Isaiah 96 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (NIV)

Thanks, in large measure, to G. F. Handel, this passage from Isaiah has been one of the most often cited during the Christmas season. We, as believers in Jesus as God’s promised Messiah, read these words and say, “Of course, these words are about our Lord!” Given what we’ve noted about Matthew seeing Jesus in Scripture, we would expect to find Isaiah 9:6 quoted prominently in his birth narrative. Yet, not only is it not quoted in Matthew at all, it is quoted nowhere in the New Testament.

Is that the end of the story? Not quite.

The Context in Isaiah

The northern region of Zebulon and Naphtali had long been one of the ancient world’s most traveled trade routes, and many non-Israelites lived there. In 733 BC, Assyria swept through the Northern Kingdom of Israel and demolished the capital city, Samaria, and then filled the land with many additional people from other conquered lands. This led Isaiah to refer to the land as, “Galilee of the Gentiles (nations).”

In the devastation Assyria left, Isaiah points to hope amid the darkness that brooded over his kinsmen:

Isaiah 92 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned. (NIV)

The light given is due to the child given, spoken of in 9:6.

Interestingly, Matthew does quote this passage.

The Context in Matthew

In chapter 4, Matthew begins the story of Jesus’ public ministry. Where does it begin? It begins in Galilee of the Gentiles. This is important to Matthew. The Gospel ends with the risen Christ telling His disciples to make disciples from all nations. Chapter 4 foreshadows that, with Jesus making His first disciples in this territory about which Isaiah spoke. It is here that Matthew quotes Isaiah 4:2 and the quote invites, even calls, the reader to read on to see the context in Isaiah, including the Messianic child/King born.

What This Means

Matthew wants his readers, including us, to see that the Child, conceived of a virgin, who is God with us, is King for all peoples. Jesus is in fact our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The birth of this King will lead to a people where, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:28-29 NIV)

Christmas is not in essence an American, Hallmark, celebration. It is the Joyous celebration of all people in God’s Israel, from all races and nations, that our King was born to rule and that:

“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
(Revelation 11:15 NIV)