Matthew 1:22

‘Now all this is come about that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,'

Here we have the first prophetic formula, and yet this one shares its uniqueness with one other, for it is only here and in Matthew 2:15 that it is said to be ‘spoken by the Lord'. Matthew is very careful in his use of formulae (see introduction), and while he is quoting Isaiah here he does not mention his name. The mention of Isaiah's name is reserved for a special section of Matthew which is openly based on the fulfilment of Isaianic prophecy (Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:14; Matthew 15:7) in which is revealed the coming of the Messiah (Matthew 4:14) and Servant (Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17), and which is preparing for the revelation and reinterpretation of His Messiahship in Matthew 16:16; Matthew 16:21, His revelation in glory in Matthew 17:1, and the confirmation of His Redemptive Servanthood in Matthew 20:28.

The reason for the emphasis on ‘the Lord' here and in Matthew 2:15 is that what is being described is God's direct action through His Son. The point is that He Himself is bringing His Son into the world, and in Him He will bring His people out of ‘Egypt' (Matthew 2:15), that is out of the tyranny of darkness and of the world and under His own heavenly Kingship. The word ‘fulfilled' means ‘fill to the full, bring to completion, bring to its destined end'. It is never to be read in Matthew as though it was just a glib ‘fulfilment of prophecy'. It always means more than that, indicating the bringing about of a greater purpose.