NATIVITY By Mike Herron

Mary gave birth to her fully human son in the manner of all women. The name Jesus was common in first century Israel. It was Aramaic for Joshua ‘Yahweh is salvation’. The Old Testament Joshua led the Israelites to conquer Canaan and later another Joshua, the High Priest led the returning exiles from Babylon to re-establish the true worship of God. Jesus, the new Joshua, would forever deal with the root of mankind’s problem: ‘The real evils under which the Jews suffered were ‘their sins.’ 4 ‘Whereas the Old Testament name spoke of God as the savior, Mary’s son is himself to be the agent of salvation.’ 5 He saves us both ‘out of’ our sins and ‘away from’ our sins. 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew recites more ‘formula-quotations’ than any other gospel writer. These texts from the Old Testament are not meant to be more important than the event they describe. The New Testament experience validates the prophecy by fulfilling it. The Hebrew word ‘ almah’ is always used in reference to a virgin. Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit and birth by his virgin mother Mary was miraculous. God did not only give us a ‘manual’ to follow but rather ‘Immanuel,’ his personal presence to guide us through life. 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. A flood of Angelic visitations, dreams and supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit signaled the beginning of the New Testament. Matthew richly weaves these fulfilling events with