Matthew 1:1 Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary

From Textus Receptus

Verse 1

1. βίβλος γενέσεως] Not always used of a pedigree only: see reff. Here however it appears that it refers exclusively to the genealogy, by Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ being used in the enunciation, and the close being Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος χριστός. Then Matthew 1:17 forms a conclusion to it, and Matthew 1:18 passes on to other matter.

Ἰησοῦ] see on Matthew 1:21.

χριστοῦ] = מָשִׁיחַ, anointed. In reff. it is used of kings, priests, prophets, and of the promised Deliverer. Theophylact says, λέγεται ὁ κύριος, χριστός· καὶ ὡς βασιλεύς, ἐβασίλευσε γὰρ κατὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας· καὶ ὡς ἱερεύς, προσήγαγε γὰρ ἑαυτὸν θῦμα ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν· ἐχρίσθη δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς κυρίως τῷ ἀληθινῷ ἐλαίῳ, τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι. It is here used (see Matthew 1:16) in that sense in which it became affixed to Ἰησοῦς as the name of our Lord. It does not once thus occur in the progress of the Evangelic history; only in the prefatory parts of the Gospels, here and Matthew 1:16-18: Mark 1:1; John 1:17, and once in the mouth of our Lord himself, John 17:3 (on Pilate’s words, ch. Matthew 27:17; Matthew 27:22, see note there); but passim in the Acts and Epistles. This may serve to shew that the evangelic memoirs themselves were of earlier date than their incorporation into our present Gospels.

υἱοῦ both times refers to our Lord. בֶּן דָּוִד (Ben-David) was a special title of the Messiah: see reff. That He should be son of Abraham, was too solemn a subject of prophecy to be omitted here, even though implied in the other. These words serve to shew the character of the Gospel, as written for Jews: οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἀνέπαυε τοὺς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πεπιστευκότας, ὡς τὸ μαθεῖν ὅτι ἐκ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Δαυὶδ ἦν ὁ χριστός. Euthymius. Luke 3:23 ff., carries his genealogy further back.

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