The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)

By Curtis Mitch and Edward Sri

This engaging commentary on the Gospel of Matthew is the fifth of seventeen volumes in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), which will cover the entire New Testament. This volume, like each in the series, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively.

Praise for the CCSS:
"These commentaries are both exegetically sound and spiritually nourishing. They are indispensable tools for preaching, catechesis, evangelization, and other forms of pastoral ministry."--Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM Cap, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Dec 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781441213860

Curtis Mitch

Curtis Mitch, M.A., is principal annotator and Associate Editor of the Ignatius Study Bible series. He is also a research fellow of the St Paul Center for Biblical Theology and a biblical commentator.

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(28:16–20)

A Royal Son: Genealogy and Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1:1–25

The opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel is a stumbling block for many modern readers. Why begin a Gospel with a list of more than forty names? A biblical genealogy does not seem to be the most captivating way to draw readers into the story of Jesus. As one commentator put it, Reading other people’s genealogies is about as exciting as watching other people’s holiday videos.[1] But for the ancient Jews, a genealogy was not merely a catalog of old names. Each name told a story and recalled key events in salvation history. Biblical genealogies also conferred identity and privileges on members of a family, bestowing a sense of mission and responsibility.

The particular genealogy in Matt 1:1–17 compresses the entire history of Israel into seventeen short verses. The many names would have brought to mind the various twists and turns, triumphs and tragedies, in that story. By tracing Jesus’ lineage back to David and Abraham, Matthew places the story of Jesus within the larger plot of God’s dealings with Israel and, at the same time, announces that Israel’s story is reaching its climax in the child at the end of the line. Most of all, the genealogy establishes Jesus’ messianic credentials. Grafted onto the trunk of David’s royal lineage, Jesus will appear as the legal heir of this family’s kingly prerogatives that have been passed down from generation to generation.

The genealogy is followed by an account of the angel’s announcement to Joseph (1:18–25). Here, the camera lens zooms in on the last part of the genealogy, where we encounter an anomaly. While the Gospel carefully traces a royal lineage from David the king (1:6) all the way down to Joseph (1:16), Matthew points out that Jesus is not a biological descendant of Joseph and David after all. Joseph, the bearer of the Davidic ancestry, appears not as the father of Jesus, but as the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah (1:16). The story of the announcement to Joseph serves as an explanation for this last link of the genealogy. It shows how Jesus (1) was conceived in Mary not by natural means, but by the Holy Spirit and (2) was named and accepted by Joseph as his son, making him a true Davidic heir.

The Book of the Genealogy (1:1)

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¹The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

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OT: Gen 2:4; 5:1; 22:18; 2 Sam 7:12–16; 1 Chron 17:11

NT: Matt 9:27; 12:23; 20:31; 21:15; Mark 1:1

Catechism: Jesus’ name, 430–35, 452; Christ, 436–40

Lectionary: 1:1–25: Nativity of Our Lord; 1:1–16, 18–23: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[1:1]    The book of the genealogy: Matthew’s Gospel immediately takes us back to the very beginning of salvation history: to the story of creation and the family of Adam and Eve. The first two words of Matthew’s Gospel (biblos geneseōs), rendered the book of the genealogy in the NAB, could literally be translated book of Genesis. Biblos is typically the word for book and geneseōs is commonly rendered origin or beginning. These words together appear in only two other places in the Bible: in the †Septuagint translation of Gen 2:4 and 5:1, where they refer to the beginnings of the heavens and the earth and mark the genealogy of Adam’s descendants. Therefore the first two words in Matthew have an effect similar to that of the famous opening of John’s Gospel, In the beginning . . . (John 1:1). When read in the wide context of the canonical Scriptures, Matthew’s opening words, like John’s, bring to mind the early chapters of the book of Genesis, the creation of the world and the origins of the human family. Just as that story in Genesis twice utilizes the formula biblos geneseōs, Matthew’s story of Jesus begins with this same phrase, announcing a new beginning for all humanity.

