My Notes – Day 1 / M’Cheyne Reading Plan
8th Day of Christmas
Reader’s Companion:
Introduction to Genesis – Welcome to the book of origins. Genesis shows us the origins of our world (chs. 1-2), the origins of the nations (chs. 2-11) and the origins of Israel (chs. 12-50). This helps focus us on Genesis’ importance. It spans two thousand years in its text while other books at most span a few hundred. Genesis becomes the essential background for understanding the events which make the nation of Israel the people of God and make God the one true God that must be worshiped by all. Genesis develops several key themes: that God is the Creator, sin’s consequences are disastrous, that God’s ultimate purpose is to restore man to fellowship and relationship with Him, and that this purpose will be worked out through Abraham’s children, the nation of Israel.
1 – These chapters brim with some of the most important material in all of Scripture. The key issues today in Genesis 1 is how does this square with evolution’s portrayal of origins and are these days literal 24- hour periods? The answer to the first question is that Genesis 1 and 2 do not and cannot be fit into the evolutionary model. The Bible reader must decide if he/she will believe what inspired writers (and Jesus, see Matthew 19:4-5) said about our world’s origins or stand on the shifting sands of scientific theory. Biblical creationism is absolutely indispensable to the Bible’s integrity (see Jn 1:3; Acts 17:23; 1 Cor 11:8-9; Heb 11:3). The days in chapter 1 are certainly 24-hour periods of time. That is the natural reading of the text, the word “day” is never used figuratively when attached to a number, Exodus 20:11 uses this as 24-hour days, and Adam is made on Day Six but is only 130 years old when Seth is born (Gen 5:3). Make certain you allow this chapter to speak to you of God’s unimaginable power and the authority that comes to Him as our Creator.
Bible Ref:
Chapter Commentary:
The first chapter of Genesis describes the most extraordinary event in the history of the universe: its creation. Given what this moment represents, and what we know of science and nature, this is often referred to as the greatest of all possible miracles. The opening verses of the book of Genesis are nothing less than an account of how God, with full purpose and intention, made everything that exists.
What this account of creation tells us about God, and His role in our origins, is certainly interesting. What’s equally fascinating about these opening verses is what details they do not provide. This, of course, is the reason for the controversy often surrounding Genesis 1. While other events in the Bible may be given many thousands of words, and minute details, the entire subject of creation is handled only briefly in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Even among those who hold the Bible to be authoritative, inspired, and inerrant, this leaves ample room for disagreement about how these verses are to be read in the present day.
Questions inspired by this chapter have become long-running debates. Was the universe created in six literal 24-hour days, or some longer period of time? Is the text meant to explain a literal process, or symbolically represent the work of God? Is this the account of the absolute beginning moments of earth’s existence or had God created something earlier, with events occurring between verses 1 and 2?
All of those questions have various answers; those answers have varied levels of support, and their own unique implications. And yet, despite what some well-meaning believers (and non-believers) might think, most of those varied options don’t conflict with the key theological truths of Scripture. As a result, we won’t spend a large amount of time or space discussing those specifics in this particular commentary. The bottom line, meeting the purpose of this ministry, is that Genesis chapters 1 and 2 explicitly state several key ideas which are—for those who take the Bible to be the word of God—simply beyond debate. While Bible-believing scholars may disagree on how God created and when God created, one thing is undeniable: Genesis chapter 1 chapter insists that God created.
In other words, no person who claims to believe the Bible is truth can also reject a belief in God as the Creator. If the Scriptures are God’s Word—and they are—then God intends to be known as the Creator of all things.
More than likely, this text was originally written by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Moses, thanks to his upbringing (Exodus 2:1–10), was very familiar with pagan religious views. During the time in which Genesis was written, many cultures engaged in the worship of sun, moon, stars, seas, sea creatures, and other natural wonders. Genesis 1 counters that culture, as well as the naturalism of our modern day, by claiming that none of those things are gods. Rather, they are merely things created by the one, true God. He alone is worthy of worship because He alone is the Maker. In the following chapters, we will come to know Him as the God of Israel.
Genesis chapter 1 unfolds a story using repetition and rhythm. This passage was originally composed in the Hebrew language, under an often-rigid structure. These verses describe God’s decrees of creation through the context of six individual days.
