The Gospel According To Matthew. Teaching Series Conducted At West Side Church of God in Christ Rockford, Illinois

Transcription

1 The Gospel According To Matthew Teaching Series Conducted At West Side Church of God in Christ Rockford, Illinois Maurice A. West January 2003 March 2003

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3 INTRODUCTION Blessings upon you, people of the most high God! As you prepare to read this study in the Gospel of St. Matthew, it is my prayer that it will be a blessing to you. This study was conducted at West Side Church of God in Christ in Rockford, Illinois, between January 2003 and March Throughout the text, I have added what I call Leadership Principles and Saints Principles. The intention of these principles is to point out truths, strictly as I see them, based on something that has occurred in the Scriptures. I have directed the Leadership Principles to everyone in the church who has responsibility for instructing or leading God s people in some capacity, no matter how small. On the other hand, the Saints Principles are for EVERYONE that names the name of Christ as their Savior. (Actually, I believe we can benefit from all the principles whether we are in a leading capacity now or not.) I hope this study is a blessing to you and gives you the encouragement you need to dig deeper into the Word of God. Pastor Maurice A. West March 2003 Maurice A. West 2003 Page 3 of 126

4 BACKGROUND TO OUR STUDY: At various times in this study, you may find the following labels, shown within the brackets in the next sentence. They are references to various sources that were used on a recurring basis in putting together this material: {AC}Adam Clarke s Commentary on the Whole Bible {JF&B} the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary {MH} Matthew Henry s Commentary on the Whole Bible in One Volume {Dake} Dake s Annotated Reference Bible by Finis Dake {MacArthur} the MacArthur Study Bible by Dr. John MacArthur {Thompson} the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible {McGee} Thru the Bible Commentary Series by Dr. J. Vernon McGee. If other references are used they will be called out at that time. There will also be various translations of the Scriptures used in our study. When we deviate from the King James Version (which will be our standard), the other versions will be noted as follows (with all the legal disclaimers): Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Scriptures quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois Scripture quotations marked Amplified Bible are taken from The Amplified Bible. Copyright 1965, Zondervan Publishing House. Introduction WRITER: The writer of the book is important because the Gospels are intended to give us eyewitness accounts of the actions of Jesus Christ and, more importantly, personal insights into His character so that we can walk like He walked. In Christendom, it is an established fact that Matthew (Levi the tax collector) was the author of this book. In keeping with our approach in these studies, let s also hear what various commentators say regarding the author of the Gospel of St. Matthew. {MacArthur} Matthew, meaning gift of the Lord, was the other name of Levi (Matthew 9:9), the tax collector who left everything to follow Christ (Luke 5:27,28). Matthew was one of the 12 apostles (10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 1:13). In his own list of the 12, he explicitly calls himself a tax collector (10:3). Nowhere else in Scripture is the name Matthew associated with tax collector ; the other evangelists always employ his former name, Levi, when speaking of his sinful past. This is evidence of humility on Matthew s part. As with the other 3 gospels, this work is known by the name of its author. {MH} The penman was by birth a Jew, by calling a publican, till Christ commanded his attendance, and then he left the receipt of custom, to follow him, and was one of those that accompanied him all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out, beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that he was taken up, Acts 1:21, 22. He was therefore a competent witness of what he has here recorded. Ray Stedman, October 1966, Discovery Publishing, a Ministry of Peninsula Bible Church As you know, this Gospel was written by Matthew, otherwise known as Levi. He was a publican, and publicans were those men who took the taxes from the people. His name means the gift of God, and to call a tax collector by that name obviously indicates that he was converted. It was perhaps our Lord himself who Maurice A. West 2003 Page 4 of 126

