Matthew

a 1:1 — The book of the genesis (βίβλος γενέσεως / biblos geneseōs) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: βίβλος biblos is a book or scroll. γένεσις genesis is a singular noun whose range covers origin, birth, lineage, and beginning. Interpreters debate whether the phrase titles the genealogy (1:2–17), the birth account (1:18–25), or the whole Gospel. TWB renders “the book of the genesis” for three reasons. First, it keeps the singular noun: “the genealogies” would translate a different Greek word, γενεαλογίαι genealogiai (1 Timothy 1:4). Second, it leaves the debated scope open rather than deciding it for the reader; “the book of the genealogy” is accurate for the narrower sense but settles that question. Third, it preserves the echo of the Septuagint’s Genesis 2:4 and 5:1 (Tier 2). The same noun returns in 1:18 (NA28 γένεσις genesis; the Majority Text reads γέννησις gennēsis, “birth”), where the context narrows it to “birth.”

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The exact phrase appears in the Septuagint of Genesis 2:4 (“the book of the genesis of heaven and earth”; see the TWB note there) and Genesis 5:1 (“the book of the genesis of humanity”). Matthew opens the New Testament with the words that open Scripture’s own family histories, presenting Jesus as a new beginning; John 1:1 likewise echoes Genesis 1:1, and Paul speaks of “a new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: For Greek-speaking Jews who read the Septuagint, “the book of the genesis” would have sounded like Scripture itself. Genealogies established identity, inheritance, and standing: priests without a documented genealogy were excluded from service (Ezra 2:62), and Josephus opens his autobiography by citing his priestly descent from the public registers. A royal claim, such as descent from David, rested on such a record.

b 1:1 — the Messiah (Χριστός / Christos) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: Χριστός Christos, from χρίω chriō (“to anoint”), translates Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ māšîaḥ, “anointed one”: the Septuagint renders “the Lord’s anointed” with this word (1 Samuel 24:6; Psalm 2:2). Matthew uses it both as a title (“the Messiah,” 1:17) and almost as part of the name (1:1, 18). TWB renders “Messiah” so that the title keeps its meaning; to modern readers “Christ” often sounds like a surname. “Son of David” and “son of Abraham” name the two covenants the Gospel claims Jesus fulfills.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: God promised David an heir whose throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12–16; Psalm 89:3–4), a shoot from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1). To Abraham He promised that in his seed all nations would be blessed (Genesis 22:18), a promise Paul applies to Christ (Galatians 3:16). Peter confesses “You are the Messiah” (Matthew 16:16), and John explains the Hebrew title for Greek readers (John 1:41).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Second Temple Jews held varied hopes. The Psalms of Solomon (17) pray for a son of David to purge Jerusalem and rule in righteousness; the Qumran Community Rule expects “the messiahs of Aaron and Israel” (1QS 9:11), a priestly and a royal figure. Matthew’s opening places Jesus squarely in the royal, Davidic line and in the promise to Abraham that reaches the nations, the note on which the Gospel ends (28:19).

c 1:3 — by Tamar (ἐκ τῆς Θαμάρ / ek tēs Thamar) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: The genealogy runs on the formula “X fathered (ἐγέννησεν egennēsen) Y.” Matthew breaks it five times to name a mother: Tamar (1:3), Rahab and Ruth (1:5), “the wife of Uriah” (1:6), and Mary (1:16). Bathsheba is not named; she is identified by her husband, whom David had killed.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: Tamar secured her place in Judah’s line through a deception that exposed Judah’s failure (Genesis 38). Rahab of Jericho sheltered Israel’s spies (Joshua 2; 6:25; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25); the Old Testament does not record her marriage to Salmon, so Matthew is the only source for it. Ruth the Moabite chose Israel’s God (Ruth 1:16; 4:13–22). The wife of Uriah recalls David’s sin (2 Samuel 11–12).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Ancient genealogies rarely named women, so original readers would have noticed these four. Interpreters suggest several reasons, which can stand together: each was involved in an irregular or scandalous union that nonetheless served God’s purpose, preparing for Mary’s; each was a Gentile or joined to a Gentile, anticipating the nations of 28:19; and naming “the wife of Uriah” keeps the failings of Israel’s greatest king in view.

