John Calvin Commentary Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us." — Matthew 1:23 (ASV)

His name Immanuel The phrase, God is with us, is no doubt frequently employed in Scripture to denote that he is present with us by his assistance and grace, and displays the power of his hand in our defense.

But here we are instructed as to the manner in which God communicates with men. For apart from Christ we are alienated from him; but through Christ we are not only received into his favor, but are made one with him.

When Paul says that the Jews under the law were near to God (Ephesians 2:17), and that a deadly enmity (Ephesians 2:15) existed between him and the Gentiles, he means only that, by shadows and figures, God then gave to the people whom he had adopted the tokens of his presence.

That promise was still in force, The Lord thy God is among you, (Deuteronomy 7:21), and, This is my rest for ever, (Psalms 132:14). But while the familiar communion between God and the people depended on a Mediator, what had not yet fully taken place was foreshadowed by symbols. His seat and residence is placed between the Cherubim, (Psalms 80:1), because the ark was the figure and visible pledge of his glory.

But in Christ the actual presence of God with his people, and not, as before, his shadowy presence, has been exhibited.¹¹¹ This is the reason why Paul says that in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, (Colossians 2:9). And certainly he would not be a properly qualified Mediator if he did not unite both natures in his person, and thus bring men into an alliance with God. Nor is there any force in the objection, about which the Jews raise significant objections, that the name of God is frequently applied to those memorials by which he testified that he was present with believers.

For it cannot be denied that this name, Immanuel, contains an implied contrast between the presence of God as exhibited in Christ and every other kind of presence that was manifested to the ancient people before his coming. If the reality this name signifies began to be actually true when Christ appeared in the flesh, it follows that God was formerly united with the Fathers not completely, but only in part.

Hence arises another proof that Christ is God manifested in the flesh, (1 Timothy 3:16). He indeed discharged the office of Mediator from the beginning of the world; but as this depended wholly on the final revelation, he is justly called Immanuel at that time when, clothed, as it were, with a new character, he appears in public as a Priest to atone for the sins of men by the sacrifice of his body, to reconcile them to the Father by the price of his blood, and, in a word, to fulfill every part of the salvation of men.¹¹²

The first thing that we ought to consider in this name is the divine majesty of Christ, so that we yield to him the reverence that is due to the only and eternal God. But we must not, at the same time, forget the fruit that God intended for us to collect and receive from this name. For whenever we contemplate the one person of Christ as God-man, we should be certain that, if we are united to Christ by faith, we possess God.

In the words they shall call, there is a change in number. But this is not at all inconsistent with what I have already said. True, the prophet addresses the virgin alone, and therefore uses the second person, Thou shalt call, but from the time that this name was proclaimed, all the godly have an equal right to make this confession: that God has given himself to us to be enjoyed in Christ.¹¹³

¹¹¹ “Mais quand Christ est apparu en sa personne, le peuple a eu une presence de Dieu veritable, et non pas ombratile comme paravant.”— “But when Christ appeared in his person, the people had a real presence of God, and not shadowy, as before.”.”— “But when Christ appeared in his person, the people had a real presence of God, and not shadowy, as before.”

¹¹² “Somme, pour faire et accomplir toutes choses requises au salut du genre humain;” — “in a word, to do and accomplish all things requisite for the salvation of the human race.”;” — “in a word, to do and accomplish all things requisite for the salvation of the human race.”

¹¹³ “Il appartient a tous fideles d'advouer et confesser que Dieu s'est communique et baille a nous en Christ;” — “it belongs to all believers to own and confess that God has communicated and made over himself to us in Christ.”;” — “it belongs to all believers to own and confess that God has communicated and made over himself to us in Christ.”