VERSE I.

THe a a

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syrus paraphrastes simpliciter dicit , descriptio generationis .

Parum accommodate Munsterus vertit liber generationum . In tali enim constructione Sepher non significat librum , sed catalogum , seriem , recensionem , ut ex Gen. 5.1 . patescit ; nec libri totius argumentum Christi genealogia , sed exiguae tantummodo eius particulae . In eodem significatu voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utuntur hic Hellenistae Dilher elect . l. 1. c. 9. Generationis id est majorum ex quibus ortus est Christus , ut Tertul . vertit . Bez. vide Pis. in loc.

Jesus ] The name in Greeke and Latine , imitateth the Syriac Ieshuang , it signifieth a Saviour , as the Angel explains it . v. 21. To save sinners was the maine designe of Christs comming into the world . He is first the alone Saviour , Acts 4.12 . there is an utter inability in any other to save . Secondly , the Almighty Saviour , able to save . Isay 63. Heb. 7.25 . Thirdly , it is his peculiar office to save those which were appointed him of his Father . Fourthly , it is for his glory that the Father hath made him a Saviour , John 5.22.24 .

Christ ] It is a greeke word , and signifieth annointed , and comprehends in it all his Offices of Prophet , Priest , and King , they beeing all annointed : He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointed , by an excellencie , 1 John 41. and 4.42 .

Who is the sonne of David , the sonne of Abraham ] These words may be taken two waies ; first , this may be the sense , the sonne of David , which was the sonne of Abraham : Or thus , the sonne of David and Abraham , the conjunction and beeing understood , and the sense then is , that Christ was the sonne of both . Jansenius likes the former better .

b b Spanhem . Dub. Evangel. Facit autem Matthaeus Abrahami & Davidis specialiter mentionem ob promissa illis facta ; Abrahamo de populosa progenie , Davidi autem de regni stabilitate , quorum utrumque in Christo eminenter impletum est . Grotius in loc. Matthew calles Christ the sonne of David and Abraham . 1 Because the most speciall and frequent promises concerning the Messiah were made to Abraham and David , begun to Abraham , Gen. 12.2 , 3. repeated and confirmed to David . Psal. 89.29 . 2 Because these two were most in the esteeme and speech of the Jew●s , as men excelling among the rest , one among the Patriarkes , the other among the Kings . 3 Because the Messias among the Jewes was thought to bee the seede of Abraham and the sonne of David according to the promises .

He premiseth David before Abraham , First because it is solemne in the contexture of genealogies to ascend from the neerer to the more remote , as Luke doth c. 3. Secondly , for the better coherence of this verse with the other following , & Maldonate observeth that it is usuall with the Hebrewes to postpose that from which they will beginne what followes , as in 1 Gen. 1. Thirdly , because indeed Christ was not the sonne of Abraham but by David , and of him first and neerer than the other .

Vers. 5. All the women in Christs Genealogie except his most holy Mother , have a marke of infamie upon them , c c Notandum in genealogia Salvatoris nullam sanctarum assumi mulierum sed eas quas scriptura reprehendit , ut qui propter peccatores venerat , de peccatoribus nascens omnium peccata deleret . Hieron . in loc. Thamar , vers. 3. with whom Judas her Father in law had committed incest , Gen. 38.18 . Secondly , Rachab , vers. 5. who was a common strumpet , Heb. 11.31 . Thirdly , Ruth , verse 5. she came of Moab , whom Lot begat of his owne daughter , Gen. 19.37 . Fourthly , Vriahs wife , verse 6. with whom David committed adultery , and for whom he was so plagued of God , 1 Sam. 12.9 , 10.

Vers. 6. David the King ] Onely David is adorned with this Elogie , because in his person God propounded a type of the Messiah to come . Calvin . Because a promise of a perpetuall kingdome was made to him , 2 King . 7.12 . Maldonate .

David is here called the King , because he was the first King in the genealogie of Christ , and because he was the first King among the people of Israel , in whose seede the Kingdome long continued . Jan sen. comment . in concord Evang.

