| Extract
Jan. lst
READING: Matthew 1. 1-25
THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
THREE Times reference is
made to Mary bringing forth a son, vv. 21, 23, and 25. A woman
had been instrumental in making man a sinner, Gen. 3. 6; a woman
was instrumental in bringing him a Saviour. The
"child", v. 18, was Mary's son, v. 25; the
"fruit" of her womb, Luke 1. 42. Yet twice it is
stressed that the child was "of the Holy Ghost", vv.
18, 20. This had to be because the child was God, v. 23. We
cannot comprehend how true and holy Manhood was united in one
Person with eternal Deity, 11. 27; 1 Tim. 3. 16. Yet we gladly
believe that which we cannot explain, for God has revealed it
"unto us and to our children for ever", Dent. 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.
Melchisedec, a type of Christ, was "without father, without
mother", Heb. 7. 3. The Lord Jesus became a Man and as such
had no father, v. 18; 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", Rom. 8. 3. He
shared our human nature but not our sinful nature.
Mary was not perfect and needed a Saviour, Luke 1. 47, but the
Holy Spirit brought a clean thing out of an unclean, Job 14. 4.
"A good
name is rather to be chosen than great riches", Prov. 22.
1. The Lord was to be called by two good names, vv. 21, 23. Luke
tells of a third, Luke 1. 35. 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 "Emmanuel", v. 23,
because of what He became. He was to be called
"Jesus", v. 21, because of what He would do. Isaac
("laughter") was named before his birth on account of
something his father had done Gen. 17. 17, 19; Jesus was named
before His birth on account of something He was to do Himself.
He was "to save", v. 21, He who began "the days
of his flesh", Heb. 5. 7, by this 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, Matt. 26. 38, 39. 27. 46.
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