MATTHEW CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION TO THIS STUDY

The purpose of this study work is to give you the original Greek language words and definitions for all the key words in this selected Bible text. This work does not make any effort to interpret the text in question, though some interpretation may occur naturally as a result of the study. The English translation used is the King James (Authorized) Version, not because it is the best translation available, but because I just plain prefer it for study!

All Scripture text will be presented in normal cased lettering, and all notes within the text will be in TRUE TYPE FONT, as shown. This (I hope) will allow you to avoid confusion between God's Word and my notes. As I update this website, I will continue to embellish the text so that anyone using NETSCAPE or MSIE 3.0 or higher will be able to read the document easier. Greek tenses are abbreviated as follows:

• GREEK TENSES:
• PR= Present Tense: Shows action in present time. When used with Active Voice, and Indicative Mood, often shows linear or continuing action.
• AO= Aorist Tense : Simple, undefined action. The time of the action is undefined, except in the indicative mood.
• FUT= Future Tense : Shows action of the verb as defined in the future.
• PER= Perfect Tense: The action was completed in the past, but has lasting and continuing results into the future.
• IMP= Imperfect Tense: Used only in the indicative mood, and refers to continuous or linear action in past time. As in "I was having".
• PLPF= Pluperfect Tense: The action was completed in the past, with continuing results in the past.
• GREEK CASES:
• GEN= Genitive Case: Usually indicates possession, though it can denote source of the action.
• INST = Instrumental Case: Usually denotes action on the object of the verb.
• DAT= Dative Case
• NOM= Nominative Case
• ACC= Accusative
• PL= Plural
• SG= Singular
• GREEK VOICES:
• AC= Active Voice: Action was completed by the subject of the verb.
• PAS= Passive Voice: The subject receives the action of the verb.
• MID= Middle Voice: The subject acts in some way upon itself or to itself.
• GREEK MOODS:
• IND= Indicative Mood : Makes an assertion of fact, and is used with all Greek tenses. Example: they will go, she saw.
• OPT= Optative Mood: Rarely used, it usually expresses a wish or desire.
• IMP= Imperative Mood: A command to do something.
• SUBJ= Subjective Mood: Makes an assertion about which there is some doubt, uncertainty, or indefiniteness.
• OTHER ABBREVIATIONS:
• PART= Participle : A verbal adjective, such as "having gone, receiving the gift".
• ABL= Ablative of source: When something is out of something. Example, The Spirit out of God.
• INF= Infinitive: A verbal noun, examples = to see, to go, to throw.

Matthew 1:1

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, (this was a fulfillment of prophecy. See 2 Samuel 7.8-17. See Translator's Remarks, Davidic Covenant, immediately following this verse)

the son of Abraham. (Abraham was a Gentile who became a Jew by faith and regeneration. See Romans 9.6-14; 4.1-7)
 

Translator's Remarks, Davidic Covenant The Davidic Covenant specifically stated: 2 Samuel 7:11-17 "And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David." David's Throne was to be an eternal one, one that never ceased. The only way this prophecy could be fulfilled was for God to sit on this Throne, for God alone is eternal. God the Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, will sit on the Throne of David forever, thus the Throne will be occupied forever by Him.

 

Translator's Notes, The Genealogy of Christ This writing supports the genealogy of Christ through Joseph, whereas the genealogy in Luke 3 shows Christ's earthly lineage through Mary. Both genealogies show the lineage of Christ coming through King David and Solomon, but Christ's lineage through Joseph (Jechonias begat Salathiel, see Matthew 1.12) went through Jechonias (1 Chronicles 3.17) or Coniah, who was cursed by God: Jeremiah 22:28-30 "Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?  O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.  Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah." God said that Coniah was allowed to have seed (children), but that none of his seed would ever sit on the Throne of David and rule. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, for though Joseph was Christ's stepfather, he had nothing to do with Jesus' conception - Jesus was Virgin Born. Had Jesus not been Virgin Born the fact that His lineage contained Coniah would have ruled out Him being Messiah, for Messiah had to eventually assume the Throne of David. The fact that Matthew clearly reported Jesus' lineage through Joseph (and Coniah) shows that he, in fact, fully believed in his heart that Jesus was the Virgin Born Son of God.

Matthew 1:2

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas (IOUDAS, Judas, refers to Judah. The Ruling Tribe of Israel should have been Reuben, but he "defiled his father's bed" in sexual sin, and lost this birthright to Judah. See 1 Chronicles 5.1-2. The priesthood was given to Levi, and the double portion - inheritance went to Joseph through Ephraim and Manasseh)

and his brethren;

Matthew 1:3

And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; (A Gentile girl who married the older son of Judah, Er. Er died under God's judgment, so Onan was to marry Tamar. Onan also died under judgment, so Tamar tricked Judah into marrying her. Read the story in the inset, following this verse)

and Phares (The oldest of two twins, so the genealogy continued through him)

begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
 

Judah's Hypocrisy Genesis 38: 6-26 "And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more."

