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As a result, the infant Christ is given another name, Emmanuel, God with us. The
explanation of the Hebrew name was doubtless added by Matthew and not spoken by the
Angel to Joseph. This name is coincident with meaning of the name Jesus--"Jehovah--
Saviour", and "with us--God" and it should be clear that no created being could ever
truthfully bear these two great titles and carry out what they represent.
The angel had told Joseph to take unto him his wife. So when he awoke from sleep, he
obeyed the angel and in Moffatt's words, "took his wife home". One can imagine the
relief and joy of both Joseph and Mary after all the perplexity they had experienced.
Regarding verse 25 Dr. A. T. Robertson writes:
"Joseph lived in continence with Mary till the birth of Jesus. Matthew does not say
that Mary bore no other children than Jesus . . . . . the perpetual virginity of Mary is not
taught here. Jesus had brothers and sisters and the natural meaning is that they were
younger children of Joseph and Mary and not children of Joseph by a previous marriage.
So Joseph `called His name Jesus' as the angel had directed and the Child was born in
wedlock. Joseph showed that he was an upright man in a most difficult situation" (Word
Pictures in the New Testament, p.13).
The visit of the Magi.
There is no doubt that Matthew considered what he wrote was historic and really
happened. He does not think it necessary to go into much detail concerning the
miraculous Birth of the Saviour. As A. B. Bruce says, "the main purpose is to show the
reception given by the world to the new-born Messianic King. Homage from afar,
hostility at home; foreshadowing the fortunes of the new faith; reception by the
Gentiles, rejection by the Jews".
Matthew 2: 1, 2.
Bethlehem is stated to be in Judaea, as there was another Bethlehem in Galilee,
seven miles northwest of Nazareth. This Bethlehem of Judaea was the setting of Ruth's
life with Boaz (Ruth 1: 1). It was the home of David, Ruth's descendant, and he was
born here and also anointed King (I Sam. 17: 12). The word means "house of bread".
The Lord Jesus was born in this "house of bread" and Himself was the Bread of Life
(John 6: 55), the true Manna from heaven.
The Emperor Augustus decreed an enrolment or census by families, as the papyri
show. Matthew tells us that the Infant Christ was born "in the days of Herod the king".
Luke's date is more precise (Luke 2: 1-3). Herod died in B.C.4 according to Josephus.
He had been king of Judaea since B.C.40 (through Antony and Octavius). Herod the
Great as he is sometimes called, was a tyrant of the worst type. Through his jealousy he
put to death his wife Marianne and their two sons Aristobulus and Alexander, also
another son who was once his heir. He was insanely jealous and would brook no rivalry
of any sort. When he heard about Christ, it was as a possible rival that he regarded Him,
so we can well understand Matt. 2: 3 telling us "he was troubled" and his one object
now was to eliminate this possibility. Behind it all was the power of Satan whose aim
was to destroy the Seed of the woman who would "crush his head" (Gen. 3: 15) and God