Sermon 1*

On the Prophesy of Isaiah, and the Names Emmanuel and Jesus

Christmas Day

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call Hit name Emmanuel, which being interpreted it, God with us.” (Matt. 1:22-23)

The holy Evangelist Matthew repeatedly observes that all the circumstances and events which signalized the birth upon earth of our Incarnate God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, were not merely a concurrence of circumstances and events, but were an exact fulfilment of prophetical predictions. An observation this, important not only to the Jews,—who would not view even that which might be examined by the natural eye, otherwise than through the vision glass of the prophets,—but also to every one who wishes to discover the workings of Providence in the entangled paths of men, and to discern the hand of God in the events of the world. Is it not evidently a work of God, when something foretold several years ago, is exactly fulfilled? and, above all, when that is fulfilled which according to ordinary ideas and calculations, seemed impossible of fulfilment?

As though she stood before his eyes, does Isaiah point to the most blessed Virgin Mary, Behold, a virgin; at a time, when not only this virgin herself, but even her parents and her forefathers, had not as yet come into the world, “Behold,” says he, “a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son.” What sayest thou, O prophet? Can a virgin conceive? Can she, who giveth birth, still be a virgin? If this be possible, then how can it be accomplished in the nation, to whom thou foretellest this event? If even it be fulfilled, then how can this be the sign, the evident and trustworthy sign, which thou foretellest? “the Lord Himself shall give you a sign” (Isaiah 7:14). If thou dost indeed see this daughter of David, to whom thou pointest, saying, “Behold, a virgin;” if thou seest her in the far distant from the birthplace of David, and despised Nazareth, an orphan, poor, and with no marks of her royal descent, espoused to a carpenter; then tell us, how shall the Lord give that sign, that she should appear a virgin of the line of David, giving birth to her child in the house and in the city of David, namely, as another prophet appointed, in Bethlehem?

See then, how faithfully the Lord Himself answers for the truth of the prophecy, “The Holy Ghost came upon Mary, and the power of the Highest overshadowed her;” (Luke 1:35) and she conceived, being still a virgin; and having become the mother of the Son, nevertheless remained a virgin. In order that those who were unacquainted with the mystery of this conception, should not be able to malign her who had conceived, she was betrothed to her husband before that conception: and, that to every healthy mind this sign of the Lord might be clear, that a virgin had conceived without a husband, the conception followed the espousals, even before they came together (Matt. 1:19), even before Joseph took unto him his wife into his house (Matt. 1:24). To Joseph himself, an angel was sent to reveal this mystery, and to show him this sign, so that he should not remain in doubt; while to others, who could neither see nor hear angels, a no less trustworthy witness of the sign and herald of the mystery, was given in the person of Joseph himself, who was known to all as a just man (Matt. 1:19), and therefore was unable to deceive people, and still less able to slander God and the Holy Spirit. But how was it to be brought about, that the sign, already revealed in the almost pagan Nazareth, should be given, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, to the house of David (Isaiah 7:13); that the virgin, who having conceived of the Holy Spirit, and after staying three months in the house of a relative, should abide until the last period of her pregnancy at Nazareth, without thinking of any journey, or removal;—that she should bring forth “the Ruler of Israel,”according to the prophecy of Micah, in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Truly here, as Isaiah once more hints, was “a wearying of the Lord” (Isaiah 7:13), that is, it was necessary to perform difficult, and to human understanding, impossible works, in order that the predicted sign should be fulfilled. A general taxing is chosen as the means of bringing Mary, who, by the angel’s counsel, was at last received into the house of Joseph, from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and by this same means the origin of her Son from David is truly and triumphantly shown. But as such a taxing of the people of God was not in use among them, nay was even forbidden by the law, it became necessary to submit the people of God under the rule of another nation. And thus did God shake almost all the kingdoms of the earth, and subjected them to Rome. He set Augustus over Rome; and to him did He grant an universal peace, that his might and the opportunity of the time should give him the idea, and that from him should go out the decree, “that all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1), about the very time when the Son of the Virgin was to be born. This taxing, as unexpectedly as unavoidably, brought Joseph to his native town of Bethlehem: Mary was obliged to follow Joseph; and thus the earthly lineage of Emmanuel was revealed at the very moment His birth drew nigh; and—what seemed impossible but a few days before—He was born precisely as was foretold by the prophet, in Bethlehem.

Truly, all was done, that the prophecy might be fulfilled, and that in the great and small affairs of men there should be evident the one grand sign of the work of God ruling over them. “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a Son, and they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” [Matt. 1:22-23].

In considering the exact fulfilment of the prophetic words, relating to the birth of our Lord Jesus christ, some may ask, Why is it that the prophecy about His Name was not, apparently, so exactly fulfilled? The prophet Isaiah had forenamed Him Emmanuel; but, instead of that, the angel commanded that they should call Him Jesus.

