Matthew 1

1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαυίδ, υἱοῦ Ἁβραάμ.

2Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers.
Ἁβραὰμ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰσαάκ· Ἰσαὰκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰακώβ· Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ·

3Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram.
Ἰούδας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Φαρὲς καὶ τὸν Ζαρὰ ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ· Φαρὲς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐσρώμ· Ἐσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀράμ·

4Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon.
Ἀρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀμιναδάβ· Ἀμιναδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ναασσών· Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλμών·

5Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse,
Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Βοὸζ ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχάβ· Βοὸζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ὠβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ῥούθ· Ὠβὴδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰεσσαί·

6and Jesse fathered David the king. David the king fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
Ἰεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Δαυὶδ τὸν βασιλέα. Δαυὶδ δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐγέννησε τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου·

7Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, and Abijah fathered Asa.
Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ῥοβοάμ· Ῥοβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀβιά· Ἀβιὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀσά·

8Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, and Joram fathered Uzziah.
Ἀσὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωσαφάτ· Ἰωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωράμ· Ἰωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ὀζίαν·

9Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, and Ahaz fathered Hezekiah.
Ὀζίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωάθαμ· Ἰωάθαμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἄχαζ· Ἄχαζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐζεκίαν·

10Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, and Amon fathered Josiah.
Ἐζεκίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μανασσῆ· Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀμών· Ἀμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωσίαν·

11Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the captivity in Babylon.
Ἰωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰεχονίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος.

12And after the captivity in Babylon, Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel.
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος, Ἰεχονίας ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλαθιήλ· Σαλαθιὴλ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ζοροβάβελ·

13Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, Abiud fathered Eliakim, and Eliakim fathered Azor.
Ζοροβάβελ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀβιούδ· Ἀβιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐλιακείμ· Ἐλιακεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀζώρ·

14Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, and Achim fathered Eliud.
Ἀζὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαδώκ· Σαδὼκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀχείμ· Ἀχεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐλιούδ·

15Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob.
Ἐλιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐλεάζαρ· Ἐλεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ματθάν· Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰακώβ·

16And Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς, ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός.

17So all the generations from Abraham till David were fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon were fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ were fourteen generations.
Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Ἁβραὰμ ἕως Δαυὶδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες· καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυὶδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος, γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες· καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ, γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες.

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γέννησις οὕτως ἦν· μνηστευθείσης γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ἰωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτούς, εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου.

19Then Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, purposed to put her away secretly.
Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὤν, καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν παραδειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν.

20But while he was thinking about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take unto you Mary your wife, for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος, ἰδού, ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ᾽ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ, λέγων, Ἰωσήφ, υἱὸς Δαυίδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου· τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν Ἁγίου.

21And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.”
τέξεται δὲ υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν· αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν.

22Now all this came to pass that the thing spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,
τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου, λέγοντος,

23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Ἰδού, ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, Μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός.

24Then Joseph, having been aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had ordered him and took to him his wife,
διεγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου, ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· καὶ παρέλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ,

25but did not know her till she brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον· καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν.

The Fathers on Matthew 1

Saint John Chrysostom — Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew

Do ye indeed remember the charge, which we lately made you, entreating you to hearken unto all the things that are said with all silence, and mystical quietness? For72we are to-day to set foot within the holy vestibule, wherefore I have also put you in mind of the charge.

Saint John Chrysostom — Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew

Behold a third discourse, and we have not yet made an end of the prefatory matter. It was not then for nought that I said, It is the nature of these thoughts to have a great depth.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

In the entire number of those divine records which are contained in the sacred writings, the gospel deservedly stands pre-eminent.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Now, those four evangelists whose names have gained the most remarkable circulation over the whole world, and whose number has been fixed as four,—it may be for the simple reason that there are four divisions of that world...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

For the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the one true King and the one true Priest, the former to rule us, and the latter to make expiation for us, has shown us how His own figure bore these two parts together, which were only...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

For these reasons, it also appears to me, that of the various parties who have interpreted the living creatures in the Apocalypse as significant of the four evangelists, those who have taken the lion to point to Matthew, the...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Those sacred chariots of the Lord, however, in which He is borne throughout the earth and brings the peoples under His easy yoke and His light burden, are assailed with calumnious charges by certain persons who, in impious...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Besides this, they ought to tell us by what means they have succeeded in acquiring their knowledge of this fact that He was the wisest of men, or how it has had the opportunity of reaching their ears.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

