Mt 1:1-16, 18-23
She will bear a son: Matthew writes his gospel primarily for the Jewish Christians of the first century. He presents Jesus as the awaited Jewish Messiah whom scriptures say will be a descendant of David (1 Chr 17:10-14). For the Jews, the Messiah is a matter of family, place of birth, and genealogy. Joseph, who is of the house and family of David, will be the foster father of Jesus in fulfillment of the scriptures (Lk 2:4). Mary, the virgin from Nazareth, bears Jesus in her womb by the power of the Spirit (Mt 1:20; Lk 1:35). Jesus the “Son of the Father” is thus truly human and yet truly divine.
The oldest reference to Mary in the New Testament identifies her as the “woman” chosen by the Father to accomplish the plan of sending Jesus the Son in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4). Contrary to the charge that Mary distracts us from Jesus, she points us to him as the Anointed One sent from above. Mary is portrayed as one who shares Jesus’ concern that the Father’s divine plan be done (Mk 3:31-35).