Notes on the Gospel according to Matthew, Chapters 1 & 2

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The Gospel according to Matthew is one of the four canonical Gospels of Pauline Christianity and one of the three synoptic Gospels.  The Gospel according to Matthew is the first of the four, the other three being: the Gospel according to Mark, the Gospel according to Luke and the Gospel according to John.  It is also the first of the three synoptic Gospels with the Gospel according to John being the odd one out.  The Gospel probably originated in a Jewish-Christian community in Roman Syria towards the end of the first century CE.  The anonymous author drew on three main sources, including the Gospel of Mark, the sayings collection known as the Q source, and material unique to his own community.  Please note that the Q source is hypothesised and there are scholars who doubt its existence.  Other Christian churches have different Gospels. 

The Gospel is attributed to St. Matthew ben Alpheus (r.a.), a former tax collector from Capernaum and one of the Twelve.  This tradition developed from the 2^nd century CE and was traced to Bishop Papias of Hieropolis.  There is absolutely no proof whatsoever that St. Matthew (r.a.) wrote it and in all likelihood, he did not since it was written about a hundred years after the time of Jesus (a.s.). 

From a Christian point of view, the beginning of the Gospel according to Matthew brings the Good News that Jesus (a.s.) is the Saviour.  It goes through a lot of effort to play with the genealogy to push the claim that Jesus (a.s.) is not only the Messiah, the Anointed One, but also that he is the Literal Son of God and the bringer of the final Revelation. 

Matthew 1:1-17

¹ The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.  ² Abraham begot Isaac.  And Isaac begot Jacob.  And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren.  ³ And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar.  And Phares begot Esron.  And Esron begot Aram.  ⁴ And Aram begot Aminadab.  And Aminadab begot Naasson.  And Naasson begot Salmon.  ⁵ And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab.  And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse.  ⁶ And Jesse begot David the king.  And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias.  ⁷ And Solomon begot Roboam.  And Roboam begot Abia.  And Abia begot Asa.  ⁸ And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram.  And Joram begot Ozias.  ⁹ And Ozias begot Joatham.  And Joatham begot Achaz.  And Achaz begot Ezechias.  ¹⁰ And Ezechias begot Manasses.  And Manasses begot Amon.  And Amon begot Josias.  ¹¹ And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon.  ¹² And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel.  And Salathiel begot Zorobabel.  ¹³ And Zorobabel begot Abiud.  And Abiud begot Eliacim.  And Eliacim begot Azor.  ¹⁴ And Azor begot Sadoc.  And Sadoc begot Achim.  And Achim begot Eliud.  ¹⁵And Eliud begot Eleazar.  And Eleazar begot Mathan.  And Mathan begot Jacob.  ¹⁶ And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.  ¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations.  And from David to the transmigration of Babylon are fourteen generations.  And from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations. 

¹ Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ.  ² Ἀβραὰμ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰσαάκ, Ἰσαὰκ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰακώβ, Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰούδαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ, ³ Ἰούδας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Φάρες καὶ τὸν Ζάρα ἐκ τῆς Θαμάρ, Φάρες δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἑσρώμ, Ἑσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀράμ, ⁴ Ἀρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀμιναδάβ, Ἀμιναδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ναασσών, Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σαλμών, ⁵ Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Βόες ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχάβ, Βόες δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ῥούθ, Ἰωβὴδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰεσσαί, ⁶ Ἰεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Δαυὶδ τὸν βασιλέα. Δαυὶδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, ⁷ Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ῥοβοάμ, Ῥοβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀβιά, Ἀβιὰ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀσάφ, ⁸ Ἀσὰφ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσαφάτ, Ἰωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωράμ, Ἰωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ὀζίαν, ⁹ Ὀζίας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωαθάμ, Ἰωαθὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀχάζ, Ἀχὰζ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἑζεκίαν, ¹⁰ Ἑζεκίας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Μανασσῆ, Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀμώς, Ἀμὼς δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσίαν, ¹¹ Ἰωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰεχονίαν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος.  ¹² μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος Ἰεχονίας ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σαλαθιήλ, Σαλαθιὴλ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ζοροβαβέλ, ¹³ Ζοροβαβὲλ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀβιούδ, Ἀβιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἐλιακίμ, Ἐλιακὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀζώρ, ¹⁴ Ἀζὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σαδώκ, Σαδὼκ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἀχίμ, Ἀχὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἐλιούδ, ¹⁵ Ἐλιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἐλεάζαρ, Ἐλεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ματθάν, Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰακώβ, ¹⁶ Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός.  ¹⁷ Πᾶσαι οὖν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως Δαυὶδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ Δαυὶδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες. 

