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The birth of Christ, as

ST. MATTHEW.

foretold by the Prophet Isarah.

A. M. 4000. 22 Now all this was done, that it || 232 Behold, a virgin shall be with A. M. 4000. might be fulfilled which was spoken child, and shall bring forth a son,

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in consequence of a life of holiness on earth, they || Certainly God did not give the law with a design to

might be raised to a state of complete perfection make men's sins abound; but this was the conseand felicity in heaven. How plain it is from hencequence of its being given. For, like a dam placed

that, although the gospel offers us salvation by faith, and not by works, yet it effectually secures the practice of holiness, since holiness is a part of that salvation wherewith Christ came to save sinners; for he came to save them from their sins. It is worth observing, on this occasion, what an excellent example of gentleness and prudence is here set us by Joseph! In an affair which appeared dubious, he chose, as we should always do, rather to err on the favourable than on the severe extreme. He is careful to avoid any precipitate steps; and, in the moment of deliberation, God interposes to guide and determine his resolves. Let us reflect, with what wonder and pleasure he would receive the important message from the angel, which not only assured him of the unstained virtue and eminent piety of her he loved, and confirmed his choice of her, as the partner of his future life, but brought | him tidings of a divine Saviour, a Jesus, an Emmanuel, who should be God with men, and should

in the way of a stream, it made the corruption of mankind rise the higher and spread the wider. Το this may be added, however, that he who had foretold these things because he had determined to do them, in due time actually did them, that he might show himself true to his word and promise.

Verse 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth, &c.-Some have unhappily supposed that this famous prophecy immediately related to the birth of a child of Isaiah's in a natural way; and that it only referred to Christ in a secondary sense. But surely a son's being born of one then a virgin, when she was married, was no such extraordinary event as to answer such a pompous introduction as we meet with in the viith of Isaiah. Had this been all, what need was there of these words, The Lord himself shall give you a sign? What need of that solemn notice, Behold! there being nothing new or strange in all this. Besides, the promise, A virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

save his people from their sins; and assured him, and shall call his name Emmanuel, is made as a moreover, that the object of his affections, his be-sign or miracle, to confirm the house of David in loved, espoused Mary, should, by a miraculous con- | God's promise made to him, respecting the perpeception, be the happy mother of this heavenly off-tuity of his kingdom. But what sign or miracle spring, and should therefore through all generations || could it be, that a woman should be with child after

be entitled blessed. Let us also receive these glad tidings of great joy, designed for the consolation of all people, with suitable humility and gratitude, and seek unto this Jesus that he may answer his divine name in us, and save us, his people, from our sins.

the ordinary manner? what wonder was there in this? As to Isaiah, ch. vii. 16, Before the child (or, as it is in the Hebrew, this child,) shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings, it

Let our souls bow to this Emmanuel, our incarnate || seems most reasonable to interpret it as referring to

God, and, while with holy wonder we survey the various scenes of his humiliation, let us remember, too, his native dignity and divine glory, and pay him the worship and service which are his undoubt ed due.

Shear-jashub, whom Isaiah was ordered to take in his hand for no other imaginable reason but that something remarkable was to be said of him. So that their deliverance from the two kings of Syria and Israel, before Isaiah's son, (whom he had taken in his hand,) should be able to distinguish between good and evil, was to be considered by them as ty

Verse 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled-That is, by the doing of all this was fulfilled the following prophecy. For we are not topical of a much greater deliverance by the Messiah,

in due time to be born of a future virgin. See notes on Isa. vii. 11-16. Thus, according to the usual manner of the prophets, the people of God, in their present distress, are comforted with the pro

suppose that the bare accomplishment of an ancient prediction was the end God had in view in sending his Son into the world; which would imply that, if no such prediction had been given, God would not have sent his Son. No: God's design was the sal- || mise of the Messiah hereafter to appear. They shall

call his name-That is, his name shall be called; a personal verb being put for an impersonal, as is

vation of mankind, and the prophecy was fulfilled, as it were, by the way, without being primarily intended. For the events foretold by the prophets || frequently the case; or, as some copies read it, Thou

Joseph obeys the

CHAPTER II.

command of the angel.

