The Greek word Evayyeλtov, from ev, good, and ayyɛλia, a message, signifies good news, or glad tidings in general; and is evidently intended to point out, in this place, the good mes sage, or the glad tidings of great joy, which God has sent to all mankind, preaching peace and reconciliation by Christ Jesus, who is Lord of all: proclaiming that He, as the promised Messiah, has, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man-for he has died for their offences, and risen again for their justification and that through His grace, every sinner under the whole heaven may turn to God and find mercy. This is good news, glad tidings, a joyful message; and it is such to all mankind, as in it every human spirit is interested. But besides this general meaning, the word Evayyektov, has other acceptations in the New Testament and in the Greekployed and entrusted, he became a willing, faithful disciple of writers, which may be consulted here with great propriety and effect.

1. It signifies the reward given to those who brought good news. Thus Homer represents the disguised Ulysses claiming a reward, evayyɛdiov, a rest and mantle, should he verify to Eumeus, the glad tidings of his master's safety. Evayyeλtor de nogether his relatives and acquaintances, that he might take a 15w. Let me have a reward for my good news,Odyss. xiv. v. 152. To which Eumeus, who despaired of his master's return, replied, Ω γέρον, ουτ' αρ' εγών Ευαγγελιον τώδε τίσω, Ουτ' Οδυσσεύς έτι οίκον ελεύσεται. Ib. v. 266.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW.

[For Chronological Æras, see at the end of the Acts.]

CHAPTER I.

The genealogy of Christ divided into three classes of fourteen generations each: The first fourteen, from Abraham to David, 2-6. The second fourteen, from Solomon to Jechonias, 7-10. The third fourteen, from Jechonias to Christ, 11-16. The sum of these generations, 17. Christ is conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, when she was espoused to Joseph, 18. Joseph's anxiety and doubts are removed by the ministry of an angel, 19, 20; by whom the child is named JESUS, 21. The fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah relative to this, 22, 23. Joseph tukes home his wife Mary, and Christ is born, 24, 25. (A. M. 4000. B. C. 5. An. Olymp. CXCIII. 4.]

5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse ;

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

7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia and Abia begat Asa;

8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram⚫ and Joram begat Ozias;

e Gn. 25, 26-f On. 9. X.-g Gn. 38. 27.-h Ruth 4. 15. &c. 1 Chr. 2. 5, 9, &c. il Sa. 16. 1. & 17. 12-k 2 Sa. 1. 4.-1 Chr. 3. 10, &c.

NOTES-Verse 1. The book of the generation of Jesus given to Abrahain, and afterward, through successive geneChrist.] I suppose these words to have been the original titlerations, confirmed to the Jewish people, was at last determin to this Gospel; and that they signify, according to the Hebrewed and restricted to the family of David. Son of David, phraseology, not only the account of the genealogy of Christ, as detailed below, but the history of his birth, acts, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension.

The phrase, book of the generation, rosin ne sepher tole doth, is frequent in the Jewish writings, and is translated by the Septuagint BẞXos yevereros, as here, by the evangelist; and regularly conveys the meaning given to it above; e. g. This is the book of the generations of Adam, Gen. v. 1. That is, the account of the life of Adam, and certain of his immediate descendants. Again: These are the generations of Jacob, Gen. xxxvii. 2. that is, the account or history of Jacob, his son Joseph, and the other remarkable branches of the family. And again: These are the generations of Aaron and Moses. | Num. iii. 1. That is, the history of the life and acts of these persons, and some of their immediate descendants. The same form of expression is also used, Gen. fi. 4. when giving the history of the creation of heaven and earth.

Some have translated BiẞAos y eventos, The book of the genealogy; and consider it the title of this chapter only; but the former opin.on seems better founded.

Jesus Christ] See on verses 16, and 21.

|

was an epithet by which the Messiah was afterward known among the Jews and under this title they were led to expect him by prophetic authority. See Ps. lxxxix. 3, 4. cxxxij 10, 11. compared with Acts xili. 23. and Isa. xi. 1. Jer. xxii. 5. Christ was prophesied of under the very name of David. See Ezek. xxxiv. 3, 24. xxxvii. 24, 25.

2. Abraham begat Isaac.] In this genealogy, those persons only, among the ancestors of Christ, which formed the direct line, are specified; hence no mention is made of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, nor of Esau, the son of Isaac; and of all the twelve patriarchs, or sous of Jacob, Judah alone is mentioned. 3. Pharez and Zara] The remarkable history of these twins, inay be seen Gen. xxxviii. Some of the ancients were of opinion, that the evangelist refers to the mystery of the youngest being preferred to the eldest, as prefiguring the exaltation of the Christian church over the synagogue. Concerning the women whose names are recorded in this genea. |logy, see the note at the end of the chapter.