¹ Liber generationis Jesu Christi filii David, filii Abraham.  ² Abraham genuit Isaac.  Isaac autem genuit Jacob.  Jacob autem genuit Judam, et fratres ejus.  ³ Judas autem genuit Phares, et Zaram de Thamar.  Phares autem genuit Esron. Esron autem genuit Aram.  ⁴ Aram autem genuit Aminadab.  Aminadab autem genuit Naasson.  Naasson autem genuit Salmon.  ⁵ Salmon autem genuit Booz de Rahab.  Booz autem genuit Obed ex Ruth.  Obed autem genuit Jesse.  Jesse autem genuit David regem.  ⁶ David autem rex genuit Salomonem ex ea quæ fuit Uriæ.  ⁷ Salomon autem genuit Roboam.  Roboam autem genuit Abiam.  Abias autem genuit Asa.  ⁸ Asa autem genuit Josophat.  Josophat autem genuit Joram.  Joram autem genuit Oziam.  ⁹ Ozias autem genuit Joatham.  Joatham autem genuit Achaz. Achaz autem genuit Ezechiam.  ¹⁰ Ezechias autem genuit Manassen.  Manasses autem genuit Amon.  Amon autem genuit Josiam.  ¹¹ Josias autem genuit Jechoniam, et fratres ejus in transmigratione Babylonis.  ¹² Et post transmigrationem Babylonis: Jechonias genuit Salathiel.  Salathiel autem genuit Zorobabel.  ¹³ Zorobabel autem genuit Abiud.  Abiud autem genuit Eliacim.  Eliacim autem genuit Azor.  ¹⁴ Azor autem genuit Sadoc.  Sadoc autem genuit Achim. Achim autem genuit Eliud.  ¹⁵ Eliud autem genuit Eleazar.  Eleazar autem genuit Mathan.  Mathan autem genuit Jacob.  ¹⁶ Jacob autem genuit Joseph virum Mariæ, de qua natus est Jesus, qui vocatur Christus.  ¹⁷ Omnes itaque generationes ab Abraham usque ad David, generationes quatuordecim: et a David usque ad transmigrationem Babylonis, generationes quatuordecim: et a transmigratione Babylonis usque ad Christum, generationes quatuordecim. 

If this genealogy is compared with that the Gospel according to Luke, 3:23 onwards, it is clear that at least one of the two groups of authors considered descent via adoption.  This was necessary to make Jesus (a.s.) the legal inheritor of Abraham’s (a.s.) Blessing and of the house of David (a.s.).  Both have traced his ancestry through Joseph, the supposed betrothed of Mary (a.s.).  Both Christian and Muslim believe Joseph and the Mary (a.s.) were closely related.  Muslims do not believe they were a couple or that Mary (a.s.) ever married. 

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸ Now the generation of Christ was in this wise.  When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost.  ¹⁹ Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.  ²⁰ But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying, “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  ²¹ And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.”  ²² Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: ²³ “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,” which being interpreted is “God with us.”  ²⁴ And Joseph, rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife.  ²⁵ And he knew her not until she brought forth her first born son, and he called his name Jesus. 

¹⁸ Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γένεσις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ἰωσήφ, πρὶν ἢ συνελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου.  ¹⁹ Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὢν καὶ μὴ θέλων αὐτὴν δειγματίσαι, ἐβουλήθη λάθρᾳ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν.  ²⁰ ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου κατ' ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων, Ἰωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυίδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαρίαν τὴν γυναῖκά σου, τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου: ²¹ τέξεται δὲ υἱὸν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν, αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν.  ²² τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, ²³ ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσιν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ θεός.  ²⁴ ἐγερθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου ἐποίησεν ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου καὶ παρέλαβεν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ: ²⁵ καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκεν υἱόν: καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν. 

