Matthew 1:21

Verse 21 His name JESUS. The name Jesus is the same as Saviour. It is derived from the verb signifying to save. In Hebrew it is the same as Joshua. In two places in the New Testament it is used where it means Joshua, the leader of the News into Canaan, and in our translation the name Joshua should have been retained, Acts 7:45, Heb 4:8. It was a very common name among the Jews.

He shall save. This expresses the same as the name, and on this account the name was given to him. He saves men by having died to redeem them; by giving the Spirit to renew them, (Jn 16:7, 8) by his power in enabling them to overcome their spiritual enemies, in de- fending them from danger, in guiding them in the path of duty, in sustaining them in trials and in death; and he will raise them up at the last day, and exalt them to a world of purity and love.

His people. Those whom the Father has given to him. The Jews were called the people of God, because he had chosen them to himself, and regarded them as his peculiar and beloved people, separate from all the nations of the earth. Christians are called the people of Christ, because it was the purpose of the Father to give them to him, (Is 53:11, Jn 6:37) and because in due time he came to redeem them to himself, Tit 2:14, 1Pet 1:2.

From their sins. This is the great business of Jesus in coming and dying. It is not to save men IN their sins, but FROM their sins. Sinners could not be happy in heaven. It would be a place of wretchedness to the guilty. The design of Jesus was, therefore, to save from sin;

1. by dying to make an atonement, (Tit 2:14); and,

2. by renewing the heart, and purifying the soul, and preparing his people for a pure and holy heaven. And from this we may learn,

(1.) that Jesus had a design in coming into the world--he

came to save his people--and that design will surely

be accomplished. It is impossible that in any part of it

he should fail.

(2.) We have no evidence that we are his people, unless

we are saved from the power and dominion of sin. A mere

profession of being his people will not answer. Unless we

give up our sins; unless we renounce the pride, pomp, and

pleasure of the world, and all our lusts and crimes, we

have no evidence that we are the children of God. It is

impossible that we should be Christians if we indulge in

sin, and live in the practice of any known iniquity.

(3.) That all professing Christians should feel that there is

no salvation unless it is from sin, and that they can

never be admitted to a holy heaven hereafter, unless they

are made pure, by the blood of Jesus, here.

(1) "JESUS" or, "saviour"

Luke 9:56

Verse 56. For the Son of man, &c. You should imitate, in your spirit, the Son of man. He came not to destroy. If he had come for that purpose, he would have destroyed these Samaritans; but he came to save. He is not soon angry. He bears patiently opposition to himself, and you should bear opposition to him. You should catch his spirit; temper your zeal like his; seek to do good to those who injure you and him; be mild, kind, patient, and forgiving.

(x) "For the Son of man" Jn 3:17, 12:47

Luke 19:10

Verse. 10 Mt 18:11

John 3:17

Verse 17. To condemn the world. Not to judge, or pronounce sentence on mankind. God might justly have sent him for this. Man deserved condemnation, and it would have been right to have pronounced it; but God was willing that there should be an offer of pardon, and the sentence of condemnation was delayed. But, although Jesus did not come then to condemn mankind, yet the time is coming when he will return to judge the living and the dead, Acts 17:31, 2Cor 5:10, Mt 25:31-46.

(o) "For God" Lk 9:56

John 10:10

Verse 10. The thief cometh not, &c. The thief has no other design in coming but to plunder. So false teachers have no other end in view but to enrich or aggrandize themselves.

I am come that they might have life. Jn 5:24.

Might have it more abundantly. Literally, that they may have abundance, or that which abounds. The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy. They shall not merely have life--simple, bare existence-- but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy. It would be vast mercy to keep men merely from annihilation or hell; but Jesus will give them eternal joy, peace, the society of the blessed, and all those exalted means of felicity which are prepared for them in the world of glory.

John 12:47

Verse 47. I judge him not, &c. Jn 8:15. It was not his present purpose to condemn men. He would come to condemn the guilty at a future time. At present he came to save them. hence he did not now even pronounce decisively on the condition of those who rejected him, but still gave them an opportunity to be saved.

(x) "for I came not to judge the world" Jn 3:17
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