Jesus was the Greek form of the name Joshua and one of the most popular names among the Jews in the first century. The name in Hebrew literally means Yahweh is salvation. Matthew uses the personal name Jesus 150 times, but here it is accompanied by the royal title Christ, which Matthew uses only seventeen times. Christ means anointed one and is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word messiah.[2] The mention of Jesus Christ in 1:1 would stir much excitement in the reader, evoking the Jewish hopes for the long-awaited messiah-king who, the prophets foretold, would free God’s people from their enemies and restore the kingdom of David.

Matthew associates Jesus with two of the most important figures in Israel’s history: David and Abraham. This establishes Jesus as a person of great significance. As one scholar put it, The very names of David and Abraham create character for Jesus, just as the names Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle evoke character for a baseball player. To say that a baseball player is another Babe Ruth is to suggest that he has extraordinary hitting power. Similarly, to say that Jesus is the child of David is to indicate he has royal authority and the capacity to overthrow Rome just as David conquered Goliath.[3]

Matthew next introduces Jesus as the son of David before calling him the son of Abraham—even though David came after Abraham in history. In this way Matthew draws our attention to Jesus’ connection to this great king. The title son of David evokes the great promises given to David and his descendants. In 2 Sam 7, God promised David an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam 7:16) and spoke of the great things he would do for David’s son: I will make his kingdom firm. . . . And I will make his royal throne firm forever (2 Sam 7:12–13). The royal son of David was expected to rule over the nations (Pss 2:8; 72:8–10; 110:6) and all the nations would be blessed through him (Ps 72:17). Though David’s descendants ruled in Jerusalem for almost four centuries, the monarchy collapsed in the sixth century BC and remained eclipsed up to the time of Christ. However, the prophets foretold that a future heir of David, a righteous branch, would free the people from their oppressors and usher in an everlasting kingdom.[4] In many circles of first-century Judaism, the title son of David was associated with the messiah. By referring to Jesus as Christ and the son of David, Matthew links Jesus with these hopes for the future messiah-king.

Next, Matthew calls Jesus the son of Abraham. This designation underscores that Jesus belongs to the chosen people, the descendants of Abraham whom God had promised to bless and multiply (Gen 12:2; 17:2–9). In addition, the connection with Abraham links Jesus with the worldwide mission given to Abraham’s family, the Israelites. Abraham’s name itself means father of a multitude (see Gen 17:5). God foretold that Abraham would become the father of a host of nations (Gen 17:4) and that through Abraham’s descendants, all the nations of the earth shall find blessing (Gen 22:18; cf. Gen 12:3). Thus Jesus as the son of Abraham evokes the theme of the worldwide blessing—a theme that Matthew develops in the narrative of the magi coming from the east (2:1–11), in Christ’s public ministry (e.g., 5:13–14; 8:10–11; 21:43), and at the end of the Gospel with the great commission (28:18–20).

Reflection and Application (1:1)

In this opening verse, Matthew introduces us to the holy name of Jesus, which has been invoked in prayer from the very beginning of Christianity. From a biblical perspective, the very fact that we can call on the name of Jesus is astonishing. In ancient Judaism, God’s name came to be invoked only once a year and only by the high priest. Now, with God becoming man in Christ, we have the privilege of calling on the name of the Lord: The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: ‘Jesus,’ ‘YHWH saves’ (Catechism 2666).

There is tremendous power in the name of Jesus. This is the only name under heaven by which we can hope for salvation (Acts 4:12). In Jesus’ name, the sick can be healed (Mark 16:17–18; Catechism 1507), sinners find mercy (Catechism 1846), and souls encounter the presence of God. As the Catechism explains, His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him (Catechism 2666). The name of Jesus itself can be a simple prayer, when spoken with love and attention (Catechism 2068). For example, Christians for centuries have recited the Jesus Prayer, in which they slowly and lovingly repeat the words Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, or even just the name Jesus, sometimes hundreds of times a day, amid their daily routines or while quietly following the rhythm of their breathing during prayer. In this way, our daily lives can become a constant prayer with Christ always on our mind, on our lips, and in our heart. Invoking Jesus’ name can also be helpful in moments of temptation or spiritual trial. The holy name of Jesus has power to bring all things into subjection to Christ, so that, as St. Paul says, at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:10–11).

