Gospel of Matthew Chapter 1 Vs. 23

 The Birth of Jesus Christ

Verses 23-25: “A virgin” relates to Mary, the mother of Jesus, to the prediction found (in Isa. 7:14). Matthew used the Greek word parthenos to translate the Hebrew word almah. His contextual usage of “fulfill” is certainly indicative of his understanding the Isaiah passage to contain a definitely predictive element.

The quotation of Isa. 7:14 follows the Septuagint (LXX), rendering where parthenos is also used to translate the Hebrew almah. There can be no doubt that the Greek term parthenos is always to be translated “virgin.”

The Hebrew almah is the most accurate and precise term for virgin used in the Old Testament. Therefore, Matthew is clearly correct in quoting (Isa. 7:14), as being fulfilled in the virgin birth of Christ.

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

Behold, a virgin... The 1st Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Matthew (Mat. 1:23; Isa. 7:14). Next, Mat. 2:6.

Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term (in Isa. 7:14), means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Greek term for “virgin”. Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in (Isa. 7:14).

Immanuel, which being... This is a title describing the deity of the person of the Son of God rather than a name actually used by Him. It implies God will come to dwell among His own people, which He did in the person of Christ.

God took on the form of flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus was, is, and always will be, God the Word, who became the Son housed in a body for His stay on the earth. A virgin having a child is beyond the comprehension of worldly people even today, and many have decided that Jesus was not, in fact, born of a virgin.

How foolish it is not to believe that Jesus was, in fact, born of a virgin. A God, so great that He could speak a world into existence, can certainly cause a virgin to have a child. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, thought it was impossible to have a child after she was 90 years old, but she did. You see, with man it is an impossibility, but with God all things are possible.

The unnamed angel also told Joseph that this was in keeping with God’s eternal plan, for the Prophet Isaiah had declared 700 years before that the virgin will be with Child (Mat. 1:23; Isa. 7:14). While Old Testament scholars dispute whether the Hebrew almâh should be rendered “young woman” or “virgin,” God clearly intended it here to mean virgin (as implied by the Gr. word parthenos). Mary’s miraculous conception fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, and her Son would truly be Immanuel… God with us.