¹⁸ Christi autem generatio sic erat: cum esset desponsata mater ejus Maria Joseph, antequam convenirent inventa est in utero habens de Spiritu Sancto.  ¹⁹ Joseph autem vir ejus cum esset justus, et nollet eam traducere, voluit occulte dimittere eam.  ²⁰ Hæc autem eo cogitante, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis ei, dicens: Joseph, fili David, noli timere accipere Mariam conjugem tuam: quod enim in ea natum est, de Spiritu Sancto est.  ²¹ Pariet autem filium: et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum: ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum.  ²² Hoc autem totum factum est, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est a Domino per prophetam dicentem: ²³ Ecce virgo in utero habebit, et pariet filium: et vocabunt nomen ejus Emmanuel, quod est interpretatum Nobiscum Deus.  ²⁴ Exsurgens autem Joseph a somno, fecit sicut præcepit ei angelus Domini, et accepit conjugem suam.  ²⁵ Et non cognoscebat eam donec peperit filium suum primogenitum: et vocavit nomen ejus Jesum. 

The first prophecy found in the Gospel according to Matthew, is the prophecy of Isaiah (a.s.): 

Isaiah 7:14

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord Himself shall Give you a sign.  Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel. 

¹⁴ διὰ τοῦτο δώσει κύριος αὐτὸς ὑμῖν σημεῖον ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱόν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Εμμανουηλ 

¹⁴ Propter hoc dabit Dominus ipse vobis signum: ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel. 

“Emmanuel” is the Greek transliteration.  “Immanual” would be closer to the Hebrew.  Therefore, the purpose of the first chapter is affirm the identity of Jesus (a.s.) as the Messiah, al-Masih.  “The virgin” is a literal translation of the Hebrew and this was fulfilled with the virgin birth of Jesus (a.s.), and Confirmed in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا وَٱبۡنَهَآ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٩١) 

And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We Breathed into her of Our Spirit, and We Made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. (Surah al-Anbiya’:91) 

The text of Matthew 1: 25 is more literally rendered “he knew her not until she bore a son” but the Hebrew word represented by “until” does not imply that intercourse did take place afterwards.  Catholics believe this phrase does not impugn the perpetual virginity of Mary (a.s.).  The Qur’an Confirms it.  The “first-born” son here, does not imply that she had other sons.  It refers to Jesus’ (a.s.) status and responsibilities under the halacha. 

Matthew 2:1-2

¹ When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of King Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, ² saying: “Where is he that is born king of the Jews?  For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to adore him.” 

¹ Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ² λέγοντες, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. 

¹ Cum ergo natus esset Jesus in Bethlehem Juda in diebus Herodis regis, ecce magi ab oriente venerunt Jerosolymam, ² dicentes: Ubi est qui natus est rex Judæorum?  vidimus enim stellam ejus in oriente, et venimus adorare eum. 

Here, it was quite likely that the wise men from the East arrived when Jesus (a.s.) was already two.  The Gospel narrative is incorrect.  Also, tradition has it that there were three wise men.  However, none of the books in the Bible give a number.  There were three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  It is believed the wise men were priests of Zoroastrianism, the religion of Zarathustra (a.s.).  The caliph, Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.) treated them as Ahl al-Kitab in all ways except allowing marriage between the Muslims and them since the Qur’an is very specific that marriage was only between the Muslims with the Christians and Jews. 

Matthew 2:3-6

³ And King Herod, hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  ⁴ And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.  ⁵ But they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judah.  For so it is written by the prophet, ⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel.’” 

³ ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἡρῴδης ἐταράχθη καὶ πᾶσα Ἱεροσόλυμα μετ' αὐτοῦ, ⁴ καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπυνθάνετο παρ' αὐτῶν ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται.  ⁵ οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας: οὕτως γὰρ γέγραπται διὰ τοῦ προφήτου: ⁶ καὶ σύ, Βηθλέεμ γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα: ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ. 

³ Audiens autem Herodes rex, turbatus est, et omnis Jerosolyma cum illo.  ⁴ Et congregans omnes principes sacerdotum, et scribas populi, sciscitabatur ab eis ubi Christus nasceretur.  ⁵ At illi dixerunt: In Bethlehem Judæ: sic enim scriptum est per prophetam: ⁶ Et tu Bethlehem terra Juda, nequaquam minima es in principibus Juda: ex te enim exiet dux, qui regat populum meum Israël. 

