Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Matthew
Ver. 21. Jesus....he shall save, &c. The characteristic name of Saviour was peculiar to the Messias, by which he was distinguished, as well as by the adorable name of Jesus. The expectations of both Jew and Gentile looked forward to a saviour. St. Augustine, in the 18th book, 23rd chapter, de Civitate Dei, introduces a curious anecdote. He mentions there, that he received from the eloquent and learned Proconsul Flactianus, a book containing in Greek the verses of one of the Sybils, which related to the coming of Christ. The substance of them is much the same as occurs in the prophecies of Isaiah, from which Virgil has likewise copied into his Pollio, many of the sublime thoughts which we find in that beautiful eclogue. It is remarkable that of the initials of these verses, St. Augustine had formed an acrostic to the following import, Iesous Christos Deos uios soter; that is, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Saviour. (Haydock)
Ver. 22. The Greeks in general, after St. John Chrysostom, look upon this as a continuation of the angel's speech to St. Joseph. The other Fathers and commentators think it a reflection of the evangelist.
Ver. 23. Behold a virgin,[5] &c. The Jews sometimes objected, as we see in St. Justin's dialogue with Tryphon, that the Hebrew word alma, in the prophet Isaias, signified no more than a young woman. But St. Jerome tells us that alma signifies a virgin kept close up. Let the Jews, says he, shew me any place in which the Hebrew word alma, is applied to any one that is not a virgin, and I will own my ignorance. Besides the very circumstances in the text of the prophet, are more than a sufficient confutation of this Jewish exposition; for there a sign, or miracle, is promised to Achaz; and what miracle would it be for a young woman to have a child, when she had ceased to be a virgin? (Witham) --- How happens it that nowhere in the gospels, or in any other part, do we find Christ called Emmanuel? I answer, that in the Greek expression the name is given for the thing signified; and the meaning is: He shall be a true Emmanuel, i.e., a God with us, true God and true man. (Estius) --- The text says, they shall call, i.e., all men shall look upon Him as an Emmanuel. Again, his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty, the Prince of peace, &c., i.e., He shall be all these, not so much nominally, as really and in effect. (Haydock)
Ver. 24. The heretic Helvidius argues from this text, and from what we read in the gospel of Christ's brethren, that Christ had brothers, and Mary other sons. But it is evident that in the style of the Scriptures, they who were no more than cousins were called brothers and sisters. (Haydock)
Ver. 25. See note on ver. 18. --- St. Jerome assures us, that St. Joseph always preserved his virginal chastity. It is "of faith" that nothing contrary thereto ever took place with his chaste spouse, the blessed Virgin Mary. St. Joseph was given her by heaven to be the protector of her chastity, to secure her from calumnies in the birth of the Son of God, to assist her in her flight into Egypt, &c. &c. We cannot sufficiently admire the modest reserve of both parties. Mary does not venture to explain to her troubled husband the mystery of her pregnancy; and Joseph is afraid of mentioning his uneasiness and doubts, for fear of troubling her delicate mind and wounding her exquisite feelings. So great modesty, reserve and silence, are sure to be approved by heaven; and God sends an angel to Joseph in his sleep, to dissipate his doubts, and to expound to him the mystery of the incarnation. (Haydock)
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[1] Ver. 1. Liber Generationis. Biblos geneseos. So Genesis v. 1. Hic est liber generationis Adam, Biblos, &c.
[2] Ver. 11. See St. Epiphanius, hær. vi. pag. 21. Edit. Petav. epeide tines &c.
[3] [Ver. 11.] In transmigratione, epi tes metoikesias, i.e., circa tempus transmigrationis.
[4] Ver. 16. Joseph virum Mariæ, ton andra Marias. And Ver. 19, vir ejus, aner autes. But Ver. 18, mnesteutheises, desponsata, mnesteuomai, is not properly the same as gamein.
[5] Ver. 23. Ecce Virgo, idou e parthenos. So is it read, not only here in St. Matthew but in the Septuagint, Isaias vii. St. Hier.[St. Jerome] lib. 1. Contra Jovin. tom. iv. parte 2. pag. 174. Ostendant mihi, ubi hoc Verbo (Alma) appellentur et nuptæ, et imperitiam confitebor.
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The genealogy of Christ: he is conceived and born of a virgin.
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of *David, the son of Abraham.
2 *Abraham begot **Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. ***And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren.
3 *And Judas begot Phares and Zara, of Thamar. **And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram.
4 And Aram begot Aminadab. *And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon.
5 And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab.* And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse.
6 *And Jesse begot David, the king. **And David, the king, begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias.
7 *And Solomon begot Roboam. **And Roboam begot Abias. ***And Abias begot Asa.
8 And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias.
9 *And Ozias begot Joatham. **And Joatham begot Achas. ***And Achas begot Ezechias.
10 *And Ezechias begot Manasses. **And Manasses begot Amon. ***And Amon begot Josias.
11 *And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12 And after they were carried to Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel.
13 And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor.
14 And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud.
15 And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob.
16 And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations: and from David until the carrying away to Babylon, fourteen generations: and from the carrying away to Babylon till Christ, fourteen generations.
18 Now the birth of Christ was thus: *When Mary, his mother, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Whereupon Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son: *and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done that the word might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying:
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.
24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife.
25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her first-born son, and he called his name Jesus.
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*
1: Luke iii. 31.
2: Genesis xxi. 3. --- ** Genesis xxv. 25. --- *** Genesis xxix. 35.
3: Genesis xxxviii. 29.; 1 Paralipomenon ii. 4. --- ** Ruth iv. 18.; 1 Paralipomenon ii. 5.
4: Numbers vii. 12.
5: Ruth iv. 22.
6: 1 Kings xvi. 1. --- ** 2 Kings xii. 24.
7: 3 Kings xi. 43. --- ** 3 Kings xiv. 31. --- *** 3 Kings xv. 8.
9: 2 Paralipomenon xxvi. 23. --- ** 2 Paralipomenon xxvii. 9. --- *** 2 Paralipomenon xxviii. 27.
10: 2 Paralipomenon xxxii. 33. --- ** 2 Paralipomenon xxxiii. 20. --- *** 2 Paralipomenon xxxiii. 25.
11: 2 Paralipomenon xxxvi. 2.
18: Luke i. 27.
21: Luke i. 31.; Acts iv. 12.
23: Isaias vii. 14.