Many patterns are built into the text of this opening chapter. For example, one recurrence is God preparing the world to sustain something, such as life, before creating that very thing in the same general order. So, on day one, God creates light; on day four, He creates the sun, moon, and stars to distribute that light. On day two, God separates the waters, creating the oceans; on day five, He populates the oceans with sea creatures of every kind. On day three, He creates dry land and fills it with vegetation; on day 6, He creates animal and human life ready to consume the fruit and plants that existed.
Genesis 1 is a rich, detailed chapter. This text is only the beginning of a fascinating, essential book for all who would know and understand God. Readers are strongly encouraged to take their time in reading and understanding these words, and to enjoy the time spent gaining insight into the handiwork of God (Psalm 19:1).
Verse Context:
Genesis 1:1–13 describes the first three days of creation. These follow a common pattern. First, God speaks, then He creates, then names His creation, then declares that creation ”good.” Finally, the day is numbered. Each of these first three days prepares creation for what God will create in the second three days. Day one creates light, night and day, preparing for the sun and moon on day four. Day two creates the oceans, preparing for sea creatures on day five. Day three creates land and plants, preparing for animals and humans on day six.
Genesis 1:14–25 describes the second three days of creation: days four, five, and six, just prior to the creation of human kind. As with the first three, there is a common pattern. God’s spoken word results in creation, which God then names and declares ”good.” The day is then numbered. Each of these days fills something created in one of the prior three days. The sun and moon are created on day four, while day and night were created on day one. Sea creatures are created on day five, for the oceans formed on day two. Land animals—and, later, human beings—are made on day six, for the dry land and plants which God created on day three.
Genesis 1:26–31 describes the origin of human beings, the most unique of all God’s creations. As with other aspects of the creation account, very few details are given. The information we are given, however, is unmistakable. Man is uniquely created ”in the image” of God, invested with authority over the earth, and commanded to reproduce. These points each establish critical aspects of the Christian worldview, and the proper attitude towards humanity. As with other portions of this chapter, debates over certain details do not override the central truth: man is the purposeful creation of the One True God, and represents something special in this universe as a result.
Chapter Summary:
Genesis 1 is nothing less than a bare-bones claim that God created the universe. Setting all of the debates on models and interpretations aside, the chapter undeniably insists on one thing: God means to be known as the Creator of all things. Written in the original Hebrew language according to a rigid, poetic structure, the chapter unfolds in a series of patterns and revelations. For those who believe these words, our response should be nothing less than to worship our Maker.
Chapter Context:
Genesis 1 is the first chapter of what came to be known as the Pentateuch: the first five books of the Bible. Likely written by Moses, Genesis 1 begins the story of God and His relationship with His people Israel. The role of God as Creator is not only important for setting up His work in later chapters, but also in His supremacy and authority for all of the other words of the Scriptures. God intends first to be known to all peoples as the Creator of all things—from sun, moon, and stars, to human life itself. And as the Creator, He is owed worship by all He has made, including and especially human beings
Reader’s Companion:
Introduction to Matthew – Matthew’s gospel is the most Jewish of the Gospels. Repeatedly Matthew ties Jesus to the Old Testament and demonstrates He is the prophesied Messiah. While Matthew, Mark and Luke share similarities Matthew preserves large blocks of Jesus’ teaching (like the Sermon on the Mount), uses titles for Jesus like Son of David and Son of God, and tells of Jesus’ birth. Matthew’s portrait of Jesus is enormously important for understanding Jesus the Christ.
1 – The first verse of Matthew sets the tone for the entire Gospel. Matthew is showing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah promised to the house of David and to Abraham. He is the fulfillment of every Old Testament promise and prophecy. To show that to Jews a genealogy is in order, and that follows (verses 2-17). This genealogy shows Jesus to be of the kingly line of David. There are some surprising people in it (Tamar, verse 3; Bathsheba, verse 6; Manasseh, verse 10). It also shortens the lineages up in places by skipping a generation so as to maintain the symmetry of 14 generations to each marker in Jewish history (verse 17). Why the number 14 is important to Matthew is uncertain. Verse 21 gives us Jesus’ name and mission. His mission is unique, but His name is only the Greek form of “Joshua” and would not have been uncommon. It means “God saves.”
Bible Ref:
Chapter Commentary:
Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve original disciples. He was a tax collector, meaning he would have been despised by many fellow Jews for working with the occupying Roman government. Matthew does not hide the fact that he belonged to the category of “tax collectors and sinners” when Jesus called him to “follow me” (Matthew 9:9–13). Matthew became an apostle who received from Jesus the commission to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20).
