The Church Fathers on this verse

Matthew 1:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins.

Douay-Rheims

τεξεται δε υιον και καλεσεις το ονομα αυτου ιησουν αυτος γαρ σωσει τον λαον αυτου απο των αμαρτιων αυτων

Greek (Byzantine text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

4 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 8 commentaries

John Chrysostom

4th centuryChurch Father

Or, he left it unappropriated, to shew that she bare Him to the whole world.

This further shews that this birth should be wonderful, because it is God that sends down His name from above by His Angel; and that not any name, but one which is a treasure of infinite good. Therefore also the Angel interprets it, suggesting good hope, and by this induces him to believe what was spoken. For we lean more easily to prosperous things, and yield our belief more readily to good fortune.

Let them approach to hear this, who ask, Who is He that Mary bare? He shall save His people; not any other man’s people; from what? from their sins. That it is God that forgives sins, if you do not believe the Christians so affirming, believe the infidels, or the Jews who say, None can forgive sins but God only. (Luke 5:1.)

What the Angel thus told Joseph, was beyond human thought, and the law of nature, therefore he confirms his speech not only by revealing to him what was past, but also what was to come; She shall bring forth a Son.

He said not, Shall bear thee a Son, as to Zacharias, Behold, Elisabeth thy wife shall bear thee a son. For the woman who conceives of her husband, bears the son to her husband, because he is more of him than of herself; but she who had not conceived of man, did not bear the Son to her husband, but to herself.

Jerome of Stridon

5th centuryChurch Father

Jesus is a Hebrew word, meaning Saviour. He points to the etymology of the name, saying, For He shall save His people from their sins.

Rabanus Maurus

9th centuryChurch Father

Thou shalt call His name, he says, and not, “shalt give Him a name,” for His name had been given from all eternity.

Remigius of Auxerre

9th centuryChurch Father

He shews the same man to be the Saviour of the whole world, and the Author of our salvation. He saves indeed not the unbelieving, but His people; that is, He saves those that believe on Him, not so much from visible as from invisible enemies; that is, from their sins, not by fighting with arms, but by remitting their sins.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

The original text

Greek text, 19 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.

  1. τέξεται
    texetai
    I bear
    G5088 · τίκτω
  2. δὲ
    de
    but
    G1161 · δέ
  3. υἱὸν
    huion
    a son
    G5207 · υἱός
  4. καὶ
    kai
    and
    G2532 · καί
  5. καλέσεις
    kaleseis
    I call
    G2564 · καλέω
  6. τὸ
    to
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  7. ὄνομα
    onoma
    name
    G3686 · ὄνομα
  8. αὐτοῦ
    autou
    he
    G846 · αὐτός
  9. Ἰησοῦν
    iēsoun
    Jesus
    G2424 · Ἰησοῦς
  10. αὐτὸς
    autos
    he
    G846 · αὐτός
  11. γὰρ
    gar
    for
    G1063 · γάρ
  12. σώσει
    sōsei
    I save
    G4982 · σῴζω
  13. τὸν
    ton
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  14. λαὸν
    laon
    a people
    G2992 · λαός
  15. αὐτοῦ
    autou
    he
    G846 · αὐτός
  16. ἀπὸ
    apo
    from
    G575 · ἀπό
  17. τῶν
    tōn
    the
    G3588 · ὁ
  18. ἁμαρτιῶν
    hamartiōn
    a sin
    G266 · ἁμαρτία
  19. αὐτῶν
    autōn
    he
    G846 · αὐτός