THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW LESSON 1 Daily Bible Study Questions Study Procedure: Read the Scripture references before answering questions. Unless otherwise instructed, use the Bible only in answering questions. Some questions may be more difficult than others but try to answer as many as you can. Pray for God s wisdom and understanding as you study and don t be discouraged if some answers are not obvious at first. FIRST DAY: The Genealogy of Jesus Christ (Introduction; Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38) 1. Genealogies generally have little meaning to the average person but they are important in the history of God s people. What differences do you find as you compare the genealogy in Matthew with that of Luke? 2. Name the four women given in Matthew s genealogy and the verses where found. 3. By what other name was Matthew known and what was his profession? 4. Describe the reputation of one in Matthew s profession. SECOND DAY: The Birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:18-25) 5. What emphasis does Matthew give in verses 16 and 18 of this first chapter that gives expression to the fact that Jesus is the unique Son of God? Page 3
6. In the providence of God, what characteristics did Joseph have that made him capable of being the legal father of Jesus although not the biological father? 7. According to Deuteronomy 24:1, what alternative might Joseph have taken due to the circumstances of his relationship to Mary? 8. (a) What indication is there that Joseph did not hastily act on impulse as to a decision about what he should do? (b) This was a serious situation for both Mary and Joseph according to Jewish law. Is there something that you could learn here that would be helpful when you face problems that involve a decision that could result in serious consequences? THIRD DAY: Mary and Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25 cont.) 9. From the following references what may we learn about Mary the mother of Jesus? Luke 1:36; Luke 1:38,45; Luke 1:34; Luke 1:46-55; John 19:25; Acts 1:14 10. What factor in the message given to Joseph by the angel would have been startling? 11. What part of the angel s message would have been very comforting to Joseph? Page 4
FOURTH DAY: Call His Name Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25 cont.) 12. What were some important things that Joseph was instructed to do? 13. The good news of the gospel is given in this first chapter of Matthew. Why is it called the good news and what is its objective? 14. How seriously have you taken this fact of Biblical truth both personally and as far as others are concerned? Read Acts 4:12. FIFTH AND SIXTH DAYS: He Will Save (Matthew 1:18-25 cont.) 15. The Scripture teaches us that all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17) and that Jesus Christ came to save us from sin. In our confused world, how can we know what sin is? (Read Proverbs 6:12-19.) 16. What really constitutes the fact that Jesus was the unique supernatural Son of God? 17. How would you characterize Joseph s reaction to God s message to him? 18. From verses 16-25 of this first chapter of Matthew there are three names given for our Savior. What are they? Give the meaning of the ones you can. Page 5
Notes THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST (MATTHEW 1) The Genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17) The reason for both genealogies of Jesus given in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 is to show that, according to the flesh, Jesus was a lineal descendant of King David. The Jews never denied this fact, which they would have gladly done had it been within their power. It also shows that the Jews up to this time were careful in keeping family records. The necessity of maintaining correct records was because of the division of the whole Hebrew nation into tribes and the allotment to each tribe, and to every family in each tribe, of its distinct portion of territory that could not be transferred to another. Property was an inalienable possession. This made keeping of records vital and they never failed to have exact genealogical tables prepared from the authentic documents which were kept in Jerusalem. In all their sufferings they were particularly careful to preserve these records, which were renewed from time to time. However, during the period of their destruction as a nation by the Romans, all their records seem to have been lost, and now they are unable to trace the genealogy of any Israelite who might claim to be their promised Messiah. The two genealogies from Matthew and Luke coincide until David; then Matthew takes the kingly line and Luke takes the line of David s son Nathan. There can be little doubt that the genealogy of Matthew is that of Joseph and the one recorded in Luke, that of Mary, one being the legal record and the other the real genealogy of Jesus. Matthew was writing for the Jews and tracing his legal descent from David, which was always traced in the male line, and was therefore properly traced through the husband of his mother. Luke, composing his gospel for the use of the Gentiles, and intending to prove that Christ was the seed of the woman, traces the genealogy