God With Us, God Saves

What was Jesus’ birth really like? Let’s understand the circumstances of Jesus' birth. Let’s look at Joseph's dilemma, the meanings of Jesus' names and whether or not Mary remained a perpetual virgin in Matthew 1:18-25.

Joseph’s Dilemma

Matthew 1:18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph, betrothed to Mary, found her pregnant. At that time, a groom typically prepared a home for his bride, which could take a year. When all was prepared, he came to collect his bride, like Christ comes for the Church. Joseph decided to cancel the wedding privately for Mary’s sake.

Joseph’s Mercy

Matthew 1:19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

Imagine being engaged, feeling betrayed, yet loving her and not wanting to disgrace nor punish her. An angel says, it’s of God and her son would bring salvation. You marry her knowing there will be gossip. You also know the child’s name, Jesus (God saves) and Immanuel (God with us).

Name Him Jesus

Matthew 1:20-21 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus’ name means “YHWH (the Lord) saves.” His name is the hope of the whole world (Matthew 12:15-21). Jesus’ name heals (Mark 9:38-40). We should take Jesus name seriously and pray for blasphemers. His Greek name is abbreviated ??S[1], IHS in English, a sign seen in churches everywhere.

[1] Greek capital letters Iota-Eta-Sigma, biblestudytools.com, newadvent.org/cathen, christogenea.org

God with Us

Matthew 1:22-23 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity, His birth, resurrection, salvation, divinity and humanity. In 451 AD, the last Ecumenical Council recognized by most Protestants, came to the greatest historical consensus on Christ, affirming the Trinity, Christ's virgin birth, his humanity and his deity, and his two natures in one person.

Jesus means Joshua. Two Joshuas were forerunners of Jesus. Joshua the son of Nun conquered 31 cities in Canaan beginning around 1400 BC. Joshua and the promised land symbolize Jesus and eternal life. Joshua the son of Jozadak was a high priest (Haggai 1). Jesus is our high priest (Hebrews 8:3-5).[2]

[2] newadvent.org/cathen; The Oxford History of the Biblical World. 1998. Oxford University Press; biblearchaeology.org; orthodoxytoday.org)

Perpetual Virginity?

Matthew 1:24-25 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Was Mary a Perpetual Virgin? Jesus had siblings (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55, John 7:3, Acts 1:14, 1 Corinthians 9:5). The Greek word for cousins was not used. In John 19:26-27 Mary is a spiritual mother, not without her own children to look after her.

Psalm 69, quoted several times, refers to not only David, but also Jesus (John 2:13–17, John 15:24–25, John 19:28–30, Romans 15:3). It states plainly that “my brothers” are “my mother’s children” (vs 8). Let’s not hide doctrinal errors behind infallibility, but repent and admit the truth.

Jesus was God with us, is God with us every hour of every day and will be God with us forever.

Readings

Isaiah 7:10-16

10 Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.” 12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”

13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 15 By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. 16 For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted.