The final promise of Matthew’s gospel from the lips of Matthew’s glorified Christ is simply a translation of the word “Emmanuel.” Matthew began his story with the angel telling Joseph that this child about to be born would be called “Emmanuel,” which, he said, means “God with us.” Matthew now ends his story with Jesus, once and for all, making the Emmanuel claim for himself: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