through His mother Mary, the daughter of Heli. It was unusual for the Jews to include the names of women in their genealogies; therefore Mary is not mentioned by Luke. Although genealogies according to custom always give only the names of men, Matthew turns aside to make incidental mention of four women; Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. Three were defiled by shameful wickedness and the fourth was by birth a heathen. These women appear to have been included because each became a mother of the Messianic line in an irregular or extraordinary way. Matthew does not refer to Joseph and Jesus as being father and son but departs from the usual phraseology of the genealogy that he may indicate the uniqueness of the Savior s birth. The name Jesus or Joshua being common among the Jews, Jesus is distinguished as Jesus who is called Christ (verse 16). The three sets of fourteen names in the genealogy are partly for memorizing and partly to indicate the three periods of Jewish history: from Abraham, the father of the nation, to David the king (verses 2-6); from David to the destruction of Jerusalem and the removal of the people to Babylon (verses 7-11); and from that event to the coming of Messiah (verses 12-16). Jesus was in the most perfect sense, a descendant of David, not only by law in the royal line of kings through his reputed father, but by direct person, a descent through His mother. The Virgin Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25) The birth of Jesus Christ introduces the history of His life. Both His birth and life represent the spiritual substance of His gospel as a great salvation for the world. His genealogy declared Him to be the Son of David. The story of His birth reveals Him to be the Son of God. Matthew, The gospel of the King, tells of the predicted, yet the rejected Messiah and of the fact that in Jesus were fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning Him whom the Jews constantly referred to as the Messiah for whom they were looking. Matthew s gospel particularly is designed to show that Jesus was the lawful heir to the throne of David. The fact of the matter is that Christ is a grace too great for men s thoughts and too great for their faith the eternal Word of God robed in flesh, the humanly manifested love and feeling of God, a free justification for the greatest of sinners and for all sin. What would the world have experienced had such a salvation been fully received? Page 6
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit (verse 18). Betrothal to the Jew was as sacred as that of marriage and could only be broken off by a formal bill of divorcement. The betrothed did not go to her husband s house immediately but lived with her parents for about six months to a year. This gave the wife a time of preparation for leaving her home and friends. Between the betrothal or formal agreement to marry and the actual marriage, the parties became, in the eye of the law, husband and wife and were referred to as such. The trial that Mary and Joseph faced was the fact that she was found with child. They loved one another; now there was a barrier between them. The story seemed impossible. Joseph could not believe it, and his suspicions were only natural. Then Matthew gives in simple and few words the greatest fact in the history of the world. The incarnation is a truth above the reach of human words and thought. In the book of Genesis the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters in the day that God created the heavens and earth, and now in the beginning of the new creation that Holy Spirit had come upon the virgin Mary and the power of the Highest overshadowed her. She was blessed above all women and chosen to be the mother of our Lord. Although she humbly submitted herself to the will of God, there were moments of anguish for both her and Joseph until the Lord Himself intervened. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. (verses 19,20) Mary knew of her own innocence because the angel had announced to her God s choice and purpose of her being blessed above all women in that she would be the mother of the Savior of the world. Joseph wanted to do the right thing by Mary so he thought that he would put her away privately. He would not bring her to public shame. While he pondered his concerns and knew that he could not bring the marriage between him and Mary to a consummation because of suspicion of Mary s unfaithfulness, through divine intervention God revealed Himself to Joseph. God will meet us in our doubts. He will guide us in the right path. A messenger or angel came to Joseph in a dream with the good news that calmed his fears and removed his doubts. There was nothing to separate him and Mary. Joseph was to take his wife Mary without fear, and she would have a Son that would be the Savior of the world. Not Joseph s son, but entrusted for a time to Joseph s care. He would have the joy of watching over his infancy and youth. The angel continued, And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His names JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins (verse 21). Acts 4:12 says, Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. The Holy Spirit, Mary, and Joseph