The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 22

the Le.w, which he was striving to follow, the true circumstances, fo urge him to tnki; eoemed to inculcate harshness. 'l'his cle.nee Mary, the.t so the promiso might be full,1 has been to.lrnn in tho opposite sense equivB• carried out in hie family and no otl,e,r lent to" cmd therefore not wishing," because Fear not to te.ke unto thee Mary thy wife the spirit of tho Le.w, which he h11.d learned (ver. 18, note). :For that which is conceived to understand, wne in reality ago.inst all un- in her (" borun," Wickliffe; quod nalMm necessary bo.rehnees, The negative used est, Vulge.te) ; " 0 r. begotte,n " (Revised (if it can be at a.II in eieted upon ; cf. Sim- Version margin), for "t•v11110{v generally cox, 'Lo.nguage of tbo New Testament,' p. refers to the father rather than the mother 188) is in fe.vour of the former interpreta- (yet see eh. xi. II), and here lays special tion. To mo.ke her a public example; stress on the Divine origin. Is of the Holy rather, to proclaim her (" Wold not pnpplische Ghost. "Of Spirit (not flesh), and that the her," Wickliffe); munl11 8«'YJL""l11a, (cf. Col. Holy Spirit (lie II11,6µmT6's lJ-r111 'A"f!ou)" ii. 15). Tho thought is of public proclama- (ver. 18, note). tion of the fa.et of the divorce, not that of Ver. 21.-The first haH is almost verb- bringing lUury herself forward for public ally identical with the promise to lllary in punishment, e.nd so me.king her e. pnblic Lnke i. 31. It is, perhaps, hypercritical to exe.mple (-,rmpa8<1-yµm-r£11m,). Was minded see anything more than o. coincidence when (l/3ovJ,..f1811). The tense indicates the reso- such common terms are used, but it was lution come to as the result of the conflict not unnatural thnt the commnnicat;ons between duty and wish implied in the pre- of the angels to both lliary and Joseph ceding clause. To put her a.way secretly. should be purposely clothed in language Adopting the most private form of legal similar to that need of Sarah (Gen. xvii. 19), divorce, ancl ho.nding the •letter to her and in mensure to that nsed of Hanne.h privately in presence of only two witnesses, (1 Sam. i. 20; cf. Gretillat, ' Theologie to whom he need not communicate hie Systemo.tiqne,' p. 225; 1800). And she shall reasons (cf. Edereheim, • Life,' i. 154). Ob- bring forth. Is the slight adversative force serve in this verse Joei,ph'e insistance on (8,') to be seen in the contrast of the physical his personal and family purity, and yet hie birth to the spiritual origin ? A Son. In ' delicate thoughtfulness for her whom he this, at least, thou aha.It be o.ble to test the loved. accuracy of my statement. And thou aha.It Ver. 20.-But while he thought on these oall. Taking the position of his father; things.; when (Revised Version); nii-rm 8~ the child being thus recognized by all as or muToii iv9vµ118'11-ros. The tense lays stress, David's line (cf. Kiibel). In Lnke l\farv is not on the continuance of his meditation told to give the nnme, but presumaL!y •the ( con tro.st Acls x. 19), but on the fact tho.t formo.l naming would be by Joseph. His the dete1·mination to which he bud e.lready namo JESUS (cf. Ecclus. xlvi. I," Jesus the come (vide supra) was already in hie mind son of Nave . . . who, according to hie name, at the time when the following event hap- was ma.de great for the saving of the elect pened. "These things;" hie determination of God"). For he shall save; for it is he nnd its co.uses. Behold; unexpectedly. that shall save (Revised Version), equivalent Though common in St. Matthew, it never to "He, and no other, is the e::s:pected Jacks the connotation of surprise. The angol Saviour." (For mil-r&s in this sense of ex- of the Lord j an angel of the Lord (Revised cluding others, cf, especially Col. i 16- Version). In Mnry'e ce.ee it was the angel 20.) It may, however, here not be exclusive., Gabriel (Luke i. 26); but here not defined but only intensive-ho being what he is. (so in eh. ii. 13, 19 ; Luke i. 11 ; ii. !l). 'l'ho connexion will then. be - the name (On angels, cf. especio.lly Dorner, 'System.,' Jesus will answer to the fact, for he himself, \ il. 96.) Appeared unto him in 11, dream. in his own Person (1 John ii. 2), by virtue Joseph received his communications by of who.t he is (John ii. 2-1, 25), sho.11 save, dream (eh. ii.13, 19, 22); to Mary, doubtless etc. Jesus, equi valcnt to Jeshii.'a ( ver. 16, j the more holy person, tho vision was vouch- note); he shall sare, equivalent to Joshi'a. safed to her bodily eyes. If Joseph, as His people. Israel after the flesh (cf. John seems probable, was old, we here have a i. II; Luke ii. 10; coatraat John i. 20; iv. beginning of the fulfilment of the promise 42), for whom deliverance from sins mast concerning lliessianio times, " Your old men be tho first step to restoration to rightful shall dream dree.ms" (Joel ii. 28). Se.ying, position, o.nd yet the lo.st sto.ge of result Joseph, thou son of David. In reminding from acceptance of Christ. Comparative Joseph of the greo.tness of his ancestry, the eo.lvation from eiu, due to o.rcepto.nee of angel probably desired (I) to nccopt J oseph'e Christ, must precede that restoration which resolution as right in so far as Joseph knew Joseph then desired, and all true Jows still the circumelanccs, hecauee with tho promise o.r<lently pro.y for; full Ealmtion from sin of 2 8nm. vii. 12.-16 there wne specio.l will bo the linl\l issue of that restorntion. need to keep the line pure; (2) but, under From their sins. With o grealer salve.tion, B THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [err. 1. 1-25,