Matthew 1:18–25:
The Birth of Jesus Christ

Correct Interpretation of Matthew 1:18–25

After presenting Jesus as the Son of David and the Son of Abraham through His genealogy (Matthew 1:1–17), Matthew now explains how His birth took place. The account shows that Jesus truly belongs to the Davidic line through Joseph, yet His conception did not come through ordinary human generation, but through the work of the Holy Spirit. Matthew also presents His birth as the fulfillment of what God had announced and reveals from the beginning both the mission and the identity of the Messiah.

(v. 18)
«Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they joined together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.»

Matthew now explains how the birth of the Messiah took place.

Mary was betrothed to Joseph. This betrothal carried far greater legal weight than a modern engagement: a marriage bond already existed, even though they had not yet begun living together as husband and wife.

Before they joined together, Mary was found to be pregnant.

Matthew immediately tells the reader what Joseph does not yet know: the child had been conceived by the Holy Spirit. In this way he makes clear from the outset that Jesus’ origin was not the result of ordinary human generation.

(v. 19)
«Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not wanting to humiliate her publicly, decided to repudiate her secretly.»

Joseph still does not know the true origin of the pregnancy.

Matthew describes him as “a just man”. Faced with a situation that naturally appeared to indicate that Mary had conceived by another man, Joseph decides to end the marriage bond, but seeks to do so without humiliating her publicly.

His decision shows that he sought to do what was right without turning Mary’s situation into a public humiliation.

(v. 20)
«But while he pondered these things, wow, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to receive Mary as your wife, because that which has been begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.»

Before Joseph carries out his decision, God intervenes through an angel.

It is significant that the angel calls him “Joseph, son of David”. Matthew has just presented the Davidic line that reaches Joseph, and now God entrusts him with receiving Mary and assuming paternal responsibility for the child who will be born.

Joseph must not be afraid to receive her as his wife because the pregnancy did not result from unfaithfulness: that which has been begotten in Mary is of the Holy Spirit.

Thus, Matthew holds two truths together: Jesus enters the house of David legitimately through Joseph, but Joseph is not His biological father.

(v. 21)
«And she will give birth to a Son and you shall call His name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”»

The angel announces that Mary will give birth to a Son and instructs Joseph to call His name Jesus.

The name is connected with the mission He will accomplish: “He will save His people from their sins”.

From the beginning, Matthew shows that the salvation brought by the Messiah goes far beyond political or national deliverance. The fundamental problem of the people is sin, and Jesus has come to save precisely from that reality.

The expression “His people” naturally refers, at this point in the account, to the people of Israel to whom the Messiah had been promised. However, Matthew will progressively show that Jesus’ saving work will also reach people from all nations.

By instructing Joseph to name the child, the angel also entrusts him with publicly receiving Him into his household. Thus, the Son conceived by the Holy Spirit is legally recognized within the line of David.

(vv. 22–23)
«22 Now all this happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet should be fulfilled, namely: 23 “Behold, the virgin will become pregnant and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel”, which being translated is, ‘God with us’.»

Matthew explains that the birth of Jesus fulfills what was announced in Isaiah 7:14.

The prophecy was originally spoken during a time of crisis for the house of David. Matthew now shows that this word finds its full fulfillment in the birth of the Davidic Messiah.

The virgin conception, therefore, does not appear as an isolated event. It forms part of the fulfillment of what God had announced through the prophets.

Matthew also explains the meaning of “Emmanuel”: “God with us”.

This name does not mean that Jesus would use Emmanuel as His everyday name; it describes who He is and what His presence means. In Jesus, God has come to be with His people in a unique way.

This idea will be important throughout the entire Gospel and will appear again at the end, when the risen Jesus says to His disciples: “I am with you every day” (Matthew 28:20).

(vv. 24–25)
«24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as that angel of the Lord commanded him and received his wife, 25 but did not know her until she had given birth to her son, the firstborn. And he called His name Jesus.»

Joseph responds immediately with obedience.

He receives Mary as his wife and abstains from marital relations before the birth, once again confirming that Jesus’ conception did not come from Joseph.

Finally, he does exactly what the angel had commanded him: he calls the child “Jesus”.

This act carries special importance within the account. Joseph, the “son of David”, receives the child and gives Him the name appointed by God, publicly recognizing Him within his household. In this way, Matthew completes the connection between the preceding Davidic genealogy and the virgin birth he has just explained.

Implications

• Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit: His birth did not come through ordinary human generation.
• Jesus is the promised Son of David: through Joseph He is legally recognized within the house of David.
• Jesus came to save from sins: Matthew presents from the beginning the fundamental need the Messiah came to address.
• Jesus fulfills the promises announced by God: His birth brings the prophetic word concerning Emmanuel to fulfillment.
• In Jesus, God is with His people: the presence of Christ is one of the great themes that will run throughout the Gospel.

Applications

• Trust in God’s faithfulness: He fulfills what He has promised even after many generations.
• Recognize your fundamental need: sin is the problem from which Jesus came to save.
• Trust in Jesus Christ as Savior: He alone can accomplish the salvation His name announces.
• Obey God even when doing so comes at a cost: Joseph received the word of the Lord and acted according to it.
• Live remembering that Christ is with His people: Matthew presents Jesus from the beginning as Emmanuel, “God with us”.

Summary

In Matthew 1:18–25, Matthew explains how the birth of the Messiah presented in the preceding genealogy took place. Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit before she and Joseph joined together. When Joseph decided to repudiate her privately, an angel revealed the true origin of the pregnancy and significantly addressed him as “son of David”. He instructed Joseph to receive Mary and call the child Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins. Matthew also shows that this birth fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Emmanuel, “God with us”. Joseph responds in obedience, receives Mary, and names the child, thereby recognizing Jesus within the house of David without being His biological father.

Prayer

Our Father, we thank You because You faithfully fulfilled Your promises by sending Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.

Thank You that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and came to save His people from their sins. We thank You that in Him You have shown that You truly are with us.

Help us recognize our need for salvation and place all our trust in Jesus Christ.

Give us also an obedient heart like Joseph’s, willing to receive Your word and act according to Your will even when we do not fully understand Your ways.

And as we study this Gospel, help us to know and follow Jesus, our Savior, King, and Emmanuel, more and more.

We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.