The Royal Lineage (1:2–17)

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²Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. ³Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, ⁴Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, ⁵Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, ⁶Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. ⁸Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. ⁹Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. ¹⁰Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. ¹¹Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

¹²After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, ¹³Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, ¹⁴Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

¹⁷Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

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OT: Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chron 2:1–15; 3:10–19

NT: Luke 3:23–34

Lectionary: 1:1–17: December 17, Nativity of Our Lord Vigil Mass; 1:16, 18–21, 24: Solemnity of St. Joseph; 1:1–16, 18–23: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8), Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Of all the names in this genealogy, David’s is the one that Matthew especially highlights. David is the only person other than Jesus who is honored with a title in this genealogy: David is introduced as the king in 1:6, while Jesus is called the Messiah in 1:16. And David’s name, which is mentioned four times in the genealogy, appears more than any other name listed in Jesus’ family tree (1:5, 6, 17). Finally, the focus on David can be seen in 1:17, where Matthew demarcates the three periods of Israel’s story from Abraham to David, from David to the exile, and from the exile to Christ. Here, Matthew goes out of the way to tell us that each of these periods consists of fourteen generations in the genealogy of Jesus. This 3 x 14 pattern is likely an allusion to David’s name through a play on the numerical value given to Hebrew letters—a popular technique known as gematria, which was used in ancient Jewish and early Christian circles. David’s name in Hebrew adds up to fourteen (d + w + d = 4 + 6 + 4 = 14). Matthew has already noted that David himself appears in the fourteenth generation of this genealogy. By having Jesus arrive at the end of three sets of fourteen generations (3 x 14), Matthew presents Jesus as the thrice-Davidic Son of David.[5] In the list of names, Matthew sketches the story of the rise and fall of the Davidic kingdom and its restoration, with the coming of this son of David par excellence at the end of the line.[6]

[1:2]    Beginning Jesus’ genealogy with Abraham takes the reader back to the beginning of Israel’s story, when God called this patriarch to the land of Canaan and promised that his descendants would one day become a great nation. God promised Abraham that all the nations would find blessing through his family and that kings would come from his descendants (see comment on 1:1). After mentioning Abraham’s name, Matthew traces the descendants of Abraham through his formula, A became the father of B, B the father of C, C the father of D.

[1:3–5]    One break in the father-son pattern of the genealogy is found in the reference to Perez’s mother, Tamar. Women were not typically listed in Jewish genealogies, which traced lineage from father to son. Tamar is the first of four Old Testament women mentioned in this genealogy; soon after we read of Rahab (1:5), Ruth (1:5), and the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba) (1:6). Why did Matthew include these women? There are three common explanations:

1. Sinners: According to one view, Matthew included these four women because they were notorious sinners, and Matthew is trying to show that Jesus has come to enter into the human family tree, with all its dysfunction, to save us from sin. However, in the Old Testament all four women were at least noted for some noble characteristics and, while some might argue that Bathsheba committed adultery with David and that Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes, the Bible does not present Ruth as a sinner. Moreover, if Matthew were trying to highlight that sinful people existed in Jesus’ ancestry, he did not need to include these women. Many of the wicked kings (e.g., Manasseh) in the genealogy powerfully demonstrated this already.

2. Irregular Union: Another view holds that Matthew selected these four women because they each had an irregular union that might be surprising to find in the messianic line. Bathsheba was involved in adultery, Rahab and Tamar were prostitutes, and Ruth was a Gentile. Accordingly, Matthew mentions these women to prepare the reader for Mary’s own irregular situation of being pregnant before her union with Joseph—a seemingly scandalous situation that could raise suspicion of adultery. However, if Matthew’s main concern is to counter misunderstandings about Mary’s pregnancy, one wonders why he would use Rahab and Tamar, two prostitutes, and Bathsheba, with whom David committed adultery, as examples to defend Mary from the charge of sexual sin.[7]

