1 The Book Of Matthew: Lesson 1 Son of David Memory Text: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) Setting The Stage: Gospel (Gr. euaggelion) means good tidings ; that is, the good tidings of salvation as set forth in the life and teachings of Jesus. Matthew (Gr. Matthaios) means gift of Yahweh. Matthew was a publican (tax collector for Rome) stationed in Capernaum probably in the service of Herod Antipas. He eventually became a disciple of Jesus (Matt. 10:3). He is also known as Levi by Mark and Luke (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27). He was the son of Alphaeus, but likely not the brother of James who was also a son of Alphaeus (the Bible writers would have identified him as such as they did with Peter and Andrew and James and John). Matthew obviously listened with interest to the message shared by Jesus, and when invited to become a disciple he immediately resigned his occupation (Luke 5:27, 28). Of Matthew s call Ellen White wrote, There was no hesitation, no questioning, no thought of the lucrative business to be exchanged for poverty and hardship. It was enough for him that he was to be with Jesus, that he might listen to His words, and unite with Him in His work. (Desire of Ages, p. 273) Not long afterward he was appointed one of the Twelve (Matt. 10:2, 3). Being a tax collector it s likely Matthew had some education and may well have been acquainted with Greek and Aramaic. At some time after his call, Matthew made Jesus his guest of honor at a feast to which he invited his former associates at the tax office (Matt. 9:9-13). Apart from being the author of the book that bears his name, nothing more is known of Matthew s latter life and ministry. Authorship. Early Christian writers unanimously point to Matthew as its author (A.D. 140 Papias of Hierapolis in Asia Minor mentioned that Matthew wrote such an account as did Irenaeus about 50 years later) and the internal evidence suggests a Jewish Christian wrote it. Examples include the author s effort to convince fellow Jews that Jesus of Nazareth was a fulfillment of the OT prophecies; the books strong national consciousness; and the preoccupation with the Jewish point of view seen in the genealogy of Jesus. Matthew s book of the gospel is the first of the four accounts. It is generally agreed that the book was written in Palestine probably a few years before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Having served in his occupation that required him to prepare written records, Matthew was well positioned to write this narrative of the life of Jesus.
2 Distinctives. Matthew wrote his account of the gospel to convince his compatriots that Jesus was the fulfillment of OT prophecies. He cites nearly 40 such OT predictions, more than any other Gospel writer. Familiar ones include: Matt. 1:23 (cp. Isa. 7:14); Matt. 2:18 (Jer. 31:15); Matt. 3:3 (cp. Isa. 40:3); Matt. 27:35 (cp. Ps. 22:18). Matthew presents Christ as the master teacher, and gives 6 major discourses which the other Gospel writers record either briefly or not at all: 1. The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) 2. The discourse on discipleship (Matt. 10) 3. The sermon by the sea, consisting entirely of parables (Matt. 13) 4. The discourse on humility and brotherhood (Matt. 18) 5. The discourse on hypocrisy (Matt. 23) 6. The discourse on Christ s return (Matt. 24, 25) Matthew deviates from chronological order more than any other Gospel writers. He is not a chronicler, recording events as they occur, but a historian, reflecting on the significance of the events against the larger background of their setting in the history of Israel and God s will for them. For example, if you were to read in chronological order Jesus Galilean ministry recorded in chapters 4 to 15 it would be necessary to skip back and forth as follows: 4, 8, 4, 8, 9, 12, 5-7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 8, 9, 11, 9-10, 13-15. Favorite/well known verses/passages. Matt 1:21 (save from sin); Matt. 7:7-12 (ask, seek, knock); Matt. 11:28-30 (rest); Matt. 24:14 (gospel to the world); Matt. 28:18-20 (commission). Historical setting. Throughout the lifetime of Jesus the land of Palestine was under the jurisdiction of Rome, whose legions, subjugated the region and annexed it to the Roman province of Syria in 64-63 B.C. Having enjoyed political independence for some 80 years before the coming of the Romans, the Jews profoundly resented the presence and authority of foreign civil and military representatives. The appointment by the Roman Senate of Herod the Great as king over a large part of Palestine, made the lot of the Jews even more bitter. Understandably, the desire for independence became a national obsession and affected practically every phase of national life. Above all else, this desire colored the religious thinking of the day and the interpretations of the Messianic passages of the OT Quite naturally the Jews looked for deliverance from the twofold yoke imposed upon them by Caesar and Herod. Repeatedly, would- be messiah s arose to champion the rights and redress the wrongs of the people by the sword. The Jews fondly believed that the Messianic prophecies of the OT promised a political messiah who would both deliver Israel from foreign oppression and subdue all nations. The political aspirations thus distorted the Messianic hope, and since Jesus of Nazareth did not fulfill these false
