11 A roll of the birth of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren, 3 and Judah begat Pharez and Zarah of Tamar, and Pharez begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Ram, 4 and Ram begat Amminadab, and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 5 and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab, and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse, 6 and Jesse begat David the king. And David the king begat Solomon, of her 'who had been' Uriah's, 7 and Solomon begat Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begat Abijah, and Abijah begat Asa, 8 and Asa begat Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begat Joram, and Joram begat Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah begat Jotham, and Jotham begat Ahaz, and Ahaz begat Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah, 11 and Josiah begat Jeconiah and his brethren, at the Babylonian removal. 12 And after the Babylonian removal, Jeconiah begat Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim begat Azor, 14 and Azor begat Sadok, and Sadok begat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud, 15 and Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob, 16 and Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was begotten Jesus, who is named Christ. 17 All the generations, therefore, from Abraham unto David 'are' fourteen generations, and from David unto the Babylonian removal fourteen generations, and from the Babylonian removal unto the Christ, fourteen generations.
18 And of Jesus Christ, the birth was thus: For his mother Mary having been betrothed to Joseph, before their coming together she was found to have conceived from the Holy Spirit, 19 and Joseph her husband being righteous, and not willing to make her an example, did wish privately to send her away. 20 And on his thinking of these things, lo, a messenger of the Lord in a dream appeared to him, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, thou mayest not fear to receive Mary thy wife, for that which in her was begotten 'is' of the Holy Spirit, 21 and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.' 22 And all this hath come to pass, that it may be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 'Lo, the virgin shall conceive, and she shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,' which is, being interpreted 'With us 'he is' God.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 1:1-23
Commentary on Matthew 1:1-17
(Read Matthew 1:1-17)
Concerning this genealogy of our Saviour, observe the chief intention. It is not a needless genealogy. It is not a vain-glorious one, as those of great men often are. It proves that our Lord Jesus is of the nation and family out of which the Messiah was to arise. The promise of the blessing was made to Abraham and his seed; of the dominion, to David and his seed. It was promised to Abraham that Christ should descend from him, 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalm 89:3, & c.; 132:11; and, therefore, unless Jesus is a son of David, and a son of Abraham, he is not the Messiah. Now this is here proved from well-known records. When the Son of God was pleased to take our nature, he came near to us, in our fallen, wretched condition; but he was perfectly free from sin: and while we read the names in his genealogy, we should not forget how low the Lord of glory stooped to save the human race.
Commentary on Matthew 1:18-25
(Read Matthew 1:18-25)
Let us look to the circumstances under which the Son of God entered into this lower world, till we learn to despise the vain honours of this world, when compared with piety and holiness. The mystery of Christ's becoming man is to be adored, not curiously inquired into. It was so ordered that Christ should partake of our nature, yet that he should be pure from the defilement of original sin, which has been communicated to all the race of Adam. Observe, it is the thoughtful, not the unthinking, whom God will guide. God's time to come with instruction to his people, is when they are at a loss. Divine comforts most delight the soul when under the pressure of perplexed thoughts. Joseph is told that Mary should bring forth the Saviour of the world. He was to call his name Jesus, a Saviour. Jesus is the same name with Joshua. And the reason of that name is clear, for those whom Christ saves, he saves from their sins; from the guilt of sin by the merit of his death, and from the power of sin by the Spirit of his grace. In saving them from sin, he saves them from wrath and the curse, and all misery, here and hereafter. Christ came to save his people, not in their sins, but from their sins; and so to redeem them from among men, to himself, who is separate from sinners. Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, speedily, without delay, and cheerfully, without dispute. By applying the general rules of the written word, we should in all the steps of our lives, particularly the great turns of them, take direction from God, and we shall find this safe and comfortable.