A. M. 4000. which, being interpreted, is, God || him, and took unto him his wife: A. M. 4000. with us. 25 And knew her not till she had

her firstborn son: and he

24 Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, brought forth
did as the angel of the Lord had bidden || called his name Jesus.

a Exod. xiii. 2; Luke ii. 7, 21.

shalt call, or, he shall be owned and accounted; Emmanuel, God with us-God in our nature, by whose incarnation, God is united to our nature; and by whose mediation, God is reconciled to us and is present with us. The names of Christ, it must be

with recording this, without affirming any thing further, either way, on this delicate subject." We must observe, however, that the expression, Till she had brought forth her firstborn son, does not necessarily imply that he knew her afterward, any

observed, are of two kinds: 1st, proper and distin- | more than the Lord's words to Jacob, Gen. xxviii.

15, I will not leave thee till I have done all that which I have spoken to thee of, imply that the Lord left Jacob after he had fulfilled his promises to him; or what is said, 2 Sam. vi. 23, of Michal, Saul's daughter, that she had no child till the day of her death, that she bore a child or children afterward; nor will the expression, her firstborn son, prove that she had afterward any more children, being in Scripture applied continually to the person that first opened the womb, as the phrase is, whether there were any more children or not. Indeed, the Greek

guishing, pointing out his person; 2dly, descriptive, either of his person or offices, such as there are many in Scripture, as David, the Branch, Wonderful, Counsellor. It is to be observed, that in the Scripture language, to be called, and to be, are the same thing. It is, therefore, no objection against the application of these words to Christ, that he did not bear the name Emmanuel, if he really was God with us, which is the import of it. And that he || was, is sufficiently proved from his being entitled the mighty God by Isaiah, ch. ix. 6. Now, he who is properly called El, God, and is also eттапи, || here, τον υιον αυτης, τον πρωτοτοκον, is literally, her son, the firstborn, or that firstborn, viz., that person per eminent and dear to God above others that were the

with us, must infallibly be that Emmanuel, who is God with us.

Verses 24, 25. Joseph did as the angel had bidden || firstborn, whom all the firstborn in the Old Testahim-This sudden change of his resolution, shows || ment prefigured, whom the angels adore, Heb. i. 6, his great faith and ready obedience to God. When and in whom those that believe become the firstGod speaks to our hearts, we speedily and cheer-born, and the first fruits of God's creatures. Neverfully do what before we not only scrupled, but || theless, when it is considered what is the great thought, perhaps, most inconvenient and unpleasing, || end of marriage, that Joseph took Mary to wife by and even contrary to the dictates of reason. And the command of God himself, and that his law not took unto him his wife-That is, he took her home only permits, but even enjoins husbands to perform to his house. Nevertheless, in expectation of this the marriage duty, it is, as Dr. Whitby observes, wonderful event, and out of reverence to this sacred || "not easy to be conceived, that he should live twelve

years with her he loved so well, and all that time deny that duty which was not to be diminished when the wife was less beloved:" especially as no just reason whatever can be assigned for such conduct. Be this as it may, we may safely conclude with St. Basil, an ancient father of the Church, that till she had brought forth her firstborn her virginity was necessary: "but what she was afterward let us leave undiscussed, as being of small concern to the

birth, he knew her not as his wife, though she dwelt
under his roof; but she continued a pure virgin till
at least Jesus was born. "On what terms they af-
terward lived," says an eminent divine, "is of so
little importance to us, that one cannot but wonder
it should have been the subject of so much debate.
It is sufficient for us to know that she was a virgin,
not only at the time of Christ's conception, but at
his birth, as the prophecy foretold she should be.
The evangelist, therefore, wisely contented himself || mystery."