The scribes and chief priests in this case were mostly from the Sadducee sect of Judaism.  And the prophecy written by the prophet is the prophecy of Micah (a.s.).  Micah of Moresheth (a.s.) is the sixth of the twelve minor prophets.  His Hebrew name was likely Mikayahu (a.s.), which means something like, “There is none like Yahwah”.  There are no records in the Qur’an or the ahadits or any Muslim source that I know of the prophet Micah of Moresheth (a.s.).  He is one of the many prophets mentioned in other scriptures who are not mentioned in the Qur’an. 

“Yahwah” was written “YHWH” since, like Arabic and other Semitic languages, only the consonants are written and not the vowels.  Because of this and the fact that the Jews, out of respect, never pronounce it, the actual pronunciation has been lost for centuries.  This is as best as we can guess.  It means “He” and is the essence of the Divine Name, “Eloh”.  It corresponds to our understanding of the Divine Name, “Huwa” or “Hu”.  Below is the prophecy of Micah (a.s.): 

Micah 5:1

¹ And you Bethlehem Ephrata, are a little one among the thousands of Judah, out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity. 

¹ καὶ σύ Βηθλεεμ οἶκος τοῦ Εφραθα ὀλιγοστὸς εἶ τοῦ εἶναι ἐν χιλιάσιν Ιουδα ἐκ σοῦ μοι ἐξελεύσεται τοῦ εἶναι εἰς ἄρχοντα ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ καὶ αἱ ἔξοδοι αὐτοῦ ἀ{P'} ἀρχῆς ἐξ ἡμερῶν αἰῶνος 

¹ Et tu, Bethlehem Ephrata, parvulus es in millibus Juda; ex te mihi egredietur qui sit dominator in Israël, et egressus ejus ab initio, a diebus æternitatis. 

In this case, Herod was troubled because he was looking to protect his throne.  Jerusalem was troubled because it was known that Herod would go through any lengths to protect his throne. 

Bethlehem is an ancient town in Judah.  In Hebrew, “Beth Lehem” means “House of Bread”.  In Arabic, “Bayt Lahm” means “House of Meat”.  In Babylonian times, it was thought to be a temple town to the god, Lakhmu.  Lakhmu was one of the Akkadian creator gods, later adopted by the Babylonians and the Canaanites. 

Matthew 2:7-12

⁷ Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them; ⁸ and sending them into Bethlehem, said, “Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore him.”  ⁹ Who having heard the king, went their way.  And behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was.  ¹⁰ And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  ¹¹ And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother; and falling down they adored him. And opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country. 

⁷ τότε Ἡρῴδης λάθρᾳ καλέσας τοὺς μάγους ἠκρίβωσεν παρ' αὐτῶν τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος, ⁸ καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμ εἶπεν, πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου: ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ.  ⁹ οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον.  ¹⁰ ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα.  ¹¹ καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δῶρα, χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν.  ¹² καὶ χρηματισθέντες κατ' ὄναρ μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς Ἡρῴδην, δι' ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν. 

⁷ Tunc Herodes clam vocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellæ, quæ apparuit eis: ⁸ et mittens illos in Bethlehem, dixit: Ite, et interrogate diligenter de puero: et cum inveneritis, renuntiate mihi, ut et ego veniens adorem eum.  ⁹ Qui cum audissent regem, abierunt, et ecce stella, quam viderant in oriente, antecedebat eos, usque dum veniens staret supra, ubi erat puer.  ¹⁰ Videntes autem stellam gavisi sunt gaudio magno valde.  ¹¹ Et intrantes domum, invenerunt puerum cum Maria matre ejus, et procidentes adoraverunt eum: et apertis thesauris suis obtulerunt ei munera, aurum, thus, et myrrham.  ¹² Et responso accepto in somnis ne redirent ad Herodem, per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam. 

Herod the Great was a son of Antipater, an Idumean.  They are also known as Edomites and their land is mentioned in the Old Testament as Edom.  Iduma was what the Babylonians called them and Idumean was what the Romans and the Greeks knew them as.  The Idumeans were brought under subjection by John Hyrcanus towards the end of the second century BC, and forced to convert to Judaism despite the opposition of the Jewish rabbis. 