5 designated him Matthew, just as he changed Simon s name to Peter, and perhaps the names of others of the disciples as well. Tradition tells us that Matthew lived and taught in Palestine for 15 years after the crucifixion, and then he began to travel as a missionary, first to Ethiopia and then to Macedonia, Syria, and Persia. Finally he died a natural death in either Ethiopia or Macedonia, but this is not certain. It is one of the legends or traditions that have come down to us about Matthew. DATE: This information will allow us to answer certain facts about the book. For example, the Gospel of St. John brings out information and names that are not mentioned in the other Gospels. Many speculate that since this was one of the last books, if not the last book, of the New Testament, these names could be mentioned because the people involved were now dead. This is particularly true with Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, who had a death warrant against him by the Jews. The Gospel of St. Matthew was said to be one of the earliest Gospels and in widespread use by the early church. According to Matthew Henry, He is said to have written this history about eight years after Christ s ascension. JF&B states that there is much division on the exact date or even approximate date on the writing of the Gospel but they state that common consensus is that this was the first of the Gospels written. With these two opinions, this would also put Matthew in the correct order as the first book of the New Testament. STATISTICS: {Dake} The Gospel of St. Matthew is the 40th book of the Bible. It contains 28 chapters and 1,071 verses. There are also 25 Old Testament prophecies mentioned in this book as compared to 11 in Mark, 9 in Luke, and 15 in John. This keeps with the theme of this book in the next section. WHY THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN: What is the key theme of the book? Each Gospel has a theme. They are not intended to be biographical sketches but rather character sketches written to different audiences. Before getting too far into that, though, some facts important to studying the Gospels need to be brought out: 1. There are three synoptic Gospels, or Gospels with similar points of view. These three are Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John presents a totally unique perspective. For example, the synoptic Gospels record numerous parables but John records none. The synoptic Gospels focus on the Lord s ministry in Galilee but John focuses on His ministry in Judea. 2. When studying the Gospels the harmony of the Gospels, or how they all fit together in timelines and events, is important. Most decent study Bibles will include this in their reference material. 3. These are not the only Gospels known to be in existence. Ray Stedman (same source as before) states There is the Gospel of Barnabas, for instance, and the Gospel of Peter, and yet other gospels. They can be found in a book called The New Testament Apocrypha if you would like to read them. The critics say that it is mere chance that these four Gospels survived. There is a legend that began with a German theologian named Pappas in about the 16th century who said that the Gospels were selected at the Council of Nice in 325 A.D. by gathering together all the many gospels that were circulating at that time, throwing them all under a table, and then reaching in and pulling out four which happened to be Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The foolishness of such a claim is evident to anyone who reads the Gospels with thoughtfulness. They are stamped with the fingerprints of God. The very pattern of these books reflects the divine imprint, and you cannot read them or compare them with the Old Testament without seeing that they come from an inspired source. Furthermore, you have merely to compare them with the Apocryphal gospels to see how foolish such a claim is. Now to the point of this section, all of the Gospels had a unique audience. Mark targeted a Gentile audience that was particularly Roman. The theme of Mark was that Jesus Christ came as a servant. Luke targeted a Gentile audience also but a more generic audience. His theme was that Jesus Christ was a man. As a learned man, who was not only a physician but also a historian, his writings are said to be the best literary documents of the New Testament. Luke brought out historical details and references in his Gospel. John wrote his Maurice A. West 2003 Page 5 of 126

6 Gospel to the church to reveal Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Finally, Matthew portrays Jesus Christ as the Messiah to the Jewish people. In this book we will find many references to Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah. Because his was the first Gospel, he wrote it to strengthen the new believers, who at the time were for the most part Jewish, and to use it as a tool to win other Jews to Christ. Finally, as we prepare to go into this study, we will have a three-fold purpose in this study. While going through this book, it is our intention to: Expose myths Fables and nice ideas that are not Scriptural. Uncover truths Key information that may have been missed in other studies. Find out who Jesus really is according to the Scripture. Maurice A. West 2003 Page 6 of 126