8. Joram begat Orias] This is the Uzziah, king of Judah, who was struck with the leprosy for his presumption in entering the temple to offer incense before the Lord. See 2 Chr. xxvi. 16, &c. Ozias was not the immediate son of Joram: there were three kings between them, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, which swell the fourteen generations to seventeen: but it is observed, that omissions of this kind are not uncommon in the Jewish genealogies. In Ezra vii. 3, Azariah is called the son of Merajoth, although it is evident from 1 Chr. vi. 7-9, that there were six descendants between the...-This circumstance the evangelist was probably aware of; but did not see it proper to attempt to correct what he found in the public accredited genealogical tables; as he knew it to be of no consequence to his argument, which was merely to show that Jesus Christ as surely descended in an uninterrupted line from David, as David did from Abraham. And this he has done in the most satisfactory manner: nor did any person in those days pretend to detect any inaccuracy in his statement; though the account was published among those very people whose interest it was to expose the fallacy, in vindication of their own obstinate rejection of the Messiah, if any such fallacy could have been proved. But as they were silent, modern, and comparatively modern unbelievers, nay forever hold their peace. The objections raised on this head are worthy of no regard.

The son of David, the son of Abraham.] No person ever born, could boast, in a direct line, a more illustrious ancestry than Jesus Christ. Among his progenitors, the regal, sacerdotal, and prophetic offices, existed in all their glory and splendour. DAVID, the most renowned of sovereigns, was king and prophet: ABRAHAM, the most perfect character in all antiquity, whether sacred or profane, was priest and prophet: but the three offices were never united except in the person of Christ; he alone was prophet, priest, and king; and possessed and executed these offices in such a supereminent degree, as no human being ever did or ever could. As the principal business of the prophet was to make known the will of God to men according to certain partial communications received from heaven; so Jesus, who by in the bosom of the Father, and who was intimately and thoroughly acquainted with all the mysteries of the eternal world, came to declare the Divine nature, and its counsels, to m inkind -Bee John i. 18. As the business of the priest was to offer sacrifices to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people; go Christ was constituted a high-priest, to make by the sacrifice of himself, an atonement for the sins of the whole world; see 1 John ii. 2. and the whole Epistle to the Hebrews. As the office of king was to reign over, protect, and defend the people committed to his care by the Divine Providence; so Christ is set as a king upon Sion, having the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, Psa. ii. 6. 8, &c. Of the righteousness, peace, and increase of whose government, there shall be no end, Isa. ix. 7. This threefold office, Christ executes not only in a general sense, in the world at large; but in a particular sense in every Christian soul. He is first a prophet, to teach the heart the will of God; to convict the conscience of sin, righteousness, and judginent; and fully to illustrate the way of salvation. He is next a priest, to apply that atonement to the guilty conscience, the necessity of which as a prophet, herious, such as were born in unlawful wedlock. VIII. had previously made known. And lastly, as a king he leads captivity captive, binds and casts out the strong inan armed, spoils his goods, extends the sway of the sceptre of righteous. ness, subdues and destroys sin, and reigns Lord over all the powers and faculties of the human soul; so that as sin reign. ed unto death, EVEN 80 does grace reign through righteous ness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. v. 21. It is remarkable, that the evangelist names Darid before Abraham, though the latter was many generations older; the reason seems to be this, that David was not only the most illustrious of our Lord's predecessors, as being both king and prophet; but because that promise, which at first was

The

St. Matthew took up the genealogies just as he found them in the public Jewish records, which, though they were in the main correct, yet were deficient in many particulars. The Jews themselves give us sufficient proof of this. Talmud, title Kiddushim, mentions ten classes of persons who returned from the Babylonish captivity: I. COHANEY, priests. II. LEVEY, Levites. II. SYISHRAEL, Israelites, IV. SCHULULEY, common persons, as to the priesthood; such whose fathers were priests, but their mothers were such as the priests should not marry. V. GIREY, proselytes. VI. CHARUREY, freed-men, or servants who had been liberated by their inasters. VIL OD MAMZIREY, spu

NETHINEY, Nethinims. IX. pr sHETUKEY, bastards, per sons whose mothers, though well known, could not ascertain the fathers of their children, because of their connexions with different men. X. DION ASUPHEY, such as were gathered up out of the streets, whose fathers and mothers were utterly unknown. Such was the heterogeneous mass brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem: and although we learn from the Jews, that great care was taken to separate the spurious from the true born Israelites, and canons were made for that pur pose; yet it so happened, that sometimes a spurious family had got into high authority, and therefore inust not be meddled with. See several cases in Lightfoot. On this account a faithfu

