View source for Advent Dec 20 - Lk 2:21

{{bl| Advent Dec 20 - Lk 2:21 }}

{{bgw| Lu 2:21 }}  And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

{{bgw| Mt 1:23 }} Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew recorded the prophecy of the virgin. At that time, they did not understand the formation of words. The part about Emmanuel just came along for the ride. For the 10-15 years between Matthew and Luke, the church had to field uncomfortable questions about Yeshua and Emmanuel being different names. Luke dropped the reference for two reasons:

1. The Greeks were less interested in Hebrew scriptures, preferring the Greek. They did not need a direct reference to the virgin birth. 

2. It avoided the uncomfortable questions concerning the names.

By the time John wrote, he understood the prophecy, but he had no reason to rewrite Luke, since his gospel was based largely on the interpretation of words, and Matthew was still around.

'Yeshua' in word play means 'God on earth with a marriage in his heart' and 'God humנled'. Both meaningד validate the prophecy he would be called 'God with us'.