The Birth of Christ

Having established Jesus's genealogical connection to David and Abraham, Matthew, writing to his Jewish audience, now begins by describing the birth of the Lord Jesus, whom he
has no problem calling Jesus Christ (Messiah) in verse 18, as he has in verse 1. Remember, the term "Christ" here, is not a last name. Matthew (just like every other NT author) is so convinced of Jesus's Messianic title and office, that he calls him, "Jesus Christ." This seemingly small or insignificant reality to our culture, a culture that blasphemes the name of Jesus on a daily basis, would have had a tremendously significant impact on a first century Jew.