Year 2, Week 29, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 29, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Matthew 1; Luke 2.

Today’s reading begins the Book of Matthew. Matthew’s Gospel account, which focuses on Jesus as Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, opens with genealogies that link Jesus to Abraham and David: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). Matthew, who is also known as Levi, was a close companion of Jesus, being one of the twelve disciples: “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him” (Matthew 9:9). So, Matthew’s material is a first hand eyewitness account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Matthew structures his Gospel account around five segments of teaching placed throughout his account (see Matthew 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25), which equips followers of Christ to make disciples from all nations: “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). Matthew is particularly interested in showing the multiple ways that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies and expectations concerning the Messiah: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:22-23). Today’s reading also continues the Book of Luke. Luke 2 records the birth of Jesus: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11-12); as well as some episodes from Jesus’ early years: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). 

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is what the angel of the Lord communicated to Joseph concerning Jesus: “behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Joseph is pledged to Marry in marriage, but when Mary is found to be pregnant, Joseph must decide what he should do: “When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:18b-19). Being a righteous man, Joseph would not have felt permission to proceed with marrying a woman pregnant by someone else; and yet, being a kind man, Joseph desired to refrain from publicly disgracing Mary. But Joseph hears a lot of things to process. Mary’s pregnancy is by miraculous conception from the Holy Spirit. Mary has not been impregnated by any man. Mary had been faithful; no divorce is required.

The angel addresses Joseph as being from the line of David. Jesus will come from the line of David through Joseph, but He will not come through the flesh of Jesus. Jesus will be of Divine origin. In fact, the angel instructs Joseph to give the baby the name Jesus, which literally means “God saves,” drawing on Jesus’ mission to save his people from their sins. The saving work of Jesus will highlight that God Himself is accomplishing salvation. Furthermore, Matthew links all that Joseph is learning about Mary’s pregnancy to Isaiah’s prophecy to King Ahaz: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). While there were aspects of Isaiah’s prophecy that were fulfilled during the time of King Ahaz, the ultimate fulfillment was now being implemented in the arrival of Jesus. The opening of Matthew’s Gospel account makes it clear from the start what Jesus will do (“God saves”) and who Jesus is (“God with us”).

The announcement of Jesus’ conception quickly confronts us with not only who Jesus is, but what He had been sent to accomplish. While the rest of Matthew’s Gospel will provide further details concerning who Jesus is and what He was sent to do, Matthew did not wait to state the basic truths about Jesus until later in his Book. Jesus is God! Actually Jesus is the God/Man, that is truly God and truly man. Thus, it seems fitting that One who is both God and human should be born through the agency of the Holy Spirit and a human womb. The conception is purely miraculous, entirely supernatural, and absolutely true. The virgin birth is essential to affirm, not because it is easy to comprehend; but because it is univocally taught in the Gospels. Further, it is important to grasp how the virgin birth relates to the uniqueness of Jesus being fully God and fully man. The Holy Spirit made the preexistent second person of the Trinity into a human being. And as the God/Man, Jesus is uniquely qualified to accomplish the saving purposes of God that have been long promised: “O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities” (Psalm 130:8-9).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe