Orthodox Christian Questions about the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 1

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ANSWER 1

Matthew is writing primarily to convince Jews about Jesus, the Messiah. He reveals his purpose in the very first line of his Gospel, where he states that Jesus is: "the son of David, the son of Abraham." This is a clearly Messianic reference, and St Matthew takes pains to mention many prophesies concerning the Messiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

ANSWER 2

"Jesus" means "Savior".

We read in Isaiah, "Who shall declare His generation?" [Isa 53:8] But it does not follow that the Evangelist contradicts the Prophet, or undertakes what he declares impossible; for Isaiah is speaking of the generation of the Divine nature; St. Matthew of the incarnation of the human. [Jerome, Hier. Comm. in Matt., ch. 1]

ANSWER 3

"Christ" means "anointed", the Greek translation of the Hebrew word rendered “Messiah”. This title of our Lord occurs five hundred and fourteen times in the New Testament.

What God conferred on those, who, by the anointing of oil were consecrated as kings or priests, this the Holy Spirit conferred on the Man Christ; adding moreover a purification. The Holy Spirit cleansed that which taken of the Virgin Mary was exalted into the Body of the Saviour, and this is that anointing of the Body of the Saviour's flesh whence He was called Christ. [Hilary, Quaest. Nov. et Vet. Test. q. 40]

"The Father of the True and really Anointed (Christ), whom He has anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows, anointing the manhood with the Godhead, so as to make both one." [St. Gregory of Nazianzus Orat. 5. fin]

ANSWER 4

"Jesus Christ", in His two natures, saves us. Only God is able to save, and thus, He is called "Jesus" -- "Savior". The incarnation, that is: Jesus, the pre-eternal God, becoming man, and having within Himself all the attributes of Divinity, while also being in all respects a human being, save that He did not sin; accomplished the perfection of His human nature, and made a path for us to follow, so that we might be perfected.

The name "Christ", "anointed" refers to His human nature, since anointing was done to impart unto MEN the gift of the Holy Spirit.

ANSWER 5

For the Jews, anointing was the act of pouring oil upon a person, to impart unto them the gift of the Holy Spirit, for a particular ministry (prophesy, the priesthood, to be a king or judge, etc).

ANSWER 6

In OT times, the gift of the Holy Spirit was imparted to a select few of God's people, for their particular ministries.

ANSWER 7

The Jews knew that the Messiah would spring from the loins of David.

Psa 132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a 1King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

[4]And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, [5]Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? [6]Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. [7]In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? [8]Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: [9]And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. [10]Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, [11]And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. [12]And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. [13]He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. [14]I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: [15]But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. [16]And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. [17]According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. [2 SAMUEL 7:4-17]

But why would it not have been enough to name one of them, David alone, or Abraham alone? Because the promise had been made to both of Christ to be born of their seed. To Abraham, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." [Gen 22:18] To David, "Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy seat." [Ps 137:11] [St John Chrysostom]

ANSWER 8

But why would it not have been enough to name one of them, David alone, or Abraham alone? Because the promise had been made to both of Christ to be born of their seed. To Abraham, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." [Gen 22:18] To David, "Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy seat." [Ps 137:11]

He therefore calls Christ the Son of both, to shew that in Him was fulfilled the promise to both. Also because Christ was to have three dignities; King, Prophet, Priest; but Abraham was prophet and priest; priest, as God says to him in Genesis, "Take an heifer;" [Gen 15:9] Prophet, as the Lord said to Abimelech concerning him, "He is a prophet, and shall pray for thee." [Gen 20:7] David was king and prophet, but not priest.

Thus He is expressly called the son of both, that the threefold dignity of His forefathers might be recognized by hereditary right in Christ. [St John Chrysostom]

ANSWER 9

[Mat 1:20] 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.

[Mat 9:27] And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

[Mat 12:23] And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

[Mat 15:22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

[Mat 20:30-31] And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. {31} And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

[Mat 21:9] And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

[Mat 21:15] And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,

[Mat 22:42] Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.

[Mark 10:47-48] And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. {48} And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

[Mark 12:35] And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?

[Luke 3:31] Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

[Luke 18:38-39] And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. {39} And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

ANSWER 10

The promise of a Messiah was given to Abraham.

Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for father of many nations have I made thee "Father of many Nations".

For Abraham was the first who deserved the witness of faith; "He believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." It behoved therefore that he should be set forth as the first in the line of descent, who was the first to deserve the promise of the restoration of the Church, "In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." And it is again brought to a period in David, for that Jesus should be called his Son; hence to him is preserved the privilege, that from him should come the beginning of the Lord's genealogy. [ St Ambrose, in Luc. cap. 3. lib. iii. n. 7,8]

ANSWER 11

Isaac was born of Sarah, Abraham's wife

Ishmael was born of Hagar, Sarah's maid.

Isaac was born according to God's promise, whereas Ishmael was conceived illegitimately, because Abraham and Sarah wavered in faith.

ANSWER 12

Isaac means laughter, or joy, and he was so named because Sarah laughed when she heard she would have a child, since she knew she had already gone though menopause, as did Abraham, when he was given the promise. Sarah also laughed (for joy), when her son was born.

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give 1thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? [Gen 17:5 ]

And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my 2lord being old also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is any thing 1too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. [Gen 18:10]

And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. [Gen 21:5]

ANSWER 13

Thamar was Judah's daughter in law, having been married to two of his sons, both of which died, leaving her childless. This was a catastrophe of the largest proportions for a Jewish women, and although Thamar begged Judah to marry her to another of his sons, he refused. Thamar then accomplished her desire by a clever ruse, playing the harlot, with Judah (not knowing it was his daughter in law) as the client!

