Matthew 1:6. Solomon, of her that had been, &c.— In the original it is, by her of Urias; a mode of expression common both among the Greeks and Romans. See the note on 2 Samuel 12:24. read more
Matthew 1:8. Joram begat Ozias— It is undeniably evident, from 2 Chron. chap. 22: and following, that three princes are here omitted. There are instances of the like omissions in other genealogies. See Ezra 7:0 where, by comparing that chapter with 1 Chronicles 6:0 it is found that five generations were left out. We may well suppose that it was by some peculiar divine direction, that the sin of Jehoram is thus animadverted upon even to the fourth generation; his intermediate descendants being... read more
Matthew 1:11. Josias begat Jechonias, &c.— Dr. Doddridge renders this verse thus, after the reading of the Bodleian and other manuscripts, notice of which is taken in the margin of our English bibles; And Josiah begat Jehoiachim and his brethren; and about the time of the Bablyonish captivity Jehoiahim begat Jechoniah: a reading, which seems absolutely necessary to keep up the number of fourteen generations. Instead of the time they were carried away, &c. in this and the next verse, we... read more
Matthew 1:13. And Zorobabel begat Abiud— Among the sons of Zorobabel (which signifies a stranger in Babylon), reckoned up 1 Chronicles 3:0 there is no mention of Abiud, or his posterity; but as the Jews were very careful to keep genealogical tables of their families, St. Matthew had, in all likelihood, what he mentions here, out of some authentic genealogies preserved in the family of Joseph, whose ancestors, from Zorobabel, are likewise omitted in the genealogies extant in the Chronicles,... read more
Matthew 1:16. Jacob begat Joseph— It is a maxim among the Jews, that the family of the mother is not called a family; all their pedigrees are reckoned and deduced from the father. This is the reason why St. Matthew has here set down the genealogy of Joseph. It is also very probable, that Mary was an only daughter, and, in some degree, an heiress, and consequently obliged to marry in her own family. See Numbers 7:9. So that by giving the genealogy of Joseph, St. Matthew gives at the same time... read more
Matthew 1:17. So all the generations, &c.— St. Matthew, designing to shew that Jesus was the Messiah, begun his genealogy at Abraham, to whom the promise was originally made that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed: but the succession of Christ's ancestors downward naturally resolves itself into three classes; namely, first, of private persons, from Abraham to David; next of kings, from David to Jehoiachim; and then of private persons again, from the Babylonish... read more
Matthew 1:18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ, &c.— Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this manner; literally, was thus; not only the birth, but the conception of Christ, and what preceded it, are here included, in the word γεννησις, which we translate birth, and which some critics have unwarily confused with the word γενεσις, generation, used in the first verse of this chapter. Among the Jews there was a considerable space of time (generally a year, or six months) between the betrothing or... read more
Matthew 1:19. Being a just man— Dr. Doddridge observes very well, that it is without any good reason that this text is often assigned as an instance, that the word is used to signify merciful or good-natured. If we consider the information which Joseph might have received from persons of such an extraordinary character as Zecharias and Elizabeth, who would certainly think themselves obliged to interpose on such an occasion, and whose account so remarkably carried its own evidence with it;... read more
Matthew 1:20. The angel of the Lord— Probably Gabriel, who had been sent to Zecharias and Mary. That Joseph's scruple did not proceed, as some of the fathers suppose, merely from veneration, appears from the reason given why he should take Mary, which in that case would have been the only reason against it. Some read the next clause, Scruple not the taking of Mary thy wife. The last phrase, is of the Holy Ghost, means, "Hath been formed by the Holy Ghost." See Psalms 118:23. It is observable,... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 1:5
Matthew 1:5. Rachab— See the note on Joshua 2:1. Dr. Doddridge observes, that though it is not expressly said that this person was Rahab of Jericho, commonly called the harlot; yet there can be no room to doubt, as we know that she was contemporary with Salmon, and may conclude that she, as all the other women mentioned in this list, was a remarkable person. Now there was no other of that name, especially of this age, of whom the Evangelist could, so far as we can judge, suppose his reader to... read more