Matthew Chapter 4

Posted on January 6, 2016 by dkoop

Gospel of MatthewThanks for being a part of the Matthew challenge.  I am praying for you as you take time in God’s word.   Today’s reading is about The Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and the calling of his first disciples.

SATAN TEMPTS JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS / 4:1-11

matthew-24-35From Jesus’ temptation we can learn that following our Lord can bring dangerous and intense spiritual battles. We won’t always feel good; we will experience times of deprivation, loneliness, and hostility. Jesus’ temptation also shows that our spiritual victories may not always be visible to the watching world. Above all, it shows that we must use the power of God to face temptation and not try to withstand it in our own strength.

4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.NKJV The word “then” indicates an important connection of the end of chapter 3 and the beginning of chapter 4. The same Holy Spirit that sent Jesus to be baptized, then sent Jesus into the wilderness. The temptation was a divine necessity to prove Jesus’ messianic purpose. Led up by the Spirit, Jesus took the offensive against the enemy, Satan, by going into the lonely and desolate wilderness to face temptation. In the Old Testament, the “wilderness” (or “desert”) was a desolate and dangerous place where wild animals lived.

“Devil” in Greek means “accuser”; in Hebrew, the word “Satan” means the same. The devil tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, and here he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan is a fallen archangel. He is a real, created being, not symbolic, and is constantly fighting against those who follow and obey God. The verb “to be tempted” describes continuous action because Jesus was tempted constantly during the forty days. The word “tempted” means “to put to the test to see what good or evil, strengths or weaknesses, exist in a person.” The Spirit compelled Jesus into the wilderness where God put Jesus to the test—not to see if Jesus was ready, but to show that he was ready for his mission. Satan, however, had other plans; he hoped to thwart Jesus’ mission by tempting Jesus to do evil. Satan tried to get Jesus to declare his kingship prematurely. Satan tried to get Jesus to take his messianic power into his own hands and to forsake his Father’s will. If Jesus had given in, his mission on earth—to die for our sins and give us the opportunity to have eternal life—would have been lost.

The devil’s temptations focused on three crucial areas: (1) physical needs and desires, (2) possessions and power, and (3) pride (see 1 John 2:15-16 for a similar list). This temptation by the devil shows us that Jesus was human, and it gave Jesus the opportunity to reaffirm God’s plan for his ministry. It also gives us an example to follow when we are tempted. Jesus’ temptation was an important demonstration of his sinlessness. He faced temptation and did not give in.

 LIFE APPLICATION – TIME OF TESTING
This time of testing showed that Jesus really was the Son of God, able to overcome the devil and his temptations. A person has not shown true obedience if he or she has never had an opportunity to disobey. We read in Deuteronomy 8:2-3 that God led Israel into the desert to humble and test them. God wanted to see whether or not his people would really obey him. You too will be tested. Because you know that testing will come, you should be alert and ready for it. Remember, your convictions are only real if they hold up under pressure!

4:2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.NRSV Jesus fasted during his time in the wilderness—going without food and perhaps even water, though some fasts allowed food and water only at night. Fasting was used as a spiritual discipline for prayer and a time of preparation for great tasks that lay ahead.

The number forty brings to mind the forty days of rain in the great Flood (Genesis 7:17), the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18), the forty years of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 29:5), the forty days of Goliath’s taunting of Israel prior to David’s victory (1 Samuel 17:16), and the forty days of Elijah’s time of fear in the wilderness (1 Kings 19:8). In all those situations, God worked in his people, preparing them for special tasks.

At the end of this forty-day fast, Jesus obviously was famished. Jesus’ status as God’s Son did not make this fast any easier; his physical body suffered the severe hunger and pain of going without sustenance. The three temptations recorded here occurred when Jesus was at his most physically weakened state. But Satan could not weaken Jesus spiritually.

 LIFE APPLICATION – WEAK SPOTS
Jesus wasn’t tempted inside the temple or at his baptism but in the desert, where he was tired, alone, and hungry, and thus most vulnerable. The devil often tempts us when we are at our weakest point—under physical or emotional stress (for example, lonely, tired, weighing big decisions, or faced with uncertainty). But he also likes to tempt us through our strengths, where we are most susceptible to pride. We guard against his attacks when we start the day with prayer, build our attitudes around the Bible’s truth, and depend on God’s Holy Spirit to keep us from spiritual harm.

4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”NRSV “The tempter” is another name for the devil (4:1), Satan. Jesus may have finished his fast, but Satan was not finished with his temptations. In fact, his first effort with Jesus was to tempt him to do the obvious. “You’ve been fasting and you’re famished,” Satan said. “Why don’t you just turn some of these stones into bread and have yourself a small meal?” What could possibly be so wrong about that? But there was much more going on here than a seemingly compassionate offer for a hungry person to have lunch.

Satan phrased his temptation in an interesting manner. He said, “If you are the Son of God.” The word “if” did not imply doubt; both Jesus and Satan knew the truth. Instead, Satan tempted Jesus with his own power. If indeed Jesus was the Son of the one true, all-powerful God, then Jesus certainly could command these stones to become loaves of bread if he so chose in order to satisfy his hunger. “God’s Son has no reason to be hungry,” Satan suggested. Satan did not doubt Jesus’ sonship nor his ability to turn stones to bread. Instead, he wanted Jesus to use his power in the wrong way at the wrong time—to use his position to meet his own needs rather than to fulfill his God-given mission.

In later miracles Jesus did supply baskets full of bread, but he supplied them for a hungry crowd, not to satisfy himself. And he did the miracles in God’s timing for God’s purposes as part of his mission.

4:4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”NRSV Jesus saw through Satan’s scheme. Jesus did not attempt to get into a discussion with Satan (as Eve had done); instead, he answered with words from what is written in Scripture, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. The words in Deuteronomy describe God’s lesson to the nation of Israel. This testing was designed to help Israel depend on God:

  • Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:2-3 nrsv)

In all three quotes from Deuteronomy, found in Matthew 4:4, 7, and 10, the context shows that Israel failed each test each time. Therefore, Jesus conveyed to Satan that while the test may have caused Israel to fail, it would not work with Jesus. Matthew showed the spiritual superiority of Christ over the nation.

Jesus, God’s Son, humbled himself in the wilderness, voluntarily undergoing the trial of extreme hunger in order to learn obedience through suffering. Jesus came to earth to accomplish the Father’s mission. Everything he said and did worked toward that goal; nothing could deter or distract him. Jesus understood that obedience to the Father’s mission was more important than food—no matter what his physical body said, no matter what Satan said.

To truly accomplish his mission, Jesus had to be completely humbled, totally self-abased. Making himself bread would have shown that Jesus had not quite set aside all his powers, had not humbled himself, and had not identified completely with the human race. But Jesus refused, showing that he would use his powers only in submission to God’s plan and that he would depend on God, not his own miraculous powers, for his daily needs. Jesus lived not by bread alone; Jesus truly lived and served by every word that comes from the mouth of God, giving himself completely to God’s mission. Matthew shows that we should follow Jesus’ example and depend on God.

 LIFE APPLICATION – NORMAL DESIRES
Jesus was hungry and weak after fasting for forty days, but he chose not to use his divine power to satisfy his natural desire for food. Food, hunger, and eating are good, but the timing was wrong. Jesus was in the wilderness to fast, not to eat. And because Jesus had given up the unlimited, independent use of his divine power in order to experience humanity fully, he wouldn’t use his power to change the stones to bread. We also may be tempted to satisfy a perfectly normal desire in a wrong way or at the wrong time. If we indulge in sex before marriage or if we steal to get food, we are trying to satisfy God-given desires in wrong ways. Many desires are normal and good, but God wants you to satisfy them in the right way and at the right time. True discipleship means learning from Christ how to know the right ways and right times. Seek the help of a pastor, youth leader, or mature Christian friend to help you get started.

4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.NIV This temptation is set in the holy city, that is, Jerusalem, the religious and political seat of Palestine. The temple was the religious center of the Jewish nation and the place where the people expected the Messiah to arrive (Malachi 3:1). Herod the Great had renovated the temple in hopes of gaining the Jews’ confidence. The temple was the tallest building in the area, and this highest point was probably the corner wall that jutted out of the hillside, overlooking the valley below. The historian Josephus wrote about the enormous height from the top of the temple to the bottom of the ravine below. From this spot, Jesus could see all of Jerusalem behind him and the country for miles in front of him. Whether the devil physically took Jesus to Jerusalem, or whether this occurred in a vision is unclear. In any case, Satan was setting the stage for his next temptation.

4:6 And said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'”NKJV Jesus had quoted Scripture in response to Satan’s first temptation. Here Satan tried the tactic with Jesus. Satan used Scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin!

Again Satan began with “If You are the Son of God.” As in 4:3, Satan was not suggesting doubt, but rather saying, “If you’re God’s Son, then certainly God will want to protect you from harm. So throw Yourself down from this pinnacle so that God will send his angels to protect you.” Then Satan quoted words from Psalm 91:11-12 to support his request. The psalm describes God’s protection for those who trust him. Psalm 91:11 begins, He shall give His angels charge over you; verse 12 continues, In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Some scholars believe that Satan wanted Jesus to take advantage of the prophecy in Malachi 3:1; the people believed that this prophecy meant that the Messiah would appear suddenly at the temple. What a spectacular proof of Jesus’ messiahship this would be if he suddenly appeared on the pinnacle of the temple before all the people and then jumped off, only to be carefully placed on the ground by God’s angels. Surely everyone would believe then.

More likely, however, this temptation did not focus on Jesus proving to the people that he was the Messiah. Instead, Satan was focusing on Jesus’ relationship with his Father. Satan wanted Jesus to test that relationship to see if God’s promise of protection would prove true.

 LIFE APPLICATION – DANGEROUS KNOWLEDGE
What a sobering thought that Satan knows Scripture and knows how to use it for his own purposes! Sometimes friends or associates will present attractive and convincing reasons why you should try something that you believe is wrong. They may even find Bible verses that seem to support their viewpoint. Study the Bible carefully, especially the broader contexts of specific verses, so that you understand God’s principles for living and what he wants for your life. Only if you really understand what the whole Bible says will you be able to recognize errors of interpretation when people take verses out of context to make them say what they want them to say. Choose your Bible teachers carefully. We have much to learn from others. Capable and wise teachers often present the broader context to help us grow in our Bible knowledge.

Satan was quoting Scripture out of context, making it sound as though God protects even through sin, removing the natural consequences of sinful acts. Neither jumping from the roof in a public display or jumping in order to test God’s promises would have been part of God’s will for Jesus. In context, the psalm promises God’s protection for those who, while being in his will and serving him, find themselves in danger. It does not promise protection for artificially created crises in which Christians call to God in order to test his love and care. We should not test God, as Jesus will explain (see the following verse).

4:7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”NRSV Jesus would not get into a discussion with Satan about this second temptation, as he had also refused to do in the first. Instead, Jesus quoted from Scripture again, but, contrary to Satan’s method, Jesus quoted with an understanding of the true meaning. No matter what the words that Satan quoted may have sounded like (that is, they seemed to say that no matter what Jesus did, God would protect him), the facts were that while God promises to protect his people, he also requires that they not put him to the test.

Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 6:16, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah” (nrsv). In this passage, Moses was referring to an incident during Israel’s wilderness wanderings, recorded in Exodus 17:1-7. The people were thirsty and ready to mutiny against Moses and return to Egypt if he did not provide them with water. God supplied the water, but only after the people had “quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?'” (nrsv).

Jesus could have jumped from the temple; God could have sent angels to bring him safely to the ground. But for Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the temple would have been a ridiculous test of God’s power, and it would have been out of God’s will. Jesus knew that his Father could protect him; he also understood that all his actions were to be focused on fulfilling his Father’s mission, even if it meant suffering and death (which, of course, it did).

 LIFE APPLICATION – KNOW THE WORD
Jesus was able to resist all of the devil’s temptations because he not only knew Scripture, but he also obeyed it. Ephesians 6:17 says that God’s Word is a sword to use in spiritual combat. Knowing Bible verses is an important step in helping us resist the devil’s attacks, but we must also obey the Bible. Note that Satan knew Scriptures, but he failed to obey them. Knowing and obeying the Bible helps us follow God’s desires rather than the devil’s.

4:8-9 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”NRSV The obvious impossibility of being able to see the entire world from one mountaintop makes little difference to this story, but it supports the view that this experience may have been visionary. The focus is not on the mountain, but on the kingdoms of the world that were (and are) under Satan’s dominion. Presently, Satan is “ruler of this world” (John 12:31 nrsv). Luke records Satan’s words at this temptation as: “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please” (Luke 4:6 nrsv). Satan offered to “give” dominion over the world to Jesus. Satan knew that one day Jesus Christ would rule over the earth (see Philippians 2:9-11). The offer wasn’t evil, but it challenged Jesus’ obedience to God’s timing and will. Satan’s temptation was, in essence, “Why wait? I can give this to you now!” Of course, he would never really give them away because the offer had a catch. Jesus would have to fall down and worship Satan.

Satan tempted Jesus to take the world as an earthly kingdom right then, without carrying out his plan to save the world from sin. For Jesus, that meant obtaining his promised dominion over the world without experiencing the suffering and death of the cross. Satan offered a painless shortcut. But Satan didn’t understand that suffering and death were a part of God’s plan that Jesus had chosen to obey. Satan hoped to distort Jesus’ perspective by making him focus on worldly power, not on fulfilling God’s plans. In addition, Jesus would have to denounce his loyalty to the Father in order to worship Satan. Satan’s goal always has been to replace God as the object of worship.

4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”NKJV Jesus once again met temptation with Scripture. Quoting from Deuteronomy, Jesus dismissed Satan with the words “away with you.” The temptations boiled down to a choice between God and Satan. No one can worship and serve both. For Jesus to take a shortcut to the goal, ruling the world by worshiping Satan (4:9) would be to break the first commandment, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. . . . You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him . . .” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, 13 nkjv). Jesus would take the path of submission to God. Jesus would worship and serve the Lord alone. Only by doing so would he be able to accomplish his mission of bringing salvation to the world.

 LIFE APPLICATION – ENTICED
The devil offered the whole world to Jesus if Jesus would only bow down and worship him. Today Satan offers us the world by trying to entice us with materialism, sex, and power. The devil would like us to believe that “life is short, get all you can!” Even Christian leaders find themselves tempted to build empires here on earth. But Satan requires people to pay for such success by selling their souls to him. We must resist temptations in the same way that Jesus did. If you find yourself craving something that the world offers, quote Jesus’ words to the devil: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Then follow that advice, with the support and prayers of Christian friends.

4:11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.NIV The devil could not stay when Jesus told him to go away (4:10). Jesus is Satan’s superior; Satan must do as Jesus commands. So the devil left Jesus. Luke records that Satan “left [Jesus] until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13 niv). This would only be the first of many encounters that Jesus would have with Satan’s power.

That angels came and attended him in no way lessens the intensity of the temptations that Jesus faced. The angels may have given Jesus food and drink because the Greek word diekonoun, usually translated “ministering” or “attending,” can also mean “serving food” (see 1 Kings 19:5 where angels ministered to Elijah). More likely, the angels’ ministry was spiritual in nature—attending to Jesus’ spiritual needs. The verb indicates continuous action. As Satan’s temptations lasted continuously during the forty days, so did the ministrations of the angels.

