Matthew 1:23

| Matt 1 |

23 d “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name e Immanuel”

(which means, God f with us).

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Matt. 1:1–2:23 The Arrival in History of Jesus the Messiah. Matthew's introduction echoes the language of Genesis. The word rendered “genealogy” (1:1) is Greek genesis (“beginning, origin, birth, genealogy”), and this is also the title of the Greek translation of Genesis, implying that it is a book of “beginnings.” “The book of the genealogy” appears to function not only as a heading for the genealogy itself (1:2–17) but also as a title for the entire story to follow: a new beginning with the arrival of Jesus the Messiah and the kingdom of God (cf. note on Gen. 2:4).

Matt. 1:18–25 The Angelic Announcement of the Conception of Jesus the Messiah. A new era in Israel's history begins with the story of Jesus' conception in the little town of Nazareth. The angel announces his conception (vv. 18–21), explaining that he is the prophesied Immanuel (vv. 22–23). Joseph immediately obeys the angel's directive (vv. 24–25).

Matt. 1:23 the virgin. The Greek word parthenos (“virgin”) corresponds to the Hebrew term ‘almah, which is used in the prophecy of Isa. 7:14 regarding the virgin birth of the coming Savior (see note on Isa. 7:14). The Hebrew word ‘almah (“virgin” or “maiden”) generally denotes an unmarried woman who is a virgin (e.g., Gen. 24:43; Ex. 2:8; Ps. 68:25). The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 (occasioned by threat of attack on Judah in the time of Isaiah; see notes on Isa. 7:10–17), points to God's enduring promise for the line of David. Matthew thus presents the virgin birth of Jesus as God's miraculous fulfillment of this promise in the person of Jesus the Messiah. This brings further affirmation of the promise that God (Immanuel) will be with his disciples in every age, to empower them in their commission to “make disciples of all nations”—as Jesus reaffirms in the closing words of Matthew's Gospel: “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (cf. Matt. 28:20).