7 Chapter 1 This chapter has two sections: verses 1-17 tell of the Messianic genealogy of Jesus Christ; verses tell of His birth and the circumstances surrounding His birth. 1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Being the son of David and the son of Abraham were essential characteristics of the Messiah and Matthew brings these out in the very first verse. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; When we studied the Books of Chronicles, we pointed out how that David s sin with Bathsheba marred his testimony and continued to haunt him long after his death. Here it is brought up again. 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. NLT Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah. Matthew does not boldly say, who is Christ or who is the Messiah but says, who is called Christ and appears to let the readers draw their own conclusion as they go into the Gospel. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. These seventeen verses may represent for you the most boring verses in the Bible. However, remember that the original audience for this Gospel was Jewish. To them, genealogies were important because they told the story of your pedigree or where you came from. They were, and yet are, diligent in their care of who they would embrace. With this genealogy, Matthew shows that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the prophetic genealogy required for Messiah. MYTH: Before leaving these verses, let us also make a clarification regarding verse 17. Often preachers will get excited and tell how Jesus came through FORTY-TWO GENERATIONS. However, this is only partially true. If you look at the genealogy that Luke presents, you ll find that he goes back farther than forty-two generations. Why is Maurice A. West 2003 Page 7 of 126

8 there a difference? Matthew is presenting Messiah as part of the seed of Abraham (important to the Jewish people), of the line of David (vitally important to ANYONE looking for the Messiah) and continued in David s royal lineage. Luke presents Jesus Christ as a man who came from the first man. This slight difference made a big difference to the readers of that time. 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. We read this Scripture, especially during the Christmas season, but do we really understand how awful this event could have been? In this brutal time of religious intolerance, Mary was found to be pregnant before she married Joseph. Had this become publicly known, she would have been labeled an adulteress and stoned to death. Watch what the Pharisees did in the Gospel of St. John when confronted with a similar situation John 8:4-5 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This is what could have happened if Joseph hadn t been a righteous man! 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. We often focus on Mary and her righteousness but everyone could not have handled this situation like Joseph did. Tradition says that he was a much older man than Mary was and, after having waited so long to be married, to receive damaged goods would have really worked on his male ego. But before we think too long on that, we have a big however in this principle. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Male ego or feminine modesty or whatever we have within us or whatever tradition we hold to must be made subject to the righteousness of God, which we have in Christ Jesus. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Joseph was a dreamer. This is the first of four dreams that he will have providing him direction and guidance in the Gospel of Matthew. The only way that God spoke to Joseph was in dreams but God DEFINITELY spoke to him. MYTH: A major denomination extols the virtues of Mary in guiding the early days of the Lord Jesus, however, the truth is that every move the young family made was by direction of God given to the priest of that family, Joseph. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. This often quoted verse has a significant truth in it: TRUTH: Joseph was responsible for naming Jesus through the direction he received from God. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. This is in fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: A great virtue of Joseph s to be seen repeatedly in these early chapters of this Gospel is his unwavering obedience to God. It is no wonder that God chose him to be the head of the household that Jesus would be raised in. Maurice A. West 2003 Page 8 of 126

9 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. Mary remained a virgin until after she had delivered Jesus. Once He was delivered, JOSEPH called his name Jesus. MYTH: The same major denomination mentioned before also teaches that Mary remained a virgin throughout her life. However, in truth, she was a virgin at the delivery of Jesus. After that, she had other children by Joseph. Matthew 13:55-56 Is not this the carpenter s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? If this were true, where did Jesus come up with all of these family members that are specifically named in Matthew? Maurice A. West 2003 Page 9 of 126

10 Chapter 2 This chapter has two sections: verses 1-12 tell of the visit of the wise men; verses tell of the travels of the holy family in order to preserve the life of the Lord Jesus. CAUTION: There are a lot of myths to be exposed in this chapter! 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, MYTH: We Three Kings is a beautiful and touching Christmas song even though it has NO Scriptural backing. No where in this Gospel, the ONLY Gospel that speaks of their visit, is a number given. MYTH: No where in this Gospel is there any indication that these were kings. The Greek word used for wise men is magoi from which we get the term Magi. The word actually means royal astrologers, which is why they were so impressed with the star. 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. MYTH: They did not come following a star but came because they saw a star from their homeland east of Jerusalem. We ll see later that they followed the star only a short period. {Dake} In the east at this time there was a general expectation of a king to be born in Judea who was to rule the whole world. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Naturally he was troubled he has visitors who have come not to pay respect to him but to someone who was born to replace him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. This is the fulfillment of Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. Herod wanted to know this because he already had a demonic scheme in mind. If he could pinpoint the timetable of the star, he could get close to the age of the child and carry out his plan of massacre. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. NOW they begin to follow the star. They followed the star from Jerusalem to where Jesus was. Herod sent them to Bethlehem but obviously Jesus was somewhere else. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Look at their excitement! There s no indication that these men knew God but they knew that God had done something and they wanted to be part of it. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, Maurice A. West 2003 Page 10 of 126