Herod was not a Jew, and not a practitioner of the Jewish faith.  He did build the Temple to placate the Jews and as a sign of his vanity but he also built many pagan temples and worshipped there.  He was an enemy of monotheism and an enemy of the prophets.  He was a tyrant and an idolater.  He suffered a terrible disease that has not been identified and died with wasting sores, mad with pain.  His suffering is documented in graphic detail by the historian, Titus Flavius Josephus. 

Not much is known about the “star” the wise men followed.  What it does indicate was that the prophecies of the prophets of old were known not only to the Jews but also to the surrounding people, even priests from the Persian Empire.  The prophecy of the Messiah was known from the time of the Babylonian exile.  And when the Persians under Cyrus conquered the Babylonian and freed the Jews, Cyrus allowed them to return and even helped rebuilt the Temple of Solomon (a.s.).  He is more likely to be the Dzu al-Qarnayn (r.a.) Mentioned in the Qur’an, rather than Alexander the Great.  For one thing, he was a monotheist like all Zoroastrians of the time, unlike Alexander. 

With regards the gifts of the magi, there has been much debate in their significance.  Gold was a symbol of royalty.  The magi had come to see the “King of the Jews”.  It was an acknowledgement of his kingship although they failed to recognise the nature of the ‘kingdom’ which was the highest form of prophethood after the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). 

Frankincense is a rare commodity and somewhat rare.  It has been used by Jews and by the Sufis in worship.  It was a main component of the rituals of sanctification of the Temple.  Burnt frankincense gives off a pleasant smelling, white smoke.  To the Jews, the smoke rising from the altar represented the prayers of the people rising to God.  The gift symbolised the recognition that Jesus (a.s.) was holy and divine but not necessarily part of the godhead as Trinitarians believe. 

Myrrh, the aromatic resin of a plant, is commonly used as the essential oil of perfume.  The major use of myrrh was for burials.  It was placed on the cloths used to wrap bodies for burial to help prevent the smell of decay following death.  The symbolism was that as a Pharisee and a man f God, Jesus (a.s.) was dead to the world.  He was never a man of dunya and the kingdom he called to, was never in dunya.  Unfortunately, the Jews had been waiting a thousand years for the wrong Messiah.  They had misunderstood his mission and rejected him. 

Matthew 2:13-18

¹³ And after they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell you.  For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him.  ¹⁴ Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod: ¹⁵ That it might be fulfilled which the Lord Spoke by the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt, have I Called my son.”  ¹⁶ Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry: and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.  ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ¹⁸ “A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” 

¹³ Ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ' ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων, ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι: μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό.  ¹⁴ ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ¹⁵ καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου: ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου.  ¹⁶ Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων.  ¹⁷ τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἰερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, ¹⁸ φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμὰ ἠκούσθη, κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς: Ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν. 

¹³ Qui cum recessissent, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Joseph, dicens: Surge, et accipe puerum, et matrem ejus, et fuge in Ægyptum, et esto ibi usque dum dicam tibi. Futurum est enim ut Herodes quærat puerum ad perdendum eum.  ¹⁴ Qui consurgens accepit puerum et matrem ejus nocte, et secessit in Ægyptum: ¹⁵ et erat ibi usque ad obitum Herodis: ut adimpleretur quod dictum est a Domino per prophetam dicentem: Ex Ægypto vocavi filium meum.  ¹⁶ Tunc Herodes videns quoniam illusus esset a magis, iratus est valde, et mittens occidit omnes pueros, qui erant in Bethlehem, et in omnibus finibus ejus, a bimatu et infra secundum tempus, quod exquisierat a magis.  ¹⁷ Tunc adimpletum est quod dictum est per Jeremiam prophetam dicentem: ¹⁸ Vox in Rama audita est ploratus, et ululatus multus: Rachel plorans filios suos, et noluit consolari, quia non sunt. 

The slaughter of the innocents was one of the most tragic things to happen in the time of Jesus (a.s.).  It was an attempt by Herod to kill the “King of the Jews”.  Like almost every person of the time, the failed to understand the mission of Jesus (a.s.).  However, there is no independent historical verification if it actually did take place. 

