THE FAMILY RECORD. Literally "the book of birth," or genealogy. Very accurate family records were kept by the Hebrews. JESUS CHRIST. Jesus which means "Savior" is the personal name; Christ which means "Anointed" is the title. (Christ and Messiah mean the same thing.) Jesus is the "Anointed" Prophet,... [ Continue Reading ]
ABRAHAM WAS THE FATHER OF ISAAC. Matthew traces the line from Abraham. Jewish history begins with him. Luke begins with Adam, since he writes for Gentiles (Luke 3:23-38). Both accounts are compared in the notes on Matthew 1:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR MOTHER WAS TAMAR. Three women are specifically named: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth. All were Gentiles, and each had a unique history. There were stains on the character of Tamar (Genesis 38:11-30), and Rahab (Joshua 2:1). Ruth's story is especially beautiful. Each had strong faith.... [ Continue Reading ]
KING DAVID. The most famous of the family record. One title for the Messiah was "Son of David." URIAH'S WIFE. Bathsheba is not named directly. Uriah was a Hittite, a Gentile. She was a partner with David in the greatest guilt of his life (2 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 12).... [ Continue Reading ]
JORAM. Three names are deliberately omitted between Joram and Uzziah. _These appear in_ 1 Chronicles 3:11-12. Omissions of unimportant links are common in the Old Testament (_compare_ 1 Chronicles 8:1_ with_ Genesis 46:21).... [ Continue Reading ]
CARRIED AWAY TO BABYLON. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and held the Jews captive in Babylon for seventy years.... [ Continue Reading ]
ZERUBBABEL. A descendant of the Jewish Kings, he led the return from Babylon (Ezra 3:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB WAS THE FATHER OF JOSEPH. Joseph, a poor carpenter of Nazareth, was a descendant of a long line of kings. As Mary's husband, he was the LEGAL father of Jesus. Matthew gives his family record. Luke (Luke 3:23-38) probably gives the line of Mary. Both were descendants of David. The Jews, who wer... [ Continue Reading ]
FOURTEEN SETS. The Jews enjoyed grouping things this way. There are fourteen sets from Abraham to David. David's name is counted again to make the second set. The third set of fourteen begins with Jechoniah (Matthew 1:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN. His appearance on the human scene (John 1:14). MARY WAS ENGAGED. Custom, from the time of the Patriarchs, considered "engagement" a legally binding form of marriage (Deuteronomy 20:7). (This was not the same as "engagement" today.) Usually a year went by before the marriage wa... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSEPH. By custom, engagement was equal to marriage (Deuteronomy 22:23-24). WHAT WAS RIGHT. An act of kindness. To disgrace her publicly would make her subject to the death penalty (Deuteronomy 22:24). Secretly. Jewish custom required a divorce to break an engagement (Deuteronomy 24:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ANGEL. Joseph was puzzled. God sent his angel with a message. (_Compare_ Luke 1:26). IN A DREAM. A common thing. Three times he was spoken to in this way. DESCENDANT OF DAVID. Reminded of the word of prophecy. DO NOT BE AFRAID. The baby was holy.... [ Continue Reading ]
YON WILL NAME HIM JESUS. Jesus means "Savior." The Hebrew form is "Joshua" "Jehovah's Salvation." WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE. Not the Jewish Nation alone, but all who follow him. FROM THEIR SINS. Christ's special work to remove sin and make us God's friends.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO MAKE COME TRUE. The prophets spoke about the Messiah, so he could be clearly identified as what they said "came true.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VIRGIN. Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14) had in mind a certain virgin. This was a double prophecy, fulfilled in type during the reign of Ahaz (Isaiah 8:1-4), yet pointing forward to the time of true fulfillment (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2-3). EMMANUEL. God has come to set us free!... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN JOSEPH. DID. He immediately obeyed the Lord's instructions. A good example.... [ Continue Reading ]
NO SEXUAL RELATIONS. The language here does not imply any perpetual virginity. Jesus grew up in a normal home (Matthew 13:54-55).... [ Continue Reading ]