But, indeed, these persons rise to such a pitch of folly as to allege that the books which they consider to have been written by Him contain the arts by which they think He wrought those miracles, the fame of which has become prevalent in all quarters.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Nay more, as by divine judgment, some of those who either believe, or wish to have it believed, that Christ wrote matter of that description, have even wandered so far into error as to allege that these same books bore on...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Moreover, let those who madly fancy that it was by the use of magical arts that He was able to do the great things which He did, and that it was by the practice of such rites that He made His name a sacred thing to the peoples...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Furthermore, that Hebrew nation, which, as I have said, was commissioned to prophesy of Christ, had no other God but one God, the true God, who made heaven and earth, and all that therein is.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Hence also they cannot meet us fairly with this question: Why, then, did the God of the Hebrews, whom you declare to be the supreme and true God, not only not subdue the Romans under their power, but even fail to secure those...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Here indeed we have a wonderful fact, which is not remarked by those few pagans who have remained such,—namely, that this God of the Hebrews who was offended by the conquered, and who was also denied acceptance by the...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

But what shall be said to this, if those vain eulogizers of Christ, and those crooked slanderers of the Christian religion, lack the daring to blaspheme Christ, for this particular reason that some of their philosophers, as...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Nevertheless these persons argue still to the effect that this demolition of temples, and this condemnation of sacrifices, and this shattering of all images, are brought about, not in virtue of the doctrine of Christ Himself,...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

However, here is a matter which should meet with more careful consideration at their hands,—namely, what they take the God of Israel to be, and why they have not admitted Him to the honours of worship among them, in the way...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

In fine, they may think of Him as they please. Still, we may ask whether it is the case that the Romans refuse to consider evil deities as also proper objects of worship,—those Romans who have erected fanes to Pallor and...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

But that must have been a vain necessity and a ridiculous timidity. We ask now what opinion regarding this God is formed by those men whose pleasure it is that all gods ought to be worshipped. For if He ought not to be...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Or let them aver, if they are able, that some Sibyl of theirs, or any one whatever among their other prophets, announced long ago that it would come to pass that the God of the Hebrews, the God of Israel, would be worshipped...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Seeing, then, that these things are so, why do not these unhappy men rather apprehend the fact that this God is the true God, whom they perceive to be placed in a position so thoroughly separated from the company of their own...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

But why do I interrogate men whose native wit has deserted them in answering the question as to who this God is?

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

These narratives of yours, say they, are but fables which have to be interpreted by the wise, or else they are fit only to be laughed at; but we revere that Jupiter of whom Maro says that “All things are full of Jove,” —Virgil’s Eclogues, iii.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

It is well understood, therefore, what these worshippers of images are convicted in reality of revering, and what they attempt to colour over.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

But further, in the case of the gods of the Gentiles (in their willingness to worship whom they exhibit their unwillingness to worship that God who cannot be worshipped together with them), let them tell us the reason why no...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Let them now give their answer with respect to the God of Israel, to whom, as teaching and enjoining such things, witness is borne not only by the books of the Christians, but also by those of the Jews.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

It cannot be questioned that what was predicted at sundry times by His prophets is now being realized,—namely, the announcement that He would disclaim His impious people (not, indeed, the people as a whole, because even of the...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

What do they say of this God of Sabaoth, which term, by interpretation, means the God of powers or of armies, inasmuch as the powers and the armies of the angels serve Him?

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Thus it was with a certain person named Lucan, one of their great declaimers in verse.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Wherefore let those evil applauders of Christ, who refuse to become Christians, desist from making the allegation that Christ did not teach that their gods were to be abandoned, and their images broken in pieces.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

What, then, do these men, who are at once the perverse applauders of Christ and the slanderers of Christians, say to these facts?

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Finally, as to the complaint which they make with respect to the impairing of the bliss of human life by the entrance of Christian times, if they only peruse the books of their own philosophers, who reprehend those very things...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Much more might I say on this subject, were it not that the requirements of the task which I have undertaken compel me to conclude this book, and revert to the object originally proposed.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Wherefore, seeing that Christ Himself is that Wisdom of God by whom all things were created, and considering that no rational intelligences, whether of angels or of men, receive wisdom except by participation in this Wisdom...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

The evangelist Matthew has commenced his narrative in these terms: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” By this exordium he shows with sufficient clearness that his undertaking is...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Thus, too, even if one were able to demonstrate that no descent, according to the laws of blood, could be claimed from David for Mary, we should have warrant enough to hold Christ to be the son of David, on the ground of that...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Furthermore, as to those critics who find a difficulty in the circumstance that Matthew enumerates one series of ancestors, beginning with David and travelling downwards to Joseph, while Luke specifies a different succession,...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

After the enumeration of the generations, Matthew proceeds thus: Now the birth of Christ was on this wise.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

But with respect to the mention of Herod, it is well understood that some are apt to be in114fluenced by the circumstance that Luke has told us how, in the days of John’s baptizing, and at the time when the Lord, being then a...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Here again, however, it may happen that a difficulty will be found, and that some, seeing that Matthew has told us how Joseph was afraid to go into Judæa with the child on his return, expressly for the reason that Archelaus...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Hereby also we see how another question is solved, if any one indeed finds a difficulty in it.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Matthew then continues his narrative in the following terms: “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

Matthew continues in these terms: 155“And when they were come to Capharnaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said to him, Doth not your master pay tribute?

