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NARRATIVE 1: PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY
Matt 1:1-4:25

INTRODUCTION
The Genealogy and Virgin Birth (1:1-23)
The Wise Men and Flight to Egypt (2:1-23)
The Preparation for Ministry (3:1-4:11)
The Galilean Ministry (4:12-17)
The Call of the Disciples (4:18-25

Click on Structure to refer to the Structural Outline of Matthew.  

INTRODUCTION
This first block of Narrative material is often overlooked in the sense that it may not be as important to the Gospel as might the Sermon on the Mount of Matt 5-7 or the great Kingdom Parables of Matt 13.  However, presents one of the most striking and significant theological emphases of the Gospel.  This Narrative lays the foundation for Matthew's arguments regarding the Messiahship of Jesus.

In this lesson we will focus on Mat 1, The Genealogy and Virgin Birth.  We will notice:

The Genealogy of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus		 Mat 1:1-17
Mat 1:18-25

1. The Genealogy of Jesus - 1:1-17
Matthew begins his theological argument for the Messiahship of Jesus in good Jewish style, with an appropriate genealogy.

Some have argued that the opening statement "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ..." can be read to support that a new beginning was being made by God in Jesus.    The word genealogy in Greek, geneseos ( genesews) can be read as genesis or beginning.  Although this is possible, we prefer the reading of the RSV and NIV.  This narrative does represent a genealogy, although a theologically shaped genealogy.

Careful attention to this genealogy reveals that it is more theologically constructed than historically accurate!  
It is obvious from a comparison of other Old Testament genealogies (1 Chron 1-9)  that Matthew has left out some levels of Jesus' family tree and repeated some names in his genealogy.
For a detailed discussion of the genealogy in Matthew, refer to Donald Hagner, Matthew 1-13, pp. 2-12.  It is well to note the observations of Hagner on p.2 in his Introduction to this section: 

"The first two chapters constitute a work of art that makes a statement of its own and that anticipates the theological richness of the total Gospel...
Matthew has taken his historical traditions and set them forth in such a way as to underline matters of fundamental theological importance.  Thus he grounds his narrative upon several OT quotations and provides a strong sense of fulfillment.  The literary genre of these chapters, as we shall see, is that of midrash haggadah, designed to bring out the deeper meaning of the present  by showing its theological continuity with the past...these chapters are a statement of theological significance..." (Click on midrash and haggadah to refer to the Glossary of terms.)

To further emphasize the theological impact of this genealogy Mathew has framed it in the form of a chiastic inclusio.  Note that the flow of the genealogy in 1:1 and 1:17 is "Jesus Christ - son of David - son of Abraham" and  noting this in reverse in 1:17, "Christ - David - Abraham." 
Furthermore, Matthew numbers the generations from Abraham to Jesus as three groups of 14.  This has generated much speculation as to what use Matthew makes of 14!  some have referred to the Jewish penchant for Gematria (using the alphabet numerically, that is, giving the alphabet numerical weight to where the number would mean something.  Take for example Revelation where 666 represents some form of code meaning a human number, or the Sibylline Oracles where 888 represents Jesus' name.)  It is noted by some that the Hebrew number for David (DWD) equals 14.  Is Matthew merely using this to emphasize the role that King David has in this Royal genealogy?  Others question this.  Whatever Matthew had in mind, it was a theological concern, not one of accuracy since careful examination of the three groups of 14 reveal that the groups are really 14, 13, 13, with the names of David and Jeconiah being repeated to round the group off at 14!  So, 14 has some significance to Matthew, but what?  We can not be certain since he does not explain this but takes it for granted that the Jewish reader will know!
Whatever Matthew has in mind in this carefully constructed genealogy it is obvious that Jesus is the descendent of Abraham and David, two significant persons in the genealogy of Israel.  By the time Matthew wrote his Gospel, Son of Abraham and Son of David had become Messianic terms.  
Matthew is clearly demonstrating through this historico-theological genealogy that Jesus is the rightful Son of Abraham and Son of David, namely, the Messiah since his genealogy gives him that right.
Furthermore, it is Mathew's purpose to demonstrate that it is Jesus that the promises to Abraham are fulfilled.  This would be important for a Jewish believer to note.  Paul in Galatians makes a similar argument, that Jesus is the seed of Abraham thus fulfilling the promise of God to Abraham.  Paul uses it a little differently to argue that the Gentile by faith is also heir to the promise God made to Abraham, since the promise was based on faith, not law.  The point is that, especially for a Jewish audience (Matthew) Jesus being the seed of Abraham has both Messianic and promise implications.
Most have noted that the genealogy of Matthew differs from that of Luke.  Matthew traces his line from Abraham through David to Jesus through the royal or legal lineage.  Luke traces his genealogy from Jesus through Mary all the way back to Adam.  Luke's genealogy, like Matthew's, is also more theological than historical, stressing the human lineage of Jesus (he was a real historical human being caught up in God's saving activity in history [heilsgeschichte]), rather than the Messianic lineage through Joseph, David, and Abraham.
Again we note a comment by Hagner, p. 12, "Matthew has in this opening pericope anticipated the fulfillment theme that is so prominent in the Gospel."


