Matthew 1:21 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Matthew 1:21

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Joseph is told of the wonderful God-given privilege that Mary will enjoy. She will, as a result of this supernatural conception, bring forth a son and Joseph is to name him with a name given by God. Although he is not yet born at the time of the angel’s communication to Joseph, this child’s life is predetermined by God, and therefore he is named with a name that signifies his distinctive character. So many times in the Old Testament, names are given at birth which describe the essence of the person, whether it be good or evil, and the Messiah too is named to indicate the central work of his life. He is to be called Jesus, and in naming him with this name Joseph is indicating that he believes the prophecy that is contained within it. William Hendriksen explains that Jesus is the Latin version of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the hellenized form of the late Hebrew Jeshua, the contracted form of Jehoshua, meaning Jehovah is salvation, which in its shorter form, Jeshua, means ‘he will certainly save.’ This name is infinitely precious to God’s people, because it tells them what Christ is first and foremost to them, a Saviour from sin. None know Jesus Christ unless that also know their own great need, the need that arises from their sins which are dragging them down to hell forever. If Christ is seen merely as a moral teacher, a prophet, or a wise man, then he is not truly known. Above all to lost sinners he will always be known first of all as the one who saves them from their sins. Once the soul is awakened and convicted, there is nothing more obvious than the reality of our sin. Sin is a deeply personal and individual matter. In the ordinary workings of God’s law it cannot be transferred from one person to another. Each human being has their own account with heaven, and no one on earth or even in heaven can interfere with the record of our sin. It is only by an extraordinary work of God, a work of grace, a work that involved Jesus Christ becoming our surety, that the guilt of our sins can be imputed to our Saviour and leave us entirely. Only because he was willing to do this and for him to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of his people can this take place.

Application

This is his ultimate accomplishment. Our great enemy is sin. Consider the tyranny of it, but we think nothing of it – we think we are strong. ‘I will do what I want. I will not bow the knee to God, or accept that I am subject to him.’ There is a deadly force at work within us. What kindness to be saved! It is hard to describe our foolishness in ever giving hospitality to sin. ‘Yes,’ we think, ‘it is wrong, but it is a small matter.’ It is like waking in the night, and hearing a noise and going down to investigate and find the intruder with an iron bar. ‘Welcome’, you say. ‘Come in.’ We treat sin lightly and in our pride we think we are strong enough to manage it. Sin will get its tentacles around you and entangle you, and produce deep cynicism leading to contempt for God’s law, to hatred for God. Some people we meet with in the streets have such venom towards God. Sin is something which is bigger, stronger than you are. Can you handle the god of self? It gets hold of you, controls you, makes you worse and worse, and takes your integrity. It consists of outward sins, and sins within our hearts. Oh, to have a deliverance! What a verse this is. Christ saves us from our sins. He takes the punishment for them which is due to us. He takes away the dominion of sin over us, so it no longer defiles us. Eventually he will take away the presence of sin from us. We will still be sinners to our dying day, but after conversion sin is no longer inevitable. We are saved from the spread of sin in our lives.

Don’t put it off. Don’t minimise sin and regard temptations as slight desires. Don’t say, ‘Oh, to be forgiven, but not yet.’ You will lose your sense of concern if you do not act on it, and you will reach the point where you never think of it, and are even embarrassed by how seriously you once took it. Christ came to deliver us from the spreading power of sin. The Father punished his beloved Son. Christ took our punishment; we cannot describe the extent of his sufferings. ‘He shall save his people’ – all who call on him, who repent and trust in him. Maybe someone says, ‘But how do I know he would save me? I have heard this message before and I have tried to come to him but turned away again. Is there mercy for me?’ Call on his name, Jesus – it is his nature to save, his desire; if you are sincere, of course he will receive you.

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Matthew 1:21 Commentary and Bible Study