11 and frankincense, and myrrh. MYTH: The wise men did not see Jesus at the stable. We re going to see in coming verses that if they had come to the stable, Jesus would have been there a long, long time. There are three key points in this verse: (1) The holy family is now living in a HOUSE, not the stable; (2) Joseph was alive but the presentation of the wise men was made to Mary and Jesus; (3) these men may not have been kings but they were wealthy and they shared their wealth with the holy family. Isn t it ironic that God made provision for His son by the hands of strangers so that He could be protected from those whom He was sent to? SAINT S PRINCIPLE: God s provision goes far beyond what our natural eyes can see. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. God used a dream to speak to these men also. 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. This is the second time that God has led Joseph through a dream. The direction was very specific and, we ll see in the next verse, Joseph was again obedient. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. This is the fulfillment of Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. NLT Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier. This verse gives a timetable of the approximate age of Jesus based on the appearance of the star. He was no longer an infant as portrayed in Nativity scenes but a toddler. This is why Herod killed all of the babies in that region in his (not his but the devil s) attempt to kill Jesus. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. This is the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, This is now the third time that God has spoken to Joseph through a dream. 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child s life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. Maurice A. West 2003 Page 11 of 126

12 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: There is a great principle in this verse Joseph was afraid but he didn t make a move until he got a word from God. This is now the fourth time that God has spoken to Joseph through a dream. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Let God give you a Word before you make a move. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. There is no Scripture reference for this word spoken by the prophets. Dake says that it was a spoken word not a written word but others have said nothing on it. Also, it was not unusual for Joseph to return to Galilee and Nazareth. Luke points out that this is where they started from when they left their home to go to Bethlehem: Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) Maurice A. West 2003 Page 12 of 126

13 Chapter 3 This chapter deals with the first public display of the Jesus, the adult, at His baptism by His cousin, John the Baptist. 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, Matthew brings out nothing about the origin of John the Baptist and his familial relationship to Jesus. To get this type of history, you have to read the Gospel of St. Luke. 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. John had one message, which is the message that God gave him. Sometimes preachers are criticized for having a single focus in their ministry (such as Bennie Hinn and healing, Creflo Dollar and prosperity, or Billy Graham and salvation) but none other than the Lord Jesus Himself later hailed John for his work. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. This is the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. At a time when people were wearing better quality clothes, John the Baptist shunned anything having to do with comfort and basically dressed as a barbarian. However, this was not unusual for prophets in Bible days. He wore what God gave him to wear and he ate what God gave him to eat. He had nothing to hinder him from fulfilling the ministry that God had given him. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, He had a single focus ministry, a rough delivery, and one set of clothes and the people flocked to him. The time was right and his message was right. 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. NLT And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. We re in a day now where people think it s too much to ask to come to the altar for salvation. But John the Baptist required public confession of sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. This is a tough set of verses until you see it in the New Living Translation: NLT But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them. You brood of snakes! he exclaimed. Who warned you to flee God s coming judgment? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. 9 Don t just say, We re safe we re the descendants of Abraham. That proves nothing. God can change these stones here into children of Abraham. 10 Even now the ax of God s judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. John the Baptist was a tough preacher! Maurice A. West 2003 Page 13 of 126