Angels, like these who waited on Jesus, have a significant role as God’s messengers. These spiritual beings were involved in Jesus’ life on earth by (1) announcing his birth to Mary, (2) reassuring Joseph, (3) naming Jesus, (4) announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, (5) protecting Jesus by sending his family to Egypt, and (6) ministering to Jesus in Gethsemane. Angels are continuously present. Hebrews 1:14 defines angels as messengers for God and ministers to people. They show compassion for human beings. Passages such as Matthew 18:10; Luke 15:10; Acts 12:14-15; and Revelation 19:10 support the idea of guardian angels. As agents of God, angels bring special help to believers (Acts 5:19-21; 12:7-10).

 LIFE APPLICATION – SOURCE OF STRENGTH
Jesus was tempted by the devil, but he never sinned! Although we may feel dirty after being tempted, we should remember that temptation itself is not sin. We sin when we give in and disobey God. Remembering this truth will help us turn away from the temptation. Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (niv). He knows firsthand what we are experiencing, and he is willing and able to help us in our struggles. When tempted, turn to God for strength by a short prayer, make a phone call to a Christian friend, or find a quiet place to pull out your Bible and read a psalm.

JESUS PREACHES IN GALILEE / 4:12-17

Jesus moved from Nazareth, his hometown, to Capernaum, about 20 miles farther north. Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, became Jesus’ home base during his ministry in Galilee. The Gospels do not say why Jesus moved, but Capernaum offered better possibilities for ministry. (1) It was farther away from the intense opposition of the Pharisees in Nazareth. (2) It was a busy city, so Jesus’ message could reach more people and spread more quickly. (3) It was home to several of the disciples and could provide extra resources and support for his ministry. Matthew explained how Jesus’ move had been prophesied in Scripture. Jesus’ actions, words, and movements showed his obedience to God’s will and fulfilled the Scriptures about him. Matthew continued to assure his Jewish readers that Jesus’ life fulfilled Scripture and that Jesus truly was the promised Messiah.

4:12-13 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.NIV Matthew mentioned the arrest of John the Baptist as merely a signal for the ministry of Jesus into Galilee, his home region. He moved from Nazareth (where his family had settled, 2:23) to Capernaum. Luke explained that John had been put in prison because he had publicly rebuked King Herod for taking his brother’s wife (Luke 3:19-20). John’s public protests had greatly angered Herod, so he put John in prison, presumably to silence him. The Herods were renowned for their cruelty and evil; Herod the Great had ordered the murder of the babies in Bethlehem (2:16). The Herod who had imprisoned John was Herod Antipas; his wife was Herodias, Herod Antipas’s niece and formerly his brother’s wife. The imprisonment of John the Baptist was only one evil act in a family filled with incest, deceit, and murder. (The full story is told in 14:1-12.)

Zebulun and Naphtali were two of the original twelve tribes of Israel. They had been allotted this territory and had settled it during the conquest of Canaan under Joshua (see Joshua 19:10-16, 32-39). “By the lake” refers to the area around the Sea of Galilee (also called Sea of Tiberias or Lake of Gennesaret).

4:14-16 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”NKJV Matthew continued to show how all of Jesus’ life, even his travel, followed God’s plans and fulfilled Scripture. Some Jewish readers may have wondered why Jesus’ ministry was not focused in Jerusalem—wouldn’t the promised Messiah begin by speaking in the temple itself? However, Matthew explained that Jesus’ move to the region of Galilee where Capernaum was located fulfilled [that] which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 9:1-2. Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would be a Light to the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.

As noted above, this area had been the territory of these two tribes of Israel after the conquest of Canaan. When the Assyrians invaded and captured the northern kingdom of Israel, these tribes to the north were among the first to fall. “In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria” (2 Kings 15:29 niv). After conquering a nation, usually Assyria would deport all the people living there and then repopulate the area with others. All who resettled the area were pagans, Gentiles—thus Isaiah called the area Galilee of the Gentiles. While Jews eventually moved back into the area, the spiritual darkness over the land would continue for centuries until a great light, in the form of the Jews’ Messiah, would come to live among the people. These words foreshadow Jesus’ mission: He came to preach salvation by grace even to those in the deepest spiritual darkness, and he brought that message to the entire world—Jews and Gentiles.

4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”NIV Jesus started his ministry with the very word that people had heard John the Baptist say: Repent. The message is the same today. Becoming a follower of Christ begins with repentance, turning away from our self-centeredness and self-control. The next step is to turn the right way, to turn toward Christ and believe in him.

The “kingdom of heaven” means the same as the “kingdom of God” in Mark and Luke. Matthew used “heaven” instead of “God” because the Jews, out of their intense reverence and respect, did not pronounce God’s name. The Old Testament prophets often spoke of the future kingdom, ruled by a descendant of King David, that would be established on earth and exist for eternity. Thus, when Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is near,” the Jews understood him to mean that the Messiah had come to inaugurate his long-awaited earthly.

Of course, this caused great excitement among the people. The problem arose, however, in misunderstanding the nature of this kingdom and in timing its arrival. The kingdom of God began when God entered history as a human being. But the culmination of the kingdom of God will not be fully realized until all evil in the world has been judged and removed. Christ came to earth first as the suffering Servant. When he returns, he will come as King and Judge to rule over all the earth. The kingdom begun with Jesus’ birth would not overthrow Roman oppression and usher in universal peace. The kingdom of God that began quietly in Palestine was God’s rule in people’s hearts. Thus, the kingdom was as “near” as people’s willingness to make Jesus king over their lives. As Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 niv). The culmination of the kingdom may still be many years away for us, yet its spiritual reality is as near as accepting Jesus as Savior.

FOUR FISHERMEN FOLLOW JESUS / 4:18-22

Jesus told Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their fishing business and become “fishers of men,” to help others find God. Jesus was calling them away from their productive trade to be productive spiritually. All of Christ’s followers need to fish for souls. Those who practice Christ’s teachings and share the gospel will be able to draw those around them to Christ like a fisherman who pulls fish into the boat.

4:18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.NRSV Located 650 feet below sea level, the Sea of Galilee is a large lake—150 feet deep and surrounded by hills. Fishing was the main industry for the approximately thirty towns surrounding the Sea of Galilee during Jesus’ day. Capernaum, where Jesus settled (4:13), was the largest of these fishing towns. Simon and his brother Andrew came from Bethsaida, another town on the shore (John 1:44), but they had made their home in Capernaum (Mark 1:21, 29).

Jesus, walking by the sea, saw two brothers. Jesus did not approach Simon (whom we know as Peter) and Andrew as strangers. We know from the Gospel of John (1:35-49) that they had had previous contact. Jesus was walking on the beach with a purpose—to find certain fishermen whom he wanted to call to follow him. Jesus found them casting a net into the sea. Using nets was the most common method of fishing. A circular net (ten to fifteen feet in diameter) would be thrown into the sea. Then it would be drawn up, and the catch hoisted into the boat. Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were strong and busy men.

 LIFE APPLICATION – FOLLOW ME
When Jesus entered Peter’s life, this plain fisherman became a new person with new goals and new priorities. He did not become a perfect person, however, and he never stopped being Simon Peter. We may wonder what Jesus saw in Simon that made him give this potential disciple a new name: Peter, the “rock.” Impulsive Peter certainly didn’t act rock solid much of the time. But Jesus was looking for real people. He chose people who could be changed by his love; then he sent them out to communicate that his acceptance was available to anyone—even to those who often fail. We may wonder what Jesus sees in us when he calls us to follow him. But we know Jesus accepted Peter. We also know that despite his failures, Peter went on to do great things for God. Keep following Jesus, even when you fail.

4:19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”NKJV The first pair of men Jesus called to follow him were brothers, Simon and Andrew. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist, who, when introduced to the “Lamb of God,” turned and followed Jesus (John 1:35-39). Then Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus. When Jesus met Simon he said, “‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter)” (John 1:42 niv). These men understood and believed who Jesus was. Jesus arrived on the shore that day to change their lives forever. Jesus told Simon (Peter) and Andrew to leave their fishing business and to follow him. To “follow” means to accept Jesus as authority, to pursue his calling, to model after his example, to join his group. Jesus was asking these men to become his disciples and to begin fishing for people. “Follow” is the major term for discipleship in the Gospels. Disciples in Jesus’ day literally followed their masters around and imitated them. Jesus required his disciples to give him their allegiance, daily count the cost of commitment, and serve others as he did.

The Old Testament pictures God fishing for men, harvesting them for judgment (Jeremiah 16:16; Ezekiel 29:4-5; 38:4; Amos 4:2; Habakkuk 1:14-17). Gathering souls is urgent because judgment is coming, so Christ’s faithful followers were to bring people in while there was still time. These disciples were adept at catching fish, but they would need special training before they would be able to become fishers of men—to fish for people’s souls. The words “I will make” portray Jesus as the empowering agent; these men were simply to follow. Jesus was calling them away from their productive trade to be productive spiritually by helping others believe the Good News and carry on his work after he was gone. This was a radical change from the usual rabbi/disciple relationship. In Judaism, the disciples simply would observe the master and memorize his teaching. Jesus’ disciples would have an active role. They would participate in the kingdom as fishers of men.

4:20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.NKJV After their previous meeting with Jesus, Simon Peter and Andrew had returned to fishing. But when Jesus called them to follow him as disciples, they immediately left their nets. These men already knew Jesus, so when Jesus called them, they were willing to follow him. The judgment was coming; they had to respond right away. Their lives had changed; their allegiance was now to their teacher. Their action indicated radical discipleship, total surrender. This first pair left their occupation; the second pair (4:22) also left their father. When Jesus calls, people must be willing to realign previous plans and goals, sometimes leaving something important in order to follow Jesus. Jesus is not satisfied with halfhearted Christians.

4:21-22 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.NRSV Not far down the beach were two other brothers, James and John. Zebedee, their father, owned a fishing business where they worked with Peter and Andrew (Luke 5:10). James and John were sitting in their moored boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. The weight of a good catch of fish and the constant strain on the nets meant that fishermen had to spend a lot of time keeping their nets repaired and in good shape. Holes had to be mended in preparation for the next night’s fishing.

John had met Jesus previously. In his Gospel, John records that he and Andrew were following John the Baptist and that then they began to follow Jesus (John 1:35-39). We have no record of James previously meeting Jesus, but he probably knew about Jesus from his brother. The fact that James’s name is always mentioned before John’s indicates that James was the older brother. When Peter, Andrew, and John left Galilee to see John the Baptist, James stayed back with the boats and fishing nets. Later, when Jesus called them, James was as eager as his partners to follow. James and John were ready for Jesus’ call.

Both sets of brothers immediately left behind the lives they had known and embarked on an adventure. Surely Jesus must have made a great impression on them, and knowing that Jesus had chosen them must have motivated them to follow without hesitation. James and John left their father in the boat. They did not leave their father to manage for himself; Mark records that he already had hired men who helped him (Mark 1:20). Zebedee must have been a very understanding father; perhaps he too believed and would have gone along himself in younger days.

 LIFE APPLICATION- TIME TO GO
James and his brother, John, along with Peter and Andrew, were the first disciples that Jesus called to work with him. Jesus’ call motivated these men to get up and leave their jobs—immediately. They didn’t make excuses about why it wasn’t a good time. They left at once and followed. We do not know if such a radical decision is required of each person alive today. Are we all to leave our jobs and homes to follow Christ in ministry? Apparently not, for Jesus had many believers and disciples, but he chose only twelve to leave all and follow him. Even those twelve did not abandon wives or their responsibility to their parents. But we must all evaluate our service and do what Christ requires. Some students may need to change majors and go into ministry; Christ may choose some to change livelihoods and enter different fields of service for him. All of us must be willing and prompt to respond when Jesus calls.

JESUS PREACHES THROUGHOUT GALILEE / 4:23-25

4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.NIV Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, visiting the various towns and villages. He was teaching, preaching, and healing, the three main aspects of his ministry. “Teaching” shows Jesus’ concern that people learn; “preaching” shows his concern for commitment; and “healing” shows his concern for physical wholeness. Jesus’ healing miracles authenticated his teaching and preaching; they proved that he truly was from God.

When Jesus arrived in a town, he first went to the synagogue. Synagogues were established during the Exile to give Jews places to assemble and worship because they couldn’t go to the temple. Synagogues later became centers for teaching and preaching. Most towns that had ten or more Jewish families had a synagogue. The building served as a religious gathering place on the Sabbath and as a school during the week. The leader of the synagogue was more an administrator than a preacher. His job was to invite rabbis to teach and preach. In the synagogue, there were two types of messages: (1) exposition or teaching—done while the leader sat; (2) exhortation or preaching—done while the leader stood. Thus, Jesus had opportunity to share the good news of the kingdom with the Jews who came to the synagogues. The “good news” was that the kingdom of heaven had arrived. It was customary to invite visiting rabbis like Jesus to speak, but Jesus’ earthshaking message and powerful miracles (healing every disease and sickness among the people in each village) set him apart from the others.

4:24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them.NRSV Jesus’ teaching and healing caused a stir among the people. Those who heard him told family and friends, who told others, so that the news spread throughout all Syria. “Syria” may refer to the area to the north of Galilee, indicating that Jesus’ fame had spread beyond the borders of Palestine. The Romans used “Syria” to refer to all of Palestine, except for the region of Galilee, which was under the independent administration of Herod Antipas. Thus, Jesus’ fame spread through Galilee and throughout all of Palestine.

Jesus became well known very quickly. Certainly his acclaimed ability to heal people of diseases caused people to bring sick family and friends to him. Jesus cured various diseases and pains (probably undiagnosed by doctors), demoniacs (people possessed by demons), epileptics (those having seizures or other unexplained behavior not related to demon possession), and paralytics (those who had become paralyzed).

Why did Jesus perform physical healings? As Creator, Jesus wanted people to have health and wholeness rather than illness. The healings also showed Jesus’ compassion for suffering people and revealed that the kingdom had arrived in power and presence. Although Jesus refused to do “signs” at the whim of doubting religious leaders, he did perform miracles of healing that caused many to believe in him.

4:25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.NIV Large crowds came to Jesus from all over the region of Galilee where Jesus was concentrating his ministry. “The Decapolis” refers to a league of ten Gentile cities east of the Sea of Galilee that had joined together for trade and mutual defense. “The region across the Jordan” most likely refers also to Gentile territory. The city of Jerusalem was in the region of Judea. People came from this region to the south as well as from its leading city. The news about Jesus was out, and Jews and Gentiles were coming long distances to hear him. The words “followed him” may or may not refer to becoming disciples. Some simply followed him from place to place to hear him speak and see his miracles. Some who followed surely also came to believe in him, accepting the Good News about the kingdom.

Until tomorrow,

www.RidgeFellowship.com
Source:  Life Application Bible Commentary – Matthew.

Posted in Matthew | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Matthew Chapter 3

Posted on January 5, 2016 by dkoop

Gospel of MatthewThanks for being a part of the Matthew challenge- a chapter a day for 28 days.   I am praying for you as you take time in God’s word.   Today’s reading is mainly about John the Baptist. His message is still riveting today and applicable to our lives.  As the chapter closes we’ll see the baptism of Jesus.

