The Birth of Jesus Christ

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:1-25

Three times reference is made to Mary bringing forth a son. A woman had been instrumental in making man a sinner (Genesis 3:6); a woman was instrumental in bringing mankind a Savior. The “child,” was Mary’s son; the “fruit” of her womb (Luke 1:42). Yet twice it is stressed that the child was “of the Holy Ghost.” This had to be, because the child was God. We cannot comprehend how true and holy Manhood was united in one Person with eternal Deity, (see Matthew 11:27; 1 Timothy 3:16). Yet we gladly believe that which we cannot explain, for God has revealed it “to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

In becoming flesh (John 1:14), the eternal Word remained that which He had ever been and yet became that which He had never been. Melchizedek, a type of Christ, was “without father, without mother” (Hebrews 7:3). The Lord Jesus became a Man and as such had no father; He was God and as such had no mother.

The holiness of the child was secured by “the Holy Ghost.” Jesus came “in the flesh” (1 John 4:2), but was made only “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3). He shared our human nature but not our sinful nature. Mary was not perfect and needed a Savior (Luke 1:47), but the Holy Spirit brought a clean thing out of an unclean (Job 14:4).

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1). The Lord was to be called by two good names, Jesus and Immanuel. Luke tells of a third. The Lord was to be called “the Son of God” (Luke 1:35), because of what He had always been. He was to be called “Immanuel” because of what He became. He was to be called “Jesus” because of what He would do. Isaac (“laughter”) was named before his birth on account of something his father had done (Genesis 17:17); Jesus was named before His birth on account of something He was to do Himself. He was to “save His people.” He who began “the days of His flesh” (Hebrews 5:7), by the momentous stoop from the throne of God to the womb of a woman, would therefore need to end those “days” by a further stoop to the fathomless depths of the suffering of the cross.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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