d 1:7 — Asaph (Ἀσάφ / Asaph) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: NA28 reads Ἀσάφ Asaph (1:7–8) and Ἀμώς Amōs (1:10), with the earliest manuscripts, including Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. The Majority Text and Textus Receptus read Ἀσά Asa and Ἀμών Amōn, the names of the kings of Judah in 1 Kings 15:9 and 2 Kings 21:18.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: King Asa (1 Kings 15:8–24) and King Amon (2 Kings 21:18–26) appear in the royal list of 1 Chronicles 3:10–14. Asaph is the name of David’s chief musician and of the psalms attributed to him (1 Chronicles 16:5; Psalms 50; 73–83), and Amos is the name of the prophet.

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: The older reading is harder: it gives a psalmist’s and a prophet’s name where the royal list has kings. Explanations include an error in Matthew’s source or in his own spelling, or a deliberate allusion to the psalms and the prophets. Either way, the easier reading of later manuscripts is best explained as a scribal correction toward the kings’ names. TWB follows NA28 in the main text, per its New Testament base-text standard, and records the Majority and Textus Receptus reading here.

Variant record: main text “Asaph … Amos (Ἀσάφ … Ἀμώς)”; alternative “Asa … Amon (Ἀσά … Ἀμών)”. Witnesses: NA28: main; Codex Sinaiticus: main; Codex Vaticanus: main; Majority Text: alternative; Textus Receptus: alternative. Decision: NA28 reading retained.

e 1:16 — of whom was born Jesus (ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς / ex hēs egennēthē Iēsous) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: After thirty-nine uses of the active “fathered,” the pattern breaks. The relative pronoun ἧς hēs (“of whom”) is feminine, referring to Mary, and the verb ἐγεννήθη egennēthē is passive, “was born.” Joseph is not said to have fathered Jesus. Many read the passive as a divine passive, pointing to God as the one at work.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: Matthew explains the break in 1:18–25. Luke gives a different genealogy, introducing Jesus as “the son, as was supposed, of Joseph” (Luke 3:23–38). Paul speaks of God’s Son as “descended from David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Jewish law recognized legal paternity by acknowledgment: a father who declared “this is my son” was believed (Mishnah, Bava Batra 8:6). Joseph’s naming of the child (1:25) establishes Jesus as his legal son and heir, and so as son of David. Early readers also noticed that Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies differ; Julius Africanus (third century) explained the difference by levirate marriage, and many later interpreters have proposed that Luke traces Mary’s line.

f 1:17 — fourteen generations (γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες / geneai dekatessares) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: δεκατέσσαρες dekatessares (“fourteen”) is repeated three times. The second set omits kings recorded elsewhere: Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah between Joram and Uzziah, and Jehoiakim between Josiah and Jechoniah (1 Chronicles 3:11–16). The third set lists only thirteen names unless Jechoniah or Jesus is counted twice.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The genealogy is shaped around three turning points: Abraham, David, and the exile, culminating in the Messiah. The comparison with 1 Chronicles 3:10–17 shows that the numbers come from Matthew’s arrangement, not from a complete list. Daniel 9:24–27 also structures the time until deliverance in symbolic numbers.

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Second Temple writers often divided history into structured periods, as in the “Apocalypse of Weeks” in 1 Enoch 93:1–10 and 91:11–17. Many interpreters note that the Hebrew consonants of “David” (דָּוִד dāwiḏ: D-W-D, valued 4 + 6 + 4) total fourteen, which would make the structure itself point to the son of David. Matthew does not mention this, so it remains a proposal.

g 1:18 — betrothed (μνηστευθείσης / mnēsteutheisēs) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: Aorist passive participle of μνηστεύω mnēsteuō, “to betroth, promise in marriage.” The couple are already called “husband” (1:19) and “wife” (1:20), and ending the betrothal requires a divorce (1:19). “Before they came together” (συνελθεῖν synelthein) refers to living together and sexual union.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The Septuagint uses the same verb for a betrothed virgin in Deuteronomy 22:23, where the law treats betrothal as binding. Luke also describes Mary as betrothed (Luke 1:27; 2:5), and Paul uses the image of betrothal for the church presented to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Jewish marriage had two stages: a legally binding betrothal, and, often about a year later, the bride’s move to her husband’s home (the Mishnah allows a virgin twelve months to prepare; Ketubot 5:2). An English “engagement” can be broken without legal process; this betrothal could not, which is why Joseph considers divorce.

