William Burkitt Bible Commentary Online

Vicar of Dedham with a pastor's heart and an expositor's pen. Expository Notes on the New Testament: practical, warm, and quotable at any bedside. 📍 Essex

Anglican · 1650-1703 · 3,276 comments · Expository Notes on the New Testament

From the commentary

Matthew 1:1: That is, the descent of Jesus Christ, who was, according to the flesh, the Son of David and the Son of Abraham, is on this wise. And his genealogy from Abraham down to his reputed father, was thus: Here note, That our Evangelist designing to write a narrative of our Savior's life, begins with his pedigree and genealogy, and shews whom he descended from, namely, from David and Abraham.
Matthew 1:2: Both the Evangelists, St. Matthew and St. Luke, make mention of our Savior's pedigree; the former by his reputed father's side, the latter by his mother's side: the design of both was to present us with a general draught of our Lord's pedigree and descent, and not to be strict and accurate in enumerating every individual person.
Matthew 1:5: Observe, Here are several women mentioned in our Savior's genealogy, and all, or most of them, have a brand of infamy upon them. Thamar was one, with whom her father-in-law, Judah, committed incest; Rahab is called an harlot; Ruth came of Moab, whom Lot begat of his own daughter; and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, was one with whom David had committed adultery.
Matthew 1:18: This is, the birth of Christ was not in the ordinary and natural way, but his mother Mary was found to be with child by the extraordinary and miraculous operation of the Holy Ghost. Here note, That the espousal of Mary to Joseph was for the safety of Christ, and for the credit and reputation of the virgin.
Matthew 1:19: That is, being an holy person, and a strict observer of the rites of his nation, he was unwilling to accompany with a defiled woman, and therefore minded to put her away, by giving a bill of divorce into her hand before two witnesses; but being kind and gentle, he intended to put her away privily, lest she should have be exposed and stoned to death.
Matthew 1:20: Two things here are observable; namely, the care that Almighty God takes; 1. For Joseph's satisfaction. 2. For vindicating the virgin's reputation. For Joseph's satisfaction, an angel is dispatched to give him assurance that the virgin was not defiled by a man, but overshadowed by the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 1:21: Observe here, 1. A prediction of our Savior's birth; the virgin shall bring forth a son. 2. A precept for the imposition of his name; Thou shalt call his name Jesus, that is, a Savior. 3. The reason why that name was given him; because he should save his people, not temporarily, as Joshua did the Israelites from their enemies, but spiritually and externally from...
Matthew 1:22: Of all the prophets of the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah has the honor to be the first recited in the New. Here the Evangelist quotes his prophecy of Christ's incarnation, Behold, a virgin shall be with child. Learn thence, That the great mystery of our Savior's wonderful incarnation was, (though darkly) revealed to the Church of God under the Old Testament.