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Quotes & Notes on:
Matthew
1:25
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John Wesley's Notes:
The shouts of the multitude are generally broken into short sentences.
This rejoicing acclamation strongly represents the piety and benevolence
of these heavenly spirits: as if they had said, Glory be to God in the
highest heavens: let all the angelic legions resound his praises. For
with the Redeemer's birth, peace, and all kind of happiness, come down
to dwell on earth: yea, the overflowings of Divine good will and favour
are now exercised toward men.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
* Glory. Lu 19:38; Ps 69:34; 85:9-12; 96:11-13; Isa 44:23; 49:13; Joh
17:4 Eph 1:6; 3:20,21; Php 2:11; Re 5:13
* and. Lu 1:79; Isa 9:6; 57:19; Jer 23:5,6; Mic 5:5; Zec 6:12,13; Joh
14:27 Ac 10:36; Ro 5:1; 2Co 5:18-20; Eph 2:14-18; Col 1:20; Heb 13:20,21
* good. Joh 3:16; Eph 2:4,7; 2Th 2:16; Tit 3:4-7; 1Jo 4:9,10
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Adam Clarke's Commentary:
Glory to God in the highest] The design of God, in the
incarnation, was to manifest the hidden glories of his nature, and to
reconcile men to each other and to himself. The angels therefore declare
that this incarnation shall manifest and promote the glory of God, not
only in the highest heavens, among the highest orders of beings, but in
the highest and most exalted degrees. For in this astonishing display of
God's mercy, attributes of the Divine nature which had not been and
could not be known in any other way should be now exhibited in the
fulness of their glory, that even the angels should have fresh objects
to contemplate, and new glories to exult in. These things the angels
desire to look into, 1Pe 1:12, and they desire it because they feel they
are thus interested in it. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is an
infinite and eternal benefit. Heaven and earth both partake of the
fruits of it, and through it angels and men become one family, Eph 3:15.
Peace, good will toward men.] Men are in a state of hostility with
Heaven and with each other. The carnal mind is enmity against God. He
who sins wars against his Maker; and
"Foe to God was ne'er true friend to man."
When men become reconciled to God, through the death of his Son, they
love one another. They have peace with God; peace in their own
consciences; and peace with their neighbours: good will dwells among
them, speaks in them, and works by them. Well might this state of
salvation be represented under the notion of the kingdom of God, a
counterpart of eternal felicity.
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Family Bible Notes:
On earth peace; as the result of the Saviour's advent. All who receive
him have peace with God and the spirit of peace towards man; and the
prevalence of his gospel will bring peace to the world. Good will toward
men; kindness, compassion, and grace, manifested in the gift of a
Saviour.
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1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
God's ready, good, infinite, and gracious favour towards men.
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People's New Testament Commentary:
The life of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the earth was the working
out and development of the song of the angels. It was "Glory to God"
illustrated in his consecration and death. It was "peace" in all the
utterances of his lips; peace in his Gospel. It was "good will toward
man"; for every thought, word and act of that blessed life was the
translation of God's infinite love into forms visible to the mortal eyes
that saw him.
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Robertson's Word Pictures:
Among men in whom he is well pleased (en anthrôpois
eudokias). The Textus Receptus (Authorized Version also has eudokia, but
the genitive eudokias is undoubtedly correct, supported by the oldest
and best uncials. (Aleph, A B D W). C has a lacuna here. Plummer justly
notes how in this angelic hymn Glory and Peace correspond, in the
highest and on earth, to God and among men of goodwill. It would be
possible to connect "on earth" with "the highest" and also to have a
triple division. There has been much objection raised to the genitive
eudokias, the correct text. But it makes perfectly good sense and better
sense. As a matter of fact real peace on earth exists only among those
who are the subjects of God's goodwill, who are characterized by
goodwill toward God and man. This word eudokia we have already had in Mt
11:26. It does not occur in the ancient Greek. The word is confined to
Jewish and Christian writings, though the papyri furnish instances of
eudokęsis. Wycliff has it "to men of goodwill."
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Albert Barnes' Commentary:
Glory to God. Praise be to God, or honour be to God. That is, the
praise of redeeming man is due to God. The plan of redemption will bring
glory to God, and is designed to express his glory. This it does by
evincing his love to men, his mercy, his condescension, and his regard
to the honour of his law and the stability of his own government. It is
the highest expression of his love and mercy. Nowhere, so far as we can
see, could his glory be more strikingly exhibited than in giving his
only-begotten Son to die for men.
