The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 23

iherefore, tlinn that which M11no11h's wife might easily be a. sign to All(\z • but then was told Urnt her Bon shonld begin to accom- how is it that St. Mntthew, or' rath~r th~ plish (Jmlg. xiii. 5). Observe that this angel, Rpparcutly lo.ye so muoh stress 011 promise of Christ I\S Saviour is given to "virgiu "? The o.nswu is, o.s it seems, tho.t Joseph, who hnd deeper experience of sin (1) 'almah, by derivation, moons "young (ver. 20, note), while to Mary, who is woman"(vide Cheyne), but in ordinaryusnae marked by promptness of personal devotion, "virgi!1." (2) When the promise was utte1;J. is gi,·en the promi~e of Christ as King (Lnke by Isamh, the word suggested" virgin," but i. 32, 33 ). Saoe . . . from ( ,rw,u, . . . lnr&), no~ (for wh? would ho.ve supposed such 11, not merely "out of" (be, John xii. 27), but ~hmg ?) mamtenance of tho virginity. (3) from all attacks of sin considered &S coming fhe child, thus no.turo.lly born, should be Crom without (but bee eh. vi. 13, note). enlled "lmmnnuel," in sian of God's presence with his people to deliver them Yers. 22, 23.-77w evidence of prophecy. from Rezin and Peko.b, aud, while he wns (" Now all this was done.... God with us.") still in childhood, this deliverance should The Revise<l Yersion omits the marks of paren- come. The definite nrticle prefixed to thesis. From a comparison of eh. xxvi. 56 "virgin" (ha-'almah) either designated a person who was known to the prophet and (o.nd perhaps also eh. xx.i. 4), this is not perhnps also to Ahaz, or, as "the article of the utterance of the evangelist, but of the species" (Cheyne), pictured the person more pre,·ious speaker, yet formulated by the definitely to the mind, though in herself un- evangelist (cf. Weiss). The thought, that known. Thus the promise meant to Ahaz is to say, is still part of the angel's encolll'- and laaio.h that a woman, at that time e. rugin, should benr a son, synchronous with ngement to Joseph; the exact mode of ex- whose childhood should be the Lord's pressing the record of that thought is the deliverance of his people. It is possible evangelist's; so also Tatian's • Diatess.' (or that Isaiah flll'ther saw in this child the perhaps only Ephraem's comment upon it; hoped-for Messiah, identifying it with the.t cf. Zahn), Quod si duhitas, lsaiam au.di. of eh. ix. 6, the long time that we.a yet to intcneue being hidden from him. (4) The Ver. 22.-All this; Taii-ro oJ..ov (not Tain-a angel sees e. fnrther meo.ning in the promise ,,-c:f.v-,.a). The birth of a So.viour, with the than either Ahaz or Isaiah saw, and per- means by \'l"hich it rame about, by a virgin, ceives that, in the providence of Goel, the :i.nd "of the Holy Ghost." Was done· words were so chosen as to form a promise is come to pass (Rc-.ised Version); i.e. i~ of a virgin-birth, the son being of such abiding effect (-yryov,v ). It is considered origin that, in the higliest sense, he could as h&-.ing already taken place ( cf. "the be truly called "Immanuel." "It seems prophetic perfect" of the Old Testament). not unwise to suppose that God, who de- That it might be fulfil.led. God's past utter- signed to send his Son to he the Deliverer ance is looked at as necessitating a present of ma.uk.iud, so ordered the COUl'se of the action. Whlah was spoken of the Lord by world in his Divine providence that many the prophet, HyiD.g; by the Lord through things should tell of the coming Saviour, so (Revised Versiou) ; i.e. the Lord is tlie A ~ent that when he appee.red those who bad (inrt/), the pmpl.tet the means or betrn- studied God's revelation should find that mcnt (5,a). The Lord; i.e. Jehovah. not the scheme of salvation had been one and " God," because the thought is of covenant the same throughout all time. '.l.'hus bypast promise. events, which had specifie meaning in their Ver. 23. - Behold, a virgin (tit-, tJirgin, own time, are found to have further con- Revised Version) &hall be with child, e.nd tained a prefiguration of greater things in shall briug forth a son. The difficulty of time to come; and to have been promises, this q notation from Isa. vii 14 is well ready to receive their highest accomplish- lmown. (1) If the word translated" virgin" ment as soon as the fitness of time should ('almah) properly means this, and (2) if it be appear" (Dr. Lum by). And they shall oall. a!Bo implied in the promise that the vir- Men generally, in virtue of his true na.tUl'e. ginity was to be maintained until the birth His name Emmanuel (Revised Version, of the son, then (3) (a) the fulfilment can Immanuel, as Isa.. vii. 14), which being inter• have been only in the ease of OUl' Lord, and preted is, God with ns. St. lllatthe,v (b) the promise was no real 1ign to Ahaz, emphasizes the interpretation in order to and (c) the context of the promise (according bring out the fa.et that this Son, now to he ~ which 1;1,ezin and Pekah were to perish born to Joseph, shall not only be Jesus, 1n the lads early childhood, vers. 15, 16) Saviour, but also God with us; he is the ~ no apparent reference to the promise me.nifoetation of God in our midst. 'l'lle 1w,lf. (4) If, on the other hand, 'almah thought ie parallel to that of John i. 14. means ouly " you11g woman," the promise Verd. 21, 25.-Joaeph'a threefold obeclienu on. 1. 1-25.) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. l\IATTIIEW. 9