3. Non-Israelite Women in the Royal Line: A third view notes that the one thing these women have in common is that they are all non-Israelites who joined the family of Israel. Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth were foreigners brought into the chosen people through marriage[8] and Bathsheba, being married to a Hittite, was also likely to be of non-Israelite descent.[9] Jewish tradition went on to magnify the Gentile character of the first three of these women, celebrating their being joined to the people of Israel. Matthew thus selects three of the most prominent Gentile women in the ancestral line of David (see Ruth 4:18–22) along with the most famous of David’s wives to highlight how Gentile blood flowed into the royal line of David. This underscores God’s concern for Gentiles, demonstrating that he brought them into the story of Israel even in the Old Testament. It also lays a foundation for the universal mission of Jesus’ kingdom, which will gather the Gentiles into God’s covenant family—a theme already hinted at in 1:1 and developed in 2:1–11.

[1:6]    Verse 6 presents the most joyful note in the genealogy thus far. If the genealogy were a musical score, the names from Abraham to Jesse (1:2–5) would gradually build in a crescendo as Matthew tells the story of God’s preparation for the great kingdom to come. In verse 6 this crescendo reaches its peak with the names of the two great founding kings of the Davidic dynasty: David and Solomon. These names recall the glory days of Israel. Despite their shortcomings, these were the royal heroes who brought Israel to the highest point in its history. In the time of David all twelve tribes of Israel were united in one kingdom, and under Solomon they experienced unprecedented stability, prosperity, and international influence. Israel’s borders expanded, foreign nations made treaties with Israel, and even some Gentiles came to the king to learn the wisdom God had given him.[10] And as we noted above (see 1:1), God promised David and his heirs an everlasting dynasty, a kingdom that would endure forever (2 Sam 7:12–16).

[1:7–11]    If verse 6 represents a high note, it also introduces a downward turn—a minor chord—since Solomon later became a wicked king (1 Kings 9–11). The genealogy’s mention in verses 7–10 of evil kings such as Rehoboam, Abijah, Joram, Ahaz, Manasseh, and Amos (referring to king Amon) continues this trend, with the most somber note coming in verse 11: the reference to the time of the Babylonian exile (see 2 Kings 24–25). This would bring to mind not only a particular date (586 BC) but the horrors of the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple, and the people being carried off into exile. This event brought a halt to the Davidic monarchy. The king was taken into exile in Babylon, and no son of David ruled over the Jews from this point until the time of Jesus.

[1:12–15]    The last section of the genealogy sounds a note of hope, demonstrating that God continued to protect the royal line of David even though it was lying dormant in exile. Jechoniah and Shealtiel were two Davidic heirs who lived during the Babylonian captivity, and Zerubbabel helped lead the first wave of Jews who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile.

But the most exciting part of this genealogy is the remaining eleven generations that were not known in the Old Testament.[11] These names demonstrate the continuance of the Davidic line through centuries of Jewish suffering and oppression amid hope for a new son of David who would restore the kingdom. Here, the tempo picks up again with each new name: Abiud, Azor, Zadok, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob . . . The reader enters into the ancient Jewish hope for a new Davidic king who might come at the end of the line.

[1:16–17]    Finally, with its proclamation of the new Davidic king we arrive at the genealogy’s climax. After guiding us from Abraham and David through the fall of the kingdom and the exile, Matthew at long last reaches the royal child to whom all of Israel’s history was directed: Jesus. In a triumphant chorus, Matthew does not simply present the child’s name; he also emphasizes his royal title. This Jesus is the one who is called the Messiah—the long awaited king who would deliver the Jewish people from their sufferings and restore the Davidic kingdom (1:16).

In this same verse, we find one of the genealogy’s biggest surprises. Matthew suddenly breaks away from his pattern A became the father of B, used for all the previous generations, as he introduces Joseph not as the biological father of Jesus but as the husband of Mary. Here, the focus shifts to Mary: Of her was born Jesus. Matthew goes out of the way to avoid saying Joseph was the natural father of Jesus, for this child is conceived by the Holy Spirit (1:20). How, then, is the royal line from David to Joseph passed on to Jesus if he is not the biological son of Joseph? This issue will be dealt with in the next scene—the angel’s annunciation to Joseph (1:18–25).

