Now the birth (Matthew 1:1, note). γέννησις ("generation") of the received text refers to the causative act, the true reading ( γένεσις) to the birth itself (cf. Luke 1:14). Of Jesus Christ was on this wise.
The Revised Version margin says, "Some ancient authorities read, 'of the Christ,'" but perhaps the reading, "of Christ Jesus" (B [Origen]), is even preferable, as in no good manuscript of the New Testament is the article elsewhere prefixed to "Jesus Christ," and the easy residing, "of the Christ," would hardly provoke alteration, while it might easily arise from assimilation to the preceding "unto the Christ" of Matthew 1:17 (cf.
Dr. Hort, in Westcott and Hort, 'Appendix.' Bishop Westcott, however, seems to prefer the reading. "of the Christ," and so distinctly Irenaeus, Matthew 3:16). If the reading, "of Christ Jesus," be accepted, the evangelist purposely repeats his phrase of Matthew 1:17, and then identifies him with the historic Person.
When as. The Revised Version omits "as" because obsolete; cf. "what time as." His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph; had been betrothed (Revised Version), the tense clearly showing that the betrothal had already taken place.
Betrothal was and is with the Semitic races a much more formal matter than with us, and as binding as marriage; of. Deuteronomy 22:23, Deuteronomy 22:24; cf. also the words of the angel, "Mary thy wife" (Deuteronomy 22:20).
Before they came together; including, probably, both the home-bringing (Deuteronomy 22:24) and the consummation (Deuteronomy 22:25). She was found ( εὑρώθη). Although Cureton shows that the Aramaic equivalent is used in the sense of "became," and wishes to see this weaker meaning in several passages of the Greek Testament (including, apparently, the present), the references that he gives (Romans 7:10; 2 Corinthians 5:3; 2 Corinthians 11:12) do not justify us in giving up the stronger and more usual sense.
On εὑρέθη always involving more or less prominently the idea of a surprise, cf. Bishop Lightfoot on Galatians 2:17. Observe the reverent silence with which a whole stage of the history is passed over.
With child of the Holy Ghost ( ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου; cf. Galatians 2:20, without the article in both cases). According to the usual interpretation of these words, "the Holy Ghost" refers to the Third Person of the Trinity, and "of" ( ἐκ) is used because the agent can be regarded as the immediate source (cf.