all have an interest in the birth of this child. The Holy Spirit by whose power the child is conceived; Mary, the willing instrument of the Spirit in conceiving and giving birth to the infant, becomes blessed among women. Joseph, who along with Mary, is told to give the child a name not just any name, but the name JESUS. Explanation of that name: for He will save His people from their sins. It is God and God alone who, through His Son, saves His people. No one or nothing else is able to deliver man from his chief enemy. Satan, little by little, destroys the very heart of man. Sin or sins include those by thought, word, or deed; of omission, commission, and inner disposition; all the ways in which man misses the mark. Psalm 20:7 says, Some trust in chariots, and some in horses. Others trust in physical strength, knowledge, reputation, prestige, position, etc., but none is able to deliver or save man from sin. It is only through the atoning death of Jesus and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit to cleanse hearts and lives. One cannot be saved FROM something without also being saved FOR something: true happiness, the peace of God that transcends all understanding, freedom, joy unspeakable and full of glory, answered prayer, assurance of salvation, effective witnessing for Christ, etc. Page 7
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet (verse 22). In the Gospel of Matthew there is a long list of prophecies to which he refers in order to show that Jesus is really the long-expected Messiah. The purpose in bringing these prophecies to mind is that the Jews, from their own Old Testament Scripture, may accept Jesus with a living faith and may proclaim to both Jew and Gentile the good news of salvation through Christ. The prophecy in verse 23 had its origin in God Himself. The words were spoken by the Lord through the prophet. The prophet s name is not even given. The prophecy is obviously taken from Isaiah 7:14, which was given a little over seven centuries before the birth of Christ and at a time when the dynasty of David was being threatened by the king of Israel and the king of Syria in an effort to establish a new dynasty. Had their plot succeeded, it would have become a danger to the glorious promise of David s kingdom being established forever. Would the coming Redeemer ever be born as the son and legal heir of David? At this time in history it seemed that everything was at stake. The Lord sent Isaiah to Ahaz, admonishing him to put his trust in the Lord and to ask for a sign of God s protecting care. Ahaz refused. It was at this time Isaiah uttered the prophecy: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Matthew adds: which is translated, God with us. The virgin is Mary. Immanuel is Christ. This prophecy was reaffirmed in substance in Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. In Immanuel God has come to dwell with us. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). To Illustrate the Lesson As we study the Gospel of Matthew, we will discover the meaning that in Christ God came to dwell with the sick, to heal them; with the demon possessed, to liberate them; with the poor in spirit, to bless them; with the care-ridden, to rid them of care; with lepers, to cleanse them; with the diseased, to cure them; with the hungry, to feed them; with the crippled, to restore them; and with the lost, to seek and to save them. The story is told of a missionary who went to the West Indies to preach to the slaves. He found it impossible to carry out his missionary work as long as he was among them as a missionary. They were driven into the fields very early every morning and returned late at night with but little strength to get into their cabin and had little or no interest in receiving instruction from a missionary. They were savage toward all of the race and rank of their masters. The missionary determined to reach the slaves by becoming himself a slave. He was sold, that he might have the privilege of working by their side, and preaching to them as he worked with them. Do you suppose the master or missionary could have touched the hearts of those miserable slaves as did that man who placed himself in their circumstances and went with them, lived as they lived, suffered as they suffered, toiled as they toiled, that he might carry the gospel to them? This same persuasion caused Francis of Assisi to work with the lepers or William Booth to preach the gospel to London s slum dwellers. Paul became all things to all men that he might win some. Mother Teresa, in working among the poor in India, is one modern day example and there are many, many more. Yet none of these can compare with that of Immanuel with us, who, though he was rich, became poor; took upon Himself our guilt; bore our griefs and carried our sorrows; was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and is in heaven preparing a place for us; sent His Holy Spirit to be our teacher and guide; and is interceding for us before the Father. One day He will come again to take us to heaven. Jesus became poor that we through His poverty might become rich. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift! Page 8
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