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Thamar. {7} And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. {8} And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. {9} And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. {10} And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. {11} Then said Judah to Thamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Thamar went and dwelt in her father's house. {12} And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. {13} And it was told Thamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. {14} And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. {15} When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. {16} And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? {17} And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? {18} And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. {19} And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. {20} And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. {21} Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. {22} And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place. {23} And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. {24} And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Thamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. {25} When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. {26} And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. [Gen 38:6-26]

"But Luke has avoided the mention of these, that he might set forth the series of the priestly race immaculate. But the plan of St. Matthew did not exclude the [p. 20] righteousness of natural reason; for when he wrote in his Gospel, that He who should take on Him the sins of all, was born in the flesh, was subject to wrongs and pain, he did not think it any detraction from His holiness that He did not refuse the further humiliation of a sinful parentage. [St Ambrose, in Luc. 3]

ANSWER 14

[Gen 38:27-30] And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. {28} And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. {29} And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. {30} And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

Observe that Matthew does not name both without a meaning; for though the object of his writing only required the mention of Phares, yet in the twins a mystery is signified; namely, the double life of the nations, one by the Law, the other by Faith. [St Ambrose]

But how did Ruth who was an alien marry a man that was a Jew? and wherefore in Christ's genealogy did His Evangelist so much as mention a union, which in the eye of the law was bastard? Thus the Saviour's birth of a parentage not admitted by the law appears to us monstrous, until we attend to that declaration of the Apostle, "The Law was not given for the righteous, but for the unrighteous." [1 Tim 1:9]

For this woman who was an alien, a Moabitess, a nation with whom the Mosaic Law forbad all intermarriage, and shut them totally out of the Church, how did she enter into the Church, unless that she were holy and unstained in her life above the Law? Therefore she was exempt from this restriction of the Law, and deserved to be numbered in the Lord's lineage, chosen from the kindred of her mind, not of her body. To us she is a great example, for [p. 22] that in her was prefigured the entrance into the Lord's Church of all of us who are gathered out of the Gentiles. [St Ambrose]

ANSWER 16

Ruth was Moabitess, a foreigner, from a pagan religion. She was brought into the household of faith by marriage, and so would the Gentiles be brought into the church, by being the Bride of Christ.

But how did Ruth who was an alien marry a man that was a Jew? and wherefore in Christ's genealogy did His Evangelist so much as mention a union, which in the eye of the law was bastard? Thus the Saviour's birth of a parentage not admitted by the law appears to us monstrous, until we attend to that declaration of the Apostle, "The Law was not given for the righteous, but for the unrighteous." [1 Tim 1:9] For this woman who was an alien, a Moabitess, a nation with whom the Mosaic Law forbad all intermarriage, and shut them totally out of the Church, how did she enter into the Church, unless that she were holy and unstained in her life above the Law? Therefore she was exempt from this restriction of the Law, and deserved to be numbered in the Lord's lineage, chosen from the kindred of her mind, not of her body. To us she is a great example, for that in her was prefigured the entrance into the Lord's Church of all of us who are gathered out of the Gentiles. [St Ambrose]

ANSWER 18

Daniel, the Three Holy Children. Captivity to sin

ANSWER 19

Genealogies given for the Father. Since Joseph was of David, the Theotokos had to be of the same line, in order to be legally betrothed to him.

ANSWER 20

Jesus Christ, is, simultaneously, Judge, Priest, and King of his people.

In the first period of the genealogy, until David, the Jews were ruled by Judges, and after David, by Kings, and after the deportation to Babylon, by Priests.

Jewish genealogies are as much poetry and a pedagogical tool as they are a historic reckoning. St Matthew takes pains to make the genealogy "fit" into three equal groups of fourteen generations, but a careful reading of the text shows only 13 generations explicitly mentioned from the deportation to Babylon till Christ. the Holy Fathers tell us that St Matthew counted the deportation itself as a generation.

In the fourth book of Kings we read, that Ochozias was the son of Joram. On his death, Josabeth, sister of [p. 26] Ochozias and daughter of Joram, took Joash, her brother's son, and preserved him from the slaughter of the royal seed by Athalias. To Joash succeeded his son Amasias; after him his son Azarias, who is called Ozias; after him his son Joatham. Thus you see according to historical truth there were three intervening kings, who are omitted by the Evangelist. Joram, moreover, begot not Ozias, but Ochozias, and the rest as we have related. But because it was the purpose of the Evangelist to make each of the three periods consist of fourteen generations, and because Joram had connected himself with Jezebel's most impious race, therefore his posterity to the third generation is omitted in tracing the lineage of the holy birth. [St Jerome]

ANSWER 21

St. Joseph was of the tribe of Judah, as was Mary, therefore, the law allowed them to be betrothed.

He was a just man, and stable and reliable, and could protect her.

The fathers also tell us that the betrothal was in order to trick the devil, who knew of the prophesy.

ANSWER 22

If by normal relations, the created would have created the creator.

Jesus already has a Father!

ANSWER 23

Had her stoned.

ANSWER 24

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. [Isa 7:14]

ANSWER 25

For God is with us.. (in Great Compline)

ANSWER 26

Mary bore God, why would she descend to the carnal?

[Mat 18:34] And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

ANSWER 27

[1:1] The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

[1:2] Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;

[1:6] And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her [that had been the wife] of Urias;

[1:18] 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. [1:18] 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. [1:19] Then Joseph her husband, being a just [man], and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. [1:20] 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. [1:21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. [1:22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, [1:23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

[Mat 1:17] 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.