Matthew 1:18-25

This past week in our bible study we discussed Matthew 1:18-25. This passage of scripture is about the birth of Jesus. It is important to note, as Tom Wright points out, that this story is the story of Jesus' birth through the eyes of Joseph. In the gospel of Luke we see it through Mary's eyes. No attempt is made to bring the two into line. The central fact is the same; but instead of Luke's picture of an excited Galilean girl, learning that she is to give birth to God's Messiah, Matthew shows us the more sober Joseph, discovering that his fiancee is pregnant. This is the same story from two different perspectives. There has been much debate and discussion on the subject of the virgin birth. For the sake of time and space we will not go into that at this time. However, it seems that Matthew and Luke both saw that it was important enough to mention it in their gospel. Maybe they were just trying to set the record straight - Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not by a less reputable means.

Notice how the angel addressed Joseph - "Joseph son of David". Upon first read one might think that Joseph dad's name was David. As we see in the genealogy of Jesus that was not the case. Joseph's dad was Jacob. So why did the angel address him as Joseph son of David? I believe that this title had Messianic implications. Any good first century jew could tell you that the son of David or "the Messiah", would be the true heir of David through whom God would rescue Israel from pagan enemies. Basically, the angel was saying this. Joseph, don't be afraid to get married to Mary. She is pregnant by the holy spirit and the baby is to be named Jesus. This Jesus is the promised Messiah.

Did you know that names mean things? Well, at least they did to Jews back in the day. You see, Jesus had a special name or names and Matthew would surely not expect this to go unnoticed. Jesus was actually a very popular boys name at the time, being in Hebrew the same as 'Joshua', who brought the Israelites into the promised land after the death of Moses. Matthew sees Jesus as the one who will now complete what the law of Moses pointed to but could not of itself produce. He will rescue his people, not from slavery in Egypt, but from the slavery of sin, the 'exile' they have suffered not just in Babylon but in their own hearts and lives.

By contrast, the name 'Emanuel', mentioned in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8, was not given to anyone else, perhaps because it would say more about a child than anyone would normally dare. It means, 'God with us'. Matthew's whole gospel is framed by this theme: at the very end, Jesus promises that he will be ' with' his people to the close of the age (28:20). The two names together express the meaning of the story. God is present, with his people; he doesn't 'intervene' from a distance, but is always active, sometimes in most unexpected ways. And God's actions are aimed at rescuing people from a helpless plight, demanding that he take the initiative and do things people had regarded as inconceivable.

This is the God, and this is the Jesus, whose story Matthew will now set before us. This is the God, and this is the Jesus, who comes to us still today when human possibilities have run out, offering new and startling ways forward, in fulfilment of his promises, by his powerful love and grace.