9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias ;

11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were d carried away to Babylon:

12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat f Zorobabel;

13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

a 2 Kes. 20. 21. 1 Chr. 3. 13.-b Some rend, Josias begat Jakim, and Jakim begat Jechonias.-c See 1 Chr. 3. 15, 16.-d2 Kgs. 24. 14, 15, 16. & 25.11. 2 Chr. 36. 10, 20, genealogist would insert in his roll, such only as were indisputable. "It is, therefore, easy to guess," says Dr. Lightfoot, whence Matthew took the last fourteen generations of this genealogy, and, Luke the first forty names of his namely, from the genealogical rolls at that time well known and laid up in the public, Ketunia, repositories, and in the private also. And it was necessary indeed, in so noble and sublime a subect, and a thing that would be so much inquired into by the Jewish people, as the lineage of the Messiah would be, that the evangelists should deliver a truth, not only that could not be gainsaid, but also might be proved and established from certain and undoubted rolls of ancestors." See Hora Talmudicæ.

Conception of Christ.

15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

16 And b Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whoi was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David, are four teen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon, are fourteen generations; and from the carry ing away into Babylon, unto Christ, are fourteen generations. 18 Now the i 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. 19 Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not Jer, 27.20. & 30.9. & 52.11,15,28,29,30. Dan. 1.2.- 1 Chr. 3. 17. 19.- Ez, 3. 2. & 5.2. Neh.12.1. Hag.1.1-g Lk 24-h Ver.21.&Ch 13 55 & 27 56-1 Lk.1.97.-kLk.1.33

16. Jesus who is called Christ.] As the word Xpteros, Christ, signifies the anointed or anointer, from xpio, to anoint; it an swers exactly to the Hebrew w mashiach, which we pronounce Messiah or Messias; this word comes from the root mashach, signifying the same thing. As the same person is intended by both the Hebrew and Greek appellation, it should be regularly translated, The Messiah, or the Christ; whichever is preferred, the demonstrative article should never be omitted.

Priests, prophets, and kings, among the Jews, were anoint ed in order to the legitimate exercise of their respective offices. Hence the word Xpurros, Christ, or Mashiach, became 11. Josias begat Jechonias, &c.] There are three consider a name of dignity and often signified the same as king. See able difficulties in this verse. 1. Josias was not the father Isa. xiv. 1. Psa. cv. 15. Lev. iv. 3. vi. 20. 1 Sa. ii. 10. The words of Jechonias; he was only the grandfather of that prince: 1 Mashiach and 5 melec, Xpiotos and Buriλevs, Christ Chr. iii. 14-16. 2. Jechonias had no brethren; at least none and king, are frequently interchanged. 1 Sam. ii. 10. Psa. ii. are on record. 3. Josias died 20 years before the Babylonish 2, 6. Lk. xxiii. 2. and see the Scholia of Rosenmuller on this captivity took place, and therefore Jechonias and his breth-place. The reason of this may be seen in the following note, ren could not have been begotten about the time they were which I extract from the comment on Ex. xxix. 7. carried away to Babylon. To this may be added a fourth "It appears from Isa. Ixi. 1. that anointing with oil, in con. difficulty, viz.: there are only thirteen in this second class of secrating a person to any important office, whether civil or generations; or forty-one, instead of forty-two in the whole. religious, was considered as an emblem of the communicaBut all these difficulties disappear, by adopting a reading tion of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. This ceremony found in many MSS. Iwotas de EyEVENTE TOP IwaRey lost was used on three occasions, viz.: the installation of prophets, de εjevenaε Tov Iexoviar. And Josias begat JENOAKIM, or priests, and kings, into their respective offices. But why Joakim, and JOAKIM begat Jechonias. For this reading see should such an anointing be deemed necessary? Because the the authorities in Griesbach. Josiah was the immeiliate common sense of men taught them, that all good, whether father of Jehoiakim, (called also Elickeim and Joakim) and spiritual or secular, must come from God, its origin and his brethren, who were Johanan, Zedekiah, and Shallum: cause. Hence it was taken for granted, 1. That no man could see 1 Chr. iii. 15. Joakim was the father of Joachin or Jecho- foretell events, unless inspired by the Spirit of God. And nias, about the time of the first Babylonish captivity: for we therefore the prophet was anointed, to signify the communi thay reckon three Babylon'sh captivities. The first happened cation of the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge. 2. That no in the fourth year of Joakim, son of Josiah, about A. M. 3398. person could offer an acceptable sacrifice to God for the sins In this year, Nebuchadnezzar having taken Jerusalem, led a of men, or profitably minister in holy things, unless enlightgreat number of captives to Babylon. The second captivity ened, influenced, and directed by the Spirit of grace and holihappened under Jechoniah, son of Joakin; who having ness. Hence the priest was anointed, to signify his being reigned three nonths, was taken prisoner in 3105, and was divinely qualified for the due performance of his sacred func carried to Babylon, with a great number of the Jewish nobility, tions. 3. That no man could enact just and equitable laws, The third captivity took place under Zedekiah, A. M. 3416, which should have the prosperity of the community and the And thus, says Calmet, the 11th verse should be read: Josias welfare of the individual continually in view, or could use begat Joakim and his brethren; and Joakim begat Jecho- the power confided to him, only for the suppression of vice nias about the time of the first Babylonish captivity; and and the encouragement of virtue, but that man who was ever Jechonias begat Salathiel, after they were brought to Baby under the inspiration of the Almighty. Hence kings were lon. Thus, with the necessary addition of Joakim, the three inaugurated by anointing with oil. Two of these offices only classes, each containing fourteen generations, are complete, exist in all civilized nations, the sacerdotal and regal; and And to make this the more evident, I shall set down each of in some countries, the priest and king are still consecrated these three generations in a separate column, with the addi- by anointing. In the Hebrew language, no mashach signitional Joakim, that the reader may have them all at one view. fies to anoint; and mashiach, the anointed person. But 1 Abraham as no man was ever dignified by holding the three offices, so no person ever had the title Mashiach, the anointed one, but Jesus. The CHRIST. He alone is King of kings, and Lord of lords: the king who governs the universe, and rules in the hearts of his followers; the prophet, to instruct men in the way wherein they should go; and the great high-priest, to make atonement for their sins. Hence he is called the Messias, a corruption of the word wha-mashiach, THE anointed ONE, in Hebrew; which gave birth to Xploros, ho-Chris158, which has precisely the same signification in Greek: of him, Melchisedech, Abraham, Aaron, David, and othere, were illustrious types. But none of these had the title of THE MESSIAH OF THE ANOINTED of GOD. This does, and ever will, belong exclusively to JESUS, The CHRIST."

