Petrus Alfonsi
Catena Aurea · Matthäusevangelium 1
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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. Here we must enquire why he should say all this was done, when above he has only related the conception. It should be known that he says this to shew, that in the presence of God all this was done before it was done among men. Or he says, all this was done, because he is relating past events; for when he wrote, it was all done.
(Dial. tit. 7.) For we know not that any man of that day was called Emmanuel. But the Hebrew objects, How can it be that this was said on account of Christ and Mary, when many centuries intervened between Ahaz and Mary? But though the Prophet was speaking to Ahaz, the prophecy was yet not spoken to him only or of his time only; for it is introduced, Hear, O house of David; (Isa. 7:13.) not, ‘Hear, O Ahaz.’ Again, The Lord Himself shall give you a sign; meaning He, and none other; from which wemay understand that the Lord Himself should be the sign. And that he says to you, (plur.) and not ‘to thee,’ shews that this was not spoken to Ahaz, or on his account only.