14 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: John the Baptist foretold the coming power of the Holy Ghost coming through the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. NLT He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire. 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. At the point when John the Baptist was vigorously preaching about Jesus, that was when He appeared. He came with the intention of doing as the people were doing being baptized. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? There is false modesty and there is real humility. This is real humility. John knew who stood before him and would dare not think to baptize him. He said earlier (verse 11) that he was not worthy to bear (unlatch) his shoes. 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. The term suffer here has nothing to do with physical pain. It is an Old English term (the language the King James Version was written in) meaning, to allow. This was done so that everything could be done right. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: The account of the baptism of Jesus is one of the few events mentioned in all four gospels. The Second Person of the Trinity came out of the water and Third Person of the Trinity descended upon Him like a dove. 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. With the events of the previous verse complete, the First Person of the Trinity speaks from heaven. These two verses together provide significant evidence of the proof of the doctrine of the Trinity. We have all three persons of the Godhead represented. It also disproves the myth of the Jesus only doctrine. Would Jesus split Himself all of these ways and why? Maurice A. West 2003 Page 14 of 126

15 Chapter 4 This chapter has two sections: verses 1-11 tell of the inaugural fast and temptation of Jesus Christ in the wilderness; verses tell of the start of His earthly ministry and the selection of the first apostles. Introduction: The temptation of Jesus Christ followed the same pattern as the temptation of Eve and the formula given by the Holy Ghost to the Apostle John. It is the pattern of the world system of which the devil is the king. 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The devil brought these three temptations to tempt the Lord in these three areas. The first temptation ( command that these stones be made bread ) fit into the lust of the flesh. The second temptation ( cast thyself down He shall give his angels charge concerning thee ) fit into the pride of life. The third temptation ( All these things will I give thee ) fit into the lust of the eyes. Caution: This is NOT a formula for everything the devil does. The fact is that only two cases out of thousands of years of Scripture can be put into 1 John 2:16. (There s another formula in James 1:14-15 that fits other cases such as David with Bathsheba.) 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The Holy Ghost did not move upon Him to make him feel good but to move Him into a place of trial and testing by the devil. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: We must be careful what test we use to find out if the Lord is leading us His direction does not always follow what we expect. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. This Scripture indicates that He was hungry and at the end of the fast but other Gospels indicate that temptations were throughout the fast. {JF&B} Had we only this Gospel, we should suppose the temptation did not begin till after this. But it is clear, from Mark's statement, that He was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan (Mark 1:13), and Luke s, being forty days tempted of the devil (Luke 4:2), that there was a forty days temptation before the three specific temptations afterwards recorded. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. THE FIRST TEMPTATION. Now that Jesus was at the conclusion of His fast, the devil tempts him to break His fast prematurely and lose the blessing at the end. The supernatural has given way to the natural and hunger has come upon Him greatly. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: The devil is going to tempt you with something that appeals to YOU (James 1:14). Jesus was hungry and that was where the devil went after Him. He was not so much interested in the Lord s hunger as he was in the Lord s power and His demonstration of that power for personal gain. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Jesus responded to the devil with the word quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus did not let the flesh dictate to Him but He dictated to the flesh. 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. NLT I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. Maurice A. West 2003 Page 15 of 126

16 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, THE SECOND TEMPTATION. The devil is not finished. No one knows today what the pinnacle of the temple was but it was obviously some high place within the building. Dake and Josephus speculate as to what it could be. Dake says that it was 700 feet to the bottom of the valley from there. 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. {JF&B} But what is this I see? exclaims stately Bishop Hall. Satan himself with a Bible under his arm and a text in his mouth! Doubtless the tempter, having felt the power of God s Word in the former temptation, was eager to try the effect of it from his own mouth. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: If the devil can put a Bible under his arm and get a text in his mouth, why cannot we that are saved do at least the same? Why is it so difficult for us to have anything to say for the Lord? In the second temptation, the devil tempts Jesus to prove Himself. Jesus whole ministry revolved around people believing Him for the Word s sake. Performing this stunt at the bidding of the devil would nullify the direction of His ministry. Note: it may seem like something harmless but David s numbering the people in First Chronicles seemed harmless also but God called it sin and many died because of that sin. SAINT S PRINCIPLE: Anything done in response to the devil, no matter how seemingly harmless, if it is not sin then, is definitely leading you on a collision course to sin. The devil quotes a verse from Psalms 91:11-12 but omits some key words at the end. Since Jesus used the word, the devil came back with the Word. This is why it is so important to not only know the Word but the intent of the Word. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Jesus was not shaken. He quotes from Deuteronomy 6:16. Indeed God has promised to keep us from danger. Shall we then create danger to certify God s Word? God forbid! 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; THE THIRD TEMPTATION. The devil is still not finished but may be reeling on the ropes. {JF&B} Luke (Luke 4:5) adds the important clause, in a moment of time ; a clause which seems to furnish a key to the true meaning. MYTH: Many teach that the devil was offering Jesus something that was not his. However, Luke 4:6b adds these words of the devil, for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. How did the devil get this? He received it from Adam. 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. In this temptation, the devil throws off all masks and boldly confronts Jesus to blaspheme. This is no doubt a desperate act probably based on the fact that he felt that Jesus should have weakened in the previous temptations, but He did not. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. This was quoted from Deuteronomy 6:13. Well did James say that if we resist the devil he would flee from us. But just as with Jesus, it will only be for a season. Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. When Jesus told the devil to leave, he did just that. Maurice A. West 2003 Page 16 of 126

