A Prophecy of Esau and Jacob

The angel Gabriel appears to Joseph

Matthew 1

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

— was espoused to Joseph; betrothal, among the Jews was a formal ceremony, the usual symbolic act being, from patriarchal times, the gift of a ring and other jewels (Genesis 24:53).

¹⁹ And Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

— a public example; to expose her to public shame or infamy; adultery has always been considered a crime of a very heinous nature.

²⁰ But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

— In a dream; the angel appeared to Mary while awake, because faith and consent were required in her that she might conceive by the Holy Ghost; but Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream, because that was sufficient in his case, and Joseph could be made to believe.

²¹ And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”

— his name Jesus; the name Jesus is the same as Saviour, he shall save.

²² Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

— that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet; that is, the Prophet Isaiah, and referred to and spoken by the prophet Isaiah

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” Isaiah 7:14

²³ “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel” (which being interpreted is, “God with us”).

— Emmanuel; as spoken by Isaiah, the name, like that of The Lord our Righteousness, applied by Jeremiah not only to the future Christ (Jeremiah 23:6), but to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 33:16),

²⁴ Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife,

— took unto him his wife; these few words cover a great deal; they imply the formal ratification of the betrothal before witnesses; before a priest; the marriage-feast; the moving from her home to that of Joseph.

²⁵ and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

— his name Jesus; this was given by divine appointment, Matthew 1:21. It was conferred upon him on the eighth day, at the time of his circumcision, Luke 2:21.

The birth and circumcision of John the Baptist

Luke 1:57-80

⁵⁷ Now Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son.

— the angel told Mary, Luke 1:36, that it was then the sixth month with her; after this Mary was with her about three months, which made up her full time; so she was delivered, and brought forth a son;

⁵⁸ And her neighbors and her kindred heard how the Lord had shown great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her.

— and her neighbours and her cousins; that lived in Hebron, and the parts adjacent, whether of the house of Aaron or of the tribe of Judah; to both which she was related and who dwelt near her, the priests in the city of Hebron, and the children of Judah in the places about it;

⁵⁹ And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

— the law for circumcision, Genesis 17:12 Leviticus 12:3, was strictly to be performed the eighth day. We find nothing commanded in Scripture, either as to the person who was to perform the office of the circumciser or as to the place.

⁶⁰ But his mother answered and said, “Not so, but he shall be called John.”

— shall be called John; this was the name which the angel had said should be given to him, of which Zechariah had probably informed Elizabeth by writing.

⁶¹ And they said unto her, “There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.”

— there is none of thy kindred; the Jewish tribes and families were kept distinct. To do this, and to avoid confusion in their genealogical tables, they probably gave only those names which were found among their ancestors.

⁶² And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

— and they made signs to his father; who was deaf, as well as dumb; these signs were made by hands or head; for such used to be made to a dumb man.

⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” And they marveled all.

— his name is John; there is something emphatic in the use of the present tense. It was not a question to be discussed; the name had already been given.

Zacharias’ mouth opens

⁶⁴ And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke and praised God.

— his mouth was opened; that is, he was enabled to speak. For nine months he had been mute, and it is probable that they supposed that he had been afflicted with a paralytic affection, and that he would not recover.

⁶⁵ And fear came on all who dwelt round about them; and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea.

— and fear came; the word “fear” often denotes ‘religious reverence.’ The remarkable circumstances attending the birth of John, and the fact that Zechariah was suddenly restored to speech, convinced them that God was there and filled their minds with awe and veneration.

⁶⁶ And all those who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What manner of child shall this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

— what manner of child; such were the remarkable circumstances of his birth that they apprehended that he would be distinguished as a prophet, or that great events would result from his life;

— the word “hand” is used to denote “aid, protection, favor.” We stretch out the hand to aid those whom we wish to help. The expression here means that God “aided” him, “protected” him, or showed him favor.

Zacharias’ prophecy

⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying,

— and prophesied saying; the following things, relating to the Messiah, his Coming and redemption by him; to the accomplishing of the covenant, oath, promise and mercy of God to his people; and to his son, the forerunner of the Messiah:

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people,

— Lord God of Israel; the ancient covenant God of the peculiar people; visited and redeemed his people; the word may be extended to all God’s deliverances of Israel, but it seemeth to be here more specially restrained by what followeth to the redemption by Christ.

⁶⁹ and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.

— horn of salvation; that is “strength of salvation,” or “mighty Salvation,” meaning the Saviour himself, whom Simeon calls “Thy Salvation” (Luke 2:30). The metaphor is taken from those animals whose strength is in their horns (Psalms 18:2; 75:10; 132:17).

⁷⁰ As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,

— as he spoke, by the mouth of his holy prophets; which shows not only the veracity and faithfulness of God in his promises, but the early intimations that were given by him concerning the Messiah:

⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us,

— that we should be saved from our enemies; literally, salvation from our enemies, in apposition with “the horn of salvation” of Luke 1:69. The “enemies” present to the thoughts of Zacharias may have been the Roman conquerors of Judæa; the Idumæan house of Herod may have been among “those who hate.”

⁷² to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,

— his holy covenant; the covenant is clearly that made with Abraham in Genesis 15:18.

⁷³ the oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

— God first gave Abraham his word, Genesis 18:10, then he confirmed it by his oath, Genesis 22:16.

⁷⁴ that He would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,

— might serve him; might obey, honor and worship him. This was regarded as a “favor.” This was what was promised, and for this Zechariah praised God;

— without fear; fear of death, of spiritual enemies, or of external foes. In the sure hope of God’s “eternal” favor beyond the grave.

⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

— in holiness and righteousness; “holiness” has special reference to man’s relations to God; “justice” to those which connect him with his fellow men; but, like all such words, they more or less overlap.

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

— to prepare his ways; this is taken from Isaiah 40:3.

⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins,

— to give knowledge of salvation; knowledge of the “way” of salvation: that it was provided, and that the author of salvation was about to appear.

⁷⁸ through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us,

— whereby the dayspring; the word “dayspring” means the morning light, the aurora, the rising of the sun. It is called the dayspring “from on high” because the light of the gospel shines forth from heaven.

⁷⁹ to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

— to give light to them that sit in darkness; the Messiah at his coming would enlighten with the knowledge of salvation to the nations, who had long lived in ignorance and wickedness, the cause of death.

⁸⁰ And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his appearing unto Israel.

— and the child grew; the years of John’s infancy expiring, he grew daily in wisdom and stature; and was in the deserts; during the whole course of his private life, he continued in the deserts, or hill-country of Judea, Luke 1:39, till his ministry commenced, about the thirtieth year of his age.

~ by Joel on September 19, 2023.

Posted in Gospel