 

matthew-24-35JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY FOR JESUS / 3:1-12

When John “came preaching” (3:1), the people were excited. They considered John to be a great prophet, and they were sure that the eagerly awaited age of the Messiah had come. Indeed, it had, and God was ushering in a brand-new covenant and a new era in his dealings with humanity. John spoke like the prophets of old, saying that the people must turn from their sin to avoid punishment and turn to God to experience his mercy and approval. This is a message for all times and places, but John spoke it with particular urgency—he was preparing the people for the coming Messiah and for his kingdom. Our calling is similar to John’s, for we, too, can prepare the way for others to come to Jesus. How much urgency do you feel for those who still need to hear the message?

3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea.NKJV “In those days” is an Old Testament phrase that points to a critical period of time. It relates to 2:23, loosely referring to the days when Jesus lived in Nazareth. However, twenty-eight to thirty years have elapsed since Joseph returned with the young Jesus and Mary from Egypt back to Israel. He did not settle in Judea but moved north instead to Galilee and the city of Nazareth.

But in the wilderness of Judea (the rugged land west of the Dead Sea), a significant event began to occur: John the Baptist came preaching. In these five words, Matthew summed up the story that Luke would record in greater detail (see Luke 1:5-25, 39-45, 57-80). John was a miracle child, born to Elizabeth and Zacharias (Zechariah, in some Bible versions). Elizabeth was unable to have children, and advanced age rendered her and Zacharias certain to remain childless.

Zacharias was a priest. One day, while he was carrying out his duties in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and explained that Zacharias and Elizabeth would have a baby boy whom they should name John. Then he added: “He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:16-17 nrsv). There had not been a prophet in Israel for more than four hundred years. It was widely believed that when the Messiah came, prophecy would reappear (Joel 2:28-29; Malachi 3:1; 4:5).

 John was that prophet, preaching a message of repentance. The word translated “preaching” comes from the Greek word meaning “to be a herald, to proclaim.” Matthew described John as a herald proclaiming news of the coming King, the Messiah. The title “the Baptist” distinguished this John from many other men with the same name—baptism was an important part of his ministry (3:6). To us also John the Baptist must come if we shall properly appreciate the Redeemer. We must expose ourselves to the fire, the ax, the winnowing-fan, that we may learn what we really are, and come, like Paul, to reckon our own righteousness as loss if only we may win Christ and be found in him.

F. B. Meyer

 

John’s mother, Elizabeth, was a cousin to Jesus’ mother, Mary. Thus, Jesus and John the Baptist were distant cousins. It is likely that they knew of each other, but John probably did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until Jesus’ baptism by John (see 3:16-17).

3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”NRSV John the Baptist’s preaching focused specifically on one message—preparing hearts for the coming Messiah. Preparation could only occur through repentance. John called the people to repent—to turn away from sins and turn toward God. To be truly repentant, people must do both. Without apology or hesitation, John preached that the people could not say they believed and then live any way they wanted (see 3:7-8). They had to understand that they were sinners, that sin is wrong, and that they needed to change both their attitude and their conduct. Repentance was a radical concept for Jews who considered themselves already “the people of God.” In the Old Testament, “repent” means the radical return to God of those who have broken the covenant with him. John used the word this way.

Why did they need this radical repentance? Because the kingdom of heaven had arrived. The kingdom of heaven began when God himself entered human history as a man. Passages referring to God’s kingdom appear 50 times in Matthew’s Gospel alone; the phrase “kingdom of heaven” occurs 33 times. Mark and Luke refer to it as the “kingdom of God.” This is a “kingdom” where God reigns. The phrase indicates a present reality and a future hope. Matthew’s use of “kingdom of heaven” relates to his Jewish audience and their reluctance to use the name of God. But there is no theological distinction implied between “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God.” Today Jesus Christ reigns in the hearts of believers, but the kingdom of heaven will not be fully realized until all evil in the world is judged and removed. Christ came to earth first as a suffering Servant; he will come again as King and Judge to rule victoriously over all the earth.

The phrase “has come near” portrays that God has interrupted history with a dramatic new revelation of his power. Discussion of the timing of the arrival of God’s kingdom fills many pages of scholarly work. The issues seem to fall into three main views:

  1. Futurist—Since the Old Testament view of the kingdom of God refers to his rule over a geographical area and in a political reality, this rule must be in the future. Thus, Jesus was announcing that the rule was “near” or “at hand.” Most Jews held this view and would not accept the message of repentance.
  2. Realized—This view sees God’s kingdom as announced and inaugurated with Jesus’ ministry on earth. The rule of Satan’s kingdom was broken as Jesus cast out demons. With Jesus’ initiation of God’s rule on earth, all humanity must carry out his will by living in love and peace on earth.
  3. Two-pronged approach—This view recognizes the kingdom of God as both present and future. The rule of God transcends all time. God ruled before Christ came to earth, but in the ministry of Christ, new power was released through Christ, requiring people to encounter and decide to follow God. This looks forward both to the Resurrection and to Pentecost for further authentication and enabling. However, God’s geographical and political rule will be revealed at a future time when Christ returns.
 LIFE APPLICATION – TURN AROUND
John the Baptist’s theme was “Repent!” Repentance means doing an about-face—a 180-degree turn—from the kind of self-centeredness that leads to wrong actions such as lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, taking revenge, abusing, and indulging in sexual immorality. A person who stops rebelling and begins following God’s way of living prescribed in his Word is a person who has repented. The first step in turning to God is to admit your sin, as John urged. Then God will receive you and help you live the way he wants. Remember that only God can remove sin. He doesn’t expect us to clean up our lives before we come to him.

This third view integrates the Scriptures and explains the teachings of Christ most satisfyingly. It enables us to see God’s kingdom as both present (Matthew 12:28; Luke 7:22-23; 17:20-21) and future (Matthew 6:10; Mark 9:47; Luke 13:28-29).

3:3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.'”NKJV The prophet quoted is Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3), one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament and one of the most quoted in the New. Here Matthew quoted from the Septuagint (often abbreviated as LXX), the Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament. The second half of the book of Isaiah is devoted to the promise of salvation. Isaiah recorded God’s promise to bring the exiles home from Babylon. He also wrote about the coming of the Messiah and the person who would announce his coming, John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3). Like Isaiah, John was a prophet who urged people to confess their sins and live for God. Both prophets taught that the message of repentance is good news to those who listen and seek the healing forgiveness of God’s love, but terrible news to those who refuse to listen and thus cut off their only hope.

Matthew understood that John the Baptist was, in fact, the voice that came crying out to the people of Israel. The Greek word for “crying” is boao, meaning “to cry out with great feeling.” John the Baptist’s message was full of emotion and came directly from God. John was merely God’s mouthpiece for the important message that God was sending to his people: Prepare the way of the Lord. How were they to do this?

The word “prepare” refers to making something ready; the word “way” could also be translated “road.” The picture could come from the ancient Middle Eastern custom of sending servants ahead of a king to level and clear the roads to make them passable for his journey. The people in Israel needed to prepare their minds to eagerly anticipate their King and Messiah. The verbs are in the imperative, meaning that John spoke them as a military general would speak commands—to be obeyed immediately and without hesitation. Those who accepted John’s status as a true prophet from God understood these words as God’s words to them, humbled themselves, repented, received baptism, and opened the “way” for their Messiah to take hold of their lives.

John’s call to make His paths straight meant much the same as preparing the way. The “paths” are the way to people’s hearts. For Jesus to be able to reach them, people needed to give up their selfish way of living, renounce their sins, seek God’s forgiveness, and establish a relationship with almighty God by believing and obeying his words (Isaiah 1:18-20; 57:15). Again, the verb is in the imperative; John was issuing an impassioned command to his fellow Israelites (see also Luke 7:24-28).

Why did this voice come from the wilderness? The word “wilderness,” also translated “desert,” refers to a lonely, uninhabited place. John preached in the Judean wilderness, the lower Jordan River valley. Isaiah’s use of the word “wilderness” alludes to the wilderness experience of the children of Israel on their exodus from Egypt to Canaan. The wilderness represents the place where God would once again act to rescue his people and bring them into fellowship with him.

John the Baptist’s powerful, to-the-point preaching and his wilderness living made him a curiosity, separated him from the false piety of many of the religious leaders, and gave him an unmistakable resemblance to the ancient prophets. We can only speculate on John’s motives for living in the wilderness. Perhaps he wanted (1) to get away from distractions so he could hear God’s instructions; (2) to capture the undivided attention of the people; (3) to symbolize a sharp break with the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who preferred their luxurious homes and positions of authority over doing God’s work; and (4) to fulfill Old Testament prophecies that said the Messiah’s forerunner would be preaching “in the wilderness.”

 LIFE APPLICATION – STRAIGHT WAYS
John the Baptist “prepared” the way for Jesus. People who do not know Jesus need to be prepared to meet him. We can prepare them by explaining their need for forgiveness, demonstrating Christ’s teachings by our conduct, and telling them how Christ can give their lives meaning. We can “make straight paths for him” by correcting misconceptions that might be hindering people from approaching Christ. Someone you know may be open to a relationship with Christ. Can you be their “John the Baptist”? Are you ready to explain, to challenge, and to win others? Take the first step today.

3:4 Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.NRSV John must have presented a strange image! He was outfitted for survival in the wilderness—like a desert monk. He dressed much like the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). Elijah too had been considered a messenger preparing the way for God (see Malachi 3:1; 4:5). John’s striking appearance reinforced his striking message, distinguishing him from the religious leaders, whose flowing robes reflected their great pride in their position (12:38-39). Having separated himself from the evil and hypocrisy of his day, John lived differently from other people to show that his message was new. John not only preached God’s law, he “lived” it. Many people came to hear this preacher who wore odd clothes and ate unusual food. John’s appearance and food fit the description of the Nazirite vow (see Luke 1:15; also Numbers 6:1-8). Some people probably came simply out of curiosity and ended up repenting of their sins as they listened to his powerful message. People may be curious about your Christian lifestyle and values. You can use their simple curiosity as an opener to share how Christ makes a difference in you.

His diet, locusts and wild honey, was common for survival in the desert regions. Locusts were often roasted and were considered “clean” food for the Jews (Leviticus 11:22); wild honey could be found in abundance, made by the wild bees who nested in the clefts of rocks and in the trees of the valley.

 LIFE APPLICATION – BEING WEIRD
John’s appearance and lifestyle dramatically contrasted with the people of his day. He looked and lived as he did both out of necessity and to further demonstrate his message. Some people go to great extremes today to demonstrate their loyalty to sports teams: They buy jackets, license plates, ties, and collectibles.
Since the days of the early church, faithful Christians have shown loyalty in many ways. Some have adopted clothes and eating habits similar to John’s. Some have tried to imitate Peter or other early Christian leaders.
Today, with so much loyalty evident on any city block (just count the baseball caps), Christians need “caps” to show their commitment to Jesus. And the Bible suggests the most important emblems: attitudes like loving others, being hopeful under stress, and trusting in God for daily needs. Badges like these show others how faith in the living God makes a difference in your life. What loyalties does your life portray?

3:5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.NIV The verb form of “went out” is in the imperfect tense, indicating continuous action. From Jerusalem (the holy city of the Jews) and from the whole region of the Jordan, a stream of people constantly flowed into the wilderness to hear John the Baptist preach.

John attracted so many people because he was the first true prophet in four hundred years. His blasting of both Herod and the religious leaders was a daring act that fascinated common people. But John also had strong words for the others in his audience—they too were sinners and needed to repent. His message was powerful and true. The people were expecting a prophet like Elijah (Malachi 4:5; Luke 1:17), and John seemed to be the one!

3:6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.NIV Many of the people who “went out” to hear John (3:5) came confessing their sins. Confession is more than simply acknowledging one’s own sinfulness; it is agreeing with God’s verdict on sin and expressing the desire to get rid of sin and live for God. Confessing means more than verbal response, affirmation, or praise; it means agreeing to change to a life of obedience and service.

Then they were baptized. When you wash dirty hands, the results are immediately visible. But repentance happens inside with a cleansing that isn’t seen right away. So John used a symbolic action that people could see: baptism. The Jews used baptism to initiate Gentile converts, so John’s audience was familiar with the rite. Here, John gives baptism a special meaning: It was used as a sign of repentance and forgiveness.

For baptism, John needed water, and he used the Jordan River, which is about seventy miles long, its main section stretching between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Jerusalem lies about twenty miles west of the Jordan. Many significant events in the nation’s history took place by the Jordan River. It was here that the Israelites renewed their covenant with God before entering the Promised Land (Joshua 1-5). Here John the Baptist called them to renew their covenant with God, this time through baptism.

 LIFE APPLICATION – BAPTISM
Christians have long pondered the proper mode and timing for baptism and what it really means. Some churches have nearly abandoned baptism as a “ritual,” while others claim you can’t go to heaven without it.
Baptism is important for all who say to God, “I belong to you.” Baptism tells everybody where your loyalties really are, who you really depend on, and what direction your life is taking. Baptism says, “I follow Jesus.”
Churches practice different traditions, but all believe that baptism is the outward sign that separates people from the world and attaches them to Christ. God promises blessing to all who take this step.

3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”NRSV John gladly baptized the many repentant men and women who came to him, confessing their sins and desiring to live for God. But when John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exploded in anger at their hypocrisy.

The Jewish religious leaders were divided into several groups. Two of the most prominent ones were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees separated themselves from anything non-Jewish and carefully followed both the Old Testament laws and the oral traditions handed down through the centuries. The Sadducees believed the Pentateuch alone (Genesis—Deuteronomy) to be God’s Word. They were descended mainly from priestly nobility, while the Pharisees came from all classes of people. While the two groups disliked each other greatly, they both opposed Jesus.

Most likely, these distinguished men had come to John not to be baptized but simply to find out what was going on. John spoke to them with harsh words. John had criticized the Pharisees for being legalistic and hypocritical, following the letter of the law while ignoring its true intent. He had criticized the Sadducees for using religion to advance their political position. He obviously doubted the genuineness of their desire for baptism and was suspicious of them for even showing up. John called them a brood of vipers (Jesus also used this term, see 12:34; 23:33). The term literally means “snakes.” It conveys how dangerous and cunning these religious leaders were and suggests that they were offspring of Satan (see Genesis 3; John 8:44). His question stung with sarcasm, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” In other words, “Who said you were going to escape God’s coming judgment?” The religious leaders applied the “day of the Lord” to judgment on the Gentiles; John applied it to the religious leaders. The reason for John’s harshness is revealed in his words that follow.

 LIFE APPLICATION –RIGHTEOUS, AND PROUD OF IT!
The Pharisees and Sadducees were proud of their knowledge and position. Religious people must struggle with their pride over spiritual attainments. Who gets big egos? It can happen to wealthy donors, to popular preachers, and to normal, everyday Joe and Jane Sundayschool—anyone who starts believing that he or she is much better than others.
John warned the most religious people in his region that their version of religion was keeping them from a relationship with God. How odd—people whose minds were packed with knowledge of the Scriptures were cut off from the truth because of their pride over spiritual achievements.
Stay close to friends who will be honest with you, who will check your bloated ego; keep your feet on the ground and your heart humble. Without friends like these, you could become as self-righteous as the esteemed Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

3:8 “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”NIV Those who refuse to repent will face judgment; those who repent will escape judgment; however, true repentance is seen by the fruit (actions and character) it produces. The Pharisees and Sadducees thought they had a corner on righteousness, but their fruit revealed their true character. Only if they could produce fruit in keeping with repentance—if they truly repented and lived for God—then and only then would they be able to “flee from the wrath to come” (3:7).

