Lectionary Reflection: 4th Sunday of Advent

Matthew 1:18-25

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

1:19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

1:20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

1:21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

1:22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

1:23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."

1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,

1:25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

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As a teenager, I remember hearing this passage read during a Christmas pageant and puzzling over the mention of the name "Emmanuel."  If the prophet said his name would be Emmanuel, then why did Mary name her son Jesus? Was there some etymological connection between Emmanuel and Jesus of which I was not aware?

This same question must have been asked of John Chrysostom, because he addresses it in one of his homilies on the gospel of Matthew.  The fourth century bishop observes from the text that the son will not be called Emmanuel, but that he will be named Emmanuel. The distinction here is that one only receives the name of Emmanuel once the multitude of events comes to pass that will lead people to say that God was with us.  In other words, "to say 'they shall name him Emmanuel' means nothing else than that they shall see God among us."

-- John Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew homily 5.2-3