Matthew 1:4

And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;

Matthew 1:5

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; (Salmon was one of the spies sent out to test Jericho's fortifications, and there he met Rahab the prostitute. Rahab was in the lineage of Christ through Joseph. See Ruth 4.20-22; 1 Chron 2.11-15)

and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; (A Moabite Gentile. The Moabites were under a special curse of the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 23.3-8), but God's Grace turned cursing into blessing)

and Obed begat Jesse;
 

Translator's Notes: God's Grace in Christ's Lineage Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown's Commentary: "Four women are here introduced; two of them Gentiles by birth - Rachab and Ruth; and three of them with a blot at their names in the Old Testament - Thamar, Rachab, and Bath-sheba ... as if thereby to hold forth, at the very outset, the unsearchable riches of that Grace that could not only fetch in 'them that are afar off', but reach down even 'to publicans and harlots' and raise them to 'sit with the princes of His people' ".

Matthew 1:6

And Jesse begat David the king; (The eighth son of Jesse who was all but ignored by his father. But God had greater plans for the little shepherd who would become King)

and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; (Refers to Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah)

Matthew 1:7

And Solomon (The last King of the United Israel, he died around 926 BC. After his death Israel broke up into Northern Israel and Southern Israel. This was caused by an immoral civil war led by Ephraim, causing the line of Christ to go through Judah or Southern Israel)

begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;

Matthew 1:8

And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; (Joram or Jehoram married the daughter of Jezebel and Jehu, Athaliah, at his father Jehoshaphat's request, in an attempt to reunite Israel. All this really did was introduce idolatry into Judah. Athaliah destroyed all of the royal family but Joash, who was hidden (2 Kings 11.1). Joash married and had a son, Ozias or Amaziah. Joash was omitted from the genealogy because of paganism. Jehoram was actually Amaziah's grandfather)

Matthew 1:9

And Ozias (died during Isaiah's ministry)

begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;

Matthew 1:10

And Ezekias (Hezekiah, one of Israel's Godly kings)

begat Manasses; (Manasseh, another of Israel's most ungodly Kings)

and Manasses begat Amon; (Another ungodly King)

and Amon begat Josias; (Josiah, one of Israel's Godly Kings)

Matthew 1:11

And Josias (Josiah had four sons, three of which reigned in Israel (1 Chronicles 3.15): Jehoahaz succeeded his father, Josiah, when he died. Jehoahaz was taken into captivity by Nebuchanezzar along with the Prophet Daniel and Eliakim his brother, renamed Jehoiakim by the conqueror, took his place (2 Kings 23:34). Jehoiakim was later removed from the throne by Babylon, and Coniah was placed on the throne. But Coniah sought Egypt to help him defeat Babylon, so he was de-throned and Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, was placed on the throne (Jeremiah 37.1). All of these men were godless unbelievers, so they were dropped from the genealogy. Coniah fell into idolatry and was cursed by God to have no seed on the Throne of David (Jeremiah 22.28-30). This promise was fulfilled by the Virgin Birth of Christ)

begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

Matthew 1:12

And after they were brought (METOZKESIA, accus sg = exiled, cast away without thought, harshly uprooted)

to Babylon, Jechonias (see Translator's Notes, the Genealogy of Christ, above)

begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; (Zerubbabel was the leader of the 50,000 Jews who returned from Babylonian captivity in 536 BC. Since he knew about the curse of Coniah he willingly refused to sit on the Davidic Throne. The Book of Zechariah tells his story)

Matthew 1:13

And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;

Matthew 1:14

And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;

Matthew 1:15

And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

Matthew 1:16

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:17

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused (MNESTEUOMAI, Aor Pas Part = was engaged. The Jewish engagement was treated like marriage. See Gen 22.23-24)

to Joseph, before they came together, (SUNERKOMAI = before intercourse)

she was found with child of (literally = from the source of)

the Holy Ghost.
 

Reasons For The Birth of Christ The Saviour had to be human: Heb 2.14-15; Phil 2.5-8 The Saviour had to be our mediator: 1 Tim 2.5-6; Job 9.2, 32-33 The Saviour had to be our High Priest: Heb 7.4-5, 14, 28; 10.5, 10-14 The King must be a man: 2 Cor 7.8-16; Psa 89.20-37

Matthew 1:19

Then Joseph her husband, being (EIMI, Pr Ac Part = kept on being)

a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away (APOLUO = to divorce)

privily.

Matthew 1:20

But while he thought (ENTHUMEOMAI, Aor Pas Part = pondered or considered over and over, again and again)

on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear (PHOBEOMAI, Aor Mid Subj = you yourself [stop] fearing)

not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 1:21

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from (APO, Preposition of ultimate source = from the ultimate source of)

their sins.

Matthew 1:22

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled (PLEEROO Aor Pas Subj = fulfilled once and for all)

which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, (This was one of the three great prophecies of Christ Isaiah made to the Jews living between 63 BC and 70 AD. Isaiah 7.14 foretold of the Virgin Birth, Isaiah 53.9 of the unique crucifixion of Christ (He would die twice), and Isaiah 28.11 of the gift of Tongues and evangelization prior to the Roman dispersion of the Jews)

saying,

Matthew 1:23

Behold, a virgin (PARTHENOS = absolute virgin. A quotation from the Hebrew HA ELMA, "the virgin")

shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, (The Hypostatic Union of Christ: Phil 2.6-11; Jo 1.1-14; Ro 1.2-5; 9.5; 1 Ti 3.16; Heb 2.14; 1 Jo 1.1-3)

which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:24

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden (PROSTASSO = commanded)

him, and took unto him his wife:

Matthew 1:25

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: (Mary had other children after Jesus. Two wrote New Testament books, Jude and James)

and he called his name JESUS.

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