This telling of the life of Jesus—the Gospel of Matthew—was one of the ways he fulfilled that command from Jesus. Matthew keeps his Jewish brothers and sisters firmly in mind as he writes, demonstrating how Jesus is the fulfillment of many prophecies about the promised Messiah.
To that end, Matthew begins by showing that Jesus is both a son of Abraham—a true Hebrew—and the legal and legitimate heir to the throne of Israel’s great King David. That mattered because all faithful Jewish people would have been aware of God’s promise to David that his descendants would sit on Israel’s throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12–13). Matthew’s genealogy does not include every “link” in the chain of generations from Abraham to Jesus. Instead, he groups those mentioned into three sets of 14 ancestors: Abraham to King David; David to Josiah and the deportation of Israel to Babylon; and Jechoniah to Jesus (Matthew 1:1–17).
Matthew mentions some unlikely names in his genealogy. This includes five women, several people famous for immorality, and more than one unfaithful king. Matthew’s book never hides the sins of Israel’s past, choosing to emphasize instead that Jesus came to save Israel from sin.
Having established Jesus’ legal right to be Israel’s king, Matthew transitions to telling the story of His birth. Luke, in his Gospel, tells that story mostly from Mary’s point of view. Matthew looks at it through the eyes of Joseph, Mary’s husband.
Joseph discovers that the woman he is betrothed to marry is pregnant, presumably by another man. Betrothal in Jesus’ day was far more binding than engagement in modern times. Joseph and Mary were considered legally married, even though they had not yet lived together or had sex. Since Mary was found to be pregnant, Joseph was legally free to divorce her, though he wanted to do so as quietly as possible to avoid needlessly shaming her (Matthew 1:18–19).
God intervened in Joseph’s plan, however. He sent an angel to visit Joseph in a dream. The angel told Joseph that Mary was still a virgin and the child was from God’s Holy Spirit. God wanted Joseph to go through with the marriage and name the baby “Jesus,” which means “Yahweh saves,” because He would save His people from their sins. Matthew connects this moment to the fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 that a virgin would give birth to a son who will be called Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:20–23).
In a great display of faith, Joseph obeyed God and took Mary home as his wife right away. He didn’t consummate the marriage, however, until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:24–25).
Verse Context:
Matthew 1:1–17 begins the apostle Matthew’s long Gospel with a short genealogy of Jesus Christ, beginning with Abraham. Matthew does not include every generation, but instead creates three groups of fourteen names: Abraham to King David; David to Josiah; and Jechoniah to Jesus. Matthew shows that Jesus is the direct descendant of both Abraham and David, qualifying His legal right to sit on Israel’s throne. Matthew would not need to have listed the women, blatant sinners, or evil kings that he does, but the point of his Gospel is that Jesus has come to save His people from their sins. As a former tax-collector, hated by fellow Jews, this idea would have resonated strongly with Matthew.
Matthew 1:18–25 tells the story of the birth of Christ from the perspective of Joseph. This man is betrothed to be married to Mary, but finds out she is pregnant. He does not realize, yet, that this child is Christ, and that she is pregnant by a miracle of the Holy Spirit. God interrupts Joseph’s honorable plans to divorce Mary, and tells him through an angel in a dream not to fear taking her as a wife and that the child is from God. Jesus will fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy that Immanuel, ”God with us,” will be born to a virgin. Joseph obeys, demonstrating his faith in God.
Chapter Summary:
The apostle Matthew begins his telling of Jesus’ life with a genealogy. This is meant to show that Jesus is directly descended from both Abraham and King David, making Him a legal heir to the throne of Israel. He then tells the story of Jesus’ birth from the perspective of Joseph, Mary’s husband. Joseph had planned to divorce the woman he was betrothed to marry, once he found out she was carrying a child that wasn’t his. God interrupts this plan. An angel tells Joseph in a dream that the child is from the Holy Spirit and commands Joseph to name Him Jesus, since He will save His people from their sins. Joseph obeys.
Chapter Context:
One of the original twelve disciples, Matthew begins his telling of Jesus’ life with a genealogy and Jesus’ birth. The listing of Jesus’ ancestors shows how Jesus is directly descended from both Abraham and King David, but it also includes then-unlikely inclusions, such as women, blatant sinners, and evil kings. Instead of divorcing Mary, Joseph obeys God and takes her home. Isaiah’s prophecy of the virgin birth of Immanuel, a term meaning ”God with us,” is fulfilled. This sets the stage for pivotal events in Jesus’ infancy, such as the arrival of wise men and the family’s escape into Egypt.
