Matthew 1

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:12

Matthew 1:12. And after they were brought to Babylon After the Babylonish captivity commenced, Jechonias begat Salathiel It is here objected, that God said concerning this Jeconiah, called also Coniah, Jeremiah 22:30, Write ye this man childless: How then did he beget Salathiel? This objection is easily answered, for that verse, (where see the note,) expounds itself: it being added, a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:16

Matthew 1:16. Jacob begat Joseph It is evident that Joseph was properly the son of Jacob, and only the son-in-law of Eli: Luke 3:23. See note on Matthew 1:2. Though Joseph was not the true father of Christ, yet Christ’s pedigree was reckoned by him, because he had no other father as man, and Joseph was his supposed father, being the husband of Mary, his mother; and the mother being transplanted into her husband’s family, the child must go for one of that family. And therefore Joseph’s... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:17

Matthew 1:17. So all the generations, &c. “Matthew, designing to show that Jesus was the Messiah, began his genealogy at Abraham, to whom the promise was originally made, that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. But the succession of Christ’s ancestors, from Abraham downward, naturally resolved itself into three classes; viz., first of private persons from Abraham to David; next of kings from David to Jehoiakim; and then of private persons from the Babylonish... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:18

Matthew 1:18 . Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, ουτως ην , was thus It was not in the ordinary course of nature, or manner in which children are conceived and born, but in the wonderful manner following. Not only the birth, but the conception of Christ, and what preceded it, are here included in the word γεννησις , which some critics have unwarily confounded with the word γενεσις , used in the first verse of this chapter. When his mother was espoused to Joseph According... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:19

Matthew 1:19. Joseph her husband, being a just [or righteous ] man That is, as many understand it, a strict observer of the law, and of the customs of his ancestors, and therefore not judging it right to retain her under these circumstances. But the following words, and not willing to make her a public example, seem manifestly to lead to another and even an opposite sense of the word here rendered just, or righteous. Hence some interpret the clause thus: Joseph, being a ... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:20

Matthew 1:20. But while he thought on these things While he was revolving them in his mind, in the night season, ignorant as he then was of the divine conception in Mary; while he was inclined to divorce her in this private way, but had not absolutely determined upon it; and while there was a conflict in his breast from opposite considerations; justice showing, on the one hand, what was due to himself; and on the other, what was due to one of Mary’s character; while he was thus deliberating... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:21

Matthew 1:21. She shall bring forth a son Hers, not thine, for he does not say to thee, Christ being απατωρ , without father, as man. And thou shalt call his name Jesus It belonged to Joseph, as being reputed his father, and the person under whose protection Christ was placed during his infancy, to give him his name. “Six men,” says Rabbi Eliezer, “have been named before they were born; viz., Isaac, Ishmael, Moses our lawgiver, Solomon, Josiah, and King Messiah.” To these we may add, ... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:22

Matthew 1:22 . Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled That is, by the doing of all this was fulfilled the following prophecy. For we are not to suppose that the bare accomplishment of an ancient prediction was the end God had in view in sending his Son into the world; which would imply that, if no such prediction had been given, God would not have sent his Son. No: God’s design was the salvation of mankind, and the prophecy was fulfilled, as it were, by the way, without being... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:23

Matthew 1:23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth, &c. Some have unhappily supposed that this famous prophecy immediately related to the birth of a child of Isaiah’s in a natural way, and that it only referred to Christ in a secondary sense. But surely a son’s being born of one then a virgin, when she was married, was no such extraordinary event as to answer such a pompous introduction as we meet with in the viith of Isaiah. Had this been all, what need was there... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:24-25

Matthew 1:24-25. Joseph did as the angel had bidden him This sudden change of his resolution, shows his great faith and ready obedience to God. When God speaks to our hearts, we speedily and cheerfully do what before we not only scrupled, but thought, perhaps, most inconvenient and unpleasing, and even contrary to the dictates of reason. And took unto him his wife That is, he took her home to his house. Nevertheless, in expectation of this wonderful event, and out of reverence to this... read more

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:12

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:16

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:17

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:18

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:19

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:20

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:21

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:22

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:23

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 1:24-25

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