2 Isaac

3 Jacob

4 Judah

5 Pharez

6 Ezro

7 Aram

8 Aminida

1 Solomon
2 Rehoboam
3 Abia

4 Asa

5 Josaphat
6 Jorain

7 Oztas

8 Joatham
9 Achaz

11 Manasses

9 Naasson

10 Falinon

10 Ezekias

11 Booz

12 Obed

13 Jesse

14 David

.2 Amon

13 Josias

14 Joachim

1 Jechonias
2 Salathiel
3 Zorobabel
4 Abind

5 Eliakim
6 Azor
7 Sadoc
8 Achim
9 Elind
10 Eleazar
11 Matthan
12 Jacob
13 Joseph
14 JESUS

In all forty-tino generations. 12. Jechonias begat Salathiel.] After Jechonias was brought to Babylon, he was put in prison, by Nebuchadnezzar, where he continued till the death of this prince, and the accession of Evilmerodach, who brought him out of prison, in which he nad been detained thirty-seven years; and restored him to such favour that his throne (seat) was exalted above all the kings which were with him in Babylon: Jer. lii. 31, 32. But though he thus became a royal favourite, he was never resto red to his kingdom. And according to the prophecy of Jeremiah, xxii. 30, no man of his seed sat upon the throne of David; yet the regal line was continued through his son Sa. lathiel, who died in Babylon; but Zorobabel, his son, returned from captivity, and by him the race of David was continued according to Matthew, by Abiud; and, according to Luke, by Rhesa. See on Lake ifi. 23, &c.

The term, carrying away to Babylon, peroikeata, from persized), to change a habitation or place of residence, would be more properly translated by the word transporation, | which is here peculiarly appropriate the change not voluntary; they were forced away.

17. Fourteen generations.] See the note on ver. 11. The Jews had a sort of technical method of summing up generations in this way. In Sinopsis Sohar. p. 132, n. 18, we have the following words: "From Abrahani to Solomon were fifteen generations: and then the moon was at the full From Solomon to Zedekiah were other fifteen generations; the moon was then in the wane, and Zedekiah's eyes were put out." That is, the regal state came to its zenith of light and glory in the time of Solomon; but decreased gradually till it be came nearly extinct in the days of Zedekiah. See Schoeligen.

18. Espoused to Joseph.] The word pureTevbelons, from μvnareve, to contract, or betroth, refers to the previous mar riage agreement, in which the parties mutually bound them. selves to each other, without which no woman was ever mar ried among the Jews.

