What Did Matthew Believe About Baby Jesus?

Matthew 1:22-25

After describing what the angel said about baby Jesus, Matthew explains how he believed that the birth of Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the promise given in Isaiah 7:14:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (NKJV)

Matthew also believed Joseph’s reasons for not putting his wife away and how Joseph obeyed the command that was given to him by the angel. Both Joseph and Matthew knew that this was an angel (a messenger) of the Lord and I suspect they both saw the angel’s words as having the same effect as if God had said them directly Himself. I suspect Mary had the same understanding.

Because Matthew believed this to be the fulfillment of the promise, he also believed that the child born to Mary and Joseph was Immanuel (God with us) whom Matthew would meet in person almost thirty years later. Matthew believed that Jesus was God and that He is our Savior. His description of the early relationship between Mary and Joseph along with the words of the angel serve to reveal these aspects of Jesus’ true nature. Here in a few short verses we have the angel’s point of view, Joseph’s point of view and Matthew’s, with all of them pointing to one conclusion. Jesus is God and He is our savior.