Matthew Chapter One -- Two Questions

[arielette]

I would be interested if anyone could answer two questions I have about the first chapter of Matthew:

1. What is the significance of the number 14 between Abraham to David/Babylon/Christ --

2. Why did the angel say Jesus was going to be named Emmanuel and he was never referred to that way? Thanx.

 

[Crazy Liz]

I would be interested if anyone could answer two questions I have about the first chapter of Matthew:

1. What is the significance of the number 14 between Abraham to David/Babylon/Christ --

Numerology is pretty significant within some branches of Judaism, and Matthew was writing for a Jewish audience, probably a community of Jewish believers who had recently been expelled from the synagogue. Beyond that, I don't know.

2. Why did the angel say Jesus was going to be named Emmanuel and he was never referred to that way? Thanx.

I don't think the angel said that. I think that was the author's comment. Emmanuel means "God with us." The author was referring back to a prophecy in Isaiah, saying that Emmanuel was an even more fitting name for Jesus than for the child Isaiah was actually predicting. Matthew quotes a lot of prophecies in this way.

 

[Nilloc]

The number 14 represents David. If you do gematria on David's name, it comes out to 14. Matthew uses the number 14 to emphasize that Jesus is the True King of Israel and is really David's desendent.

 

[hatsoff]

I would be interested if anyone could answer two questions I have about the first chapter of Matthew:

1. What is the significance of the number 14 between Abraham to David/Babylon/Christ --

Unknown, but likely as not it just sounded good, since seven is a recurring number in Judaism.

2. Why did the angel say Jesus was going to be named Emmanuel and he was never referred to that way? Thanx.

Matthew likes to tie Jesus' ministry to Jewish Scripture. Throughout his Gospel he will make random declarations about Jesus fulfilling one prophecy or another. He probably could have forced it into the story again after 1:23, but for whatever reason he chose not to. We have insufficient evidence to say anything beyond that.

 

[cyberlizard]

The number 14 represents David. If you do gematria on David's name, it comes out to 14. Matthew uses the number 14 to emphasize that Jesus is the True King of Israel and is really David's desendent.

absolutely spot on..... the prophecies state 'i will set my servant David over them'.... when this was written King David was long dead. The 'title' 'david' was a messianic title.

in hebrew david is spelled 'dalet-vav-dalet', with the numeric values '4,6,4'.

this is important as actually the genealogies have generations missing here and there.

it is a shame that this little snippet regarding the number 14 is so overlooked as it is vastly important.... thanks to the OP for bringing it up for discussion.



Steve

 

[TheCub]

Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14:

Isa 7:13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman'u-el.