Reflection and Application (1:2–17)

The word Advent means coming. Each year during the liturgical season of Advent, the Church invites us to enter into the longings of Israel for the coming of the Savior. The Catechism points out that through the four weeks of Advent, the Church re-lives the great events of salvation history (Catechism 1095) and makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah (Catechism 524). By entering into the ancient Jewish yearnings for Christ’s first coming two thousand years ago, we prepare our souls to welcome him into our hearts at Christmas.

Perhaps the New Testament passage that best encapsulates the spirit of Advent and the ancient Jewish longing for the messiah is the genealogy of Jesus in Matt 1:2–17. Indeed, this family tree sums up the hopes and fears of all the years in Israel’s waiting for the savior. Undoubtedly, many ancient Jews were full of fear in the midst of much suffering and oppression, wondering where God was in their trials and questioning whether he would ever come to their aid. But the faithful also clung to hope: hope in the promises and prophecies of old, confidence in God’s faithfulness, and trust that there was some purpose in their suffering and that God one day would rescue them.

It is no wonder then that the Church uses this genealogy for the gospel reading at Mass every December 17 during Advent, setting the tone for the octave leading up to Christmas. But the passage also has application year-round for us Christians today who, like some of our Jewish brethren of old, find ourselves teetering between hope and fear amid the countless worries, setbacks, disappointments, and trials we face in our own lives. The story of Jesus’ genealogy encourages us to lean on the side of hope in these difficult moments. From a merely human point of view Israel’s history might have seemed to be a disaster: a story initially full of expectation (Abraham, David, Solomon, and the promises of a great kingdom) ends in tragedy (wicked rulers, exile, foreign oppressors, and a dynasty seemingly abandoned by God). But the genealogy helps us to view that story from the divine perspective, for it makes clear that God remained present to his people through Israel’s ordeals as he continued to work out his plan of salvation from one generation to the next, bringing good from evil. Even in the face of great sin, devastation, and suffering, God accomplished his plan through a Davidic line that seemed to be dormant. He brought Israel its savior and king in the child introduced at the end of this genealogy.

The Annunciation to Joseph (1:18–25)

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¹⁸Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. ¹⁹Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. ²⁰Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. ²¹She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. ²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

²³"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,"

which means God is with us. ²⁴When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. ²⁵He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

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OT: Deut 22:13–24

NT: Matt 28:20; Luke 1:35; 2:7, 21

Catechism: angels in Jesus’ life, 333; Jesus’ name, 430, 452; royal lineage, 437; conceived by Holy Spirit, 484–86, 497

Lectionary: 1:18–24: Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year A); 1:16, 18–21, 24: Solemnity of St. Joseph; 1:1–16, 18–23: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary; 1:18–25: December 18, Votive Mass for the Most Holy Name of Jesus

[1:18–19]    Matthew sets up this scene by linking Jesus’ personal name with his royal title: Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ once again draws attention to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah-king, and it connects this story with the conclusion of the genealogy, which in the previous verse also emphasized that Jesus is the Messiah (1:17).

We learn two important facts about Mary and Joseph that set up the plot for this scene. First, Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Betrothal should not be confused with modern-day engagement. Betrothal was the first stage of a two-stage marriage process in ancient Judaism. At betrothal, a man and woman would exchange consent before witnesses, and they would be considered legally married at this point, but they did not yet begin to live together. The wife would remain with her parents for up to one year before the second stage of marriage, known as the coming together. This is when the wife would come to live with her husband and the marriage would be consummated. Matthew explicitly tells us that Mary and Joseph are at the first stage of marriage, that is, betrothal, and that Mary conceived before they lived together—in other words, before the second stage of marriage.

Nevertheless, betrothed couples were considered legally married. Therefore, when Mary was found with child through the holy Spirit (see comment on 1:20–21), this caused a great dilemma for Joseph. The description of Joseph as a righteous man tells us that he would be very careful to obey the Jewish law. In the Old Testament an adulteress was to be stoned. Deuteronomy 22:13–24 specifically decreed stoning when a betrothed woman committed adultery or a betrothed woman was found not to be a virgin when the marriage was consummated. In the first century, however, when the Jews were under Roman rule, capital punishment was prohibited and divorce with a public trial became the standard practice in these situations.