Readers Companion:
Introduction to Ezra – What happened to the small remnant of Jews who returned to their shattered homeland and destroyed capital after the Babylonian captivity? Ezra and then Nehemiah recount their story. Ezra’s book divides into two parts, both of which precede Nehemiah. Chapter 1-6 give the history be fore Ezra, while chapters 7-10 tell what happened once he arrived in Jerusalem. It is important the reader realize the book opens in 539 BC but Ezra doesn’t arrive till 458 BC. Nehemiah arrives 13 years later in 445.
Chapter 1 records Cyrus’ decree to return the Jews to their homeland. Remember, this was prophesied in Isaiah 44:28-45:1, hundreds of years before Cyrus lived. The Sheshbazzar of verse 11 is mysterious. He is not Zerubbabel and is only mentioned a few times. He may have been a Persian official responsible to the government.
Grace & Truth:
1:1 The book of Ezra begins in 538 BC, a half century after the Babylonian king (Nebuchadnezzar) conquered the city of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The Persians subsequently conquered Babylon, and the opening verse introduces us to the Persian king Cyrus II and to his proclamation that allowed some of the exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Isaiah predicted 200 years earlier that this would occur (Isa 44:28; 45:1). On one level, this was something King Cyrus did. On another level, it was an act of God’s providence. The Lord had moved the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation. Humans do things, but God works in them. Specifically, Cyrus fulfilled a promise made by the prophet Jeremiah just before the exile began, a promise that stated the exile would last 70 years (Jer 25:11; 29:10). God’s promises never fail. The book of Ezra begins with a wonderful reminder that God can be trusted in dark days.
1:2–4 King Cyrus enacted a benevolent policy of repatriation of conquered peoples, allowing (in the case of the Jews) permission to take with them precious artifacts and valuables. Those who did not wish to return also contributed valuables for the project (vv. 4,6). The king’s motivation may simply have been syncretistic. Powerful kings wanted all the help they could get, even from foreign deities. And it was easier to govern vast empires if religious concessions were given. In addition to worshiping the Persian god Marduk, Cyrus may have hoped to gain the favor of Yahweh, the God of Israel. The action of Cyrus is an example of secular government implementing policies that enable the kingdom of God to advance without hindrance. This turn of events is yet another reason to pray for those in positions of power and influence.
1:5–11 Those who remained in Babylon contributed to the rebuilding project in Jerusalem. In particular, the stolen temple artifacts were brought to Mithredath, the treasurer, who carefully recorded the inventory and counted out the items to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah (v. 8). There is no evidence to suggest that Sheshbazzar is to be identified with Zerubbabel (2:2; 3:2; 4:2). The inventory included over 5,000 items (1:11). Many of the items were pots and pans; they were used in the temple and therefore “holy,” symbols of God’s covenant dealings with his people. Yahweh cares for the little things, like sparrows (Mt 6:26), and here he is portrayed as the God of pots and pans. The ark of the covenant and its contents (two stone tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff) did not return. No one knows what happened to these valuable artifacts.
Reader’s Companion:
Introduction to Acts – Acts is the sequel to Luke. Its main purpose is to show that the work of God begun in Jesus is continued in Jesus’ followers, the New Testament church. It lets us watch disciples and discipleship in action.
1 – Luke enjoys showing bad questions, as we see in verse 6. The disciples were still stuck thinking about a physical kingdom! On the Sabbath you could walk a little more than a half mile on the Sabbath without violating rabbinical tradition. This is the “Sabbath’s day journey” of verse 12.
Bibel Ref:
The book of the Acts of the Apostles is the second letter Luke wrote to his friend Theophilus (Acts 1:1). This work continues with the same purpose stated in Luke 1:1–4:
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
The Gospel of Luke recounts the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Acts continues the story as Jesus ascends to heaven, the Holy Spirit descends onto His followers, and those followers spread the message of Jesus’ saving sacrifice. Acts 1 is a kind of segue between the two accounts.
Luke starts by quickly reminding Theophilus of the contents of his previous letter. After the resurrection, Jesus spent forty days proving He was alive and giving the disciples last-minute instructions about the kingdom of God. Luke’s account is by no means comprehensive; a unique story can be found in John 21, for example. As Jesus prepares to leave, He instructs His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1–5).
