A Few Minutes in Matthew
Matthew 1:18
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.”

Explanation of the Text
Matthew begins the account of Jesus’ birth with quiet understatement. The sentence, “The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way…” signals that something extraordinary is coming, but the verse itself is simple. Mary and Joseph are betrothed, a legally binding step in Jewish marriage. They are not yet living together, and they have not consummated the marriage.

Matthew then makes a stunning claim: Mary “was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” The passive voice (“was found”) highlights that this discovery was surprising to others, especially Joseph. Matthew wants us to see the incarnation as a divine act before it is a human crisis. Jesus is not the product of human initiative but the gift of God’s Spirit breaking into human history.

Before we hear Joseph’s struggle, Matthew establishes a crucial truth: Jesus’ origin is divine. He comes not from human will or desire, but from God’s gracious decision to enter the world as its Savior.

What This Teaches Me About God
God enters our world not because we reach for Him, but because He comes for us. The incarnation is His initiative, His mercy, His action. Salvation begins with God breaking into our brokenness.

What This Teaches Me About Myself
We cannot bring God down to us or create our own solutions to sin. We need a Savior who comes from the outside, sent by God, conceived by the Spirit, born to redeem us.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into our world by the power of the Holy Spirit. Help me trust that my salvation rests entirely on Your gracious initiative. Amen.