John the Baptist called people to more than words or ritual; he told them to change their behavior. If we are to produce fruit in keeping with repentance, our words and religious activities must back up what we say. God judges our words by the actions that accompany them. Do your actions match your words?

 LIFE APPLICATION – FALSE SECURITY
The religious leaders trusted in Abraham’s faith and in their own genetic and religious history. When your life takes a wicked bounce, you’re stressed to the max, and you need help fast, where do you turn? Some people hang charms on their wrist or emblems from a car’s rearview mirror. Some people repeat the names of early Christians. Wouldn’t John the Baptist be surprised to discover that his own name is used by some people to ward off trouble?
If you trust in knickknacks or depend on long-departed Christians to help you wiggle through a tight spot, give it up. Our faith should not be in objects or people, but in God alone. God is your help in trouble, and Jesus, your Lord forever. Trust in his truth.

3:9 “And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”NIV The pious Pharisees and Sadducees may have sneered at John’s outrage. “After all,” they thought to themselves, “we are descendants of Abraham; therefore, we are guaranteed God’s blessings.” Somewhere over the years, the Jews erroneously decided that the promise given to the patriarchs was guaranteed to all their descendants, no matter how they acted or what they believed. John explained to them, however, that relying on Abraham as their ancestor would not qualify them for God’s kingdom. John probably pointed at stones in the riverbed and said out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. John may have used a play on the Aramaic words for “stone” and “children” in making his point that God can make a nation for himself from whomever he chooses. Only those who “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (3:8) would qualify for God’s coming kingdom. The apostle Paul would later explain this to the Romans: “Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. . . . It is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring” (Romans 9:6-8 niv).

__Matthew 3:10 __3:10 “Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”NRSV God’s message hasn’t changed since the Old Testament—people will be judged for their unproductive lives. Just as a fruit tree is expected to bear fruit, God’s people should produce a crop of good deeds (3:8). John compared people who claim that they believe God but don’t live for God to unproductive trees that will be cut down. “The kingdom of heaven is near” (3:2); judgment was at hand. The ax is lying at the root of the trees, poised and ready to do its work, cutting down those trees that do not bear good fruit. Not only will the trees be cut down, but they will be thrown into the fire, signifying complete destruction.

Jesus used the same illustration in 7:19, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (nrsv). Jesus was describing how to recognize false teachers. He explained that we can know them by their fruits, their lives. In the same way, God has no use for people who call themselves Christians but do nothing about it. Like many people in John’s day who were God’s people in name only, we are of no value if we are Christians in name only. If others can’t see our faith in the way we treat them, we may not be God’s people at all.

So how are we to bear good fruit? God calls us to be “active” in our obedience. To be productive for God, we must obey his teachings, resist temptation, actively serve others, and share our faith.

3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”NRSV Turning his attention away from the self-righteous religious leaders and back to the sincere seekers who came for baptism, John explained that his baptism with the water of the Jordan River demonstrated repentance—willingness to turn from sin. This was the beginning of the spiritual process. John baptized people as a sign that they had asked God to forgive their sins and had decided to live as he wanted them to live. Baptism was an “outward” sign of commitment. To be effective, it had to be accompanied by an “inward” change of attitude leading to a changed life. John’s baptism did not give salvation; it prepared a person to welcome the coming Messiah and receive his message and his baptism.

John’s statement He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire revealed the identity of the one who is more powerful coming after John as the promised Messiah. The coming of the Spirit had been prophesied as part of the Messiah’s arrival:

  • “I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants” (Isaiah 44:3 niv).
  • “The time is coming. . . . I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. . . . For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34 niv).
  • “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27 niv).
  • “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29 niv).

The Old Testament promised a time when God would demonstrate his purifying power among people (Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 39:29). The prophets also looked forward to a purifying fire (Isaiah 4:4; Malachi 3:2). This looked ahead to Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Holy Spirit would be sent by Jesus in the form of tongues of fire, empowering his followers to preach the gospel. All believers, those who would later come to Jesus Christ for salvation, would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the fire of purification (one article precedes these words, indicating that they were not two separate baptisms, but one and the same). The experience would not necessarily be like that recorded in Acts 2, but the outcome would be the same. This baptism would purify and refine each believer. When Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, the entire person would be refined by the Spirit’s fire. So, for those who believe, “the fire” is positive, but for unbelievers, “the fire” brings awful judgment, as is described in the next verse.

John knew that the Messiah would be coming after him. Although John was the first genuine prophet in four hundred years, Jesus the Messiah would be infinitely greater than he. John was pointing out how insignificant he was compared to the one who would come. John pointed out three main differences between himself and the one coming after him: (1) Jesus’ baptism transcends John’s because it includes full redemption—John’s was limited to repentance; (2) Jesus would be “more powerful,” referring to eschatological power; (3) John was not even worthy of doing the most menial tasks for him, like carrying his sandals, an act considered so low that only slaves did it. (Not even disciples were required to carry their rabbi’s sandals because the dusty shoes symbolized the sins of life.)

John the Baptist said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30 niv). What John began, Jesus finished. What John prepared, Jesus fulfilled.

3:12 “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”NIV Threshing was the process of separating the grains of wheat from the useless outer shell called chaff. This was normally done in a large area called a threshing floor, often on a hill, where the wind could blow away the lighter chaff when the farmer tossed the beaten wheat into the air. A winnowing fork is a pitchfork used to toss wheat in the air in order to separate wheat from chaff. The wheat is the part of the plant that is useful; chaff is the worthless outer shell. Chaff is burned because it is useless; wheat, however, is gathered. “Winnowing” is often used in the Bible to picture God’s judgment.

Jesus used the same analogy in a parable (13:24-30). John spoke of repentance, but he also spoke of judgment upon those who refused to repent. The message is always the same; there is no middle ground and no gray area. Repent, turn to Christ, and be saved; or refuse to repent, refuse to turn to Christ, and be destroyed. The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose.

Jonathan Edwards

 

JOHN BAPTIZES JESUS / 3:13-17

The beautiful story of Jesus’ baptism by John in the waters of the Jordan River reveals a God of love, who came to earth as a human being, identifying with humanity. If Jesus was going to offer salvation to sinners, he needed to identify with sinners. He did this by submitting to John’s baptism for repentance and forgiveness of sins. Then God miraculously showed his love for the Son. The opened heavens, the dove, and the voice revealed to everyone (and to us as readers of this wonderful story) that Jesus was God’s Son, come to earth as the promised Messiah to fulfill prophecy and to bring salvation to those who believe. Have you believed in Jesus? Have you made him Lord of your life?

3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.NKJV John had been explaining that Jesus’ baptism would be much greater than his (3:11) when suddenly Jesus came to him and asked to be baptized! Galilee was the name of the northern region of Palestine; the other two regions were Samaria (central) and Judea (southern). At this time, Jesus was probably about thirty years old (Luke 3:23). He traveled the long distance on foot (see map “Jesus Begins His Ministry”), along the dusty roads of Galilee and Samaria and into Judea, to meet John the Baptist and be baptized by him.

3:14-15 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.NIV When Jesus arrived,

John balked at his desire to be baptized. John did not think that Jesus needed to be baptized for repentance. John tried to deter Jesus, explaining that he wanted to be baptized by Jesus. There are two main views regarding what John meant. (1) Some scholars suggest that John wanted the Holy-Spirit-and-fire baptism that Jesus would bring (3:11). (2) Others say that John simply knew of Jesus’ superiority, so John wanted Jesus to baptize him.

Jesus explained that he had come to be baptized because it would be the proper way for them to fulfill all righteousness. What did this mean? It could not mean to fulfill the law,

  

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Jesus launched his ministry from his childhood home, Nazareth. He was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and tempted by Satan in the wilderness; then he returned to Galilee. Between the temptation and his move to Capernaum (4:12-13), Jesus ministered in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee (see John 1-4).

 

because no law required baptism. While “fulfill” generally refers to prophecy, there are no clear connections to baptism in prophecy. Most likely it refers to fulfilling a relationship with God by obeying him in every aspect of life. When Jesus said this, John consented and baptized him.

Why did Jesus ask to be baptized? Jesus saw his baptism as advancing God’s work. While even the greatest prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) had to confess their sinfulness and need for repentance, Jesus didn’t need to admit sin—he was sinless (John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5). Although Jesus did not need forgiveness, he was baptized for the following reasons: (1) to confess sin on behalf of the nation, as Isaiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah had done (see Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 1:6; 9:1ff.; Isaiah 6:5); (2) to accomplish God’s mission and advance God’s work in the world; (3) to inaugurate his public ministry to bring the message of salvation to all people; (4) to show support for John’s ministry; (5) to identify with the penitent people of God, thus with humanness and sin; and (6) to give us an example to follow.

John’s baptism for repentance was different from Christian baptism in the church. When the apostle Paul taught some of John’s followers about Jesus, they were baptized again (see Acts 19:2-5). Jesus, the perfect man, didn’t need baptism for sin, but he accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, and God showed his approval. Jesus wanted to show that his mission was to take on the sin of humanity, and thus to absolve it. Jesus took the baptism seriously, not merely as an object lesson for observers. He acknowledged God’s holiness, humanity’s sin, and said, “I will take it, and I will clear it.” That is the essence of the Good News.

 LIFE APPLICATION – LET GO OF EGO
Put yourself in John’s shoes. Your work is going well; people are taking notice; everything is growing. But you know that the purpose of your work is to prepare the people for Jesus (John 1:35-37). Then Jesus arrives, and his coming tests your integrity. Will you be able to turn your followers over to him? John passed the test by publicly baptizing Jesus. Soon he would say, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30 niv). Can you, like John, put your ego and profitable work aside in order to point others to Jesus? Are you willing to lose some of your status so that everyone will benefit?

3:16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.NRSV Apparently the action of the Spirit of God descending from heaven like a dove was a sign that Jesus was the Messiah and that the age of the Spirit predicted by the prophets was formally beginning (Isaiah 61:1). John knew that the Messiah would come, but it is uncertain when he knew that his cousin Jesus was the one. By recording this miraculous opening of the heavens, Matthew left no doubt for his readers as to Jesus’ true identity.

The Bible does not tell us that anyone but Jesus saw the heavens . . . opened. It says they were opened to him. According to the Gospel of John (1:29-34), this event, and the Spirit of God descending like a dove, revealed the Messiah to John. The opening of the heavens presented God’s intervention into humanity in the human presence of God in Jesus Christ. It was as if the heavens rolled back to reveal the invisible throne of God (Isaiah 63:19-64:2).

The second sign, “the Spirit of God descending like a dove,” was probably visible to all the people, for Luke recounts that “the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22 nrsv). The descent of the Spirit, and the form of the dove itself, represented to Israel God’s mighty workings in the world. At creation, “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:2 niv). After the great Flood, the dove carried the news to Noah of the receding waters (Genesis 8:8-12). The descending of the Spirit signified God’s workings in the world; therefore the arrival of the Messiah would have been marked by the descending of the Spirit, in this case, in the form of a dove. Later, Jesus would read from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1-2), “‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor'” (Luke 4:18-19 niv).

The church uses the dove as a symbol for the Holy Spirit; however, the bird itself was not important. The descent of the Spirit “like” (or “in the form of”) a dove emphasized the way the Holy Spirit related to Jesus. The descending Spirit portrayed a gentle, peaceful, but active presence coming to anoint Jesus. It was not that Jesus needed to be filled with the Spirit (as if there was any lack in him) because he was “from the Holy Spirit” (1:20) since his conception. Rather, this was his royal anointing (see Isaiah 11:2; 42:1).

John the Baptist, and we who study this important event, can learn not only who the Messiah was, but also what kind of Messiah he would be (how his power would be demonstrated and used). His nature was revealed not by a thunderclap or lightning bolt, nor by an eagle or a hawk, but with a gentle dove. Jesus the Messiah would have a different way and a different message than even John expected.

3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”NKJV The Spirit descended like a dove on Jesus, and a voice came from heaven proclaiming the Father’s approval of Jesus as his divine Son. This voice came from the heavenly realm that had been briefly opened in 3:16. The voice said, This is My beloved Son. In Greek, the literal translation of this is “As for you, you are my Son, the beloved one.” While all believers would eventually be called “sons of God” (or “children of God”), Jesus Christ has a different, unique relationship with God; he is the one unique Son of God. “This is” means that these words were spoken publicly—to Jesus, John, and the crowd.

The phrase “in whom I am well pleased” means that the Father takes great delight, pleasure, and satisfaction in the Son. The verb in Greek conveys that God’s pleasure in the Son is constant. He has always taken pleasure in his Son.

The words spoken by the voice from heaven echoed two Old Testament passages. First, Psalm 2:7, “He said to me, ‘You are my Son'” (niv). Psalm 2 is a messianic psalm that describes the coronation of Christ, the eternal King. The rule of Christ described in the psalm would begin after his crucifixion and resurrection and will be fulfilled when he comes to set up his kingdom on earth. Second, Isaiah 42:1, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight” (niv). Isaiah 42:1-17 describes the Servant-Messiah who would suffer and die as he served God and fulfilled his mission of atoning for sin on behalf of humanity. Thus, in the two phrases spoken, the voice from the throne of heaven described Jesus’ status both as the Servant who would suffer and die and as the King who would reign forever. In the intertestamental period, the Jews believed that God no longer spoke directly (as through the prophets), but indirectly by teachers and rabbis. The voice of God, heard by everyone, was a direct sign of the arrival of the messianic age.

In 3:16-17, all three persons of the Trinity are present and active. The doctrine of the Trinity, which was developed much later in church history, teaches that God is three persons and yet one in essence. God the Father speaks; God the Son is baptized; God the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus. God is one, yet in three persons at the same time. This is one of God’s incomprehensible mysteries. Other Bible references that speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5; and 1 Peter 1:2.

Tomorrow we’ll look at chapter four.

www.RidgeFellowship.com
Source: Life Application Bible Commentary– Matthew.

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Matthew Chapter 2

Posted on January 4, 2016 by dkoop

Gospel of MatthewWelcome to day 2 of our reading through the book of Matthew!    We are reading  a chapter of Matthew each day. 28 chapters in 28 days.  What a great way to start the New Year.  I’m praying for you.  Today we read about the Wise-men, Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus, Joseph’s dream and flight to Egypt to protect Jesus.

matthew-24-35VISITORS ARRIVE FROM EASTERN LANDS / 2:1-12

Only Matthew has a record of the visit of the wise men. These men traveled thousands of miles to see the king of the Jews. When they finally found him, they responded with joy, worship, and gifts. This is so different from the approach people often take today. Some expect God to come looking for us, to explain himself, prove who he is, and give us gifts. But the truly wise still seek and worship Jesus today for who he is, not for what they can get.