CHAPTER II.

This chapter represents, (1,) The solicitous inquiry of some wise Gentiles after Christ, with the information and direction given them by King Herod, 1-8. (2) Their guidance to him at Bethlehem by a star; their worship of and liberal donations to him, and their return homeward, 9-12. (3,) The divinely-directed flight of Christ and his parents into Egypt, to avoid the intended cruelty of Herod, 13-15. (4,) Herod's barbarous murder of the infants about Bethlehem, in order to murder Christ among them, 16-18. (5,) Christ and his parents, divinely inspired, return from Egypt to the land of Israel, and retire to Nazareth in Galilee, 19-23.

At the birth of Christ,

ST. MATTHEW.

wise men come from the East.

A. M. 4000. NOW * when a Jesus was † born in || Herod the king, behold, there came wise A. M. 4000. Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of men from the east to Jerusalem,

* The Fourth year before the common account called Anno Domini.

NOTES ON CHAPTER II.

Verse 1. Now when Jesus was born-It is matter of great doubt when the following remarkable occurrence happened. The received time of celebrating the Epiphany imports that it was within thirteen days of the birth of Christ. But as it is not likely that the star made its appearance till he was born, so it does not seem at all probable that the wise men could have prepared for and accomplished so long a journey in so short a space of time, espe

a Luke ii. 4, 6, 7.† Epiphany, gospel, verse 1 to verse 13. b Gen. x. 30; xxv. 6; 1 Kings iv. 30.

Acts xii., was his grandson. It is to be observed, that the history of the New Testament begins with Herod the Great, and ends with Agrippa, the last king of the Jews. Behold! The evangelist calls our attention by this word to the following very memorable occurrence. There came wise menProbably Chaldean or Arabian astronomers, who, by divine grace, had been led from the knowledge of nature, to that of nature's God. Although they are termed in the original, μαγοι, magi, we must not

cially as they tarried some days, at the least, at Je-imagine that they were what we call magicians, or

rusalem, on their way to Bethlehem. Add to this, that immediately after their departure, (verse 13,) Joseph, with his wife and the child, are sent away into Egypt, which could not have been before the end of the forty days of Mary's purification. But although this visit of the wise men did not happen so soon after the birth of Christ as the calendar supposes, it might happen before Jesus was presented in the temple. For it is certain, when they came to Bethlehem they found Jesus and his mother there; but, according to Luke, ch. ii. 22, when the days of Mary's purification were ended, they brought the child Jesus to present him to the Lord; and we never read of their returning with him to Bethlehem. On the contrary, we are told, when they had performed all things according to the law, they returned together to their own city Nazareth. "According to this hypothesis, Jesus was brought to Jerusalem while Herod was waiting for the return of the wise men, and the angel appeared to Joseph there to

sorcerers; for the appellation was by no means appropriated in ancient times to such as practised wicked arts, but was frequently given to philosophers, or men of learning, particularly those that were curious in examining the works of nature, and observing the motions of the heavenly bodies. Came from the east-It is impossible to determine absolutely from what part of the East they came; although it is probable it was from Arabia, rather than Chaldea, for it lay east of Judea, and is mentioned by Tacitus as its boundary eastward, and certainly was famous for gold, frankincense, and myrrh, commodities which (see verse 11) they brought with them. Myrrh, according to Grotius, is not produced save in Arabia, where, if we may believe Pliny, it is found in such abundance, with other spices, that no other kinds of wood are in use, not even to make fires of, but such as are odoriferous. Neither is frankincense found save among the Sabæans, a part of Arabia. And as to gold, another commodity

command him to flee into Egypt with the young || which they brought, this is well known to be pro

child and his mother, which they might do the very night after Jesus was presented in the temple.

duced in such great abundance in Arabia Felix, that the furniture of the whole nation shines with it. David and Solomon, to whom the promise of the

