Matthew 1:21 meaning
The announcement of a child being born to Mary marks a significant moment in biblical history, as it establishes Jesus' identity as the Savior. This child is to be named Jesus, reflecting His role in salvation, a concept crucial both to His followers and to Jewish expectations of a Messiah during that era. The name signifies "Yahweh saves," capturing the essence of His divine mission. Importantly, the context reveals that this Savior will not merely liberate the Jewish people from Roman oppression, but rather save them from the pervasive issue of sin, thereby addressing humanity's deepest need.
“Jesus” translates the word “Iesous” which is a Greek translation of “Yeshua” which translates to English as “Joshua”. We can see this in Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 where “Iesous” is translated as “Joshua” in English because context indicates the Old Testament character Joshua is being referred to.
The English name “Jesus” comes from the Latin translation of the Bible, where “Iesous” was transliterated as “Jesus.” But it is likely that Joseph would have heard the angel say “Name your son ‘Yahweh is salvation’ for He will save His people from their sins“
In a passage that powerfully articulates these themes, we find that Jesus will "save His people from their sins," which indicates the heart of the Gospel message. This declaration emphasizes the transformative nature of Jesus' ministry and the comprehensive salvation He offers—one that goes beyond political or social freedom to a profound spiritual redemption. This essential aspect reiterates the necessity of understanding sin's role in human affliction and God's provision through Christ to counter that plight (Matthew 1:21).
The angel’s proclamation signals a pivotal turn in the salvation narrative, one that underlines the profound theological truth that Jesus came not just for a segment of society but for all who would believe.
This quick synopsis was AI autogenerated utilizing existing TheBibleSays commentaries as the primary source material. To read a related commentary that has been fully developed, see the list below. If there is an issue with this summary please let us know by emailing:[email protected]
Deeper Commentary Covering this Verse:
- Matthew 1:20-21 meaning. An angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream and reveals four unusual things: his betrothed has been faithful to him despite her pregnancy; the child within her was conceived by God’s Spirit; the Son she will bear is to be named ‘Jesus’; He is the Messiah, for He will save His people from their sins.
Other Relevant Commentaries:
- Matthew 1:20-21 meaning. An angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream and reveals four unusual things: his betrothed has been faithful to him despite her pregnancy; the child within her was conceived by God’s Spirit; the Son she will bear is to be named ‘Jesus’; He is the Messiah, for He will save His people from their sins.
- Matthew 21:1-7 meaning. Jesus and the disciples pause as they approach the Mount of Olives, just east of Jerusalem. Jesus sends two disciples to go retrieve a donkey and her unridden colt from the village of Bethphage. Once done the disciples lay their coats on the beasts and Jesus begins to ride the colt into Jerusalem. This fulfills a Messianic prophecy from Zechariah.
- Matthew 21:33-41 meaning. Jesus tells the parable of a landowner who plants a vineyard on his land. He then hires vine-growers to work His vineyard while He is away. When the harvest comes, the vineyard owner sends some slaves to collect its produce, but instead of paying the landowner what was His, the vine-growers beat and kill them. They do the same to the landowner's son. Jesus asks the priests and elders what will happen to the evil vine-growers when the landowner returns. They reply that he will bring them to a wretched end. In the subsequent section, Jesus applied the parable to the Jewish leaders as being like those evil slaves.
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