2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king.NKJV Matthew did not record the details of Jesus’ birth, as did Luke in the well-known chapter 2 of his Gospel. Instead, after stating that Mary had given birth to a son (1:25), Matthew moved to the time after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Most scholars believe that the traditional non-biblical picture of the wise men arriving at the manger is incorrect based on clues given in this chapter. More likely, the wise men arrived some time after Jesus’ birth—Jesus is called a child (paidion, 2:9, 11) rather than a baby or infant (brephos, used in Luke 2:12), and the wise men went to a house (2:11), not to a stable. The fact that Herod had all the baby boys under two years old killed (2:16) may mean that a couple of years had passed between Jesus’ birth and this visit. If so, apparently Mary and Joseph decided to remain for a time in Bethlehem instead of returning after the census taking (Luke 2:1-5) to Nazareth. Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 describe Joseph as a tekton, that is, a builder and possibly contractor, not just a carpenter. This may have involved a lot of travel, which would explain his mobile lifestyle.

While we cannot know exactly when this story took place, we do know more details about other elements. The tiny village of Bethlehem is located about five miles south of Jerusalem and sits on a high ridge more than two thousand feet above sea level. This little village held great significance for the Jews. Jacob had buried his beloved wife Rachel in Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19); Ruth had met Boaz in Bethlehem (Ruth 1:22-2:6); King David had grown up in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:1; 17:12). Even more important, the prophet Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be born there: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2 niv).

To distinguish this Bethlehem from other towns with the same name, Matthew added of Judea. The land of Israel was divided into four political districts and several lesser territories. Judea (also called Judah) was to the south, Samaria in the middle, Galilee to the north, and Idumea to the southeast.

Jerusalem was also in Judea and was the seat of government for Herod the king. While many Herods are mentioned in the Bible, this was Herod the Great, named king over all four political districts of Palestine by the Roman Senate. He ruled from 37 to 4 b.c. The history of the Herod family is filled with lies, murder, treachery, and adultery. Although Herod the Great was a ruthless, evil man who murdered many in his own family, he also supervised the renovation of the temple, making it much larger and more beautiful, as well as overseeing other building projects. This made him popular with many Jews. After Herod’s death, the districts were divided among three separate rulers. We later read about Herod the Great’s son, Herod Antipas, who killed John the Baptist (Mark 6:26-28) and taunted Jesus (Luke 23:6-12).

Behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem.NKJV Not much is known about these wise men. Also called Magi, they may have interpreted dreams and had other special knowledge and abilities; they specialized in astronomy. They may have been from the priestly caste in Persia; they were not kings. We don’t know where they came from; the Bible just says from the East. Tradition says they were men of high position from Parthia, near the site of ancient Babylon (the book of Daniel refers to the wise men of Babylon; see Daniel 2:12, 18; 4:6, 18). The traditional view that there were three wise men comes from the three gifts presented to Jesus (2:11), but the Bible doesn’t say how many wise men came. These men came from the East to Jerusalem. If they traveled from Parthia, they had covered thousands of miles in their quest to find a newborn king.

2:2 Saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”NKJV The wise men said they had seen Jesus’ star (His star). In the Old Testament, through a man named Balaam, God had referred to “a star” coming out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17 niv). How did these wise men know that the star represented the Messiah, the one who was born King of the Jews? (1) They could have been Jews who remained in Babylon after the Exile and knew the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah’s coming.

(2) They may have been eastern astrologers who studied ancient manuscripts from around the world. Because of the Jewish exile centuries earlier, a large Jewish population still existed there, and they would have had copies of the Old Testament. (3) They may have had a special message from God directing them to the Messiah. Worship is a meeting between God and His people when the worshiper is brought into personal contact with the one who gives meaning and purpose to life; from this encounter the worshiper receives strength and courage to live with hope in a fallen world.

Robert Webber

 

Some say this star may have been a conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in 6 b.c.; others offer many other explanations. However, no explanation accounts for the star moving as described in 2:9. We don’t know if the miraculous element took the form of the timely conjunction of the planets, or if God, who created the heavens, created a special event to signal the arrival of his Son, just as he had created a pillar of cloud and of fire to lead the nation of Israel to the Promised Land (Exodus 13:21-22). Based on the significance of the star, these wise men traveled thousands of miles searching for the one who had been born King of the Jews. When they found him, they worshiped him. While their worship was probably meant to be no more than homage to royalty (notice that Jesus did not “become” king of the Jews, he was “born” king of the Jews), the homage paid to this young king was more respect than he received from many of his own people.

Astrology and those who practiced the art were held in contempt by the Bible and by God-fearing Jews (Isaiah 47:13-15; Jeremiah 10:1-2; Daniel 2:10; 4:7). Matthew made a significant point in highlighting the worship of these wise men (who were pagan astrologers, wise in the ways of secular science, diviners, and magicians) in contrast to the Jewish religious leaders who knew the Holy Scriptures and did not need to travel far to find their Messiah. The Jewish leaders directed the wise men to Bethlehem but apparently did not go themselves (2:4-6). Some scholars say these wise men were each from a different land, representing the entire world bowing before Jesus. These men from faraway lands recognized Jesus as the Messiah when most of God’s chosen people in Israel did not. Matthew pictures Jesus as King over the whole world, not just Judea.

 LIFE APPLICATION – LOOKING FOR GOD?
How can we learn about God? Some people say, “I find God on a nature hike when the wind whistles through trees and the stars shine brightly.” Others say, “Read the Bible and you’ll discover God.” And yet others, “Only by believing in Jesus can a person ever know God.”
Here we learn that all three ways of knowing God are important. The wise men were drawn to worship by a bright heavenly radiance. They came close (Jerusalem) and got specific instruction from people who knew the Old Testament well. Then, unlike Herod and the priests, they actually finished the journey and saw Jesus, who was then a little child. All three ways of finding God helped the wise men finish their journey.
 If you want to find God, see his glory in nature, learn of his promises in the Bible, and discover Jesus by getting to know him personally.

2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.NKJV The wise men traveled to Jerusalem, the capital city, expecting to find a young king there. However, Herod the Great did not even know about the birth of someone who was to be king. This obviously troubled him for several reasons:

  • Herod was not the rightful heir to the throne of David. He was partly Jewish, but descended not from Jacob but from Esau. He was an Idumean Arab, but honestly considered himself Jewish by religion. His people had been forcefully converted a century earlier (126 c.), but Herod considered himself a faithful Jew. He reigned by appointment from Rome. Many Jews hated Herod as a usurper, even though Herod attempted to boost his popularity among the Jews by doing much for their country (see Josephus’s Antiquities 13.258). If this baby really was a rightful heir to the throne, Herod could face trouble from the Jews who might want to make the baby king.
  • Herod was ruthless, and because of his many enemies, he was suspicious that someone would try to overthrow him. Many feel he had become mentally unstable by this time in his life.
  • Herod didn’t want the Jews, a religious people, to unite around a religious figure.
  • If these wise men were of Jewish descent and from Parthia (the most powerful region next to Rome), they would have welcomed a Jewish king who could swing the balance of power away from Rome. The land of Israel, far from Rome, would have been easy prey for a nation trying to gain more control.

The wise men’s news troubled Herod because he knew that the Jewish people expected the Messiah to come soon (Luke 3:15). Most Jews expected the Messiah to be a great military and political deliverer, like Alexander the Great.

That all Jerusalem was troubled along with King Herod indicates that the leaders and lay people also felt concern over word of a child born in the Jewish royal line, the line of David. What would this mean? Any who knew Herod’s ruthlessness may have feared his aroused suspicions. Such fear was well founded considering Herod’s actions recorded in 2:16.

 LIFE APPLICATION – THE GREAT TROUBLEMAKER
When Jesus was born into our world, people immediately began to react. His presence did not soothe and comfort people; instead, it startled and disturbed them. In some, he awakened spiritual longings; in others, fear and insecurity. If it is true that God entered our world when Jesus was born, we dare not sit idly by ignoring and rationalizing our inaction. We must acknowledge Jesus as the rightful King of our lives. He did not stay in the manger.

2:4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.NIV Herod needed some advice from the experts. So he called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law. While Herod did not call a formal meeting of the Sanhedrin, he probably called together a group of leaders living in Jerusalem who could tell him what he wanted to know. The “chief priests” were probably mostly Sadducees, while the “teachers of the law” (sometimes called “scribes”) were mostly Pharisees. These two groups did not get along because of vast differences in their beliefs about the law. The Sadducees believed only the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) to be God’s Word; the Pharisees and teachers of the law were the professional interpreters of the law, the legal specialists of Jesus’ day. They interpreted the law but were especially concerned about the “halakah” or “rules” for life that came to be as binding as God’s written law in the Torah. Among these men Herod hoped to find someone who could explain where the Christ was to be born. Herod apparently understood that the King of the Jews sought by the wise men was also “the Christ,” that is, the Jews’ promised Messiah. However, the Jews expected their Messiah to be a political leader, accounting for Herod’s interest and concern.

 LIFE APPLICATION – SO CLOSE; SO FAR
Herod asked the religious leaders and teachers to tell him what the Scriptures said about the location of the Messiah’s birth. These religious leaders and teachers had knowledge of the Scriptures, but they lacked the desire to understand and believe. With so many churches nearby, so many Christian books and Bibles available, so many radio and television programs, so many Christian videos and films—how can anyone not believe? But it happens. Several Bibles on your bedroom shelf and perfect Sunday school attendance do not a Christian make! Like the chief priests and teachers of the law, a person can miss the opportunity to believe in Jesus completely while studying the facts of the Bible meticulously.
Becoming a Christian means giving your life to Jesus Christ in faith. In a simple prayer, give up trying so hard to be so good. Admit to God your need, and accept in faith his promise to save you.

2:5-6 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'”NIV The answer to Herod’s question was simple, for the prophet Micah had given the exact location of the Messiah’s birth seven centuries earlier in Micah 5:2. Matthew often quoted Old Testament prophets to show how perfectly Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. The religious leaders quoted from Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2. As the grandson of an Idumean Jew, Herod may have known about messianic prophecies, but he was not trained in knowing anything specific. The Jewish religious leaders understood that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem in Judea. In fact, the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem was well-known to all Jews (John 7:41-42). Ironically, when Jesus was born, these same religious leaders became his greatest enemies. When the Messiah for whom they had been waiting finally came, they wouldn’t recognize him.

2:7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.NRSV Herod had a problem on his hands, and already his troubled mind was making a plan. He called the wise men back to him in order to answer their question (2:2) and send them along to Bethlehem. However, Herod also needed some information from them. He needed to know the age of this “king.” Herod deduced that if he knew the exact time when the star had appeared, he would know the child’s age. We infer from this that the star had appeared a couple of years earlier, for when Herod went on his murderous rampage, he ordered the killing of all boys two years old and under (2:16), although he may have added to the age to make sure the child would be destroyed.

2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”NIV Discovering that this future king was not in Jerusalem, King Herod sent the wise men down the road to the little village of Bethlehem to make a careful search for the child. Not knowing the age of the child, nor exactly where he would be found, might make for a difficult and lengthy search. Herod certainly wondered how they would know this child even if they found him. But Herod would not let rumor of a future king go unchecked. So he sent the wise men on their way, instructing them to return to Jerusalem after they found the child. Herod’s reason? So that I too may go and worship him, he explained. This deceitful ruse fooled the wise men, and they agreed to return and report to Herod the whereabouts of the child. The wise men had no reason to expect that Herod would do anything other than pay homage to a king, and Herod had no reason to think that the wise men would not return with the information he needed. But Herod did not want to worship Christ—he was lying. Herod planned to kill Jesus.

2:9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.NIV Having been told that the child was to be born in Bethlehem, the wise men left Jerusalem, heading south. As they went on their way, suddenly they saw once again the star they had seen in the east. The wise men had followed this star thousands of miles, traveling west toward Jerusalem.

At this point, the star reappeared as they traveled south toward Bethlehem, moving ahead of them. Then, the star stopped over the place where the child was. Obviously this was no ordinary star (see comments on 2:2). Matthew does not tell us what the star looked like, how it moved, or how the wise men found the child from the movement and stopping of the star. But Matthew made his point that God had purposely sent this star to guide these men to his Son. God comes to men in the spheres with which they are most familiar; to Zacharias in the Temple, to the shepherds in the fields, to the wise men by a portent in the heavens. He knows just where to find us. Be sure to follow your star, whatever it be; only remember that it must ultimately receive the corroboration of Scripture.

F. B. Meyer

 

2:10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.NRSV The star’s movement had been constant and visible to these men who studied the sky and watched the stars. They had followed this star across thousands of miles. They had not found the child in the palace in Jerusalem as they had expected. So they had wearily continued on their way, only to once again follow the moving star. No wonder that when they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. Their journey was completed; they had found the one for whom they were searching.

 LIFE APPLICATION – FINDING CHRIST
The wise men were overjoyed at finding the child. If you think becoming a Christian means putting on a long face and behaving like a person in a straitjacket, think again. Finding Christ brings real joy—deeper than winning at sports, more enduring than the first test drive in that new car—this joy fills the soul and makes you glad. This joy comes from knowing all is well, you’re OK, God loves you, the future will be secure.
Have you been on a journey to find yourself, to find love, satisfaction, or some sense of what this life is all about? There’s joy at the end of that journey when you find Christ.

2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.NKJV Jesus was probably one or two years old (a young Child) when the wise men found him. By this time, Mary and Joseph were married, living in a house and intending to stay in Bethlehem for a while. The wise men gave expensive gifts because these were worthy presents for a future king. The wise men were simply bringing customary expensive gifts for a superior, but scholars have seen in the gifts symbols of Christ’s identity and what he would accomplish. Gold was a gift for a king (Psalm 72:15). Frankincense (also simply called “incense”), a glittering, odorous gum obtained from the bark of certain trees, was a gift for deity (Isaiah 60:6). Myrrh, a valued spice and perfume (Psalm 45:8), also came from trees and was used in embalming; thus, it was a gift for a person who was going to die (Mark 15:23; John 19:39). These gifts certainly would have provided the financial resources for Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt and back (2:13-23).

These wise men, astrologers from the east, fell down and worshiped the young king of the Jews, indicating a further fulfillment of prophecy. Psalm 72:10-19 speaks of a coming king before whom all will bow and whom all nations will serve.

 LIFE APPLICATION – HE ALONE IS WORTHY
The wise men brought gifts and worshiped Jesus for who he was. This is the essence of true worship—honoring Christ for who he is and being willing to give him what is valuable to you. We see in their lives a pattern for worship:
They entered. They had prepared for their journey, studied, and sought out Jesus.
They bowed. They humbled themselves in the presence of their superior. They acknowledged his authority.
They gave. They gave expensive and sacrificial gifts out of respect and honor for the child king.
They worshiped. They recognized God’s guidance in bringing them and attested to Jesus’ royalty. They exalted Jesus as the rightful king.
They obeyed. Their worship was not empty. They followed the guidance they received from God.
Worship God because he is the perfect, just, and almighty Creator of the universe, worthy of the best you have to give.

2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.NIV After finding Jesus and worshiping him, the wise men were warned by God in a dream not to return through Jerusalem and take their news back to Herod as they had intended. God gave guidance to Joseph at four separate times in dreams (see 1:20; 2:13, 19, 22). The first three times, the angel of the Lord is specifically mentioned as appearing and delivering God’s message to Joseph. The angel is not mentioned as appearing to the wise men, but somehow God guided the wise men in a dream. The wise men “wisely” followed the guidance given them; after worshiping the child, they returned to their country by another route. Going back through Jerusalem would make it impossible to avoid Herod; so they apparently went out of Bethlehem in another direction, perhaps continuing south and going around the southern end of the Dead Sea before heading back north and east. It took courage to refuse the king’s command; it also took courage to follow guidance that added many miles to their already lengthy journey.