Hosea 1:1

¹ As the morning passes, so has the king of Israel passed away.  Because Israel was a child, and I Loved him: and I Called my son out of Egypt. 

¹ λόγος κυρίου ὃς ἐγενήθη πρὸς Ωσηε τὸν τοῦ Βεηρι ἐν ἡμέραις Οζιου καὶ Ιωαθαμ καὶ Αχαζ καὶ Εζεκιου βασιλέων Ιουδα καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις Ιεροβοαμ υἱοῦ Ιωας βασιλέως Ισραηλ 

¹ Verbum Domini, quod factum est ad Osee, filium Beeri, in diebus Oziæ, Joathan, Achaz, Ezechiæ, regum Juda; et in diebus Jeroboam, filii Joas, regis Israël. 

Hosea ben Beeri (a.s.) was the first of the first of the minor prophets.  His name means “Salvation”.  He is not mentioned in any Muslim sources.  This part of the book of Hosea (a.s.) is very much allegorical.  In the time of Hosea (a.s.), paganism was rife and many of the Jews had turned away from the worship of God and were worshipping the Phoenician gods.  Chief amongst these gods was Baal.  Baal is also known as Bel, Bhaal, and Ba’al.  In the time of our Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), the Arabs knew him as Hubal.  The worship of Baal was marked by child sacrifice.  Children, including infants, were burnt as part of the ritual.  Israel was thus an unfaithful child to the Lord.  When the Jews were in Egypt, many of them had turned to idolatry.  In this case, calling out of Egypt refer to the call back to monotheism.  There is much debate as to how this is related to the passage in Matthew. 

Jeremiah 31:15

¹⁵ Thus Says the Lord, “A voice was heard on high of lamentation, of mourning, and weeping, of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted for them, because they are not.” 

¹⁵ οὕτως εἶπεν κύριος φωνὴ ἐν Ραμα ἠκούσθη θρήνου καὶ κλαυθμοῦ καὶ ὀδυρμοῦ Ραχηλ ἀποκλαιομένη οὐκ ἤθελεν παύσασθαι ἐπὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῆς ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν 

¹⁵ Hæc dicit Dominus: Vox in excelso audita est lamentationis: luctus, et fletus Rachel plorantis filios suos, et nolentis consolari super eis, quia non sunt. 

Jeremiah (a.s.) refers to the prophet Aramaya (a.s.) as Muslims know him.  He lived in the time just before the Babylonian captivity and was probably witness to the Fall of Jerusalem after an 18-month siege by the forces of Nebuchadnezzar II.  This passage could then be in relation to that event and not a prophecy itself with regards Jesus (a.s.).  Rachel (r.a.) was the wife of Jacob (a.s.) and the mother of Joseph (a.s.).  She was buried at the road of Ephrata leading to Bethlehem.  Rachel (a.s.) weeping for her children is referenced by the author of Matthew (r.a.) to refer to the Slaughter of the Innocents. 

Matthew 2:19-23

¹⁹ But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰ saying, “Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel.  For they are dead that sought the life of the child,” ²¹ who arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.  ²² But hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither: and being warned in sleep retired into the quarters of Galilee.  ²³ And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by the prophets: “That he shall be called a Nazarene.” 

¹⁹ τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καί, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.  ²⁰ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ νεανίσκος: πάντα ταῦτα ἐφύλαξα: τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ; ²¹ ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.  ²² ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ νεανίσκος τὸν λόγον ἀπῆλθεν λυπούμενος: ἦν γὰρ ἔχων κτήματα πολλά.  ²³ Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ: ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πλούσιος δυσκόλως εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. 

¹⁹ honora patrem tuum, et matrem tuam, et diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum.  ²⁰ Dicit illi adolescens: Omnia hæc custodivi a juventute mea: quid adhuc mihi deest?  ²¹ Ait illi Jesus: Si vis perfectus esse, vade, vende quæ habes, et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in cælo: et veni, sequere me.  ²² Cum audisset autem adolescens verbum, abiit tristis: erat enim habens multas possessiones.  ²³ Jesus autem dixit discipulis suis: Amen dico vobis, quia dives difficile intrabit in regnum cælorum. 

Archelaus is the son of Herod.  He did not inherit the title of “King” as Herod’s will passing the title down was not approved by the Roman senate.  Archelaus thus ruled as a sort of governor called a tetrarch, over Judea. 