Luke then gives a slightly expanded version of the ascension, which he had recorded in Luke 24:50–53. Jesus leads the disciples to Bethany (Luke 24:50) where the disciples prove their continued inability to understand the purpose of the kingdom of God and ask if now Jesus will restore Israel’s independence from Roman rule (Acts 1:6). Jesus tells them, again (Mark 13:32), they are not meant to know when God will fulfill that promise (Acts 1:7). Acts 1:8 is a synopsis of the entire book of Acts; after the Holy Spirit comes, Jesus-followers will spread His message of salvation to “Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Jesus then rises to heaven in a cloud. Two angels appear and tell the disciples that Jesus will return in the same manner (Acts 1:6–11).
The disciples return from Bethany to Jerusalem and meet about 110 other Jesus-followers to pray in an upper room. Included are the women who stayed with Jesus through the crucifixion and burial (Matthew 27:56; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10), Jesus’ brothers, and Mary. Peter, ever willing to be the spokesman, gives the tragic account of Judas and recites passages from Psalms to show that they need to choose a replacement. The requirements he gives are that the man must have been with them at least since Jesus’ baptism, that the man must have accompanied them in their travels, and he must have seen Jesus after the resurrection. Two men meet the requirements, Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. The group prays that God will look into the men’s hearts and reveal which He has already chosen. The lot falls on Matthias, and the Twelve are twelve again (Acts 1:12–26).
The casting of the lots is the last act of a fully Jewish group. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit comes and the church is formed. Throughout the book of Acts, the church becomes progressively less Jewish and is filled with more Gentiles. These devout Jews abandon the expectation of becoming an independent Jewish nation and obey Jesus’ instruction to be His witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the furthest parts of the earth. In doing so, they learn the kingdom of God is bigger and wilder and more glorious than they could have imagined.
The Creation of the World
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse1 in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made2 the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven.3 And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth,4 and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants5 yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,6 and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds7 fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man8 in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Footnotes
[1] 1:6 Or a canopy; also verses 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 20
[2] 1:7 Or fashioned; also verse 16
[3] 1:8 Or Sky; also verses 9, 14, 15, 17, 20, 26, 28, 30; 2:1
[4] 1:10 Or Land; also verses 11, 12, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30; 2:1
[5] 1:11 Or small plants; also verses 12, 29
[6] 1:14 Or appointed times
[7] 1:20 Or flying things; see Leviticus 11:19–20
[8] 1:26 The Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind and becomes the proper name Adam
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,1 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,2 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,3 and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,4 and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
The Birth of Jesus Christ
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ5 took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed6 to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Footnotes
[1] 1:3 Greek Aram; also verse 4
[2] 1:7 Asaph is probably an alternate spelling of Asa; some manuscripts Asa; also verse 8
[3] 1:10 Amos is probably an alternate spelling of Amon; some manuscripts Amon; twice in this verse
[4] 1:12 Greek Salathiel; twice in this verse
[5] 1:18 Some manuscripts of the Christ
[6] 1:18 That is, legally pledged to be married
The Proclamation of Cyrus
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying1 with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with2 the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The Ascension
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.3
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong4 he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
“‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Footnotes
[1] 1:4 Or eating
[2] 1:5 Or in
[3] 1:14 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 15
[4] 1:18 Or swelling up
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The Circumcision and Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Benozzo Gozzoli, 1460–1461 (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
Acclamations
Celebrant: For unto us a child is born,
People: Unto us a son is given.
Collects
Almighty God, your blessed Son fulfilled the covenant of circumcision for our sake, and was given the Name that is above every name: Give us grace faithfully to bear his Name, and to worship him with pure hearts according to the New Covenant; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Introduction
The Feast of the Circumcision and Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ is a Christian liturgical celebration observed on January 1, marking the eighth day after the birth of Jesus on December 25. This feast commemorates two key events from the infancy of Jesus: his circumcision according to Jewish law and the bestowal of his name, “Jesus,” which means “Savior” or “God saves.” It is rooted in Jewish tradition and holds deep theological significance in Christianity, symbolizing Jesus’ obedience to the Mosaic Law, his entry into the covenant with God, and the foreshadowing of his redemptive mission. In various Christian denominations, such as Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Episcopal traditions, the feast is known by names like the Feast of the Circumcision, the Holy Name of Jesus, or sometimes combined as the Circumcision and Holy Name. Modern calendars often emphasize the “Holy Name” aspect to avoid discomfort with the topic of circumcision, though historically, the physical act was central.