Various views on the nature of Joseph’s quandary have emerged in the Catholic tradition.[12] According to one view, if Joseph found Mary pregnant and knew he was not the father, he might have suspected adultery. If so, he would be expected to bring Mary to public trial and accuse her. However, Joseph was unwilling to expose her to shame, meaning he did not want to publicly display the disgrace of her suspected adultery. Instead, he decided to divorce her quietly. If one did not go through a public trial, a bill of divorce could be drawn up privately and presented before two witnesses. As a righteous man, Joseph seeks divorce but his righteousness is expressed also in his mercy, since he seeks the divorce not through a public trial but through more private means.

Another possibility is that, from Joseph’s human perspective, it appears that Mary had been with another man, and even if this had been nonconsensual on her part, by Jewish law she would no longer be suited for marriage.[13] Joseph thus finds himself in a situation in which he would be expected to divorce Mary, but he decides to do so quietly and not put her through a humiliating trial.

Another interpretation, known as the reverential fear view, was held by Sts. Thomas Aquinas, Bernard, Basil, and Ephraim. In this view, Mary told Joseph about her conceiving by the Holy Spirit and he responds with religious awe over the mystery of what God is working in Mary. Joseph decides to release Mary from the marriage obligation not out of anger or shame but out of a humble, holy fear that he is unworthy to be the husband of Mary or the father of this child.[14]

[1:20–21]    The angel’s address to Joseph as son of David calls attention to Joseph’s own royal heritage and his crucial role of passing on Davidic descent to Jesus. Much is at stake if Joseph leaves Mary and does not accept this child. The angel, therefore, tells him, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home—a reference to the second stage of marriage (the coming together under one roof), which Joseph is about to abandon through his quiet divorce. The angel assures Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy did not come about by another man, but through the holy Spirit, affirming the child’s divine origins. Furthermore, Joseph has an important role to play for this child: you are to name him. To name a child is to claim the child as one’s own. Thus Joseph is being instructed to accept this child as his own son. Even though Jesus is not his biological son, as Joseph’s legal son he would have all the hereditary rights of a son, including Joseph’s royal Davidic descent. Therefore, Joseph, son of David, in this act of naming, would make this child a legal heir to David.

We as readers were introduced to the name of this child earlier in Matthew’s Gospel (1:1, 16, 17, 18). The astonishing part of the angel’s announcement at this point, however, is that he goes on to say to Joseph that he is to name the child Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. This is remarkable, first, because of who will bring salvation and, second, because of the kind of salvation he will bring. First, the Old Testament name Joshua, from which Jesus is derived, means Yahweh is salvation. But the angel says that Jesus himself is the one who will bring salvation. Matthew is subtly associating Jesus with Yahweh.[15] Second, many first-century Jews were expecting God to save them from political oppression. But the angel announces that this savior is coming to save people from sin. Right at the very beginning of Matthew’s Gospel we learn that, despite the popular, political-militaristic messianic hopes of Jews in Jesus’ day, the long-awaited Messiah-king is coming to bring salvation from sin—an enemy much more dangerous than Rome or Herod.

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The Importance of Joseph

St. John Chrysostom notes that even though Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus, he still has an important role to play in God’s plan for this child. Addressing Joseph, Chrysostom says:

Christ’s conception was the work of the Holy Spirit, but do not think this divine arrangement has nothing to do with you. For although it is true that you had no part in the generation of Christ, and that the Virgin remained inviolate, nevertheless, what pertains to a father (not injuring the honor of virginity) that do I give you—the naming of the child. For ‘you shall call his name.’ Although you have not generated him, you will act as a father to him. Hence it is that, beginning with giving him his name, I associate you intimately with the one who is to be born. (Homily on St. Matthew 4)