Vers. 8. Joram begat Ozias ] It is manifest from 2 King . 8.24 . and 11.2 . 1 Chron. 3.11 , 12. that Ioram begat Ahaziah , Ahaziah Ioaz , Ioaz Amazia , and lastly Amaziah Vzziah , 2 Chron. 26.1 . who also is called Azariah . Here three Kings , Ahaziah , Ioaz , and Amaziah are premised in this Genealogicall series ; as Grand-children are called sonnes amongst the Hebrewes , so grandfathers and great-grandfathers , fathers , who may bee thought to have begotten their grand-children and great grand-children , viz. in a mediate generation . So Christ v. 1. is called the sonne of David & Abraham , Spanhem dub . Evang. so we are all called the sonnes of Adam , Iohn 8.33.39 . And those three are pretermitted for the peculiar curse which God twice threatneth to powre on the house of Ahab , 1 King . 21.21 . and 2 Kings 9.8 . which curse the Lord would ratifie here , by altogether rasing out these three Kings which were of the posteritie of Ahab , ( for Ahaziah was begot by Ioram of Athaliah the daughter of Ahab ) out of the catalogue of Christs progenitors . Or these three Kings may be omitted , Annotations in folio . because Matthew intended to keepe within the compasse of fourteene generations here as well as afterwards .

Vers. 11. By the first Iechonias in the 11 vers. is understood Iehoiachim the sonne of Iosiah , who also is called Eliakim , and he was either of two names and called also Iechonias which is not unusuall in the holy storie , or it may be sayd the name Iehoiakim is rendred of Matthew per euphoniam , * * Spanhemitis . Gomarus . vide de Dieu . et Pisc. in loc. Josias tanquam avus nepotem mediante patre Iechoniam gignere dicitur , genuit enim Iosias Ioiachimum , Ioiachim vero Iechoniam , cujus fratres non leguntur quidem germani extitisse , sed intelliguntur patrui atque agnati ex Iosia rege descendentes . Iun. in Paralel . Iechonias . There seeme to be but 13. in the last generation , unlesse he that was last named in the second be againe to be rehearsed the first in that last , as some reverend Divines thinke , viz. Iechonias the father , and also the sonne , which both are to bee reckoned in the genealogie , and are called Iehoiachim and Iehoiachin , 2 Chron: 36.8 , 9.

Vers. 16. Quest. Why is the genealogie of Christ drawne from Matthew here , vers. 16. to Ioseph , and not rather to Mary , Spanhemius . when yet Christ neither was the sonne of Ioseph nor descended from him . The common answer both of the ancient and moderne interpreters ( which Augustine propounds and defends , Lib. 2. Cons. Evang. ) is this , that it was not the custome of the Iewes to rehearse a catalogue of generations by women , Num. 1.26 . Hence it is an ancient maxime among them , familia matris non familia .

Vers. 17. From David untill the carrying away into Babylon are fourteene generations . ] a a Iun. in paral . Rainold . de lib. Apoc. praelect. 8. er alij . There were indeed 17. generations from David to the Captivity , but for memories sake three are omitted , that the same even number might be kept in all .

Vers. 18. b b She that is betrothed is counted for a wife . Deut. 22.24 . Espoused ] Contracting is an ancient and commendable custome , see Gen. 19.8.14 . Deut. 22.22 . the very Heathens had their espousalls , Iudg. 4.1 . Placuit despondi , nuptiis hic dictus est dies , sayes he in Terence . Came together ] The word which the Evangelist useth , either modestly signifieth a c c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de mutuo conjugij usu honeste dicitur ut 1 Cor. 7.8 . Cui respondet Latina vox , coire sed minus verecunda . lying together , or is simply taken for to dwell together , that the husband and wife make a house and family , so the sence shall be that the Virgin was not yet delivered from her parents into the hand of her husband , but lived under their custody . Calvin .

V. 18. With Child ] Word for word , d d

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut Iud. 13.5 .

Pro eo quod Evangelista Matthaeus dicit , inutero habebit , in Propheta Isa. 7. scriptum est in utero accipiet : sed propheta quia futura praedicit , significat quid futurum sit , & scribit , accipiet : Evangelista quiae non de futuro , sed de praeterito narret historiam , mutavit accipiet , & posuit , habebit , Qui enim habet , nequaquam accepturus est . Hieron . in loc. See Luk. 1.35

Vers. 19. He was a just man , and therefore not willing to accompanie with a defiled woman as he might suppose , but gentle also , See in Beza the difference betweene divortium and repudium . and so chose rather to put her away privily , than to cause her to be stoned as the Law was , Deut. 22.21 . After marriage he could not have done this , but must have given her a bill . He would put her away because hee was just ; and privily because he would not traduce her ; He would put her away , that hee might satisfie his own conscience ; and privily , that he might consult for his wives credit . Lucas Brugensis comment . in 4. Evangelia .