2. The Virgin Birth (1:18-23)
The Birth of Jesus 1:18-25.
The virgin birth of Jesus is one of the fundamental doctrines of of conservative Christianity.  In fact it is a pivotal point in what theologians call Fundamentalism (an ultra form of conservative Christianity).  We, likewise, believe that the virgin birth is fundamental to the Christian faith and to and to Matthew's theology.  It is to Mat 1:18-25 that we turn in support of this doctrine.
We will notice shortly that much of the debate over Mat 1:23 fulfilling Isa 7:14 has hinged on how one could translate the Greek word parthenos (parqenos - young girl, maiden, virgin) that we find in Mat 1:23.
Before we engage in that discussion it might be better to determine what the context or theology of this pericope (paragraph) might be.
Throughout the pericope Matthew emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit and the Angel of the Lord.  It is obvious that Matthew intends us to know that this birth is not normal, that it transcends the purely historical or might we add, the mundane (earthly).
Matthew clearly intends us to know that Jesus' birth is miraculous, and that it involves the direct involvement and action of the divine.
To reinforce this point and the significance of this birth, Matthew argues that it is a fulfillment of prophecy, namely, Isa 7:14.  For a Jew (and Matthew's readers were a Jewish , possibly Christian, community, see the introduction to Matthew) this would be a powerful argument demonstrating that Jesus was a fulfillment of God's prophetic activity, that he had a legitimate place in God's promises to Abraham, and that in fact, Jesus stood in the direct line of God's saving activity.

At this point we are introduced to a fascinating aspect of Matthew' theological style.  We encounter here the first of ten (10) significant formulaic fulfillment passages in Matthew.  Although Matthew quotes from or cites many Old Testament and Prophetic texts, these ten are unique.  (For detailed information on this topic see R. H. Gundry, The Use of the Old Testament in St. Matthew's Gospel, Brill 1967.  This book is the doctoral dissertation written by Gundry on the  10 formulae passages in The Gospel of  Matthew, and is an excellent, albeit difficult work.)  Gundry points out that although Matthew normally quotes, in agreement with Mark, from the Septuagint version (Hebrew OT translated into Greek) of the OT, these citations are from neither the Septuagint nor the Massoretic Text (The standard  Hebrew version of the OT).  These 10 unique fulfillment passages in Mathew are similar to a paraphrased Targumic translation of OT passages.  Scholars correctly  refer to these as a Midrashic interpretation of specific OT texts.  By singling these out in this manner, Matthew is indicating that these passages have significantly weightier implications for Jesus' ministry than the other fulfillment passages in the Gospels.  Matthew is using these texts to demonstrate the theological implications of Jesus' Messianic ministry and that Jesus thus stands firmly in God's saving plan in history.  We speak of this as Matthew demonstrating that Jesus is a legitimate aspect of God's heilsgeschichte.

The other 9 similarly unique OT formulaic citations are : 2:15; 17; 23; 4:14; 8:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; and 27:9.  We will notice that it is not obvious when we look at these passages in the OT that they refer to Jesus' Messianic ministry.  In fact, in the case of 2:23, one is hard pressed to know exactly where Matthew got this prophecy!  The point is that Matthew is using these texts or prophecies to make vital fulfillment like statements regarding Jesus.  he is determined to demonstrate that Jesus legitimately fulfills God's saving activity.

In regard to the text we are studying, namely Mat 1:23, Matthew is making a significant theological statement regarding Jesus' birth.  The point is not simply that he was born of a virgin (which is certainly part of what Matthew is arguing; that Jesus' birth is miraculous and the work of God through his Holy Spirit), but that his birth places him significantly in the history of God's saving activity in history (heilsgeschichte).

We now turn to the pericope relating the birth of Jesus (Mat 1:18-25).  Several surface matters of interest are presented.  Joseph is betrothed to Mary.  Betrothal here indicates something similar to modern engagement, only with a stronger legal implication.  It was in fact, the beginning of the marriage "ceremony" or contract.  Betrothal was as blinding as a marriage contract.  The final ceremony had not yet taken place, but the betrothal was legally binding.  It could only be broken according to the Jewish laws of marriage and divorce.  In this case, since it appeared that Mary was no longer "clean" in that some "indecency" had been found in her (she was pregnant with Jesus), it was within the law for Joseph to divorce her.  What is important here is to note the sensitivity of Joseph in this matter.  When it is revealed by an angel that Mary's pregnancy was the work of the Holy Spirit and part of God's purpose, Joseph takes her as his wife.  What is important to the virgin birth concern is the statement that Joseph "knew her not until she had borne a son..." (Mat 1:25).  That statement should close any arguments regarding the virgin birth of Jesus!

The central point in this birth narrative is not simply that Jesus was born of a virgin, true as that may be, but that his birth is the result of direct divine intervention (the angel and the Holy Spirit); that it formed an integral part in God's saving activity in history.

In his opening chapter Matthew has made significant theological claims regarding Jesus.  He is the son of Abraham and David, thus supporting Matthew's claims that he is legitimately the Messiah, but Matthew also stresses that Jesus' birth was not ordinary, that it was the result of the direct intervention of God as he worked out and fulfilled his divine heilsgeschichte.