In the highest. This is capable of several meanings:
1st. In the highest strains, or in the highest possible manner.
2nd. Among the highest--that is, among the angels of God; indicating
that they felt a deep interest in this work, and were called on to
praise God for the redemption of man.
3rd. In the highest heavens --indicating that the praise of redemption
should not be confined to the earth, but should spread throughout the
universe.
4th. The words "God in the highest" may be equivalent to the most high
God, and be the same as saying, "Let the most high God be praised for
his love and mercy to men." Which of these meanings is the true one it
is difficult to determine; but in this they all agree, that high praise
is to be given to God for his love in redeeming men. O that not only
angels, but men, would join universally in this song of praise!
On earth peace {d}. That is, the gospel will bring peace. The Saviour
was predicted as the Prince of peace, Isa 9:6. The world is at war with
God; sinners are at enmity against their Maker and against each other.
There is no peace to the wicked. But Jesus came to make peace; and this
he did,
1st. By reconciling the world to God by his atonement.
2nd. By bringing the sinner to a state of peace with his Maker; inducing
him to lay down the weapons of rebellion and to submit his soul to God,
thus giving him the peace which passeth all understanding.
3rd. By diffusing in the heart universal good-will to men--disposing men
to lay aside their differences, to love one another, to seek each
other's welfare, and to banish envy, malice, pride, lust, passion, and
covetousness --in all ages the most fruitful causes of difference among
men. And,
4th. By diffusing the principles of universal peace among nations. If
the gospel of Jesus should universally prevail, there would be an end of
war. In the days of the millennium there will be universal peace; all
the causes of war will have ceased; men will love each other and do
justly; all nations will be brought under the influence of the gospel. O
how should each one toil and pray that the great object of the gospel
should be universally accomplished, and the world be filled with peace!
Good will toward men. The gift of the Saviour is an expression of
good-will or love to men, and therefore God is to be praised. The work
of redemption is uniformly represented as the fruit of the love of God,
Joh 3:16; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 4:10; Re 1:5. No words can express the greatness
of that love. It can only be measured by the misery, helplessness, and
danger of man; by the extent of his sufferings here and in the world of
woe if he had not been saved; by the condescension, sufferings, and
death of Jesus; and by the eternal honour and happiness to which he will
raise his people. All these are beyond our full comprehension. Yet how
little does man feel it! and how many turn away from the highest love of
God, and treat the expression of that love with contempt! Surely, if God
so loved us first, we ought also to love him, 1Jo 4:19.
{d} Isa 57:19
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Jamieson-Faussett Brown:
Glory, &c.--brief but transporting hymn--not only in articulate human
speech, for our benefit, but in tunable measure, in the form of a Hebrew
parallelism of two complete clauses, and a third one only amplifying the
second, and so without a connecting "and." The "glory to God," which the
new-born "Saviour" was to bring, is the first note of this sublime hymn:
to this answers, in the second clause, the "peace on earth," of which He
was to be "the Prince" (Isa 9:6) --probably sung responsively by the
celestial choir; while quickly follows the glad echo of this note,
probably by a third detachment of the angelic choristers--"good will to
men." "They say not, glory to God in heaven, where angels are, but,
using a rare expression, "in the highest [heavens]," whither angels
aspire not," (Heb 1:3,4) [BENGEL]. "Peace" with God is the grand
necessity of a fallen world. To bring in this, and all other peace in
its train, was the prime errand of the Saviour to this earth, and, along
with it, Heaven's whole "good will to men"--the divine complacency on a
new footing--descends to rest upon men, as upon the Son Himself, in whom
God is "well-pleased." (Mt 3:17, the same word as here.)
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Spurgeon Commentary:
(No comment on this verse)
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William Burkitt's Notes:
(No comment on this verse)
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Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
(No comment on this verse)
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The Fourfold Gospel:
God in the highest. In the highest heavens (Job 16:19; Ps 148:1).
And on earth peace among men. The angels invoke blessing on God and
peace upon man. Peace between God and man, and ultimately peace between
man and man.
In whom he is well pleased. The love of God is shed abroad upon all,
even the vilest of sinners (Ro 5:8; 1Ti 1:15); but his peace comes upon
those who have accepted his Son, and in whom he is therefore especially
well pleased (Ro 9:11). Peace is the unfailing apostolic salutation
toward Christians (Ro 1:7; 1Co 1:3; 2Co 1:2, etc.), and is attainable in
the highest degree by Christians only (Joh 14:27; 16:33; Col 3:15; Php
4:7).
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