Before they came together] The woman was espoused at her own, or her father's house; and generally, some time elapsed before she was taken home to the house of her husband: Deut. xx. 7. Judg. xiv. 7, 8. This custom has been immemo rially observed among the inhabitants of Ireland, who have not only this, but many other Asiatic customs, which, added

The prophery concerning

CHAPTER I.

willing to make her a public example, was minded to put ner away privily.

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.

2. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their

sins.

20. That which is conceived (or formed) in her.] So I think yon should be translated in this place: as it appears that the human nature of Jesus Christ was a real creation in the womb of the virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel of the Lord mentioned here, was probably the angel Gabriel, who, six months before, had been sent to Zacharias and Elizabeth, to announce the birth of Christ's forerunner, John the Baptist. See Luke i. 36.

The miraculous conception.

22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

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.

24 Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of
the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth i her first born
son: and he called his name JESUS.

f Ac. 4. 12. & 5. 31. & 13. 23, 38—g Isa. 7. 14.—h Or, his name shall be called.i Ex. 13. 2-Lk. 2.7, 21.

3 Dr. 34. 1, 22-b Lk. 1. 35.- Or. begotten. -d Lk. 1. 31. & 2. 21.-e That is, Saviour, Heb. to various authentic historic proofs, are collateral evidences, sels of his enemies should not stand; and that they should be that they received the Christian religion, not from the popes utterly discomfited. To encourage Ahaz, he commands him of Rome, but through the means of Asiatic missionaries. to ask a sign or miracle, which should be a pledge in hand, Among the Jews, the espousal, though the marriage had not that God should, in due time, fulfil the predictions of his serbeen consummated, was considered as perfectly legal and vant, as related in the context. On Ahaz humbly refusing to binding on both sides; and hence, a breach of this contract ask any sign, it is immediately added, Therefore the Lord him. was considered as a case of adultery, and punished exactly in self shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive the same way. See Deut. xxii. 25, 25. Nor could a contract of and bear a son; and shall call his name Immanuel. Butler this kind, though there was no cohabitation, be broken, but and honey shall he eat, &c. But the divine and human nature by a regular divorce, as Mr. Selden, in his Uxor Hebraica, of our Lord, as well as the miraculous conception, appear to has proved at large from the Jewish rabbins. be pointed out in the prophecy quoted here by the evangelist: She was found with child.] Her situation was the most-He shall be called by IM-MENU-EL; literally, The STRONG distressing and humiliating that can be conceived. Nothing GOD WITH US: Similar to those words in the New Testament but the fullest consciousness of her own integrity, and the -The word which was God-was made flesh and dwelt strongest confidence in God, could have supported her in among us, full of grace and truth: John i. 1. 14. And, God such trying circumstances, where her reputation, her honour, was manifested in the flesh: 1 Tim. iii. 16. So that we are to and her life, were at stake. What conversation passed be understand, God with us, to imply, God incarnated-God in tween her and Joseph, on this discovery, we are not informed; human nature. This seems further evident from the words but the issue proves, that it was not satisfactory to him; nor of the prophet, ver. 15. Butter and honey shall he eat-he could he resolve to consider her as his wife, till God had sent shall be truly man, grow up, and be nourished in a human, his angel to bear the most unequivocal testimony to the vir- natural way; which refers to his being WITH US, i. e. incar gin's innocence. His whole conduct, on this occasion, was nated. To which the prophet adds, that he may know to re exceedingly benevolent and humane. He might at once fuse the evil and choose the good: or rather, According to his have taken the advantage of the law, Deut. xxii. 23, 24, and knowledge, y ledaâto, reprobating the evil and choosing had her stoned to death. the good-this refers to him as God; and is the same idea 19. To make her a public example.] Пapadeiyparical, to ex-given by this prophet, chap. liii. 11. By (or in) his knowledge, pose her to public infamy; from rapa, near, and detkvvua, (the knowledge of Christ crucified, y be daâto) shall my I show, or expose.-Though Joseph was a righteous man, righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their of čikatos, and knew that the law required that such persons fences. Now this union of the divine and human nature, is as he supposed his wife to be, should be put to death; yet as termed a sign or miracle, Roth, i. e. something which exrighteousness is ever directed by mercy, he determined to ceeds the power of nature to produce. And this miraculous put her away or divorce her privately, i. e. without assign-union was to be brought about in a miraculous way: Behold, ing any cause, that her life might be saved: and as the of a VIRGIN shall conceive: the word is very emphatic, y fence was against himself, he had a right to pass it by if he ha-álmah, THE virgin; the only one that ever was, or ever zhose. Some have supposed that the term dikatos should be shall be, a mother in this way. But the Jews, and some called translated merciful, and it certainly often has this significa. Christians, who have espoused their desperate cause, assert, tion, but here it is not necessary. that "the word y almah does not signify a VIRGIN only; for it is applied, Prov. xxx. 19, to signify a young married wo man." I answer, that this latter text is no proof of the con trary doctrine: the words any derec geber-be-almah, the way of a man with a maid, cannot be proved to mean that for which it is produced: besides, one of De Rossi's MSS. reads voya be-almair, the way of a strong, or stout, man (geber) IN HIS YOUTH; and in this reading the Syriac, Septuagint, Vulgate, and Arabic, agree; which are followed 21. JESUS The same as Joshua, yr Yehoshua, from y by the first Version in the English language, as it stands in a yasha, he saved, delivered, put in a state of safety. See MS. in my own possession-the wele of a man in his war= on Exod. xiii. 9. Num. xiii. 16. and in the preface to Joshua. ing youthe: so that this place, the only one that can with any He shall save his people from their sins.] This shall be his probability of success be produced, were the interpretation great business in the world: the great errand on which he is contended for correct, which I am by no means disposed to come, viz. to make an atonement for, and to destroy, sin: de- admit, proves nothing. Besides, the consent of so many verliverance from all the power, guilt, and pollution of sin, issions in the opposite meaning, deprives it of much of its inthe privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. Less than this, fluence in this question. is not spoken of in the Gospel: and less than this, would be unbecoming the Gospel. The perfection of the Gospel system is, not that it makes allowances for sin, but that it makes an atonement for it :-not that it tolerates sin, but that it destroys it. In ver. 1, he is called Jesus Christ, on which Dr. Light-see the case of Rebecca, Gen. xxiv. 43, and my note there: foot properly remarks, "That the name of Jesus, so often added to the name of Christ in the New Testament, is not only that Christ might be thereby pointed out as the Saviour, but also that Jesus might be pointed out as the true Christ, or Messiah, against the unbelief of the Jews." This observation will be of great use in numberless places of the New Testament. See Acts ii. 36. viii. 35. 1 Cor. vi. 22. 1 John ii. 22. iv. 15, &c. 22. By the Prophet.] ISAIAH is added here by several MSS. Versions, and Fathers. The prophecy is taken from Isa. vii. 14. 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child.] We have already seen from the preceding verse, that this prophecy is taken from Isa. vii. 14, but it may be necessary to consider the circumstances of the original promise more particularly. At the time referred to, the kingdom of Judah, under the government of Ahaz, was reduced very low. Pekah, king of Israel, had slain in Judea 120,000 persons in one day; and carried away captives 200,000, including women and children, together with much spoil. To add to their distress, Rezin, king of Syria, being confederate with Pekah, had taken Elath, a fortified city of Judah, and carried the inhabitants away captive to Damascus. In this critical conjuncture, need we wonder that Ahaz was afraid that the enemies who were now united against him, must prevail, destroy Jerusalem, end the kingdom of Judah, and annihilate the family of David? To meet and remove this fear, apparently well grounded, Isaiah is sent from the Lord to Ahaz, swallowed up now both by sorrow and by unbelief, in order to assure him that the coun

