V. The genealogy in Matthe^v from Solomon, and that in Luke from Nathan, is brought down to Joseph, not with the same, but with a different view [respectu, relation, regard.^
This is clear from the preceding section.
VI. Jesus Christ was the Son of Mary, but not of her husband Joseph.
This is evident from Matt. i. 16.
VII. It was necessary that the genealogy of Mary should be drawn out.
Without the genealogy of Mary, the descent of Jesus from David could not be proved, as follows from what has just been said.
VIII. Joseph was for some time reputed to be the father of the Lord Jesus.
The mystery of the Redeemer's birth from a virgin was not made known at once, but by degrees ; and, in the meanwhile, the honourable title of marriage was required as a veil for that mystery. Jesus, therefore, was believed to be the Son of Joseph, for instance, after His baptism, by Philip (John i. 45) ; in the time of His public preaching, by the inhabitants of Nazareth (Luke iv. 22 ; Matt. xiii. 55), and only a year before His Passion by the Jews (John vi. 42). Many still clung to this opinion even after our Lord's Ascension, and up to the time, there fore, when, a few years subsequently to that event, St Matthew wrote his gospel.
IX. It was therefore necessary that the genealogy of Joseph also should in the meanwhile exist.
It was necessary that all those who believed Jesus to be the Son of Joseph, should be convinced that Joseph was descended from David. Otherwise they could not have acknowledged Jesus to be the Son of David, and consequently could not acknowledge Him to be the Christ. When therefore the angel first appeared to Joseph, and commanded him to take unto him his wife, he called him (ver. 20) the son of David : because, for sooth, the Son of Mary would for a time have to bear that name as if derived from Joseph. In like manner, not only was Jesus in truth the first-born (Luke ii. 7, 23) of His mother, but it behoved also that He should be reputed to be the first-born of Joseph : those, therefore, who are called the brethren of Jesus,