The Christmas
Story in Matthew
Matthew 1:18 - 2:12
Now the birth of Jesus the
Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been
engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was
found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband
Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to
public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just
when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the
child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear
a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his
people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill
what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and
they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is
with us."
When Joseph awoke from sleep,
he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as
his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had
borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
In the
time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking,
"Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay
him homage."
When King Herod heard this, he
was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling
together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he
inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told
him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written
by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you
shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people
Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called for
the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the
star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,
"Go and search diligently for the child; and when you
have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay
him homage."
When they had heard the king,
they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that
they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place
where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped,
they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they
saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and
paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they
offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a
dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country
by another road.
A look at the names given to Him around the time of His birth.
Son of God
(Luke 1:35)
Those who are genuine followers of the God of the Bible are, at times, described as
"sons" [including "daughters"!] of God. But this is, as it were, by "adoption" into the
"family of God." (Ephesians 1:5: "He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through
Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will...") In contrast, Jesus is described
as the Son of God because of his unique, eternal nature. In a special way, he is the "only
begotten," the unique or "one and only" Son of God. (1 John 4:9 "This is how God showed
his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through
him.")
Son of the Most High
(Luke 1:32)
This relationship as "son" is with the "Most High God" - specifically the God who is
revealed to us in the Bible.
The Word
(John 1:1, 14)
This name is mentioned in the Bible as describing Jesus before he was born! We - finite
humans - cannot fully comprehend the nature of the infinite God. But we can accept the
things he has revealed to us about himself. Jesus, as the Word of God is revealed to us as
being very truly a part of God himself, yet in some manner distinct from him. (John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.")
Elsewhere, he is described as "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation
of his being." (Hebrews 1:3)
Immanuel
(Matthew 1:22-23)
This means "God with us." This name comes right out of Old Testament prophecy, which
described this event (the birth of Jesus) with exacting detail. It is because of his unique
nature that he is qualified to bear this name in its fullest sense. (John 1:14 "The Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the
One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.")
Jesus
(Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:21)
Because he is "Immanuel," he bears the right to own the name "Jesus" in the fullest sense
of its meaning: "Jehovah saves." ("Jehovah" is the name of God in the Old Testament.)
Christ
(Matthew 1:17-18; Luke 2:11,26)
"The anointed one" or "the Messiah." He came with a mission - a special task to be
completed. His birth was no "accident."
Savior
(Luke 2:11)
"Deliverer" The Bible describes man as alienated from God. God, by nature, is too holy
and pure to tolerate sin; eventually he must deal with it. Yet because he is also the God
of mercy and love, he has provided a way for reconciliation. This was Jesus' mission -
this is why he was born. Elsewhere he is called "the lamb of God" (John 1:29) because he
would one day take upon himself (on the cross) the judgment we deserve. Like a
sacrificial lamb, he would take our place (the place of each of us who trusts him for
salvation) and experience the wrath of God that we deserve. He is also described as "the
horn of salvation" for the Jews (Luke 1:69 - "Horn" symbolized "strength." Jesus would
have the power to save.) and "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32 - that
includes the rest of us who are not Jews).
The King of the Jews
(Matthew 2:2)
He is also described as "the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1). This
points to his right to rule over Israel. All the Old Testament prophecies concerning a
future king over Israel will someday be fulfilled in him. (See Matthew 2:6.) Other
passages describe him as the one who will be king over all the nations.
A Nazarene
(Matthew 2:23)
Though born in Bethlehem (in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy), he would grow up
in the town of Nazareth. In a sense, this is a play on words. The town of Nazareth was
the location of a Roman garrison. Since the Jews looked at the Romans as their enemies,
the term "Nazarene" became a term of contempt. (Compare with John 1:46, when
Nathanael - soon to become a disciple of Jesus - said: "Nazareth! Can anything good
come from there?") Jesus would live as a despised "nobody." One of the Old Testament
prophets described him in this manner: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of
sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was
despised, and we esteemed him not." (Isaiah 53:3) In reality, however, he was something
else:
Lord
(Luke 1:43, 2:11)
He is not merely a "human" lord, or master. He is not just the leader of those who choose
to become his disciples or followers. He is ruler over all. Quite frequently this word
"Lord" is used in the New Testament in a manner which ties (or equates) Jesus with the
God of the Old Testament. But why should we be surprised? He is the Creator of the
universe.
Though once viewed as a "nobody," the day will come in which
we will all bow down before Him. He is the one "who, being
in very nature God, did not consider equality with
God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking
the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself
and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him
the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:6-11)