In Bethlehem of Judea-Judea here means the district so named from the tribe of Judah, under || land of Canaan was fully made good, extended their which, however, the tribe of Benjamin was compre- || dominions over those countries, even to the Euphrahended; and it is distinguished from Samaria, Peræa, tes, and the inhabitants of them were chiefly the Trachonitis, and both Galilees. It must be observed, seed of Abraham. Now it is more likely that these there was another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zabu-first fruits of the Gentiles should be brought to do lon, in the lower Galilee. In the days of Herod the homage to the King of the Jews, from a country king-Viz., Herod the Great, the son of Antipater, that had done as much to David and Solomon, the born at Ascalon, about 70 years before Christ. Ac-types of Christ, than from a foreign and more recording to some, he was a native Jew; according to || mote nation; and that they should be of the seed

others, an Idumean by the father's side, and by the mother's an Arabian. The most probable opinion is, that he was originally an Idumean; but that his ancestors had, for some ages, been proselytes to the Jewish religion. The Jews being at that time in subjection to the Romans, he was made king of Judea by the Roman senate. At his death, which happened soon after this, he divided his dominions

Add to

of Abraham rather than of another race.
this, that Arabia abounded with magi, and was an-
ciently so famous for wisdom, that, according to
Porphyry, Pythagoras himself travelled thither to
acquire it. Nay, if we may credit the learned Dr.
Alix, the Jews were of opinion that there were
prophets in the kingdoms of Saba and Arabia, and
that they prophesied or taught successively, in the

by his last will among his sons, appointing Arche-name of God, what they had received by tradition laus, mentioned verse 22, to succeed him as king of from the mouth of Abraham, of whose posterity Judea; Herod Antipas, mentioned chap. xiv., to be they were, by Keturah. In the Old Testament it is tetrarch of Galilee and Peræa; and Philip, men-frequently called the East, as Judg. vi. 3; Job i. 3; tioned Luke iii., to be tetrarch of Trachonitis and the || whereas Chaldea lay not so properly to the east neighbouring countries. Herod Agrippa, mentioned || as to the north of Judea, and is often spoken of in

The wise men from the East

CHAPTER II.

seek Christ, to worship him.

A. M. 4000. 2 Saying, Where is he that is born || his star in the east, and are come to A. Μ. 4000. King of the Jews? for we have seen

Luke ii. 11.

worship him.

dNum. xxiv. 17; Isa. lx. 3.

Scripture in that light. See Jer. i. 14, 15; vi. 22; being also skilled in astronomy, and seeing this star Joel ii. 20. Had these wise men been, as some have || or light appearing in Judea, might reasonably consupposed, a deputation from all the magi in Persia, jecture that it signified the completion of that celeMedia, Arabia, and Chaldea; or had they been brated prophecy touching the king of the Jews, kings, as the papists fancy; so grand a circumstance || over the centre of whose land, they, being in the as either of these would, in all probability, have || east, saw it hang. For it is not at all probable that been expressly recorded. To Jerusalem-The cap- this star appeared to the eastward of them, in which ital of the kingdom, and the seat of learning. For case it would have denoted something among the it seems these wise men did not suppose that so || Indians, or other eastern nations, rather than among illustrious a king would be born in an ignoble vil- || the Jews; but that it was seen to the west of themlage, but that he must be sought for in the royal || selves, and over the very place where the king was city, in the palace itself, and in the family which to be born. then reigned. It was, however, no doubt, by the We have seen his star-Which points him out, divine providence that they were directed to Jeru- and is the token of his nativity. These wise men, salem, as well that the Jews might be left without | learned in astronomy, and curious in marking the excuse, as that the birth of Christ the King might || rising and setting and other phenomena of the heabe announced by the Gentiles before he was ac-venly bodies, observed at this time a star which they knowledged by the Jews, lest the testimony of the || had never seen before, and were amazed at it as at Jews concerning their own King should come under a new, portentous appearance which did certainly suspicion. forebode something of great consequence to the