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[1:22–23]    Here we encounter the first of several fulfillment quotations in Matthew’s Gospel, demonstrating fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (see Biblical Background sidebar). Matthew announces that Mary’s conceiving Jesus is the fulfillment of a prophecy in Isa 7:14, and he quotes the Greek text of this passage: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son (1:23). This prophecy came in a period of crisis for the Davidic kingdom, as enemy armies threatened to invade Jerusalem and remove King Ahaz. With the dynasty’s survival in question, Isaiah foretold that an heir would be a sign that the kingdom would not end with Ahaz but would continue under God’s protection. Some might have seen in this prophecy a reference to Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, who carried out a religious reform and delivered Judah from many evils, showing that God was still with the dynasty (2 Kings 18:1–6). However, Matthew sees a deeper level of meaning in the child of Isa 7:14. According to the Greek version of this text, the virgin would conceive and bear this Davidic son.[16] Mary is the virgin who conceives and bears the royal son, Jesus. Matthew’s Gospel, therefore, fittingly reveals Isa 7:14 as foretelling the virginal conception of the messiah, which is fulfilled in Mary and Jesus (Catechism 497).

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Fulfillment Quotations

Matthew is quite at home with the Old Testament. With a plethora of Old Testament allusions and about sixty explicit quotations, one characteristic that makes Matthew stand out is his fulfillment quotations, which appear ten times in this Gospel.

Matthew sometimes interrupts his narrative to insert a quote from the Old Testament, introducing the quote with a formula phrase such as, This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled. The fulfillment quotation serves to underscore that almost everything in Jesus’ life was prepared for by God and foreshadowed in the Old Testament. For example, after readers learn that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Matthew says, All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet (1:22). This phrase is followed by a quote from a prophecy in Isaiah, which Matthew sees being fulfilled in this event: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel (1:23; Isa 7:14).

Some fulfillment quotations refer to Christ’s childhood (1:23; 2:15, 17–18, 23), some relate to his Galilean ministry (4:14–16; 8:17; 12:17–21; 13:35), and others are connected to his last days in Jerusalem (21:4–5; 27:9–10). Sometimes the correspondence between the Old Testament passage and Christ is clear; on other occasions the connections are much more subtle. Sometimes Matthew chooses wording from among different versions and translations of the Old Testament or combines several passages into one quotation to highlight the association with Jesus. This approach of pointing out correspondences with the Old Testament is similar to interpretive methods used by other first-century Jews. The ten fulfillment quotations in the Gospel show that everything God did in the Old Testament was preparation for Jesus Christ.

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In Isaiah, the title Emmanuel (God is with us)[17] expressed God’s presence with his people, his concern for them and protection over them—a theme commonly noted in the Old Testament (e.g., Isa 8:10). It also alluded to God’s promise to be with the Davidic dynasty (2 Sam 7:9; 1 Kings 1:37; 11:38). For Matthew, however, God has fulfilled his promise to be with us in a way that far surpasses what Isaiah’s original readers could have foreseen: God himself is directly present in Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit (cf. Catechism 744). So important is this theme for Matthew that he uses it to bracket the entire Gospel. It is found here in the opening scene, and will be echoed in the very last verse of the Gospel, where Jesus says, Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age (28:20).

[1:24–25]    Joseph is the first person in Matthew’s Gospel to obey God’s command. He did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. Matthew highlights Joseph’s perfect obedience to the angel’s instructions by telling us that he (1) took Mary into his home and (2) named the child Jesus, just as he was instructed (1:20–21).

Matthew notes that Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary until she bore a son. The Greek conjunction translated until does not imply that Joseph and Mary had relations after Jesus was born. It refers to their relationship up to the birth of Christ without intending to communicate either a change or a continuance in the state of affairs after that point. Matthew’s concern is to underscore Joseph’s lack of involvement in Mary’s pregnancy and thus reinforce the miraculous nature of Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit. As such, this verse neither confirms nor contradicts the Catholic doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity (see Catechism 499–510).[18]

Reflection and Application (1:18–25)

People often think of religion as man’s search for God. But Matthew’s opening chapter shows us that Christianity is more about God’s search for us. We see this especially in the title bestowed on Jesus in this scene. Jesus is Emmanuel, which means God is with us (1:23).