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and, as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say unto you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have...

Saint Augustine — The Harmony of the Gospels

We must take up the consideration of the manner in which the Lord showed Himself to the disciples after His resurrection, and that with the view not only of bringing out clearly the consistency of the four evangelists with...

Saint Augustine — Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

May He, beloved, fulfil your expectation who hath awakened it: for though I feel confident that what I have to say is not my own, but God’s, yet with far more reason do I say, what the Apostle in his humility saith, “We have...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

1. The book of the generation. Why did he not say "vision" or "word" as did the prophets who prefaced their writing in this manner: "The vision which Isaiah saw (Is 1:1)," and "The word which came to Isaiah (Is 2:1)." Do you wish to know why? Because the prophets were...

Origen — Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew

Concerning the four Gospels which alone are uncontroverted in the Church of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that the Gospel according to Matthew, who was at one time a publican and afterwards an Apostle of Jesus Christ, was written first; and that he composed it in the Hebrew tongue and published it for...

Saint John Chrysostom — Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew

He hath divided all the generations into three portions, to indicate that not even when their form of government was changed did they become better, but alike under an aristocracy, and under a king, and under an oligarchy, they were in the same evil ways, and whether popular leaders, or priests, or kings controlled them, it was no advantage to them in the way of virtue.

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the deportation to Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. He divides the generations into three [different]...

Saint John Chrysostom — Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew

I Hear many say, “While we are here, and enjoying the privilege of hearing, we are awed, but when we are gone out, we become altered men again, and the flame of zeal is quenched.” What then may be done, that this may not come to pass? Let us observe whence it arises. Whence then doth so great a change in us arise? From the unbecoming employment of our time, and from the company of evil men. For we ought not as soon as we retire from the Communion,225to plunge into business unsuited to the…

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying. Do not think that only now in these recent times did God resolve to do these things, but from before, even from the beginning. For you know the prophets,...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

23. Behold, the Virgin shall be with child. The Jews say that it is not written in the prophecy "virgin" but "young woman." To which it may be answered that "young woman" and "virgin" mean the same thing in Scripture, for in Scripture "young woman" refers to one who is still...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

2. Abraham begat Isaac. Matthew begins the genealogy with Abraham because he was the father of the Hebrews, and because he first received the promises that in his seed all the nations would be blessed (Gen. 22:18). Therefore it is fitting that he should give the genealogy of...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

3. And Judah begat Pharez and Zarah of Tamar. Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah, the wife of his son Er (Gen. 38:6-30). When Er died childless, Judah married her to another of his sons, Onan. But when he, too, was cut down from among the living on account of his...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

3-5. And Pharez begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Ram; and Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salma; and Salma begat Boaz of Rahab. Some believe Rachab to be that Rahab the harlot who received the spies of Jesus son of Nave [i.e. Joshua son of...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

5-6. And Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of Uriah’s wife. Again, he mentions Uriah’s wife to show that no one should be ashamed of his forefathers but rather should strive by his own virtue to make even them illustrious. He...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

7-11. And Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ahaziah; and Ahaziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

12-16. After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel; and Zerubbabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadok; and Sadok begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

18. Now the birth of Christ took place in this manner: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. Why did God permit her to be betrothed, and thus give men any cause at all for suspicion that Joseph had come together with her? So that she would have a protector in...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

19. Then Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to divorce her secretly. The law decreed that the adulteress be pilloried, that is, exposed and punished publicly. How, then, was Joseph righteous since he intended to...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

20. But while he pondered these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying. When the righteous one was uncertain, then the angel appeared in order to show him what to do. The angel appeared to him in a dream, because Joseph had great faith....

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

21. And she shall bear a son. So that no one could ask, "How can I believe you that she has conceived of the Holy Spirit?" the angel speaks of the future, saying that she shall bear a son. "For if I tell the truth in this matter, it is clear that what I said concerning her...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

24. Then Joseph awoke from sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him. Behold a wakeful, vigilant soul who immediately obeyed. And took unto him his wife. The evangelist continually calls her "the wife of Joseph" to allay evil suspicion and to show that she was not...

Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid — The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew

25. And knew her not until she had brought forth. That is, he never came together with her at all. "Until" here does not mean that before the birth he did not know her and afterwards he did, but that he absolutely never knew her. Scripture employs this expression. For...