3 expectations, national pride effectively prevented the recognition and acknowledgement of Him as the One to whom the prophets bore witness. Sunday A Book Of Genesis Matthew 1:1, 23 Matthew 1:1. As the Old Testament itself began with a book about the creation of the world, Matthew (hence the New Testament itself) starts with a book about the Creator Himself and about the work of redemption that only the Creator could accomplish. Jesus (Gr. Iesous), equivalent to the Hebrew Yehoshua (Eng. Joshua), which means Jehovah is salvation. Joshua s original name Oshea, was changed to Jehoshua. Joshua is an abbreviated form of Jehoshua. When Aramaic replaced Hebrew as the common language of the Jews after the Babylonian captivity, the name became Yeshua, the form transliterated (to write or print a letter or word using the closest corresponding letters of a different alphabet or language) into Greek as Iesous. Yeshua was a common name given Jewish boys in NT times and was fraught with meaning. Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land; the high priest, upon the return from Babylon, bore the name Joshua; and Hosea (Oshea) loved an undeserving wife. Christ (Gr. Christos) a translation of the Hebrew Mashiach, Messiah, or Anointed One. It is a title rather than a personal name. In OT times the high priest (Ex. 30:30), the king (2 Sam. 5:3), and sometimes prophets (1 Kings 19:16) were anointed upon consecration to holy service. In Messianic prophecy the term came to be applied specifically to the Messiah, who, as Prophet (Deut. 18:15), Priest (Zech. 6:11-14), and King (Isa. 9:6, 7), was the One ordained to be our Redeemer. As Prophet He came to represent the Father. As Priest He ascended to represent us before the Father. As King He liberates those who believe in Him, not only from the power of sin in this life, but also from the kingdom of sin and reigns over them in the kingdom of glory. The names used together constitute a confession of faith in the union of the divine and human natures in one Person, a belief that Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Mary, Son of man, is indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Matthew 1:23: So all this was done that it might be fulfilled [in fulfillment of] which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us. (cp. John 1:1-3, 14; Phil. 2:6-8; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:1-3) Monday A Royal Line Matthew 1:1; Revelation 22:16
4 Matthew 1:1. Matthew begins in typical Jewish style by giving Jesus family pedigree. Because the coming of the Messiah is a matter of prophecy, he shows the Jesus of Nazareth is the One to whom Moses and the prophets bore witness. Because the Messiah was to be of the seed of Abraham and of David, Matthew presents evidence that Jesus qualifies as a descendant of both. Without this evidence, His claim to Messiahship would be invalid. It s likely that Matthew could verify his genealogy with public records. A large part of it could be checked by OT lists (1 Chron. 1:34; 2:1-15; 3:5, 10-19). The fact that, so far as we know, no contemporaries of Matthew, even avowed enemies of the Christian faith, ever challenged the validity of this family pedigree is excellent testimony favoring the genuineness of Matthew s list. Son of David - The popular designation by which rulers (Matt. 22:42) and people (Matt. 21:9) alike referred to the expected Messiah. Its use as a Messianic title points to an understanding of the prophecies predicting the Davidic decent of the Messiah. To a people weary of the Roman yoke it spoke to the restoration of their kingdom to the independence and prosperity of David s reign. David understood that the promise of a son to sit upon his throne would be fulfilled by one who would redeem Israel (2 Sam. 7:12-14; Acts 2:29, 30 cp Ps. 132:11). Time and again the prophets of old spoke thus of the Messiah (Isa. 9:6, 7; 11:1; Jer. 23:5, 6). NT writers repeatedly apply the title seed of David to Christ (Rom. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:8). As the son of David, Jesus became heir to David s throne and to the Messianic promises given to David. Revelation 22:16: I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. The Davidic concept of the Messiah was essentially that of conqueror who would restore the kingdom to Israel. Although Christ didn t restore a literal kingdom to the Jews, His victory in the great controversy with Satan does restore the kingdom in an infinitely greater and more important sense. And we become heirs to the throne (Rom. 8:14-17). Son of Abraham Because of His faithfulness Abraham was chosen to become the father of the chosen nation. The promise that in his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed was, according to Paul, a definite Messianic prediction (Gen. 22:18, cp. Gal. 3:16). In harmony with his endeavor to convince the Jews of Jesus Messiahship, Matthew purposefully carries Jesus genealogy back to Abraham. Tuesday Jesus Early Family Tree Matthew 1:2-6; 9:12, 13