The word y almah, comes from by âlam, to lie hid, be concealed; and we are told, that "virgins were so called because they were concealed, or closely kept up in their father's houses, till the time of their marriage. This is not correct: that of Rachel, Gen. xxix. 6, 9, and the note there also: and see the case of Miriam, the sister of Moses, Exod. ii. 2, and also the Chaldee paraphrase on Lam. i. 4, where the virgins are represented as going out in the dance. And see also the whole history of Ruth. This being concealed, or kept at home, on which so much stress is laid, is purely fanciful; for we find, that young unmarried women drew water, kept sheep, gleaned publicly in the fields, &c. &c., and the same works they perform among the Turcomans to the present day. This reason, therefore, does not account for the radical meaning of the word: and we must seek it elsewhere. Another well known and often used root in the Hebrew tongue, will cast light on this subject. This is a galah, which sig. nifies to reveal, make manifest, or uncover, and is often applied to matrimonial connexions, in different parts of the Mosaic law: Dy atam, therefore, may be considered as implying the concealment of the virgin, as such, till lawful marriage had taken place. A virgin was not called by almah, because she was concealed by being kept at home in her father's house, which is not true, but literally and physically, because, as a woman, she had not been uncovered-she had not known man. This fully applies to the blessed virgin, see Luke i. 34. "How can this be, seeing, I know no man?" and this text throws much light on the subject before us. This also is in perfect agreement with the ancient prophecy, "The seed of the woman shall braise the head of the serpent," Gen. iii. 15, for the person was to destroy the

The birth of

CHAPTER II.

