Matthew Henry

Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.

“Grace does not run in the blood, neither does reigning sin. God's grace is his own, and he gives or withholds it as he pleases. The captivity of Babylon is mentioned as a remarkable period in this line,”

In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

“There are four women, and but four, named in this genealogy; two of them were originally strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, Rachab a Canaanitess, and a harlot besides, and Ruth the Moabitess; for in Jesus Christ there is neither Greek, nor Jew; those that…”

When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

“He could not be a stranger to the prophecies of the Old Testament, concerning the Messiah and his kingdom, and the times fixed for his appearing by Daniel's weeks; but, having himself reigned so long and so successfully, he began to hope that those promises…”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.

“Herod was now an old man, and had reigned thirty-five years; this king was but newly born, and not likely to enterprise any thing considerable for many years; yet Herod is jealous of him.”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.

“As the queen of the south, so the wise men of the east, will rise up in judgment against the men of that generation, and of this too, and will condemn them; for they came from a far country, to worship Christ; while the Jews…”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place…

“They who follow God in the dark shall find that light is sown, is reserved, for them. Israel was led by a pillar of fire to the promised land, the wise men by a star to the promised Seed, who is himself the bright and…”

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

“Those that mean honestly and well themselves are easily made to believe that others do so too, and cannot think the world is as bad as it really is; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation.”

When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage.

“The diseases and deaths of little children are proofs of original sin. But we must look upon this murder of the infants under another character: it was their martyrdom. How early did persecution commence against Christ and his kingdom!”

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

“In those days, in the time appointed of the Father for the beginning of the gospel, when the fulness of time was come, which was often thus spoken of in the Old Testament, In those days.”

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”

“Gates of brass must be broken, and bars of iron cut asunder, ere the everlasting doors be opened for the King of glory to come in.”

Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

“Note, A penitent confession of sin is required in order to peace and pardon; and those only are ready to receive Jesus Christ as their Righteousness, who are brought with sorrow and shame to their own guilt, 1 John i.”

But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from…

“They were a viperous gang, they were all alike; though enemies to one another, yet confederate in mischief.”

And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

“What their pretence was; " We have Abraham to our father; we are not sinners of the Gentiles; it is fit indeed that they should be called to repent; but we are Jews, a holy nation, a peculiar people, what is this to us?"”

But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

“Note, It is no disparagement to the greatest of men, to confess that they are undone without Christ and his grace. [5.] John was Christ's forerunner, and yet owns that he had need to be baptized of him.”

But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied.

“It was an instance of Christ's great humility, that he would offer himself to be baptized of John; that he who knew no sin would submit to the baptism of repentance.”

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

“Man fell by eating, and that way we often sin, and therefore Christ was an hungred. The temptations themselves.”

The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

“Agur prays against poverty, not because it is an affliction and reproach, but because it is a temptation; lest I be poor, and steal.”

The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

“The Devil is for nothing that is humbling, but ever thing that is assuming; and gains his point, if he can but bring men off from their dependence upon God, and possess them with an opinion of their self-sufficiency. (2.)”

“If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in…

“He was also right in applying it to Christ, for to him all the promises of the protection of the saints primarily and eminently belong, and to them, in and through him. That promise, that not a bone of theirs shall be broken ( Ps.”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

“The pinnacle of the temple is not high enough; the prince of the power of the air must have him further up into his territories.”

“All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.”

“Note, The best of saints may be tempted to the worst of sins, especially when they are under the power of melancholy; as, for instance, to atheism, blasphemy, murder, self-murder, and what not.”

Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.

“(2.) That Christ's victories are the angels' triumphs. The angels came to congratulate Christ on his success, to rejoice with him, and to give him the glory due to his name; for that was sung with a loud voice in heaven, when the great dragon…”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“The foundation of all other graces is laid in humility. Those who would build high must begin low; and it is an excellent preparative for the entrance of gospel-grace into the soul; it fits the soil to receive the seed.”

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“There is a sinful mourning, which is an enemy to blessedness-- the sorrow of the world; despairing melancholy upon a spiritual account, and disconsolate grief upon a temporal account.”

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“They shall inherit the earth; it is quoted from Ps. xxxvii. 11 , and it is almost the only express temporal promise in all the New Testament.”