h 1:18 — from the Holy Spirit (ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου / ek pneumatos hagiou) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: πνεῦμα pneuma, like Hebrew רוּחַ rûaḥ, means spirit, wind, or breath. The preposition ἐκ ek (“from, out of”) names the source of the conception. Matthew says nothing more about how it happened; the angel repeats the phrase in 1:20.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The Spirit who hovered over the waters at the first creation (Genesis 1:2; see the TWB note there) is the source of this new beginning. Luke says the power of the Most High would “overshadow” Mary (Luke 1:35). The Spirit was promised to rest on the shoot of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1–2; 61:1) and descends on Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Original readers had two contrasting pictures in view. In the Divine Council worldview, Genesis 6:1–4 tells of the sons of God taking human women, which 1 Enoch 6–11 expands into the rebellion of the Watchers; Greco-Roman stories told of gods fathering heroes with mortal women, and such claims were made even for rulers (Suetonius, Augustus 94). Matthew’s account is unlike both: no heavenly being unites with Mary. The conception is the creative act of God’s Holy Spirit, the opposite of the rebels’ transgression.

i 1:19 — being righteous (δίκαιος ὤν / dikaios ōn) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: δίκαιος dikaios describes one who lives by God’s law, as Zechariah and Elizabeth were “righteous before God” (Luke 1:6). δειγματίσαι deigmatisai means “to expose publicly, make an example of” (compare Colossians 2:15), and λάθρᾳ lathra means “quietly, privately.” Joseph’s righteousness leads him to end the betrothal, and his compassion leads him to do it without public accusation.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The law addressed a betrothed woman found to be unfaithful (Deuteronomy 22:23–24) and provided for divorce by written certificate (Deuteronomy 24:1). Righteousness is a central theme of Matthew (3:15; 5:20; 6:33), and Jesus twice quotes “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (9:13; 12:7, from Hosea 6:6). Joseph already holds the two together.

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: By the first century the severe penalties of Deuteronomy 22 were rarely if ever carried out, but a public accusation would bring lasting shame on the woman and her family. A divorce required only a written document before witnesses, so Joseph could end the betrothal with little publicity.

j 1:20 — an angel of the Lord (ἄγγελος κυρίου / angelos kyriou) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: ἄγγελος angelos means “messenger,” like Hebrew מַלְאָךְ malʾāḵ; κυρίου kyriou (“of the Lord”) is the Septuagint’s rendering of “the angel of the Lord.” Here the phrase has no article (“an angel”), and in 1:24 it takes the article because the angel has been introduced. TWB capitalizes “the Angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament where that figure speaks as God; this messenger is distinct from God and is not capitalized. Per the TWB discourse standard, only the words of God the Father are set in blue and the words of Jesus in red, so the angel’s message appears in standard text.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: In the Old Testament the Angel of the Lord speaks as God Himself (Genesis 16:7–13; 22:11–18; Exodus 3:2–6; Judges 13:3–22). In the New Testament an angel of the Lord appears at the turning points of the story (Luke 1:11; 2:9; Matthew 2:13, 19; 28:2; Acts 12:7). Gabriel describes himself as one who “stands in the presence of God” (Luke 1:19). Joseph receives guidance in dreams four times (1:20; 2:13, 19, 22), like Joseph the son of Jacob, the dreamer of Genesis (Genesis 37:5–11).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Within the Divine Council worldview, angels are members of God’s heavenly court, sent out as His agents: the host stands beside His throne (1 Kings 22:19–22), the sons of God present themselves before Him (Job 1:6), and angels are “ministering spirits sent out” (Hebrews 1:14). Second Temple Judaism had a developed angelology: Daniel names Gabriel and Michael (Daniel 8:16; 10:13), 1 Enoch 20 lists seven archangels, and Tobit 12:15 speaks of seven angels who enter before God’s glory. A messenger from that court announces the birth of the Son.