5 Matthew 1:2-6. Except for variations owing to the Greek transliteration of Hebrew names, and for certain intentional omissions, Matthew s genealogy from Abraham to Zorobabel agrees with similar lists in the OT (1 Chron. 1:28, 34; 2:1, 4, 5, 9-12, 15; 3:15-19). There are no names with which to compare the intertestamental period from Zorobabel to Christ, but we can trust its accuracy nonetheless. It s the exception rather than the rule to find women named in Hebrew genealogical lists. Even so, Matthew refers to them incidentally rather than specifically as genealogical links. The fact that the names of honored women such as Sarah and Rachel are omitted suggests that the four women mentioned were included because of unusual circumstances. All four Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bethsheba - were Gentiles, an implied rebuke to Jewish exclusiveness, and a tacit reminder that Jesus belongs to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. With the exception of Ruth, scandals were attached to the names of all these women. Thamar (Tamar) was Judah s daughter- in- law (see Gen. 38:6-30). Rachab (Rahab) was the harlot of Jericho preserved by the Israelite spies (see Josh. 2). Ruth was devoted to her mother- in- law, Naomi (see Ruth 4:18-22). Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah (2 Sam. 11) whom David took to be his own. A merely human historian might have passed over their names for fear that the honor of the Messiah might be tarnished. But Matthew specifically quotes Jesus as saying to the Pharisees something we must never forget: Matthew 9:12, 13: When Jesus heard that, He said to them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. Wednesday While We Were Yet Sinners Romans 3:9, 10; 5:8; John 2:25 People want to know their ancestry. They want to know where they come from, what makes them tick. People are very curious. At the end of the day, whether the findings are impressive or not, if you were to learn something about your ancestors, you would discover the same disappointing thing everyone else discovered - no one was perfect. Your family had problems and flaws. Australians and convicts. The genuineness, and unlikeliness, of this genealogy must have stunned Matthew s readers. Jesus ancestors were humans with all of the foibles, yet potentials, of everyday people. God worked through them to bring about His salvation. There is no pattern of righteousness in the lineage of Jesus. We find adulterers, harlots, heroes, and Gentiles. Wicked Rehoboam was the father of wicked Abijah, who was the father of good king Asa. Asa was the father of the good King Jehoshaphat who was the father of wicked King Joram. God was working throughout the generations, both good and evil, to bring about His purposes. Matthew shows that God can use
6 anyone however marginalized or despised to bring about His purposes. These are the very types of people Jesus came to save. Romans 3:9, 10: What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. John 2:25: And had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Thursday The Birth Of David s Divine Son Matthew 1:18-2:23 Matthew 1:18. The mystery of the incarnation is to be adored, not pried into. The mystery of the incarnation however is far surpassed by the mystery of condescending love that prompted it. The mystery of godliness is the grand mystery of all time (see 1 Tim. 3:16). We mustn t overlook who it was God chose to give birth to and raise His Son. Would anyone do? They would need to endure suspicion and insult, distrust and adversity? By faith Mary accepted her special lot and after some heavenly convincing, Joseph did too. But who was there to welcome Jesus into the world? We read about some shepherds in Luke s account. By the time Jesus was at least 40 days old (after the days of Mary s purification) wise men, or philosophers from the east, who had studied the OT prophecies, came to present gifts and worship the child King. But where were God s chosen people? When Herod called in the scribes and religious leaders to inquire of this child, they sought to evade the answer, speaking generalities until it was pried out of them (Matt. 2:4-6). They determined the reports as fanaticism and unworthy of attention (DA 62, 63). Jesus young life was preserved from the ruthless Herod who put to death all the male boys of Bethlehem and surrounding districts two years old and under. The family fled into Egypt until Herod had died. But even then they could not return to Judea because Archelaus reigned in his fathers stead. As a result the angel directed them to Galilee where they returned to Nazareth, their home. A formidable beginning for the Messiah, and yet God suffered it to be so, so that all people, whether rich or poor, fortunate or unfortunate, settled or migrant might know that Jesus came into the world to save all.
7 Summary: Matthew s account of the birth of Jesus provides us the assurance that (1) God is with us, (2) salvation from sin is ours if we believe, and (3) we are of royal lineage if led by the Holy Spirit. Won t you let the Son of David rule and reign in your heart and life today?