17 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; There is no indication where Jesus was when He went through the wilderness experience but this verse indicates that it was not in Galilee. Once He heard of the fate of His cousin, He departed back into His home region. 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: Capernaum (kuh PER nay um) became the Lord s base of operations. It was the home of many of His disciples. 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. This is the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1-2 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. This region was in the far northern part of the Northern Kingdom. This was a region that was invaded by Assyria and repopulated with Assyrian people. It was a land of great idolatry (darkness) but now the light of the Lord has shined upon them in the presence of Jesus Christ. Note: This is now the SIXTH written prophecy (SEVENTH of all prophecies) that has been verified to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Matthew s intent was to take the Old Testament and show that it came together in Jesus so that the Jewish people might believe. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus picked up the same exact message that John was preaching. His message remains to be to REPENT. 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. Peter and Andrew were the first two chosen by Jesus to be His disciples (and ultimately His apostles). This was not their first encounter with Jesus when you compare all of the gospels. Andrew met Him in the first chapter of John while he was still a disciple of John the Baptist. Peter met Him when Jesus nearly sank His boat with a huge catch of fish. Now they are ready to make an immediate decision for Him. Peter and Andrew were brothers who had a fishing business. Peter also owned a boat. They left a nice living to follow Jesus. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. {JF&B} Mark adds an important clause: They left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants (Mark 1:20); showing that the family were in easy circumstances. What these learned men are trying to say is that James and John also left a comfortable life to follow Jesus. 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Jesus ministry Maurice A. West 2003 Page 17 of 126

18 was threefold: teaching, preaching, and healing. When He sent out the apostles, He sent them out with the same mission and added to that, casting out devils. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. Galilee was next to Syria. Jesus fame has spread into the Gentile lands and areas where mixed-blood Jews were also present. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. In this inaugural year, His popularity has grown greatly and quickly to beyond the region of Galilee all the way into Jerusalem. Maurice A. West 2003 Page 18 of 126

