People all around the world have heard the story of the birth of Jesus. But have you ever wondered if there is more to this familiar story? The Bible records the birth of Jesus in detail, so this event must hold deep significance.
In this article, we will examine the birth of Jesus using verses and notes from the New Testament Recovery Version to gain a closer look at its true meaning. Discovering even a glimpse of its true significance will deepen our love for Jesus and elevate our worship of Him.
Prophesied in the Old Testament and Fulfilled in the New Testament
Approximately seven hundred years before Christ, a prophecy about the birth of Jesus was recorded in the Old Testament. Isaiah 7:14 says:
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
The New Testament begins with the account of the birth of Jesus. In the first chapter of Matthew, verse 18 tells us how the virgin birth prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled:
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”
The first note on this verse in the New Testament Recovery Version speaks of the profound meaning of Mary being found with child of the Holy Spirit:
“Although Christ was born of Mary (v.16), He was the Son of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s birth issued directly from the Holy Spirit (v. 20). His source was the Holy Spirit, and His element was divine. Through the virgin Mary, He put on flesh and blood, the human nature, taking on the likeness of the flesh (Rom. 8:3), the likeness of men (Phil. 2:7).”
Although Jesus was born as a child of flesh and blood, His source was the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20 tells us more about the origin of Jesus:
“But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.'”
The first note on this verse explains:
“God first begot Himself in Mary through His Spirit; once the conception was accomplished, He was born with the human nature to be a God-man and thus possess both the divinity and humanity. This is the origin of Christ.”
These two verses, Matthew 1:18 and 1:20, show us that the birth of Jesus was by no means the ordinary birth of an ordinary man; it was the extraordinary incarnation of God Himself. The birth of Jesus was the birth of a God-man, a marvelous Person who was both divine and human.
Jesus and Immanuel
Matthew 1:21-23 gives us two names for this precious and unique Person: Jesus and Immanuel:
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’.”
The two excellent names Jesus and Immanuel are filled with meaning for us. Let’s explore these names with the help of the notes in the Recovery Version.
The first note on Jesus in verse 21 tells us:
“Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua (Num. 13:16), which means Jehovah the Savior, or the salvation of Jehovah. Therefore, Jesus is not only a man but Jehovah, and not only Jehovah but Jehovah as our salvation. So, He is our Savior. He is also our Joshua, the One who brings us into rest (Heb. 4:8; Matt. 11:28-29), which is Himself as the good land for us.”
Due to the fall of man, all human beings need a Savior. This Savior is Jesus, who is Jehovah, God Himself. The God-man Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sins. Furthermore, even after we first believe in Him, we can continue to enjoy being saved from negative things in our lives, such as our temper, anxiety, or discouragement. Every time we call on the name of Jesus, we are saved. How precious is the name of Jesus!
Notes 2 and 3 about the name Immanuel in verse 23 say:
“Jesus was the name given to Him by God, while Immanuel, which means God with us, was how men called Him. Jesus the Savior is God with us. He is God and is also God incarnated to dwell among us (John 1:14). He is not only God, but God with us.”
“Christ as Emmanuel was not only with us when He lived on the earth but also is with us since His ascension whenever we are gathered together in His name (18:20). Furthermore, He will be with us all the days until the consummation of the age (28:20).”
Our Savior Jesus is Emmanuel; He is God with us at all times. How comforting and encouraging this is! He is always with us, in every place and in every situation.
He Saves Us and Is with Us Forever
To save us, God did something astonishing. The eternal God became an accessible man, Jesus, and lived a perfect, sinless life on earth among fallen humanity. What a mysterious and wonderful fact! As the God-man, He reached out to humanity with His love, mercy, and goodness. He spoke words of righteousness and truth to bring people out of darkness and into light. Then, in His body of flesh and blood, Jesus suffered death on the cross for our sins. He accomplished redemption for us, and when we repent and believe in Him, we are cleansed of our sins and delivered from eternal judgment.
But that’s not all. Jesus Christ rose from the dead. In resurrection, Christ became the life-giving Spirit to enter into us. When we believe in Christ, we receive Him, and He enters into us to live in us and be with us always as part of His plan to fulfill His eternal purpose.
If you haven’t received the Savior yet, you don’t have to wait any longer. Simply pray this prayer with a sincere heart:
“Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the true God and a perfect man. Thank You for being born and becoming a genuine man with divinity and humanity. Thank You for dying for me. I repent and turn to You. I believe in You and receive You right now. Enter into me and live in me. Thank You, Lord Jesus, You are Emmanuel, God with me all the time. Amen.”
To read more about Jesus and what He has done for us, we encourage you to read this article. And if you live in the United States, you can request a free copy of the New Testament Recovery Version here to read all the notes on the verses mentioned in this article.
