VIRGIN BIRTH IN MATTHEW AND LUKE

THE VIRGIN BIRTH IN MATTHEW AND LUKE

Matt. 1:18 - 2:1 & Luke 1:26-28, 2:1-11, 21

Both Accounts Guard Carefully Against Any Suggestion of a Human Father

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 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. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,"

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."

"And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."

 

Matthew's Genealogy (1:16)

"of whom"  "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
Note that Matthew was careful here not to say that Joseph “begat” Christ, departing from the formula used for the other ancestors of Jesus. Thus, Matthew shows that Jesus had the legal right to the throne of David, since Joseph was his foster father. The spiritual right to be king of Israel had to come from David by another route altogether.

Luke's Genealogy (3:23)

"as was supposed of Joseph" "And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,"
The Greek word literally means "according to law." Our translators' use of the expression "as was supposed" is a legal one, intending a legal supposition.

Two separate genealogies are required to solve the problem of Jeremiah's curse upon Jehoiachin (Coniah, Jeconiah - Jer. 22:30)
"Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah."

Messiah must inherit the throne of David through Solomon (2 Sam. 7:12-17)
"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David." 
Cf. Acts 2:30
"Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;"

But Messiah could not be a physical descendant of Solomon through the last legitimate king, Jehoiachin, because of the curse.

The only solution is for Messiah to be born of a virgin who is a physical descendant of David (through Nathan, a brother of Solomon), and who marries a man of the royal line of Solomon. By adopting a boy who had no human father, but was of David's family through his mother, Joseph could pass on to Jesus his title to the throne without the curse that would necessarily accompany it through ordinary generation.

The Two Accounts Agree as to the Main Facts:

• Mother was a woman named Mary - Matt. 1:18, Luke 1:27
• She was a virgin - Matt. 1:18,23; Luke 1:27,34
• She was betrothed (ASV) to a man named Joseph - Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:27.
• Mary becomes with child after her betrothal and before consummation of the Marriage - Matt. 1:18,20; Luke 1:27,34.
• Angels announce the coming birth - Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26.
• They explain the conception as due to a special creative act of the Holy Spirit - Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:35. (No definite art. with "Holy Spirit" in either text. This emphasizes His power and not His person.
• The child is to be named Jesus - Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:31
• The child is to be the Savior of His people - Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:11.
• Joseph took Mary to be his wife before the Birth - Matt. 1:24; Luke 2:5.
• The child is born in Bethlehem and named Jesus - Matt. 2:1; 1:25; Luke 2:17,21.

There are Differences Between the Two Accounts but No Contradictions

The greatest difference: prominent persons in each account. Joseph in Matthew and Mary in Luke

The Twofold Explanation:

• SOURCES OF INFORMATION: only two people knew the facts - Joseph and Mary. Evidences of Luke's Greek. Chaps 1-3 has Hebraisms, followed by perfect Greek.
• PURPOSES OF THE WRITERS:Matthew tells Joseph's story to show Jesus as King of the Jews. Luke tells Mary's story to show Jesus as the Son of Man. Luke was a doctor and Mary conceivably would have told such a man these things. Christ got His humanity from Mary.

This View is Supported by the Genealogies:

• Matthew goes back to David and Abraham
• Luke goes back to Adam.
• Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph
• Luke gives the genealogy of Mary

Matthew's genealogy thus supplies the necessary legal claim of Jesus to the royal throne, and Luke's genealogy supplies the necessary physical connection with David himself. Only one genealogy could not have presented the full story of the Davidic throne rights of Jesus.