To this, I answer, firstly, that if the other details foretold, concerning the Son of the Virgin, and amongst them even the least essential ones, as, for instance, the indication of the place of His birth, have been exactly fulfilled; how is it possible, then, that the author of Prophecy, the Holy Spirit, could have suffered it to be inexact in that which forms the very substance, the spirit and aim of all the particulars foretold, namely, that in the Son of the Virgin God is with us, or in other words, that by Him we are saved?

Secondly, I admit that in comparing the prophecy, regarding the name of Emmanuel, with its accomplishment, we may perceive something seemingly inaccurate in the words; but at the same time, I unhesitatingly affirm, that this seeming inexactitude is not only no fault or imperfection in the prophecy, or in its fulfilment, but even forms part of its perfection, and reveals in a new manner the Divine origin of both. Recall also to your mind, that the Emmanuel was both foretold, and came upon earth, according to prophecies, for the faithful; and where there is faith, there everything cannot be clearly seen, but something must be supposed to remain hidden, because faith, as the Apostle says,”is the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1), whilst an open and perfect view would leave no place for faith. You must agree then, that it behoved the Emmanuel, in His advent upon earth, both to be sufficiently manifest, so as to be recognised, and at the same time so hidden, that we might believe in Him, and that unbelievers should not be able to penetrate into His mysteries, and thereby mar the work of God which He had to accomplish. And therefore that which the prophet revealed to believers in the unusual name of Emmanuel, the same was represented to the world by the angel under the veil of a name not so unfamiliar to the ears of the Jews, the name of Jesus, which long before one of their judges and one of their high priests had borne, which was also not without mystery to believers, and which was concealed from unbelievers.

Thirdly, if without limiting ourselves to the visible alone, we compare by the aid of faith, or of a revelation of things not seen, the name of Emmanuel, as indicated in prophecy, with that of Jesus, as revealed in the event; we shall then easily perceive in them not only an exact, mutual, inward conformity, but even a complete identity. What separates us men from God? “Your iniquities,” says the prophet, “have separated between you and your God” (Isa. 59:2). Thus separation from God and a state of sin are one and the same thing. Consequently, drawing nigh unto God, and salvation from sin, are also one and the same thing. Consequently again, Emmanuel, i.e. “God is with us,” and Jesus, i.e. “the Saviour from sin,”are also one and the same. And consequently the prophecy is true, and the accomplishment exact to the prophecy. Emmanuel is the Saviour, Jesus is God is with us. Let us learn, O Christians, to understand the deep wisdom of this prophecy; and let us endeavour to feel the sublime blessing of its fulfilment.

God is with us in Jesus, through His very Incarnation: for in Him both the Divine and our human nature are not only brought together, but indivisibly united, yet without being confounded in the one person of the God-Man; and therefore He is not “ashamed,” as the Apostle says, “to call us brethren” (Heb. 2:11).

God is with us in Jesus, through redemption: for without Jesus sin was with us, which we had inherited from Adam, and ourselves unceasingly committed; and “whoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34); the devil was with us, for “he that committeth sin is of the devil” (John 3:8); but Jesus having come upon earth, fulfilled in His life the law of God, which we had transgressed; by His suffering He has made atonement for the sin which we had committed; by His death He has overcome death, to which we were condemned for our sin; by His descent into hell He delivered us from the dark power of the devil; by His Resurrection He obtained for us anew “the life of God” (Eph. 4:18), from which we “were alienated” by sin.

God is with us in Jesus, by the gift of the Holy Ghost: for the Son of God, Who came upon earth to redeem us, returned into heaven to “pray the Father,” that He should “give us another Comforter, that He may abide with us for ever, even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17).

God is with us through Jesus, in our mind and understanding: for no man hath seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, Which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared him [John 1:18].^[fn]

God is with us through Jesus, in our hearts and feelings: for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith (Eph. 3:17), and at the same time, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Rom. 5:5).

God is with us through Jesus, throughout our whole life and works, if we but entirely devote ourselves to Him: for then not we, but Christ liveth in us (Gal. 2:20); and God worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13).

God is with us through Jesus, if we but wish it, in all the conditions and circumstances of our life; so that, when suffering, we may suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together (Rom. 8:17); dying, we may die unto the Lord (Rom. 14:8).

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, God is with us, O Christians, always and in everything; only let us not cease to be with God, by remembering Him, by praying unto Him, through faith and love, and by constant exercise of that which pleases God, and which draws us nigh unto Him. Amen.

Source: Masters, J., trans. 1873. Select Sermons by the Late Metropolitan of Moscow, Philaret. London: Joseph Masters & Son. Pages 1-9.