In this story, God reveals his care for his Son as the hostile world already was attempting to take the young child’s life. Matthew has divine intervention as a major theme. He shows how God superintends Jesus’ life in order to accomplish the divine plan.

THE ESCAPE TO EGYPT / 2:13-18

Even before the tiny baby could speak, the worldly powers, led by Satan himself, were moving against him. Herod, a ruthless king who had killed three of his own sons to secure his power, was afraid of losing that power, so he embarked on a plan to kill the tiny child who had been born “king of the Jews.” In his madness, Herod murdered innocent children, hoping to kill this one child. Herod stained his hands with blood, but he did not harm Jesus. No one can thwart God’s plans.

2:13-14 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”NIV This was the second dream or vision that Joseph received from God. Joseph’s first dream had revealed that Mary’s child would be the Messiah (1:20-21). His second dream told him how to protect the child’s life. Even though the wise men didn’t return to Herod, Herod did not give up on his evil plan. An angel of the Lord warned Joseph that

Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. Joseph had to move immediately; it would not be long before Herod would realize that he had been tricked and would unleash his anger. The angel told Joseph exactly what to do, and Joseph obeyed. Faith means taking the bare Word of God and acting upon it because it is the Word of God. It means believing what God says simply and solely because He has said it.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

 

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt.NRSV Joseph got up after this dream, took Jesus and Mary, and began the seventy-five mile journey to Egypt by night, escaping from Bethlehem under cover of darkness. The angel instructed Joseph to remain in Egypt until God told him otherwise (stay there until I tell you) through another dream (see 2:20). Going to Egypt was not unusual. Egypt had been a place of refuge for Israelites during times of political upheaval (1 Kings 11:40; 2 Kings 25:26). There were colonies of Jews in several major Egyptian cities (Alexandria was a key center of Jewish knowledge and education). These colonies had developed during the time of the great captivity (see Jeremiah 43-44) and may have numbered as many as one million Jews. Egypt was a Roman province, but outside Herod’s jurisdiction. Even more important, however, this event fulfilled the prophecy of Hosea (see 2:15).

2:15 And remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”NRSV Joseph followed the angel’s instructions and remained in Egypt until the death of Herod.  So Jesus was kept safe.

 

There is an interesting parallel between this flight to Egypt and Israel’s history. Hosea wrote about God’s love for Israel and his promise of a deliverer who would draw them to himself. Matthew viewed Hosea’s prophecy in light of Jesus Christ as the one who came as the promised deliverer of Israel and of the entire world. As an infant nation, Israel had gone to Egypt, just as Jesus did as a child. Joseph had been taken as a captive to Egypt when he was sold into slavery by his brothers. His brothers had almost killed him, but he was kept safe in Egypt. There is also a parallel between the Egyptian pharaoh’s killing of

  

The Flight to Egypt

Herod planned to kill the baby Jesus, whom he perceived to be a future threat to his position. Warned of this treachery in a dream, Joseph took his family to Egypt until Herod’s death, which occurred a year or two later. They then planned to return to Judea, but God led them instead to Nazareth in Galilee.

 

the baby boys of the Israelites and Herod’s killing of the baby boys in Bethlehem. Years later, in the Exodus, God led Israel out; God had brought Jesus back. Thus, the prophet Hosea’s words, “Out of Egypt I have called my son” (Hosea 11:1), see Israel’s miracle-filled Exodus from Egypt as foreshadowing Jesus’ return from Egypt to Israel. And in Jesus, the restoration of Israel from exile is complete.

2:16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.NRSV The events recorded in 2:7-14 most likely happened over just a couple of days. Bethlehem was only five miles from Jerusalem and was a small village. It would not have taken long for the wise men to find the child. Herod certainly expected the wise men to return within a day. But in the meantime, both the wise men and Jesus’ family had escaped the city. Probably by the next evening, Herod saw that he had been tricked (literally “outwitted”) by the wise men. Herod was not just upset, he was infuriated. And when this king became infuriated, his anger knew no bounds. History documents the terrible acts of this evil man—especially concerning potential rivals to the throne. In his later years, Herod had three of his sons killed, as well as his wife and many actual or suspected conspirators. It did not bother Herod to spill some blood to secure his power.

At this point, all Herod knew was that a future king, still a child, lived in Bethlehem. After the wise men explained when the star had first appeared (2:7), Herod deduced that the child would not be more than two years old. So according to the time that he had learned from the wise men, he dispatched his soldiers, and they killed all the (male) children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. Scholars have estimated that if this tiny village had about one thousand residents, there may have been about twenty male babies. The record of this atrocity is told only here, so some have doubted its authenticity. Considering Herod’s ruthlessness and the murderous acts already listed under his name, apparently the slaughter of a few children in an insignificant village did not make the historical annals. There are examples of Romans having entire towns razed, killing every living creature, just as an example to a region. So while the “slaughter of the innocents” by Herod was terrible, it was not as uncommon as we think. But Matthew saw it as fulfillment of Scripture (2:17-18).

Modern readers question how God could allow such evil to occur even as he allowed Jesus to escape it. Yet Matthew did not ask that question. He, as a Jew, knew all too well that the history of God’s people was littered with hatred and evil acts against them. The coming of the Messiah caused Satan to unleash an arsenal of evil. In this instance, Satan used Herod, a willing vessel. Herod, the king of the Jews, killed all the boys under two years of age in an obsessive attempt to kill Jesus, the newborn King.

 LIFE APPLICATION – WHO’S ON THE THRONE?
Herod was afraid that this newborn king would one day take his throne. He completely misunderstood the reason for Christ’s coming. Jesus didn’t want Herod’s throne; he wanted to be king of Herod’s life. Jesus wanted to give Herod eternal life, not take his present life. Today people are often afraid that Christ wants to take things away when, in reality, he wants to give them real freedom, peace, and joy. Don’t fear Christ—allow him to reign on the throne of your life.

2:17-18 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”NIV Matthew saw that the grieving of the mothers in Bethlehem further fulfilled the words of Jeremiah the prophet in Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel was one of the wives of Jacob, one of the great men of God in the Old Testament. From Jacob’s twelve sons had come the twelve tribes of Israel. Rachel was the symbolic mother of the nation; she had been buried near Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19). The Jeremiah passage describes Rachel, the”mother” of the nation, weeping for her children who had been taken away into captivity.

   Ramah was a staging point of deportation (Jeremiah 40:1). The mothers in Bethlehem also wept and mourned for the little boys killed by the soldiers; certainly their sorrow was so great that they could not be comforted. Matthew compared the grief of the mothers at the time of the Exile to the grief of the mothers of the slaughtered children. It is a terrible and awful story, that of his [Jeremiah’s] prophesying, and suffering, and tears. But in Jeremiah, as in every other prophecy, there was a gleam of the glory of hope. How great were these Hebrew prophets— so cloudy, so rough, so stormy; but on every storm-cloud there is a rainbow, and the promise of deliverance.

G. Campbell Morgan

 

  
 LIFE APPLICATION – WHEN WE GRIEVE
With the slaughter of these young children, there was much grief and suffering. Matthew implies that the weeping of these mothers connects to a long tradition of grieving. Rachel, the mother of Israel, weeps with the Bethlehem mothers.
When a loved one dies, feelings of loss are strong and sometimes overwhelming. How should Christians help a friend deal with his or her grief?
Some well-meaning comforters advise keeping a “stiff upper lip” in view of the departed’s heavenly reward. “Don’t cry, she’s in a better place” is the comforting phrase. In other settings, where busy people don’t know each other well, grief takes its course until everyone gets back to business. “She needs time” is the phrase they use to keep a distance.
However, helping someone through grief really means that we cry together, we share the sadness, we enter the other’s world.

THE RETURN TO NAZARETH / 2:19-23

God carefully protected his Son’s life, guiding Joseph as he took the child away from Israel when he was in danger, and then as he returned to Israel when it was once again safe. Jesus had not come to earth to minister in Egypt; he had come to his own people as their Messiah. Thus, God returned him to Israel and guided his parents as they raised him in Nazareth. God was working out his plan of salvation for our sakes. Believers ought to read this story with awe as they watch God working behind the scenes to protect the life of Jesus Christ on this earth.

2:19-21 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”NIV The angel of the Lord had promised that Joseph would be told when it would be safe for him and his family to return to Israel: “Stay there until I tell you” (2:13). Israel was not safe while Herod the Great ruled. But after Herod died (in 4 b.c. of an incurable disease), the angel appeared once again in a dream to direct Joseph. The angel instructed Joseph to return to Israel because those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead. The plural “those” used here was most likely a generalized term including Herod and all those under his orders.

If Christ was born one to two years before Herod’s death, that would mean that he was born in 6 b.c., that is, six years “before Christ.” The confusion was caused by a switch from the Roman to the Christian calendar in the sixth century a.d., based on the faulty calculations of Dionysius Exiguus, who must not have had accurate information about the date of Herod’s death.

Joseph did as the angel said. Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.NRSV How long they had been in Egypt is unknown. But when the angel commanded them to return to Israel, Joseph did not hesitate.

2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee.NRSV Rome had trusted Herod the Great but didn’t trust his sons. Herod knew that Rome wouldn’t give his successor as much power, so he divided his kingdom into three parts, one for each son. Archelaus received Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod. Herod Antipas received Galilee and Perea; Herod Philip II received Traconitis. Archelaus, a violent man, began his reign by slaughtering three thousand influential people. He was known for his instability; in fact, he proved to be such a poor ruler that he was deposed in a.d. 6. Joseph had heard about Archelaus and was afraid to go back to Bethlehem, which was in the district of Judea. Once again, God guided Joseph, warning him in a dream not to go into the region of this evil ruler. So Joseph took the family north to the district of Galilee.

2:23 And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”NIV Joseph returned to his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 2:4). Nazareth sat in the hilly area of southern Galilee near the crossroads of great caravan trade routes. The town itself was rather small. The Roman garrison in charge of Galilee was housed there. The people of Nazareth had constant contact with people from all over the world, so world news reached them quickly. The people of Nazareth had an attitude of independence that many of the Jews despised. This may have been why Nathanael later commented, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46 niv).

The Old Testament does not record the specific statement He will be called a Nazarene. Many scholars believe, however, that Matthew was referring to Isaiah 11:1 where the Hebrew word for “branch” (netser) is similar to the word for “Nazarene.” Others say he may have been referring to a prophecy unrecorded in the Bible, or to a combination of prophecies (because he used the plural prophets). Matthew painted a picture of Jesus as the true Messiah announced by God through the prophets; he made the point that Jesus, the Messiah, had unexpectedly humble beginnings and would be despised by those to whom he came, just as the Old Testament had predicted.

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Source:  Life Application Bible Commentary -Matthew.

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Matthew Chapter 1 (28 chapters in 28 days)

Posted on January 3, 2016 by dkoop

Gospel of MatthewAs we begin the New Year, all three Ridge locations are going through the book of Matthew together. 28 chapters in 28 days!  We’ll begin today, January 3rd and end on January 31st.  I’m so glad you will join us!  I’ll be praying for each of us a we dive into God’s word.  I know that we will  not only be informed but be transformed.

Each day I’ll post some commentary to accompany our chapter reading each day.  Here’s Matthew Chapter 1:

matthew-24-35THE ANCESTORS OF JESUS / 1:1-17 / 

Jesus entered human history when the land of Palestine was an insignificant outpost of the vast and mighty Roman Empire. The rule of Rome brought military peace to the whole world, and thus to Palestine; however, it did not eliminate oppression, slavery, injustice, and immorality. The Jews resented the Roman intrusion into their daily and religious life. Into this world of conflict and sin, Jesus came as the promised Messiah.

More than four hundred years had passed since the last Old Testament prophecies, and faithful Jews all over the world were still waiting for the Messiah (Luke 3:15). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Matthew wrote this book to Jews to present Jesus as King and Messiah, the promised descendant of David who would reign forever (Isaiah 11:1-5). The Gospel of Matthew links the Old and New Testaments, containing many references to show how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.

Believers should not be put off by this long list of names at the beginning of the New Testament. Present-day Christians, like their early counterparts, should remember that the roots of their faith lie in Judaism. Jesus was a Jew, lived among the Jews, and followed their laws (insofar as they were truly God’s laws); and he fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures as he did so. Matthew’s many quotations from and allusions to the Old Testament should cause believers to stand in awe at the unfolding of God’s wonderful plan from ages past.

God’s plan continues to unfold, and we are part of it. The end of Matthew’s Gospel records Christ’s Great Commission to the apostles, that they should “make disciples of all the nations” (28:19 nkjv). We believe because others obeyed Christ and carried the message to us. We fulfill the Great Commission today when we take part in sharing the gospel message with unreached people and nations.

1:1 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.NIV The first seventeen verses of Matthew’s Gospel present Jesus’ ancestry. Giving a record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ was the most interesting way that Matthew could begin a book for a Jewish audience. The Old Testament contains several genealogies: See Genesis 5; Ruth 4:18-22; and 1 Chronicles 1-9. Genealogies served several purposes in Bible times. They traced ancestral claims to land and positions of authority, they were outlines for tracing history, and they revealed ancestral origins. Because a person’s family line proved his or her standing as one of God’s chosen people, Matthew began by showing that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, the father of all Jews, and a direct descendant of David, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah’s line (“son of” can also mean “descendant of”). The facts of this ancestry were carefully preserved. This is the first of many proofs recorded by Matthew to show that Jesus was the true Messiah. Matthew traced the genealogy back to Abraham, while Luke traced it back to Adam. Matthew wrote to the Jews, so Jesus was shown as a descendant of their father, Abraham. Luke wrote to the Gentiles, so he emphasized Jesus as the Savior of all people.

 LIFE APPLICATION – GOOD NEWS
Matthew’s first sentence communicates the banner headline. He holds nothing back. Jesus is the Christ (God’s long-promised Messiah)! He’s the Savior of Israel (David’s son)! He’s the hope of all nations (Abraham’s son)! Call a press conference, roll the videotape, this is big news.
People with news as good as this should get prickly with excitement to tell others. Don’t be one of those who holds it in. Let the world know. Like Matthew, share the excitement. Be a missionary wherever God has put you. With your life and by your words, tell others the Good News: Jesus, the Savior, has come and he’s here today.

