Catholic Commentary on Matthew 1

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

The Book of Origins

Matthew opens his Gospel with the Greek phrase biblos geneseos: the book of origins, the book of genesis. The echo of the first book of the Bible is deliberate. Matthew is announcing from the first line that what follows is a new creation, rooted in the same God who spoke the world into existence and who now enters it in the flesh of David's Son. He writes primarily for Jewish Christians, and every choice he makes is designed to show that Jesus is the fulfilment of everything Israel had been promised and everything the world had been waiting for. The genealogy that opens the chapter is not merely a list of names. It is a theological argument: fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen from the exile to Jesus. Three sets of the number of David in Hebrew numerology. The entire history of Israel has been moving toward this birth.

Joseph the Just Man

When Mary is found to be with child through the Holy Spirit, Joseph faces a choice. He is described as a righteous man, and because he is righteous, he decides to divorce her quietly rather than expose her to public shame. This quiet mercy, before any angel speaks, is the character of the man God chooses to be the foster father of his Son. Then the angel speaks in a dream: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. The name Jesus is the Greek form of Yeshua, Joshua, meaning "God saves." The Catechism teaches that the name Jesus contains the whole mystery of salvation: it expresses both the divine identity of the person who bears it and the mission for which he was sent (CCC 430).

God with Us

Matthew immediately quotes Isaiah 7:14: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God with us. Two names: Jesus, God saves, and Immanuel, God with us. The salvation he brings is not remote administration from heaven. It is the presence of God in the middle of human life. The Incarnation does not mean God intervenes from outside. He joins the inside. He is with us in the manger, in the carpenter's workshop, on the roads of Galilee, on the Cross, and in the Eucharist on every Catholic altar on earth. Joseph woke from the dream and did what the angel commanded, without waiting for the situation to become easier. This is the obedience of faith: moving when God speaks, before all questions are answered.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Joseph woke up and acted on the word he had received. He did not wait for more explanation. Most of the yeses God asks of us are like that: we agree before we know the full price. What word has God spoken to you that is still waiting for your obedience? The angel will not come a second time. The word has been given.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Immanuel, God with us: you entered our world through a virgin mother and a righteous foster father. Be with us in the silence of our own days. Save us from our sins as your name promises. Give us the obedience of Joseph, who woke and did what you commanded. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew
1
The Genealogy of Jesus
(Ruth 4:18–22; Luke 3:23–38)
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
 
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
 
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
and Hezron the father of Ram.* 1:3 Greek Aram, a variant of Ram; also in verse 4; see 1 Chronicles 2:9–10.
 
Ram was the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
and Nahshon the father of Salmon.
 
Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David the king.
 
Next:
 
David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
and Abijah the father of Asa. 1:7 Greek Asaph, a variant of Asa; also in verse 8; see 1 Chronicles 3:10.
 
Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
and Joram the father of Uzziah.
 
Uzziah was the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
 
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon, 1:10 Greek Amōs, a variant spelling of Amon; twice in this verse; see 1 Chronicles 3:14.
Amon the father of Josiah,
11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers
at the time of the exile to Babylon.
 
12 After the exile to Babylon:
 
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
and Eliakim the father of Azor.
 
14 Azor was the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Achim,
and Achim the father of Eliud.
 
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
 
17 In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
The Birth of Jesus
(Isaiah 7:10–16; Luke 2:1–7)
 
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly.
 
20 But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus,§ 1:21 Jesus means The LORD saves. because He will save His people from their sins.”
 
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
 
23 “Behold, the virgin will be with child
and will give birth to a son,
and they will call Him Immanuel”* 1:23 Literally they will call His name Immanuel; Isaiah 7:14 (see also DSS)
(which means, “God with us” 1:23 See Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 8:8, and Isaiah 8:10.).
 
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her 1:25 Literally he did not know her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.

*1:3 1:3 Greek Aram, a variant of Ram; also in verse 4; see 1 Chronicles 2:9–10.

1:7 1:7 Greek Asaph, a variant of Asa; also in verse 8; see 1 Chronicles 3:10.

1:10 1:10 Greek Amōs, a variant spelling of Amon; twice in this verse; see 1 Chronicles 3:14.

§1:21 1:21 Jesus means The LORD saves.

*1:23 1:23 Literally they will call His name Immanuel; Isaiah 7:14 (see also DSS)

1:23 1:23 See Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 8:8, and Isaiah 8:10.

1:25 1:25 Literally he did not know her