God’s plan from the beginning of time has been to unite us to him in a communion of love. After Adam and Eve sinned, however, they hid themselves from the LORD God (Gen 3:8) as they turned away from his love. The rest of salvation history is the story of God ardently seeking us out to heal this broken relationship and gradually restore his presence among us. He first spoke to the great patriarchs such as Noah, Abraham, and Jacob. He then appeared to Moses in the burning bush, guided the people of Israel by cloud and by fire, and revealed himself to them at Mount Sinai. In the era of the Davidic monarchy, the God of all the nations manifested himself uniquely among the Jewish people through his presence in the Jerusalem temple. But the most direct and powerful manifestation of God’s presence comes in the person Jesus Christ, who is God made man—the Word who was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

Indeed, the new covenant that Jesus inaugurates restores communion with our heavenly Father and brings God’s presence to us as never before. In Jesus Christ, God himself is with us. But God did not intend his presence to be encountered only by first-century Jews living at the time of Jesus. Jesus, God is with us, desired to remain near to us even after he ascended to the Father in heaven. As the Catechism teaches, Christ is present to us in his word, in the Church’s prayer when two or three are gathered in [his] name, in the poor, and in the sacraments (Catechism 1373). This is most especially the case in the Eucharist, which is the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. In the Real Presence of the Eucharist, we encounter sacramentally the same Jesus who walked the streets of Palestine two thousand years ago, teaching, healing, and forgiving sins. Through the sacraments and in the Church, Jesus continues to be Emmanuel. He is with us always, until the end of the age (Matt 28:20).

Magi and Flight to Egypt

Matthew 2:1–23

Matthew 2 introduces two contrasting responses to the Messiah. On one hand, the Gentile magi from the east seek the newborn king of the Jews in order to do him homage (2:2). On the other hand, Herod and his court seek the Christ child in order to destroy him (2:13). Surprisingly, even the chief priests and scribes are associated with Herod’s efforts to locate Christ and bring him to his ruin (2:4–6). Thus at the very beginning of Jesus’ life, the ones we would least expect—Gentile magi—welcome Israel’s Messiah, while some of Christ’s own people play a role in the plot against him. This ironic pattern will be repeated many times throughout his public ministry.

A notable feature of Matt 2 is its somber tone. The newborn king’s life is threatened by a dictator, he barely escapes a massacre, he is forced into exile, and he is unable to return to Judea. But Matthew highlights that these troubling beginnings are actually part of God’s plan. Matthew uses three explicit fulfillment quotations and many allusions to Old Testament stories to underscore how Jesus’ life is bound up with the sufferings and hopes of Israel. The hostility to Christ in his infancy also prepares the reader for the opposition he will face at the culmination of his public ministry in Jerusalem.

The Birth of Jesus and Visit of the Magi (2:1–12)

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¹When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, ²saying, Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. ³When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel.’"

⁷Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage. ⁹After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰They were overjoyed at seeing the star, ¹¹and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

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OT: Num 24:17; 2 Sam 5:2; Pss 2:2; 72:10–11; Isa 60:1–6; Mic 5:1

Catechism: Epiphany, 528; Holy Spirit manifesting Christ through Mary, 724

Lectionary: 2:1–12: Epiphany of the Lord

[2:1]    The word magi originally described members of the Median and Persian priestly caste who advised the king and interpreted dreams. The term later was used more broadly to denote those who possessed mystical knowledge as priests, astrologers, soothsayers, or sages. Their popular association with kings today may be based on Old Testament passages that recount kings bringing gifts to the royal Davidic son (Ps 72:10–11), including gifts of gold and frankincense (Isa 60:3–6). In the Jewish tradition magi would bring to mind the opponents of Daniel in Babylon, who were associated with enchanters and sorcerers and claimed to interpret dreams and signs (Dan 1:20; 2:2; 4:6–7; 5:7 LXX). Hence, one would not expect magi from the east to be among the first to pay homage to the Jewish messiah. This account thus sets up a theme that will be repeated throughout Matthew’s Gospel: Israel’s king is welcomed by those one would least expect while Jewish leaders work against him

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