Biblical Basis
The primary scriptural foundation for this feast is found in the Gospel of Luke 2:21: “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” This event fulfills the Jewish law outlined in Leviticus 12:3, which mandates circumcision on the eighth day after birth as a sign of the covenant established with Abraham in Genesis 17:11-13. The name “Jesus” (derived from the Hebrew “Yeshua,” meaning “Yahweh saves”) was revealed to Mary by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:31) and to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:21), emphasizing Jesus’ role in saving people from their sins. Additional biblical connections include St. Paul’s reference in Galatians 4:4-5 to Jesus being “made under the law” to redeem humanity, and Colossians 2:11-12, which parallels circumcision with Christian baptism as a spiritual “circumcision” performed by Christ. The eighth-day timing also aligns with natural biological factors, such as peak levels of prothrombin (a blood-clotting factor) on that day, which ancient Jews observed without modern scientific knowledge.
Historical Development
The feast’s origins trace back to the early Christian Church, with evidence of its observance in the Western Church as early as the sixth century. A Council of Tours in 567 prescribed a Mass for the Circumcision in the Gallican Rite, and by the seventh century, Roman sacramentaries referred to January 1 as the octave of Christmas, later incorporating the Circumcision theme. In Spain, it was observed before the death of St. Isidore in 636, with monastic rules designating a holy season from Christmas to the Circumcision. Eastern traditions, such as Byzantine calendars from the eighth and ninth centuries, combined it with the feast of St. Basil on January 1.
Early celebrations were influenced by the need to counter pagan New Year festivities rooted in Saturnalia, which involved excesses like feasting, dancing, and idolatry. Saints like Augustine and Chrysostom urged Christians to observe the day with fasting, prayer, and solemnity to expiate these profanations. By the tenth century, bishops like Atto of Vercelli continued to rebuke such pagan remnants. Over time, as paganism declined, the feast became more religiously focused. In the Roman Catholic Church, it was historically a Holy Day of Obligation, though modern observances often blend with secular New Year’s celebrations. The Second Vatican Council in the 1960s shifted emphasis in some calendars to the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1, making the Holy Name an optional memorial, sometimes observed on January 3. Anglican and Episcopal traditions retain January 1 as the primary date, integrating it into the liturgical calendar as a principal feast.
Theological Significance
Theologically, the circumcision represents Jesus’ voluntary submission to the Jewish law, despite not being bound by it as the Son of God, to identify fully with humanity and fulfill the old covenant. It marks the first shedding of his blood, prefiguring his ultimate sacrifice on the cross and the redemption of sins. The naming aspect underscores his divine mission, as “Jesus” encapsulates salvation, echoing prophecies like those in Psalm 98 about God’s salvation being revealed to all nations. For Christians, this event transitions from the old covenant’s physical sign to the new covenant’s spiritual fulfillment through baptism, where believers are united with Christ’s death and resurrection. It also highlights themes of faithful parenting, as Mary and Joseph obeyed the law, modeling discipleship for Christian families in raising children in faith, including rites like baptism and religious education. Poets like John Milton have reflected on this in works such as “Upon the Circumcision,” linking the infant’s blood to his passion.
Liturgical Observances and Customs
In the Roman Catholic liturgy, the feast is titled “In Circumcisione Domini et Octav Nativitatis” in the Missal and Breviary, with prayers, antiphons, and hymns that honor both the Circumcision and the Blessed Virgin Mary, recognizing her role in the Incarnation. Special Masses and the Divine Office include responses and psalms from Marian feasts. Anglican observances feature collects praying for grace to honor Jesus’ name and live under the New Covenant, as in the Book of Common Prayer 2019. Devotional practices include the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”), often used with prayer beads for contemplative repetition.
Customs vary by region: In Latin America, it may involve processions and focus on the Holy Name; in Ethiopia, it connects to Timkat, a festival with water blessings, music, and dancing commemorating Jesus’ baptism. Families might gather for meals with traditional dishes, light candles, exchange gifts, or stage nativity plays reenacting the event. Overall, the feast invites reflection on humility, obedience, and commitment to faith, encouraging believers to embody Jesus’ sacrificial love in daily life.