Jesus Christ.

work of the devil was to be the progeny of the woman with have had other children, any person may reasonably and out any concurrence of the man. And hence the text in Ge- piously believe; that she had others, many think exceedingly nesis speaks as fully of the virgin state of the person, from probable, and that this text is at least an indirect proof of it. whom Christ, according to the flesh, should come, as that in However this may be, the perpetual virginity of Mary should the prophet, or this in the evangelist. According to the origi- not be inade an article of faith. God has not inade it one-innal proinise, there was to be a seed, a human being, who deed it can hardly bear the light of several texts in the should destroy sin; but this seed, or human being, must Gospels. come from the woman ALONE: and no troman ALONE could Le knew her not.] Had no matrimonial intercourse with her produce such a human being without being a virgin. Hence, A-TILL she had brought forth that son of her's, of whom the virgin shall bear a son, is the very spirit and meaning of the evangelist had been just speaking, the first born, the eldest of original text, independently of the illustration given by the the family, to whoni the birth-right belonged, and who was prophet: and the fact recorded by the evangelist, is the proof miraculously born before she knew any man, being yet in a the whole. But how could that be a sign to Ahaz, which state of virginity. See on chap. xiii. 55. The virginity of Mary, was to take place so many hundreds of years after? I answer, previously to the birth of Christ, is an article of the utinost the meaning of the prophet is plain: not only Rezin and Pe- consequence to the Christian system: and therefore it is an kah should be unsuccessful against Jerusalem at that time, article of faith: her perpetual virginity is of no consequence; which was the fact; but Jerusalein, Judea, and the house of and the learned labour spent to prove it, has produced a David, should be both preserved, notwithstanding their de mere castle in the air. The thing is possible; but it never has pressed state, and the multitude of their adversaries, till the been, and never can be proted. inne should come, when a VIRGIN should bear a son. This is a most remarkable circumstance--the house of David could never fail, till a virgin should conceive and bear a son-uor did it; but when that incredible and miraculous fact did take place, the kingdoin and house of David became extinct! This is an irrefragable confutation of every argument a Jew can offer in vindication of his opposition to the Gospel of Christ. Either the prophecy in Isaiah has been fulfilled, or the kingdom and house of David are yet standing. But the kingdom of David, we know, is destroyed: and where is the man, Jew or Gentile, that can show us a single descendant of David, on the face of the earth? The prophecy could not fail-the kingdom and bouse of David have failed-the rirgin, therefore, must have brought forth her son--and this son is Jesus, the Christ. Thus Moses, Isaiah, and Matthew, concur; and facts the most une. quivocal, have confirmed the whole! Behold the wisdom and providence of God!

Notwithstanding what has been said above, it may be asked, In what sense could this name Immanuel be applied to Jesus Christ, if he be not truly and properly GOD? Could the spirit of truth ever design that Christians should receive him as an angel or a mere man, and yet in the very beginning of the Gospel history, apply a character to him, which belongs only to the Most High God? Surely no. In what sense, then, is Christ GOD WITH US? Jesus is called Immanuel, or God with us, in his incarnation.-God united to our nature-God with man-God in inan.- God with us, by his continual protection. God with us, by the influences of his Holy Spirit-in the holy sacrament-in the preaching of his word-in private prayer. And God with us, through every action of our life, that we begin, continue, and end, in his name. He is God with us, to romfort, enlighten, protect, and defend us in every time of temptation and trial, in the hour of death, in the day of judg. | ment, and God with us, and in us, and we with and in him, to all eternity.

Ile called his name JESUS.] This name was given by the command of God, see ver. 16, and was imposed on Christ when eight days old for then, according to the Jewish law, he was circuncised: thus he had the name of Saviour given when he first began to shed that blood, without which there can be no remission of sins.

The goodness of God is manifested, not only in his giving his Son to save a lost world; but also in the choice of the persons, who were his progenitors: among whom we find, First, SAINTS, to excite our courage: Abraham, remarkable for his faith; Isaac, for his obedience; and Jacob, for his fervour and constancy,

Secondly, Penitent SINNERS, to excite our confidence: such as David, Manasses, &c.

Thirdly, Sinners, of whose repentance and salvation we hear nothing; to put us on our guard. Who can read the account of idolatrous Solomon, who from the whole evidence of the sacred history, died in his sins, without trembling?

