Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Thou shalt call his name Jesus (Kalesiev to onoma autou Ihsoun). The rabbis named six whose names were given before birth: "Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and the name of the Messiah, whom may the Holy One, blessed be His name, bring in our day." The angel puts it up to Joseph as the putative father to name the child. "Jesus is the same as Joshua, a contraction of Jehoshuah (Numbers 13:16; I Chronicles 7:27), signifying in Hebrew, 'Jehovah is helper,' or 'Help of Jehovah'" (Broadus). So Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua (Hebrews 4:8). He is another Joshua to lead the true people of God into the Promised Land. The name itself was common enough as Josephus shows. Jehovah is Salvation as seen in Joshua for the Hebrews and in Jesus for all believers. "The meaning of the name, therefore, finds expression in the title Saviour applied to our Lord (Luke 1:47; Luke 2:11; John 4:42)" (Vincent). He will save (swsei) his people from their sins and so be their Saviour (Swthr). He will be prophet, priest, and king, but "Saviour" sums it all up in one word. The explanation is carried out in the promise, "for he is the one who (autov) will save (swsei with a play on the name Jesus) his people from their sins." Paul will later explain that by the covenant people, the children of promise, God means the spiritual Israel, all who believe whether Jews or Gentiles. This wonderful word touches the very heart of the mission and message of the Messiah. Jesus himself will show that the kingdom of heaven includes all those and only those who have the reign of God in their hearts and lives.
From their sins (apo twn amartiwn autwn). Both sins of omission and of commission. The substantive (amartia) is from the verb (amartanein) and means missing the mark as with an arrow. How often the best of us fall short and fail to score. Jesus will save us away from (apo) as well as out of (ec) our sins. They will be cast into oblivion and he will cover them up out of sight.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 1:21:
Matthew 1:1
Matthew 1:2
Luke 1:31
Luke 3:23
John 1:14
John 4:42
John 5:14
Acts 7:45
1 Thessalonians 1:1
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