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More Matthew commentaries
Matthew 1:1-17
The Genealogy of the Messiah
Matthew 1:18-25
The Importance of the Virgin Birth
Matthew 2:1-12
The Anticipation of the Messiah
Matthew 2:13-23
Flight to Egypt
Matthew 3:1-6
The Preperation of the Messiah
Matthew 3:7-12
The Pharisees and Sadducees
Matthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of Christ
Matthew 4:1-11
Three Major Tests
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The Importance of the Virgin Birth
Matthew 1:18–25
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
In summer of 1958 I spent 2 months with my brother Wayne and his family, in southern Mexico. He directed the training camp for all new missionaries going out with Wycliffe Bible Translators. There was a woman who ran a trading store on their compound. Her husband had been t … More
The virgin birth of Christ is undoubtedly the most essential doctrine underlying His deity. Mary and Joseph were in this one year waiting period when Mary “was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost” (v. 18). Being a good moral upright man and knowing the child did not belong to him, Joseph decided to divorce Mary privately and not create a public scandal. However while he considered what should be done “the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream” and told him that Mary’s condition was not caused by man, but through the Holy Spirit (vv. 19-20). The naming of the child Jesus means “Jehovah saves” (vv, 21-22). This points to the very purpose of Christ’s coming...
The angel orders Joseph to take Mary as his wife and he violated all customs by immediately taking Mary into his home rather than waiting till the one-year time period of engagement had passed. He brought her home and began to care and provide for her but there was no sexual relationships between them until after Jesus’ birth. Thus Mary was truly a virgin which fulfills the prediction of Christ’s virgin birth (Isa. 7:14) and is one of the most essential doctrines of the Bible (vv. 23-25).
Application
It is only because of the virgin birth of Jesus that He is special and can be my Saviour.
Matthew 1:18-25 (English Standard Version)
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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