Four WOMEN are inentioned in this genealogy: two of these were adulteresses, Tamar and Bathsheba; and two were Gentiles, Rahab and Ruth, and strangers to the covenant of promise; to teach us, that Jesus Christ came to save sinners: and that, though strangers to his people, we are not on that account excluded from a salvation which God has designed for all men. He is not the God of the Jews only; he is also the God of the Gentiles.

The state of the royal family of David, the circumstances of the holy virgin and her spouse Joseph, the very remarkable prophecy of Isaiah, the literal and circumstantial fulfilment of it, the names given to our blessed Lord, the genealogical scroll of the family, &c. &c. are all so many proofs of the wisdom, goodness, and providence of God. Every occurrence seeins, at first view, to be abandoned to fortuitous influence, and yet the result of each shows that God managed the whole. These circumstances are of the greatest importance; nor can the Chris25. Her first-born son.] Tov voor AVTNS TOV ROWTOTOKOV. Lite-tian reader reflect on them without an increase of his faith rally, That son of her's, the first-born one. That Mary might and his piety.

CHAPTER II.

Wise men come from the east to worship Christ, 1, 2. Herod, hearing of the birth of our Lord, is greatly troubled, 3; and makes inquiry of the chief priests and scribes, where the Christ should be born, 4. They inform him of the prophecy relative to Bethlehem, 5, 6. The wise men, going to Bethlehem, are desired by Herod to bring him word when they have found the child, pretending that he wished to do him homage, 7, 8. The wise men are directed by a star to the place where the young child lay, adore him, and offer him gifts, 9-11. Being warned of God not to return to Herod, they depart into their own country another way, 12. Joseph und Mary are divinely warned to escape into Egypt, because Herod sought to destroy Jesus, 13, 14. They obey, and continue in Egypt till the death of Herod, 15. Herod, finding that the wise men did not return, is enraged, and orders all the young children in Bethlehem, under two years of age, to be massacred, 16-18. Herod dies, and Joseph is divinely warned to return to the land of Israel, 19-21. Finding that Archelaus reigned in Judea in place of his father Herod, he goes to Galilee, and takes up his residence at Nazareth, 22, 23. [A. M. 4001. B. C. 4. An. Olymp. CXCIV. 1.]

Now when Jeans was born in Betlehem of Judea, in the have seen her at the king, ht, head tome to worship him.

days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we a Luke 2,4,6,7.-b Gen 10,50 & 15.6. 1 Kings 4.30-c Luke 2. 11.

NOTES.-Verse 1. Bethlehem of Judea.] This city is mentioned in Judg. xvii.7,and must be distinguished from another of the same name in the tribe of Zebulon, Josh. xix. 15. It is likewise called Ephrath, Gen. xlviii. 7, or Ephratah, Mic. v. 2, and its inhabitants Ephrathites, Ru. i. 2. 1 Sam. xvii. 12. It is situated on the declivity of a hill, about six miles from Jerusalem.

Beth-lechem, in Hebrew signifies the house of bread. And the name may be considered as very properly applied to that place where Jesus, the Messiah, the true bread that came down from heaven, was inanifested, for to give life to the world. But lehem also signifies flesh, and is applied to that part of the sacrifice which was burnt upon the altar. See Lev. iii. 11-16. xxi. 6. The word is also used to signify a carcass, Zeph. i. 17. The Arabic version has a Beet lehem, and the Persic

31 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and d Num. 24. 17. Isa, 6, 3.- Prov. 21. 1,2-f2 Chron, 36, 14.

In the days of Herod the king.] This was IEROD, improperly denominated the GREAT, the son of Antipater, an Idumean: he reigned 37 years in Judea, reckoning from the time he was created king of that country by the Romans. Our blessed Lord was born in the last year of his reign; and at this time, the sceptre had literally departed from Judah, a foreigner being now upon the throne. As there are several princes of this name mentioned in the New Testament, it may be well to give a list of them here, together with their genealogy.

Herod the Great, married ten wives, by whom he had several children, Euseb. 1. 1. c. 9. p. 27. The first was Doris, thought to be an Idumean, whon he married when but a private indi vidual; by her he had Antipater, the eldest of all his sons; whom he caused to be executed five days before his own

Beel allehem; but elehem, in Arabic, never sig-death. nifies bread, but always means flesh. Hence it is more proper to consider the name as signifying the house of flesh, or, as some might suppose, the house of the incarnation, i. e. the place where God was manifested in the fesh for the salvation of a lost world.

His second wife was Mariamne, daughter to Hircanus, the sole surviving person of the Asmonean, or Maccabean race. Herod put her to death. She was the mother of Alexander and Aristobulus, whom Herod had executed at Sebastia, (Jor Antiq. I. xvi. c. 13.-de Bello, 1. i. c. 17.) on an accusat on of