Matthew’s thesis statement for Jesus’s mission in 1:21—“he will save his people from their sins (αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν)”—must be interpreted within the broader context of Jesus as the Davidic Messiah who brings an end to the plight of his people by delivering them and forgiving their sins. We have already noted that Israel’s deportation to Babylon was a consequence of her sin and idolatry. And there are a variety of Jewish texts which refer to Israel’s exile in Babylon