This family line was traced through Joseph, who is listed in 1:16 as “the husband of Mary” not the father of Jesus. Because Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant, Joseph was not Jesus’ father by sexual union, although Joseph was certainly Jesus’ father by law and by paternal care. Matthew’s genealogy gives Jesus’ legal (or royal) lineage through Joseph, a descendant of King David. Jesus was first of all called son of David. God had promised to King David, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16 niv). That verse was fulfilled in Jesus Christ who will reign as king forever: “I, Jesus, . . . am the Root and the Offspring of David” (Revelation 22:16 niv). Prophesying Jesus’ coming and reign, Isaiah wrote,

  • For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. . . . Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 niv)

Jesus was called son of Abraham, indicating more than just his heritage among the Jews. God had told Abraham,

  • “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3 niv).
  • “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Genesis 17:7 niv).
  • “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” (Genesis 22:18 niv).
LIFE APPLICATION – QUALIFICATIONS
In the first 17 verses we meet 46 people whose lifetimes span 2,000 years. All were ancestors of Jesus, but they varied considerably in personality, spirituality, and experience. Some were heroes of faith—like Abraham, Isaac, Ruth, and David. Some had shady reputations—like Rahab and Tamar. Many were very ordinary—like Hezron, Ram, Nahshon, and Akim. And others were evil—like Manasseh and Abijah. God’s work in history is not limited by human failures or sins, and he works through ordinary people. Just as God used all kinds of people to bring his Son into the world, he uses all kinds today to accomplish his will. Consider the following questions:
l Whatever your background, have you put your trust wholly in Christ and turned from your sins?
l Whichever your gender, have you opened your mind and heart to God’s instruction, and do you depend on God for guidance each day?
l Whatever your talents, have you committed your life to God so that, whether you’re a carpenter or an executive, you do everything for God’s glory?
God wants to use you.

Jesus Christ will reign forever, and he will also reign over a kingdom of greater scope than only a Jewish kingdom. He will reign over faithful believers from all the nations. While Matthew seems to have written this book for the Jewish Christians to give them further assurance in their faith, in the first verse he stated that the gospel was meant for all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. As Jesus fulfilled God’s covenant with David, so he also fulfilled God’s covenant with Abraham. Through faith in Jesus Christ, anyone from any nation will be blessed through Abraham’s covenant, will find salvation, and will “be blessed” with eternal life.

1:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.NRSV Starting with Abraham, the recognized father of the Jewish nation, Matthew continued to list Jesus’ ancestors to prove that Jesus was the “son” (or descendant of) both Abraham and David. The phrase “was the father of” can also mean “was the ancestor of.” Thus, there need not be a direct father-and-son relationship between all those listed in a genealogy.

In ancient times, genealogies were often arranged to aid memorization. Matthew recorded his genealogy in three sets of fourteen generations (see 1:17 and explanation there): the first set from Abraham to David; the second from David’s son Solomon to the Exile in Babylon; the third from the return from exile to Jesus’ birth. God’s plan unfolded across the generations; he controlled history in preparation for the arrival of his Son.

Abraham, as noted above in 1:1, was called by God, received God’s covenant promises, and believed the Lord—so “the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6 nrsv). His story is told in Genesis 11-25. (He is also mentioned in Exodus 2:24; Acts 7:2-8; Romans 4; Galatians 3; Hebrews 2; 6; 7; 11.)

Abraham was the father of Isaac. Abraham and Sarah wondered if God would ever send them the promised son. (If Abraham’s descendants were to be too numerous to count, he certainly needed to start with one descendant!) But God always keeps his promises. Genesis records the story of Isaac’s birth (and his near sacrifice) in chapters 21 and 22.

Isaac became the father of Jacob. These three men—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—are often named together as the “patriarchs,” fathers of the nation and receivers of God’s covenant (see Genesis 50:24; Exodus 3:16; 33:1; Numbers 32:11; Deuteronomy 1:8; 6:10; 9:5, 27; 29:13; 30:20; 34:4; 2 Kings 13:23; Jeremiah 33:26; Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28; Acts 3:13; 7:32).

Jacob had many sons by his wives Rachel and Leah, including Joseph, whose coat of many colors caused great envy among his older brothers. Jacob’s twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel (see Genesis 49:1-28). Matthew, desiring to trace Jesus’ royal lineage, made special note of Judah because the royal line was to continue through him. In Jacob’s blessing upon Judah, he had said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet” (Genesis 49:10 nrsv). King David was from the tribe of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4; 1 Chronicles 28:4).

The mention of Judah’s brothers may have served to remind Matthew’s readers of the twelve tribes of Israel that corresponded with the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus to continue his work. Later in his book, Matthew would record Jesus’ words to the Twelve: “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (19:28 niv).

1:3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram.NIV An interesting sidelight appears in this verse. One might expect a genealogy to avoid mention of less reputable ancestors, but Judah’s sons were born by Tamar, who had prostituted herself to her father-in-law. The story of Judah and Tamar is told in Genesis 38—an intriguing tale of evil, judgment, lies, deceit, and ultimate vindication. While Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, he was not married to their mother, Tamar. Perez and Zerah were twins (see also 1 Chronicles 2:4). The line tracing Perez to King David is also recorded in Ruth 4:12, 18-22.

Matthew’s inclusion of four particular women in his genealogy reveals his concern to do more than relay historical data. While we might have expected him to include Sarah and Rebekah (wives of Abraham and Isaac, respectively), he chose instead Tamar (who had seduced her father-in-law), Rahab and Ruth (who were not Jews; also, Rahab had been a prostitute), and Bathsheba, called “Uriah’s wife” in 1:6 (who had committed adultery). In other words, these women were less-than-sterling examples to have in one’s ancestral line. Yet this was the line into which God’s Son was born. The suspicion of illegitimacy surrounded these four women’s sexual activity; this fits with the suspicion surrounding Mary, Jesus’ mother—a suspicion that Matthew spent much time refuting. These were normal people, sometimes caught up in their own sin, all of them in need of God’s mercy and grace. God sent his Son as Savior of all people—Jews, Gentiles, men, women—those pretty good and those very evil. No matter what the sins of the people, God’s plan was never thwarted, and God’s Son was born according to his plan.

Not much is known about Hezron and Ram. Hezron is mentioned in Genesis 46:12 and 1 Chronicles 2:5. Ram (or Aram) is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:9.

LIFE APPLICATION – DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES
In Jesus’ family tree, we don’t find all sports heroes and presidents. Some very bad-news characters formed his past. But Matthew does not hide them, and Jesus’ parents, for all we know, never let the past determine the present.
Overcoming a dysfunctional past is not easy, but never adopt the past as your excuse. With Jesus, life starts over with new energy, new purpose, and new love. Start your day with prayer, live it by the promises of God’s Word, and use your church’s resources and friendships to mend, heal, and overcome. No excuses!

1:4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon.NIV Amminadab and Nahshon are mentioned in Exodus 6:23—Amminadab’s daughter and Nahshon’s sister, Elisheba, married Aaron, who became Israel’s high priest. Mentioned in Numbers 1:7, Nahshon was chosen to help Aaron number the men of Israel who could fight in the army. Then in Numbers 2:3, Nahshon is called “the leader of the people of Judah,” meaning that he was in charge of that tribe. He also was in charge of bringing an offering for the dedication of the altar in God’s tabernacle—and he brought his offering on the first day (Numbers 7:12-17). Salmon is mentioned again only in the genealogy in Ruth 4:18-22. These men are also listed in 1 Chronicles 2:10-11.

1:5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse.NIV Rahab is the woman of Jericho who hid Israel’s spies and eventually was saved by them when the Israelites destroyed Jericho. Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua 2:1) who operated an inn on the city wall. She came to believe in Israel’s God, and she protected the spies and helped them in their mission: “‘The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you.’ . . . So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall” (Joshua 2:11-12, 15 niv). Rahab is included in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11. She is the only non-Jew mentioned there by name.

There is a chronological problem in making Rahab the actual mother of Boaz, however. As with the phrase “father of,” those listed as mothers in a genealogy may be ancestors rather than actual mothers.

However, chronology was not a concern with the next three people. The book of Ruth tells the story of Boaz and a young woman named Ruth, who had come to Israel from the nearby nation of Moab. Boaz married Ruth, and they became the parents of Obed (Ruth 4:13-17). Obed later became the father of Jesse (Ruth 4:21-22). See also 1 Chronicles 2:12.

1:6 And Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife.NIV Jesse had several sons, one of whom had been anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king of Israel after King Saul (see 1 Samuel 16:5-13). Placing the word King with David reminded Matthew’s Jewish audience of the glorious reign of King David, the promises that God had given to David, and the fulfillment of those promises in the appearance of an even greater King—the Messiah himself. The story of David is told in 1 and 2 Samuel, with the transfer of his throne to his son Solomon recorded in 1 Kings 1.

Solomon was born to David and Bathsheba (described here as having been Uriah’s wife). The story, recorded in 2 Samuel 11, describes David’s murder plot against Uriah in order to get Uriah’s wife for himself. God was very displeased with David’s evil actions, and the first child born to David and Bathsheba died (2 Samuel 11:27-12:23). The next child born was Solomon, who later ruled Israel during a reign that would be described as the golden age of the nation. His God-given wisdom became known worldwide, and he wrote many of the proverbs in the book of Proverbs, as well as Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. His story is told in 1 Kings 1-11 and 2 Chronicles 1-9.

1:7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa.NIV At the end of Solomon’s glorious reign, his evil son Rehoboam split the kingdom because of a prideful and ill-advised decision (see 1 Kings 12:1-24). Two kingdoms emerged: The southern kingdom, called Judah, was ruled by Rehoboam; the northern kingdom, called Israel, was ruled by Jeroboam. But the kingdom of Israel had a succession of evil kings. Eventually Israel was conquered by Assyria, and many of its people were taken away into exile. The kingdom of Judah had both good and bad kings. This genealogy traces only the line of the kings of Judah.

Rehoboam’s son Abijah (also called Abijam) was also an evil king who “committed all the sins that his father did before him; his heart was not true to the Lord his God, like the heart of his father David. Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem” (1 Kings 15:3-4 nrsv). This son was the godly king Asa who “did what was right in the sight of the Lord, as his father David had done” (1 Kings 15:11 nrsv).

No particular pattern appears—sometimes an evil king had a godly son (as Abijah and Asa); other times a godly king had an evil son (as Jehoshaphat and Jehoram). They were often judged by the standard of King David, who, despite all his mistakes, was considered a great and God-honoring king.

 LIFE APPLICATION – HELPING CHILDREN FIND FAITH
For all his reputed wisdom, Solomon wasn’t much of a dad. Solomon’s kids were rebels who never seemed to understand the importance of faith in God. They messed up all he had built, but not all the fault was theirs.
To build your children in faith, start with the simple steps. Don’t skip church; be there with them. Don’t convey how hard you’ve worked; rather, convey how much God has blessed. Pray at meals, at bedtime, whenever it’s right, which is usually when you’re most tired. Don’t be a deadbeat: Give to missions and to the homeless—time and money. Show them how to love God, before you start the lecture.

1:8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah.NIV Good King Asa was the father of another good king, Jehoshaphat. King Jehoshaphat “walked in all the way of his father Asa; he did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 22:43 nrsv). However Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram (also called Joram) “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 8:18 nrsv). Still, God’s promise would not be deterred. For even as the evil king Jehoram led Judah into evil, “the Lord would not destroy Judah, for the sake of his servant David, since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his descendants forever” (2 Kings 8:19 nrsv).

That Jehoram is called the father of Uzziah provides an example of how this phrase did not always mean actual “father of.” According to the same genealogy in 1 Chronicles 3:10-12, Matthew omitted three names between Jehoram and Uzziah (also called Azariah): These three kings were Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah. Scholars have offered various opinions for why these names were excluded— such as the fact that all three men had connections with Ahab and Jezebel (the exceedingly evil king and queen of the northern kingdom of Israel) and with Athaliah, a wicked usurper (see 2 Kings 8:26-27 and 11:1-20). But it is more likely that Matthew did not include these names in order to keep his pattern of three sets of fourteen generations in this genealogy.

After the reign of evil king Jehoram, his son Uzziah (Azariah) assumed the throne. Uzziah followed God for most of his reign and became very powerful and successful. However, “after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense” (2 Chronicles 26:16 niv), a job only the priests were entitled to do. God struck Uzziah with leprosy, and he “had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and excluded from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land” (2 Chronicles 26:21 niv). The next verse tells of Jotham.

1:9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.NIV Apparently Jotham had learned from his father Uzziah‘s mistake, for the Bible tells us that he “grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 27:6 niv). But Jotham’s good influence did not extend to his son, for Ahaz “walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree” (2 Kings 16:3-4 niv). Following the exceedingly evil reign of Ahaz came the prosperous reign of the good king Hezekiah. Scripture tells us that “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him” (2 Kings 18:5 niv).

1:10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah.NIV Hezekiah obeyed God, but his son was the most evil king who reigned over the southern kingdom. “Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites” (2 Chronicles 33:9 niv). At the end of his life, however, Manasseh repented of his horrible sins (2 Chronicles 33:13).

Unfortunately, Manasseh’s son Amon assumed too much of his father’s character. Amon “did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. But unlike his father Manasseh, Amon did not humble himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt” (2 Chronicles 33:22-23 niv).

Once again, God had mercy on the nation, and Amon’s son Josiah attempted to undo all his father’s evil deeds. “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25 niv).

 LIFE APPLICATION – MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Josiah might have said, “Hey, what’s the use? Nothing can straighten out this mess.” Or he could have said, “Whoa, I’m just one little guy in a big, big country. Gimme a break!” Or, “It’s the old man’s problem. Let him solve it!”
But Josiah did not look for excuses. He did what one faithful believer could do, and his world was better for it. Discover stories of other heroes of faith—men and women who did all that one person could and turned the tide. Be that person yourself, despite obstacles. One person with God can make a big, big difference. Be quick to take a stand against evil or to take the first step to bring about change.

1:11 And Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.NIV Matthew omitted another name from the lineage. Josiah was the father of Jehoiakim, who was deported to Babylon when he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. After Jehoiakim was taken away, his son Jeconiah (also called Jehoiachin) reigned in Jerusalem. Jeconiah reigned for only three months before Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem, causing the city to surrender. The phrase and his brothers refers to Jeconiah’s brother Zedekiah whom Nebuchadnezzar placed on the throne of Jerusalem as a puppet ruler. Zedekiah’s name was not mentioned because the royal line did not go through him, but through Jeconiah. However, Zedekiah made the grave mistake of also rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar, and this brought down the final wrath of Babylon. On his third visit to Jerusalem for battle, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah completely, destroying Jerusalem including its beautiful temple. The entire nation of Judah was taken into exile to Babylon (2 Kings 24:16-25:21). This occurred in 586 b.c.

The exile marked the end of David’s line and kingdom. It must have looked like all the promises had come to nothing. But in approximately 735 b.c., the prophet Isaiah foretold that “a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1 niv). Judah (the royal line of David) would be like a tree chopped down to a stump. But from that stump a new shoot would grow—the Messiah. He would be greater than the original tree and would bear much fruit. The Messiah is the fulfillment of God’s promise that a descendant of David would rule forever (2 Samuel 7:16).

1:12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.NIV In this final grouping, Jeconiah (also called Jehoiachin) is listed as the father of Shealtiel, agreeing with 1 Chronicles 3:17. In listing Shealtiel as father of Zerubbabel, Matthew departed from the genealogy in 1 Chronicles 3:19 which lists Pedaiah as Zerubbabel’s father. However, Matthew agrees with several other Scriptures that list Shealtiel as Zerubbabel’s father (Ezra 3:2; 5:2; Nehemiah 12:1; Haggai 1:1; 2:2, 23). Why are there differences among these genealogies? Scholars have offered various opinions, the most likely being that a “levirate” marriage took place—the marriage of a widow to the brother of her dead husband. The purpose of such a marriage was to carry on the dead man’s name and inheritance. Family ties were an important aspect of Israelite culture. The best way to be remembered was through your line of descendants. If a widow married someone outside the family, her first husband’s line would come to an end. Thus, Shealtiel may have died childless, and his brother Pedaiah may have married Shealtiel’s widow. Pedaiah would have been truly Zerubbabel’s father (as noted in 1 Chronicles), but Zerubbabel’s birth, according to the laws of levirate marriage, would have carried on Shealtiel’s name.