The so-called prophecy of the prophets cannot be found in any book of the Tanakh, the Old Testament.  The source, whatever it is has been lost.  Catholic commentators do try to link it with the prophecy of Isaiah (a.s.): 

Isaiah 53:3

³ Nay, here is one despised, left out of all human reckoning; bowed with misery, and no stranger to weakness; how should we recognise that face?  How should we take any account of him, a man so despised? 

³ ἀλλὰ τὸ εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἄτιμον ἐκλεῖπον παρὰ πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἄνθρωπος ἐν πληγῇ ὢν καὶ εἰδὼς φέρειν μαλακίαν ὅτι ἀπέστραπται τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἠτιμάσθη καὶ οὐκ ἐλογίσθη 

³ despectum, et novissimum virorum, virum dolorum, et scientem infirmitatem, et quasi absconditus vultus ejus et despectus, unde nec reputavimus eum. 

The Hebrew text literally says, “his face was as it were hidden”.  It is not clear whether the face of the servant is hidden from the onlookers, or theirs from him in disgust.  They say the prophecy that Jesus (a.s.) would be despised by men was fulfilled when his contemporaries spoke scornfully of him as “a prophet from Nazareth”.  Some of them claim the word should not be Nazarene, but Nazirite. 

One of the major issues Muslims have is that there is no record of Joseph in any of our sources.  The Qur’an is quite clear that Mary (a.s.) was chaste.  Some scholars have argued that Joseph was an older cousin who was her guardian and a fitnah developed that they had a relationship and she had a son and the betrothal was added later.  I believe that the Biblical narrative needed a “Joseph” to demonstrate that Jesus (a.s.) had the genealogy to fulfill the prophecy of the prophets. 

The Islamic sources do not report a betrothal for Mary (a.s.), nor do they mention Joseph, nor a later marriage, nor any siblings for Jesus (a.s.).  There is an entire chapter of the Qur’an named after Mary (a.s.) that conveys the story of the virgin birth.  The mention of the betrothal would have been mentioned if it was true since it is an important point.  The Qur’an Says that Mary (a.s.) was a virgin; she had never been married before or during the time of the birth of Jesus (a.s.).  Mary (a.s.) was quite shocked when the angel informed her that she would bear a son: 

سُوۡرَةُ مَریَم

قَالَتۡ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ۬ وَلَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى بَشَرٌ۬ وَلَمۡ أَكُ بَغِيًّ۬ا (٢٠) 

She said, “How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?” (Surah Maryam:20) 

In Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Imam Abu al-Fadhl ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuthi (r.a.) distinguished the first reason Mary (a.s.) gave that, “no man has ever touched me,” from the second reason because the first reason signified being “touched” in lawful wedlock, whereas the second reason meant she had never committed fornication.  Thus, her virginity at the time of the birth is established. 

Some have argued that it is still possible for the Biblical claim that Mary (a.s.) was only betrothed to Joseph but not yet sent to her marital home for consummation.  In ancient Jewish law, a betrothal was as binding as a marriage contract.  According to this claim, it was an unconsummated marriage because the bride-taking had not taken place.  This is unlikely because of Mary’s (a.s.) reaction.  If she was betrothed, she would not ask how she would have a son. 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا وَٱبۡنَهَآ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٩١) 

And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We Breathed into her of Our Spirit, and We Made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. (Surah al-Anbiya’:91) 

سُوۡرَةُ التّحْریم

وَمَرۡيَمَ ٱبۡنَتَ عِمۡرَٲنَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتۡ بِكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّہَا وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَكَانَتۡ مِنَ ٱلۡقَـٰنِتِينَ (١٢) 

And Mary the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We Breathed into her (body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (Servants). (Surah at-Tahrim:12) 

The word in both ayat is “ahswanat”.  The root is “hiswn”, which mean “fortress”.  This gives an idea of the level of chastity she had.  That Allah (s.w.t.) Made her and her son a Sign is taken by the scholars of tafsir to mean that she was a virgin and never consummated a marriage of any sort and never had any other children.  The miracle of the virgin birth of Christ (a.s.) was to be an effective proof to the Children of Israel of that time.  The miracle would have been diminished if a significant element of doubt in the form of a betrothal could exist and she eventually had other children.