-11: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Gal. 4:4-7. “fulness of time:” the birth of Jesus was a plan. Isaiah had foretold, God with us.

But he does so, so that He can redeem us, reconcile us to God, not just so that we miss the place of Hell, but that we will be adopted as children of God.

Sometimes CHRISTIANS look at this story/passage as a rehearsed drama. We believed that this was a well planned, that God knew all that was going to happen. But we need to see the depth of reality, through the pain Christ lived. see Lk. 22:42 “saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Birth of Jesus was miraculous, like no other, from a virgin through the Holy Spirit.

Matthew (When a Virgin Gave Birth (1:18–25))

But Matthew is less concerned to prove the virgin birth to his audience, which both accepted Jesus as Messiah and acknowledged the miraculous. Matthew is more interested in teaching, and an important lesson his narrative teaches is that Jesus’ birth fulfills Scripture (1:22–23).

Matthew (When a Virgin Gave Birth (1:18–25))

Matthew affirms the inviolability of God’s plan promised in Scripture. Theologians debate why Jesus had to be born from a virgin, sometimes suggesting, for instance, that God sent Jesus through a virgin so he could escape the sin nature. Yet for whatever other reasons God incarnated Jesus through a virgin, the only reason Matthew states is that Scripture might be fulfilled (1:22). Thus Matthew trusts the authority of Scripture

The baby is in the manger for us. It is through this is that we become sons and daughters of God.

adoptions: