THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. CHAPTER I. 1. The genealogy of Christ from Abraham to Joseph. Virgin Mary when she was espoused to Joseph. and interpreteth the names of Christ. 18. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the 19. The angel satisfieth the misdeeming thoughts of Joseph, 1 THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 1 1 THE book of the 2 generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his 3 brethren; and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron; 4 and Hezron begat 3 Ram; and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nah5 shon; and Nahshon begat Salmon; and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 and Jesse begat David the king. 1 Or, The genealogy of Jesus Christ. Or, birth: as in verse 18. 3 Gr. Aram. 1. Book of the generation. This book, or "roll," is not the whole Gospel, but the following genealogical statement and account of Christ's birth. This genealogy differs widely from that of Luke (Luke 3:23). Luke's begins at Adam (or rather with God himself), Matthew's at Abraham; and, from David downward, the two evangel ists pursue different lines. As each of these lines ends with Joseph, the reputed father of Jesus, there is an apparent discrepancy. Calvin considers Matthew's genealogy the legal, and Luke's the natural; the former showing the line of regal inheritance only, but seems to consider both to be genealogies of Joseph, and along the same line, under changed names. Lord Hervey also considers both to be genealogies of Joseph. That Matthew's genealogy is that of Joseph seems certain from the use of the word " begat," which would not be used except of lineal descent. Luke's genealogy may then be considered (according to the commonly received opinion) as that of Mary and of Joseph by adoption. Joseph would thus be the son of Heli, Mary's father, although Heli did not beget him. Sonship can be adopted, begetting cannot. Notwithstanding the difference between the two genealogies, they each have the names of Shealtiel (Salathiel) and Zerubbabel (Zorobabel). We may explain this by the same theory of adop tion. Shealtiel, the son of Jechoniah, may have married Neri's daughter, or otherwise have been adopted by Neri, during the dark days of the Babylonish captivity, when the royal name of Jechoniah was of small account; and so he is shown to be doubly the descendant of David, which would be the reason for tracing the two lines from Shealtiel back to David. The two lines after Zerubbabel lead one to Joseph, and the other to Mary. The passage in Jer. 22: 30 is supposed by many to prove that Jechoniah had no children, but verse 28 shows that he had children; and in verse 30 the word "childless" is explained as meaning that no one of his seed should ever be the king of Judah. In Matthew's genealogy, several (perhaps many) generations are omitted, probably as thus found omitted (for some unknown reason) in the public registers. We know that Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah are omitted between Joram and Uzziah. Luke's genealogy probably has no omissions after David. It contains fifty-six names to Matthew's forty-one. The average length of a generation by Luke's genealogy, from David to Christ, is between twenty-six and twenty-seven years. It is highly probable that both the lists make omissions between Hezron (Esrom) and David; the time from Hezron's boyhood, when Jacob's family came into Egypt, to David's birth, having been six hundred years, and being represented in the list by only eight generations, averaging seventy. five years each. The son of David, the son of Abraham. These two are selected from the roll of Jesus' ancestry; because the first family promise of the Messiah was made to Abraham, and "Son of David" was the favorite prophetic title of the expected Messiah among the Jews. (See Gen. 12: 3; Jer. 23: 5; 33: 15; Matt. 9:27; 12:23; 15: 22; 20: 30, 31; 21: 9, 15; 22: 42, 45; Mark 10: 47, 48; 12: 35, 37; Luke 18: 38, 39; 20: 41, 44.) 3. Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law (Gen. 38:6). 5. Rahab, the harlot of Jericho (Josh. 2:1). Possibly Salmon, her husband, was one of the Israelitish spics of that narrative. 6. Her that had been the wife of Uriah. Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:3). These three women are mentioned to make striking the impurity of the race into which our Lord entered. 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Mattham; and Mattham begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. from Abraham to Joseph. And David begat Solomon of her that 7 had been the wife of Uriah; and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat 8 Abijah; and Abijah begat 1Asa; and1 Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat be9 gat Joram; and Joram begat Uzziah; and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat 10 Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh begat 2 Amon; and 2 Amon begat Josiah; and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brethren, at the time of the carrying away to Babylon. 11 12 14 8 And after the carrying away to Baby13 Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel; and Zerublon, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel ; and babel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc bega Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Mat16 than begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 15 17 18 20 8 So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations. Now the 5 birth of 6 Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the 197 Holy Ghost. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from 21 1 Gr. Asaph. 2 Gr. Amos. 3 Or, removal to Babylon. Gr. Salathiel. Or, generation; as in verse 1. 6 Some ancient authorities read of the Christ. Or, Holy Spirit: and so throughout this book. 8 Gr. begotten. 11. Jechoniah. Although this Greek form of the name is given to Jehoiachin in the Septuagint, yet as the Septuagint also gives both Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin the name of Joakeim, the name Jechoniah probably belongs to both, and in this verse refers to Jehoiakim, while in verse 12 it refers to Jehoiachin. 16. Who is called Christ; i.e., "who is called the Anointed," referring to the Hebrew word which "Christ" (anointed) is the Greek. Messiah," of 17. Fourteen generations, not in full, but as in the registers. There were fourteen names in each division, thus: 5. Perez. 6. Hezron 7. Ram For the repetition of Jechoniah, see note on verse 11. 18. Wise. Old English for "manner." 20. In a dream. So in chap. 2: 12, 13, 19, 22. This method of divine communication by peculiar distinctness in a dream seems to have been different from the method by which the prophets received their instructions, which was by vision, in which they were fully awake, but their .enses were adapted to other than their material surroundings (sec Ezek. 1:1; Rev. 11: 10). These appearances of angels in dreams, on special occasions, give no value to ordinary dreams. It is only superstition that pays any attention to dreams as guides. The Lord simply saw fit to make these natural phenomena of dreams, on certain occasions, the channels of his divine communications, on which occasions there was no doubt left on the subject's mind. 21. It is he, separating him from all others, and making him in himself able to save. The word Jesus is the |