19 Chapter 5 This chapter begins the Sermon on the Mount which goes through Chapter 7. There are only three times in the four gospels (two of these times are brought out in Matthew) that Jesus sat down and really poured out His heart in a lengthy teaching session. These three are the Sermon on the Mount (called the Sermon on the Plain in Luke s Gospel), the parables in Luke, and the Olivet Discourse of Matthew Because this is so important and reveals the heart of the Lord Jesus, we want to carefully map out what He said and understand it clearly. Therefore, we ll break the whole sermon into bite size sections and complete the sections in the next class. 1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: Jesus was a master at using opportunity well. He did not shy away from working the crowd when the opportunity presented itself. This chapter and the next two, known as the Sermon on the Mount, begin with Jesus establishing His pulpit in a mountain. 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Though it is known as the SERMON on the Mount, Jesus employs the art of teaching in His sermon. SECTION 1 THE BEATITUDES. There are nine Beatitudes but eight tell of the state of a person who is blessed or happy and what they will receive. The ninth is a recap of all of the prior ones. It basically says that if you have all of the above, then you will experience this and be blessed. 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. THE FIRST BEATITUDE. {JF&B} Since God s people are in so many places styled the poor and the needy, with no evident reference to their temporal circumstances, it is plainly a frame of mind which these terms are meant to express. Accordingly, our translators sometimes render such words the humble (Psalms 10:12, 17), the meek (Psalms 22:26), the lowly (Pro 3:34), as having no reference to outward circumstances. But here the explanatory words, in spirit, fix the sense to those who in their deepest consciousness realize their entire need. This self-emptying conviction, that before God we are void of everything, lies at the foundation of all spiritual excellence, according to the teaching of Scripture. Without it we are inaccessible to the riches of Christ; with it we are in the fitting state for receiving all spiritual supplies. After studying this verse since a child, this explanation by the classic commentators, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, really brings this first Beatitude into focus. The one who wants to enter the kingdom of heaven must realize that nothing they bring with them will guarantee them access they must rely totally upon God and come empty. This is borne out by the translation of this verse in the NLT God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. THE SECOND BEATITUDE. There are two parts to this Beatitude. First there is the natural which is so obvious. God has always been a Comforter to those in great emotional distress. He told us in Psalm 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. However, the second part has to do with the prior Beatitude. Because we are poor in spirit, we mourn. We mourn because of our woeful state. The Prophet Isaiah reminds of his call to the prophetic ministry when he realizes how low he is before a Holy God. Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. It is at this point of mourning that we will be comforted. There are times when we mourn naturally and we refuse to be comforted as Jacob did when he mourned the loss of his son, Joseph (when his other sons deceived him). This type of mourning can bring distress because we refuse God s comfort. However, the soul of man desires to be comforted, to know that it is in right standing with God. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. THE THIRD BEATITUDE. NLT God blesses Maurice A. West 2003 Page 19 of 126

20 those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them. It is often said and it bears repeating with this third Beatitude, meekness is NOT a sign of weakness. The dictionary definition of meek is mild of temper; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated. If you ll recall in 1 Corinthians 13, in Paul s discourse on love, he also brings up the point that charity is not easily provoked (verse 5). Meekness is one of the attributes of love and therefore an attribute of God. A person who will work to maintain this attitude will own the world. This is not just a sign of prosperity but a sign of favor. People flock to and listen to those that are mild of temper; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated. God works with those that take on His nature and will give them whatever they desire. Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. THE FOURTH BEATITUDE. NLT God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. This verse represents an example of where we, as Spirit-filled believers must heed the leading of the Holy Ghost when reading other translations. The New Living Translation is a beautiful rendition but in this verse, it moves away from the meaning conveyed in the King James Version a meaning that keeps us in line with the other Beatitudes and focuses on how we individually live before God. Our hunger and thirst must not be after justice, which is more general to all mankind, but after righteousness, which effects ME. If we have a mind, a hunger, a thirst, or a passion to do right, God will empower us to allow this to come to pass. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. THE FIFTH BEATITUDE. NLT God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Romans 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. According to the Scriptures, we have no guarantee of the mercy of God. The mercy of God is given at God s discretion. However, the Lord Jesus let us know through this Beatitude that mercy can be triggered or obtained by being merciful ourselves. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. THE SIXTH BEATITUDE. NLT God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. My wife often instructs the people of God to protect their hearts. Her appeal is for us to keep our hearts pure. This lines up with this Beatitude. The pure in heart, those who have protected their hearts from the entering in of evil, will see God. Therefore, we can look at the opposite also and realize that if we allow things in our hearts that are not like God, we re not going to stand before Him in peace. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. THE SEVENTH BEATITUDE. NLT God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. Most of the themes of the Sermon on the Mount are picked up again in the Epistles to re-establish what the Lord has already said in the doctrine of the New Testament church. The writer took this same theme in the Book of Hebrews and made it even tighter. The Lord Jesus gives us a goal for sonship. The writer of Hebrews gives us a goal for heaven. Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. THE EIGHTH BEATITUDE. NLT God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. They that live godly SHALL suffer persecution! Maurice A. West 2003 Page 20 of 126