Zerubbabel figured prominently in Judah’s history after the exile. When the people of Judah were finally allowed to return to their nation, Zerubbabel became their governor (Haggai 1:1) and “set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them” (Ezra 5:2 niv). God greatly blessed his servant Zerubbabel, reaffirming and guaranteeing his promise of a Messiah through David’s line, noted by the words of the prophet Haggai: “‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty” (Haggai 2:23 niv).

1:13-15 And Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob.NRSV Nothing is known from Scripture about any of these men because they lived during the intertestamental period. Matthew probably got their names from Jewish genealogical records.

1:16 And Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.NIV According to Luke 3:23, Joseph’s father was Heli. The royal line continued through Joseph, who, though he was not Jesus’ father, was the husband of Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus. The words of whom are in the feminine gender, meaning that Matthew was referring specifically to Jesus being born of Mary, but not of Joseph (as Matthew will explain in 1:18-25). Jesus is called Christ; he is the Messiah. Matthew had completed his goal in listing this genealogy—showing, beyond any doubt, that Jesus was a descendant of David, thus fulfilling God’s promises.

1:17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.NIV The Gospel breaks Israel’s history into three sets of fourteen generations, but there were probably more generations than those listed here. Genealogies often compressed history, meaning that not every generation of ancestors was specifically listed. What was Matthew’s point in mentioning fourteen generations? There are three possibilities (some or all may have been true):

  1. Some scholars propose that Matthew used the “perfect number” (seven) and made three groups of twice seven. (The Jews regarded “seven” as the number denoting completeness, wholeness, as in the seven days of creation.)
  2. Some note that in making three groups, Matthew was focusing on significant points in Jewish history: the arrival of King David on the throne of Israel, the loss of David’s throne to the Babylonian exile, and the restoration of the throne and promises in the birth of the Messiah.
  3. Others point out the use of David’s name in this genealogy because Matthew wanted to prove that Jesus descended from David. The Hebrew numerical value of David’s name is fourteen. The “numerical value” refers to the values of the Hebrew consonants in David’s name (DVD = 4+6+4=14), accounting for the focus on three sets of fourteen generations. Some are concerned that in counting these generations, each section doesn’t add up to fourteen. However, ancient counting would alternate between inclusive and exclusive reckoning. A duplicated name from one set to the next may or may not count with either the previous or following set. The same sort of reckoning was true with Jesus being in the grave for three days—the three days included part of Friday, all of Saturday, and part of Sunday, but not three twenty-four hour periods. This reckoning was standard to Matthew’s day.

A problem also seems to arise in comparing Matthew’s genealogy with Luke’s (recorded in Luke 3:23-38). Matthew’s differences can be explained by his omitting names in order to achieve his symmetry of three sets of fourteen generations. Also, most likely Luke was tracing Jesus’ natural human ancestry through Joseph, while Matthew was focusing on the legal and royal names to emphasize the succession of the throne of David and Jesus’ arrival as the promised King. Matthew stressed Israelite history. Luke’s longer genealogy traces Jesus’ ancestry through David’s son Nathan, not through Solomon, as Matthew did. Matthew also includes the names of four women, which Luke does not.

To his Jewish audience, Matthew gave a documented genealogical record of Jesus’ ancestry so they could see for themselves that Jesus did indeed fulfill the requirements as the Son of David.

AN ANGEL APPEARS TO JOSEPH / 1:18-25 /

The fact that Jesus was born to Mary even though she had not had sex with Joseph (as noted in 1:16) needed to be explained to Matthew’s readers. In this section, Matthew relates the story behind Jesus’ birth and how all attempts to thwart God’s plan go awry when God gets involved. We can appreciate God’s miraculous working in both Joseph and Mary. Although God’s actions were beyond their comprehension, and although they may have faced misunderstanding and questioning looks from those around them, Mary and Joseph willingly followed God’s guidance. How willing are we to do what God wants, no matter what? Can we follow God’s guidance without question?

1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.NIV In 1:16, Matthew had stated that Mary was Jesus’ mother, but Joseph was not his father. This needed some explanation, for, taken at face value, it sounded immoral.

Jesus’ mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. Modern readers need to understand the traditions involved in ancient Jewish marriages. First, the two families would agree to the union and negotiate the betrothal, including a price for the bride that would be paid to the bride’s father. Next, a public announcement would be made. At this point, the couple was “pledged.” This is similar to engagement today, except that it was much more binding. At this point, even though the couple was not officially married, their relationship could be broken only through death or divorce. Sexual relations were not yet permitted. This second step lasted for a year. During that time, the couple would live separately, with their parents. This waiting period would demonstrate the bride’s purity. If she were found to be pregnant during that time, the marriage could be annulled. Otherwise, the couple would be married and begin living together.

Because Mary and Joseph were pledged to be married, they had not yet had sexual relations (the meaning of the phrase “before they came together”). Yet she was found to be with child. Mary was pledged and pregnant, and Joseph knew that the child was not his own. Mary’s apparent unfaithfulness carried a severe social stigma. According to Jewish civil law, Joseph had the right to divorce her. The law also explained that the penalty for unchastity was death by stoning (Deuteronomy 22:23-24), although this was rarely carried out at this time. That Mary was “found” to be pregnant indicates that she may not have immediately told Joseph, but had waited until her condition could be seen. This probably occurred after her return from visiting her pregnant cousin Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) with whom she had stayed for three months (see Luke 1:39-56).

Removing any doubt of Mary’s purity, Matthew explained that Mary was pregnant through the Holy Spirit. During Old Testament times, the Spirit acted on God’s initiative (for example, see Genesis 1:2). Thus, the divine initiative in Mary’s conception was made clear. Luke 1:26-38 records this part of the story. When the angel announced to Mary that she was chosen to be the mother of the promised Messiah, Mary asked the obvious question: “How will this be . . . since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34 niv). The angel’s amazing answer both surprised and reassured Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35 niv). Mary humbly accepted the angel’s words, “I am the Lord’s servant. . . . May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38 niv). Surely Mary’s mind must have tumbled with concern over how Joseph would respond. She chose to trust the Lord, however, and the Lord took care of Joseph, as we see in the following verses.

 LIFE APPLICATION – FULLY HUMAN, FULLY GOD
Why is the virgin birth important to the Christian faith? Jesus Christ, God’s Son, had to be free from the sinful nature passed on to all other human beings by Adam. Because Jesus was born of a woman, he was a human being; but as the Son of God, Jesus was born without any trace of human sin. Jesus is both fully human and fully divine. The infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so he could live and die for the salvation of all who believe in him.
Because Jesus lived as a man, we know that he fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4:15-16). Because he is God, he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2:13-15). We can tell Jesus all our thoughts, feelings, and needs. He has been where we are now, and he has the ability to help.

1:19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.NRSV Joseph was called Mary’s husband, even though they were not yet officially married. However, they were “pledged” (see explanation on 1:18), which was as legally binding as marriage. Joseph had a difficult decision to make. Being a righteous man, he did not want to go against God’s laws. To marry Mary would have been an admission of guilt when he was not guilty. To have a public divorce would have exposed Mary to public disgrace, and apparently Joseph’s compassion would not allow him to expose her to public humiliation. Therefore, he chose the option to have a private divorce before two witnesses and dismiss her quietly. This way he could keep his reputation, while still showing compassion.

Evidently, Mary had not explained her visit from the angel to Joseph at this time. Joseph only resolved to dismiss Mary after her condition had become visible (1:18). And the angel’s words in 1:20 indicate that Joseph did not know the Holy Spirit’s role in Mary’s pregnancy. So, Joseph thought he had only two options: divorce Mary publicly or dismiss her quietly, but God had another option for Joseph.

God often shows us that we have more options than we think. Although Joseph seemed to be doing the right thing by breaking the engagement, God helped him make the best decision. We should always seek God’s wisdom, especially when our decisions affect others.

1:20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”NRSV As Joseph began to move forward on his decided course of action, God intervened. The conception of Jesus Christ was a supernatural event beyond human logic or reasoning. Because of this, God sent angels to help certain people understand the significance of what was happening (see 2:13, 19; Luke 1:11, 26; 2:9). In this case, an angel appeared to him in a dream. Dreams function in the Bible as a means to convey God’s message to people. They occur in three major portions of the Bible: Genesis 20-41; Daniel 1-7; Matthew 1-2. Based on Numbers 12:6, Jews believed that God communicated his will in dreams. In Matthew, dreams are used repeatedly to guide people (2:12-13, 22; 27:19). God used dreams in a special way during these key times. We can benefit spiritually from our dreams, but there is no certainty that they are authoritative messages from God.

Angels are spiritual beings, created by God, who help carry out his work on earth. They bring God’s messages to people (Luke 1:26), protect God’s people (Daniel 6:22), offer encouragement (Genesis 16:7ff.), give guidance (Exodus 14:19), carry out punishment (2 Samuel 24:16), patrol the earth (Zechariah 1:9-14), and fight the forces of evil (2 Kings 6:16-18; Revelation 20:1-2). Both good and evil angels exist (Revelation 12:7), but because evil angels are allied with the devil, or Satan, they have considerably less power and authority than good angels. Eventually the main role of angels will be to offer continuous praise to God (Revelation 7:11-12). The angel who appeared to Joseph was one of God’s messengers, sent to correct Joseph in his dealings with Mary.

The angel called Joseph son of David, signifying that Joseph had a special role in a special event. The angel explained that Joseph was to take Mary as his wife, for the child was to be in the royal line of David. Joseph, as “son of David,” would establish that royal lineage. Joseph was not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife—no matter what the social repercussions might be. Of course, she was already his wife because they were pledged, but the angel told Joseph that instead of divorcing Mary, he should complete the marriage process and take her home as his wife. Mary had committed no sin. Instead, the angel explained that the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. God himself had caused this pregnancy, and the child would be very special—God’s Son. He would also be the fulfillment of prophecy, as described in the next verse.

 LIFE APPLICATION- MAKING GOOD DECISIONS
When facing big decisions, some people freeze with fright. What if I decide wrong? What if I miss God’s will? What if . . . ?
To make good decisions, first take all these worries and put them under God’s promise: God cares for you, watches over you, and guides your steps.
Joseph came to the best decision he could, but God had other plans and made them clear. Most of our decisions will not be overruled by angels, but that’s no reason for lack of confidence. To make good decisions, pray, evaluate all the options, talk with trusted friends, then act in faith. God is with you, every step.

1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”NKJV The angel’s message included telling Joseph what was to come and what he should do. There seems to have been no doubt that Joseph would hear and obey. Mary would give birth to a baby boy. Joseph was to name the child Jesus. “Jesus” is the Greek form of “Joshua.” The name means “the Lord saves.” Jesus’ name identified him as the one who would bring God’s promised salvation. The baby Jesus would be born to save His people from their sins. From the very start, the book explains, to a Jewish audience, that Jesus would not save the people from Rome or from tyranny, nor would he set up an earthly kingdom. Instead, Jesus would save people from sin. The words “his people” form a mystery to be unfolded in the pages of Matthew’s Gospel. Who were “his people,” and how would Jesus save them from their sins? The answers to these questions will be found in the unfolding story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

 LIFE APPLICATION – A NEW LIFE
Jesus came to earth to save us because we can’t save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can’t eliminate our alienation from God. Only Jesus can do that. Jesus didn’t come to help people save themselves; he, and he alone, came to be their Savior from the power and penalty of sin. Thank Jesus for his death on the cross for your sin, and then ask him to take control of your life. Your new life begins at that moment.

1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”NIV Throughout his Gospel, Matthew delighted in quoting or alluding to Old Testament Scripture to show how Jesus fulfilled it. Jesus was to be called Immanuel—which means “God with us,” as predicted by Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus was God in the flesh; thus, God was literally “with us.” The point was not that Jesus would ever bear the name “Immanuel,” but rather this name described Jesus’ role—to bring God’s presence to people. Jesus Christ, who was himself God (John 1:1), brought God to earth in his human body—living, eating, teaching, healing, dying. Matthew closed his Gospel with the same promise of “God with us” because, before his ascension, Jesus promised his followers, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 nkjv). Perhaps not even Isaiah understood how far-reaching the meaning of “Immanuel” would be.

Matthew quoted Isaiah 7:14 probably from the Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament (the Septuagint). In Isaiah 7:14, “virgin” is translated from a Hebrew word used for an unmarried woman old enough to be married, one who is sexually mature (see Genesis 24:43; Exodus 2:8; Psalm 68:25; Proverbs 30:19; Song of Solomon 1:3; 6:8). Some have compared this young woman to Isaiah’s young wife, who gave him a son (Isaiah 8:1-4). This is not likely because she had already borne a child, Shear-Jashub, and her second child was not named Immanuel. Some believe that Isaiah’s first wife may have died, and so this is his second wife. It is more likely that this prophecy had a double fulfillment. (1) A young woman from the house of Ahaz who was not married would marry and have a son. Before three years passed (one year for pregnancy and two for the child to be old enough to talk), the two invading kings would be destroyed. (2) Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 to show a further fulfillment of this prophecy in that a virgin named Mary conceived and bore a son, Immanuel, the Christ.

1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.NRSV The angel had spoken to Joseph “in a dream” (1:20), so immediately when Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. Joseph had been faced with a difficult choice after discovering that Mary was pregnant. Although he knew that taking Mary as his wife might be humiliating, Joseph chose to obey the angel’s command to marry her. He did not hesitate. The decision was no longer difficult, for he simply did what he knew God wanted him to do. His action revealed four admirable qualities: (1) righteousness (1:19), (2) discretion and sensitivity (1:19), (3) responsiveness to God (1:24), and (4) self-discipline (1:25).

Apparently Joseph broke with tradition and took her as his wife, even though the customary one-year waiting period had not passed. However, Joseph did as God commanded and “completed” their marriage by taking Mary to live with him. No matter what the social stigma, no matter what the local gossips thought about this move, Joseph knew he was following God’s command in marrying and caring for Mary during her pregnancy.

 *LIFE APPLICATION – “BUT WHAT WILL EVERYONE THINK?”
Joseph changed his plans quickly after learning about God’s plan for his life from the angel. He obeyed God and proceeded with the marriage plans. Although others may have disapproved of his decision, Joseph went ahead with what he knew was right. Sometimes we avoid doing what is right because of what others might think. Like Joseph, we must choose to obey God rather than seek the approval of others.

1:25 But had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.NRSV To squelch any doubts about the conception and birth of Jesus while Mary was still a virgin, Matthew explained that Joseph had no marital relations with her until after the son was born. These words also set aside the notion that Mary lived her whole life as a virgin; after Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary consummated their marriage, and Jesus had several half brothers (12:46). Two of Jesus’ half brothers figured in the early church—James, leader of the church in Jerusalem, and Jude, writer of the book that bears his name.

Traditionally, baby boys were circumcised and named eight days after birth. Luke records that “on the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus” (Luke 2:21 niv). Joseph did everything that God had told him through the angel (1:21), naming the baby his God-given name: Jesus.

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Source:  Life Application Bible Commentary – Life Application Bible Commentary – Matt

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