Verse 2. Saying, Where is he that is born King of || world, and the Jews in particular, over whose counthe Jews-That is, their lawful and hereditary sove-try it seemed to hang. But how could they know

reign, Herod not being such. The wise men are under no kind of doubts in their inquiry; but being fully persuaded that he was born, and believing that this was known to all there, they only inquire where he was born. By this inquiry the birth of Christ was more publicly declared to the Jews, and more fully attested; the coming of these grave and

that this was his star, or that it signified the birth of a king? Many of the ancient fathers answer, that they learned this from the words of Balaam, Num. xxiv. 17, There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre, &c. And though, it is certain, these words properly speak not of a star that should arise at any prince's birth, but of a king who should be

understanding persons from a distant country in || glorious and resplendent in his dominions, as stars consequence of what they believed to be superna-are in the firmament, and should vanquish and postural direction, being a very extraordinary occur-sess these nations; yet considering that, according rence. It is to be observed, that, according to Taci- to the hieroglyphics of the East, and the figurative tus and Suetonius, historians of undoubted credit, || language of prophecy, stars are emblems of princes,

it was expected through the whole East that a. out that time a king was to arise in Judea who shound rule all the world. What gave birth to that expectation might be this: From the time of the Babylonish captivity, the Jews were dispersed through all the provinces of the Persian monarchy: and that in such numbers, that they were able to gather to- ||

it was very natural for them to consider the rising of a new star as foretelling the rise of a new king. And as Balaam's prophecy signified that the king should arise in Judea, and the new and extraordinary star they had seen appeared over that country, it was quite natural for them to conclude, that the king whose rise was foretold, was now born there.

gether and defend themselves against their enemies | And though we know of no record in which this in those provinces. See Esther iii. 8; viii. 17; ix. 2, 16; prophecy was preserved but the books of Moses, and many of the people of the land became Jews. || yet are we not sure there was no other; nor is it After their return into their own land they increased || certain the books of Moses were unknown in Araso mightily that they were soon dispersed over bia. It seems more probable, considering its borderAsia, Africa, and many parts of Europe, and, as Jo-ing upon Judea, and David and Solomon's extending sephus assures us, wherever they came they made their dominions over, at least, a part of it, as well proselytes to their religion. Now it was one prin-as from the intercourse the Arabians had with the cipal article of their faith, and branch of their reli- || Jews, certainly greater than the Ethiopians had with gion, to believe in and expect the appearance of the || them, to whom, nevertheless, it appears from Acts promised Messiah. Wherever they came, there- viii. 26, &c. that the Old Testament was not unfore, they would spread this faith and expectation; || known; it seems likely, from these considerations, so that it is no wonder it became so general. Now that they were not unacquainted with the divine these wise men, living at no very great distance || Oracles, and particularly with this delivered by one from Judea, the seat of this prophecy, and con- of their own country. But if, after all, this should versing with the Jews among them, who were every- seem improbable, then we need make no scruple at where expecting the completion of it at that time; | all of believing that they were favoured by a divine The fulfilment of the prophecy

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3 When Herod the king had || demanded of them where Christ should A. M. 4000. heard these things, he was troubled, be born.

and all Jerusalem with him. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of 4 And when he had gathered all the chief Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, priests and scribes of the people together, he || 61 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda,

e Proverbs 21. 1, 2. - £2 Chronicles xxxvi. 14. & 2 Chronicles xxxiv. 13.

revelation touching this matter, by which it is plain they were guided in their return. To worship him-Or to do him homage by prostrating ourselves before him, an honour which the Eastern nations were accustomed to pay their monarchs.