k 1:21 — Jesus (Ἰησοῦς / Iēsous) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: Ἰησοῦς Iēsous is the Greek form of Hebrew יְהוֹשֻׁעַ yəhôšuaʿ (Joshua), shortened to יֵשׁוּעַ yēšûaʿ, “the Lord saves.” The angel’s explanation, “for He will save,” is a wordplay that works only in Hebrew or Aramaic, where the name and the verb יָשַׁע yāšaʿ (“save”) share a root. Per the TWB standard, pronouns referring to the Son are capitalized.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: Moses renamed Hoshea son of Nun “Joshua” (Numbers 13:16), and the Greek Old Testament gives Joshua the same name as Jesus (compare Hebrews 4:8). “He will save His people from their sins” echoes Psalm 130:8, “He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Jesus later gives His blood “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28), and Peter declares that there is salvation in no other name (Acts 4:12).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Yeshua was a common name in Second Temple Judea, borne by several figures in Josephus and found on ossuaries of the period. Many hoped for deliverance from foreign rule; the angel defines this deliverance first as rescue from sin. A father’s naming of the child was also a legal act of acknowledgment (see the note on 1:16), so Joseph’s obedience in 1:25 makes Jesus his heir.

l 1:23 — the virgin (ἡ παρθένος / hē parthenos) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14 in close agreement with the Septuagint, which reads παρθένος parthenos. The Hebrew has עַלְמָה ʿalmâ, a young woman of marriageable age (Genesis 24:43; Exodus 2:8; Song 6:8); the more specific word for a virgin is בְּתוּלָה bəṯûlâ. Parthenos normally means “virgin,” though the Septuagint uses it of Dinah after she had been violated (Genesis 34:3). TWB renders Matthew’s Greek as “the virgin” and will translate Isaiah’s Hebrew on its own terms there. Per the TWB citation rule, the quotation is set in capitals.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The sign was first given to King Ahaz during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis of about 735 BC: before the child knew good from evil, the two hostile kings would be gone (Isaiah 7:10–16). “Immanuel” recurs in Isaiah 8:8 and 8:10, and the royal child of 9:6–7 follows. “God with us” frames Matthew’s Gospel, which ends with “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20; compare John 1:14). This is the first of Matthew’s “fulfillment” quotations (compare 2:15, 17, 23).

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: Readers have long debated Isaiah’s original referent. In Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho (43, 67), the Jewish speaker argues for “young woman” and a child of Isaiah’s own day, and Justin argues for “virgin.” Many interpreters hold that the sign had a fulfillment in Ahaz’s time and that Matthew’s “fulfill” means it reaches its fullest meaning in Jesus; others read Isaiah as directly predictive. Matthew’s own narrative is explicit that Mary conceived without a man (1:18, 20, 25). TWB records these readings without resolving them.

m 1:25 — until she had borne a son (ἕως οὗ ἔτεκεν υἱόν / heōs hou eteken huion) ↩ back to text

Tier 1 — Lexical Anchor: “Know” (ἐγίνωσκεν eginōsken, imperfect: “he was not knowing her”) is the biblical idiom for sexual union (Genesis 4:1; Luke 1:34). ἕως οὗ heōs hou (“until”) states that there was no union before the birth; the construction itself does not settle what happened afterward. NA28 reads “a son” (υἱόν huion); the Majority Text and Textus Receptus read “her firstborn son,” wording found in Luke 2:7.

Tier 2 — Canonical Mesh: The Gospels mention Jesus’ “brothers” and “sisters” (Matthew 12:46–50; 13:55–56; Mark 6:3). Roman Catholic and Orthodox tradition holds that Mary remained a virgin, understanding these as relatives or as Joseph’s children by an earlier marriage; many Protestants understand them as children born to Joseph and Mary later. Both readings appeal to these texts, and TWB does not resolve the question.

Tier 3 — Historical / Cosmological Horizon: The longer reading is most easily explained as scribes harmonizing Matthew with Luke 2:7, so NA28’s shorter reading is retained per TWB’s New Testament base-text standard. Joseph’s naming of the child completes the angel’s command and, under Jewish law, acknowledges Jesus as his legal son (see the note on 1:16).

Variant record: main text “a son (υἱόν)”; alternative “her firstborn son (τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον)”. Witnesses: NA28: main; Majority Text: alternative; Textus Receptus: alternative. Decision: NA28 reading retained.