How does Matthew 1:21 define the purpose of Jesus' birth? Full Text “‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.’ ” (Matthew 1:21) The Significance of the Name “Jesus” “Jesus” (Iēsous) renders the Hebrew Yehoshua/ Joshua, “Yahweh saves.” The angel explicitly links the child’s given name to His mission: “He will save.” In Scripture a name often reveals calling (Genesis 17:5; Isaiah 9:6). Here the name itself is the mission statement—divine deliverance. Primary Purpose Stated: Salvation from Sin The verse presents sin, not Rome, poverty, or sickness, as humanity’s central problem. Salvation (sōsei) is rescue from the guilt, power, and penalty of sin (cf. Psalm 130:8; Isaiah 53:5–6). Matthew’s Gospel begins by defining Jesus’ birth in soteriological terms and ends with the cross and resurrection accomplishing that aim (Matthew 20:28; 26:28; 28:6). Old Testament Backdrop 1. Covenant Deliverer: Yahweh repeatedly promises to redeem His people from iniquity (Psalm 130:7–8; Jeremiah 31:31–34; Ezekiel 36:25–27). 2. Prophetic Echo: Isaiah 7:14 foretells a virgin conceiving “Immanuel”; Isaiah 53 details a suffering substitute who bears sin. Matthew cites Isaiah 7:14 in the next verse (1:23), showing Jesus fulfills both virgin-birth and sin-bearing prophecies. 3. Typological Previews: Joshua led Israel into temporal rest; Jesus brings eternal rest from sin’s bondage (Hebrews 4:8–10). “His People”: Scope of Redemption Initially pointing to Israel (Matthew 2:6), the phrase ultimately widens to all who trust Him, Jew and Gentile alike (Matthew 8:11; 28:19; John 10:16; Acts 15:14). The angel anticipates the Abrahamic promise that “all nations will be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). Mechanism of Salvation: Incarnation to Resurrection • Incarnation—God the Son assumes true humanity (John 1:14; Philippians 2:6–8) to act as kinsman-redeemer (Hebrews 2:14–17). • Sinless Life—qualifies Him as the unblemished Lamb (1 Peter 1:19). • Substitutionary Death—“He Himself bore our sins” (1 Peter 2:24). • Bodily Resurrection—publicly vindicates His saving work (Romans 4:25). The minimal-facts approach to the resurrection—accepted by the majority of scholars, believing or not—confirms that the earliest disciples experienced appearances of the risen Jesus, the tomb was empty, and the church exploded in hostile Jerusalem. Archaeological and Historical Corroboration • Nazareth House-Floor (1st cent.) uncovered in 2009 demonstrates a settled village matching Gospel descriptions. • The 2007 discovery of a 1st-century Galilean fishing boat aligns with the milieu of Jesus’ ministry, reinforcing Gospel reliability. • Ossuary of Caiaphas (1990) confirms the priestly family contemporary with Jesus’ trial. Historical anchors lend weight to Matthew’s narrative context. Miraculous Birth as Signpost Matthew pairs verse 21 with the virgin conception of verse 23. The miraculous manner underscores that human effort cannot produce the Savior; only divine initiative suffices (Luke 1:35). Modern documented medical anomalies—diagnoses reversed, healings following prayer—serve as living analogies that God still intervenes supernaturally. Ethical and Behavioral Implications Because Jesus’ purpose is sin-removal, repentance and transformation are inseparable from authentic faith (Matthew 3:2; John 8:11). Regenerate behavior flows from rescue: liberated from sin’s tyranny, believers walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). The ultimate telos is “to the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6). Answer in One Sentence Matthew 1:21 defines Jesus’ birth as the divinely ordained entrance of Yahweh-in-flesh whose primary mission is to rescue His people from sin’s guilt and power, fulfilling prophetic promise, inaugurating the new covenant, and establishing the foundation for all subsequent Christian faith and practice. |
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