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knowledge of them, it does not appear that any fixed and legal council was summoned; but only that an extraordinary meeting of learned men was called by the king, that they might judge of the question of the wise men. He demanded of them

Verse 3. When Herod heard, &c. ---he was troubled || where Christ, i. e., the promised Messiah, was to be

-Or, alarmed, as Dr. Waterland renders εταράχθη. The word properly signifies a great emotion of mind, whatever the cause thereof be. Being a prince of a very suspicious temper, and his cruelties having

born. The wise men had said nothing about Christ, or the Messiah, but only about a king, or, the king of the Jews. But Herod presently conceived that this king of the Jews that was born must be the

rendered him obnoxious to his subjects, he feared || Messiah promised Psa. ii.; Dan. ix.; and therefore

losing his kmgdom, especially as he had taken Je- || rusalem by force, and was settled on his throne by the aid of the Romans. Hence it is no wonder that he was concerned to hear of the birth of one that

desired to know of them the place of his birth, according to their received traditions, and sense of the prophecies of Scripture. But it is to be well observed, that we must understand Herod as inquir

was to be king, and especially to have such an ex-ing, not concerning an event considered by him as

traordinary confirmation of it, as that of persons coming from a far country, directed by an extraordinary impulse upon the sight of a new star, which pointed to Judea as the seat of his empire. And al. Jerusalem with him-Fearing he should make it an occasion of renewing some of those tyrannical actions which had lately filled them with so much horror, as is related at large by Josephus. They dreaded likewise, it seems, a change of government, as knowing it does not usually happen without bloodshed, and that the Romans had great power, and would oppose any change in their affairs.

already come to pass, but concerning a matter yet future and uncertain. For although he understood from the wise men that the birth of the Messiah had even now taken place, yet he concealed his knowledge of this, and his whole design, from the Jews. It is easy to observe how strongly all this story implies that a general expectation of the Messiah now prevailed: and it is plain Herod, in a sense, both believed the Jewish Scriptures, and that the birth of the Messiah was foretold in them. And yet, which discovered the height of madness, as well as of impiety and cruelty, he was contriving to destroy him! to destroy him whose birth, and reign, and glory, God in his word, he believed, had infallibly foretold!

Verse 4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests-This expression must be intended to comprehend not only the high priest for the time being, and his deputy, with those who had formerly borne that office, but also the heads of the twenty-four || courses, as well as any other persons of peculiar eminence in the priesthood, in which sense Josephus uses the word, Antiq. lib. xx. cap. viii. (al. 6,) § 8, p. 973. The scribes of the people-It would seem, from Ezra vii. 11, 12; 1 Chron. xxiv. 6; 2 Chron. || xxxiv. 13, that they were of the tribe of Levi only, and so were either priests or Levites. As their of-they cited, but sometimes contented themselves

Verse 6. Thou Bethlehem, &c., art not the least among the princes of Juda-It is justly observed by Dr. Doddridge, after Erasmus, here, that "when this and several other quotations from the Old Testament, which we find in the New, come to be compared with the original, and even with the Septuagint, it plainly appears that the apostles did not always think it necessary to transcribe the passages

fice was to transcribe and prepare fair copies of the with giving the general sense in some little diversity law of Moses, and other parts of the Old Testament, || of language." The words of Micah, which we ren(a very necessary work before printing was invented,) they became, of course, well acquainted with the Scriptures, and were ordinarily employed in explaining them to the people: whence the chief of

der, Though thou be little, may be rendered, Art thou little? And his expression, thousands of Judah ; and that of the evangelist here, princes, or govern ors of Judah, are in sense the same, the word

them were called doctors of the law. They, or at || thousands being used by the prophet, in allusion least some of them, together with the chief priests to the first division of the tribes of Israel into and elders, constituted the sanhedrim, or great coun- || thousands, hundreds, and other subordinate divicil of the nation. But in this place, when no public business was to be done, but only the predictions of the ancient prophets were to be searched into by those who were thought to excel others in the

sions, over every one of which thousands was a prince or chief. But for a full explanation of both passages the reader is referred to the note on Micah v. 2.

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