Vers. 20. But while he thought on these things ] In the Greeke , and as hee had these things in his minde . For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost ] Angelus docebat Iosephum numinis esse quod ille putaverat criminis . August . Epist.

Vers. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus , for he shall save his people from their sinnes ] To save from their sinnes is to deliver a sinner from all that hurt and mischiefe which sinne would bring , viz. 1 from the guilt of it , by which it defiles the conscience , Certum est illudnomen Inaūs Iesus , à Graecis Latinos , ab Hebraeis Graecos accepisse . Maldonatus in loc. See 2 Sam. 3.18 . and maketh it to accuse , condemne and terrifie , and causeth it contrarily to acquit and comfort . 2 From the punishments of sinne , that is , from all evills in this life so farre as they bee punishments , that is , testimonies of Gods hatred against the sinner , and from the eternall miserie of Hell and the losse of heaven , making a man againe an heire of the kingdome of heaven . 3 From the dominion and tyrannie of sinne upon the will , by which one is a slave to it . 4 From the staine and filth of sinne , and makes the soule cleane and amiable in the sight of God , the filthinesse of sinne beeing taken away .

Vers. 22. Of all the writers of the Old Testament the Prophet Esay hath the honour to be the first that is vouched in the New , and of all places this hath the honour to be the first of all in the first Evangelist and in his first chapter .

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virgo illa . Gen. 3.15 . Vers. 23. A Virgin ] That virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that famous Virgin foretold , Isay 7.14 . and selected from eternity , whose seede was to breake the Serpents head .

They shall call ] So the Vulgar , Syriac , and Ethiopic reade it , the Arabic in the same sense passively , He shall be called , Beza . Vocabis , Thou shalt call , a a Vide miscell Drusij cent. 1. c. 72. The right of giving the name , ( which rather agreed to the Father , and not to the mother , but by his b b Gen. 35.18 . Luk. 1.60.62 . Iun. Esa. 7.14 . renders it , vocabis O virgo . consent ) is here given to the mother , by which it is signified that this sonne as he was man was without Father . But in the 21. v. ( as de Dieu . notes ) the giving the name seemes to be ascribed to Ioseph .

d d Nobiscum carnis similitudine , nobiscum utilitate . Bern. Emanuel ] Which being interpreted , is God with us , that is , in our nature , as Cartw. or graciously present with us , as Calvin . Chemnit .

Vers. 25. Helvidius would gather from these two words untill , and first borne , that Mary after had children by her husband . The word untill in Scripture is taken for never . Gen. 28.15 . e e Primogenitus est non post quem alij , sed ante quem nullus alius genitus est . Pareus Chemnit. He is called the first borne in Scripture , which first opens the wombe , whether others follow or no. Yet it is the ancient and common opinion of the Church ( saith Pareus ) that Mary alwaies remained a virgin , which we willingly follow .

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Illum promogenitum , that first borne , to shew that Christ is not called the first borne of Mary , but absolutely the first borne , because he is that famous first borne , viz. the first begotten of all creatures as Paul hath it , that is , begotten before the Creation of all things . Iansen . comment . in concord . Evang.

Si ullus locus in toto novo Testamento Calumniae & cavillis hostium Evangelii opportunus videtur , & Lectori attento crucem figere potest , fatendum hunc prae omnibus alijs & majori specie urgeri , & difficilem pati solutionem , Span. dub . Evang. Part. 2 Dub. 87. Vide plura apud Spanhem . loco citato & Dub. 88.89.90.91.92.93.94 . et de Dien . Append. Sculter . Exercit. Evang. l. 1. c. 60. 23. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets ] By which of the Prophets was this name given to Christ , for we find no such testimony ? Chrysostom and Theophylact , because they cannot undoe this knot , cut it thus , saying that many of the bookes of the Prophets are lost . Bucer thinketh that that place , Judges 13.5 . is here noted . Sampson was a most excellent figure of Christ as he was a Redeemer , and did most notably represent him in his death wherein he killed more than in his life , and the booke of Judges was composed by divers Prophets . Calvin , Beza , and Mr. Perkins , doe incline to this opinion , Causabon in his exercitat . Iunius in his paralells and analys . in Num. Piscator , Dr. Tailor , Mr. Dod say , that Matthew hath respect to those places , Esay 11.1 . and Zach. 6.12 . a branch , in Hebrew Netzer , therefore Weemes in his Christian Synagogue saith , these words in Matthew , should bee interpreted , he shall be called a flower or branch .