Matthew 1-4
King and Kingdom
Come
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Psalm 118:1-29 Blessed Hesed
Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is Good
1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me free. 6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me? 7 The LORD is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off! 11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off! 12 They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off! 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation. 15 Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, 16 the right hand of the LORD exalts,
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the LORD. 18 The LORD has disciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD's doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O LORD!
O LORD, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you. 29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Application
If we are on God's side, He will be on our side, and then, all is good.
Prayer
I praise You God, for Your hesed to me, for Your loyal love, and discipline, and deliverance, and for being the delight of my life. Thanks. Amen.
Proverbs 26:13-16 The Slimy Spiritual Sluggard
There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed. 15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
Application
If you're not making substantial progress in your spiritual life, it might be time to face the ugly truth that you're being a slimy spiritual sluggard (not pretty, nor profitable).
Prayer
God, may I never be deceived into making any of the mistakes of the sluggard, and may I welcome the reproof of those with Your wisdom, so I can achieve Your objectives for my life. Thanks. Amen.
Matthew 1-4 King and Kingdom Come
After 400 years of silence since Malachi, the NT opens with the book that links the two testaments. Matthew demonstrates that Jesus is the promised Messiah, rejected by His people, and shows those who accepted Him how to live in light of that rejection, so they'd be blessed in the coming kingdom (that's the purpose statement of the book, built from the unique material and emphasis of Matthew). Matthew builds his case around five discourses or sermons (chapters 5-7, 10, 13 18, 24-25) which some opine is a reflection of the first five books of Moses. You decide. The first four chapters (this post) start with genealogy (hey, it links with the OT), and include Jesus' birth, spiritual warfare with the devil, and the initial message of John, Jesus and the disciples (they all said the same thing, and if you don't understand it, you'll miss the meaning of the rest of the NT).
With the exception of John's gospel, the books of the NT are written primarily to believers who had accepted the Messiah's claims and teachings, and whose sins were forgiven. Thus their purpose is not evangelistic, but edification (building of believers' faith). John's gospel has a stated twofold purpose (John 20:30-31): that his readers might have life (believe) and have it abundantly (continue to believe), reflecting Jesus comment in John 10:10 (evangelism for the first half of the book; edification in the second).
While many miss the above truth, most people don't realize that the bulk of each gospel describes Jesus' ministry to an audience who also had their sins forgiven (covered or atoned for), by participation in the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and the Levitical sacrificial system. Just read what God revealed about each sacrifice in Lev 1-7.
Leviticus 4:26b “So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.”
The NT isn't about how to get forgiveness, but how to live righteously (just like God wanted in the OT). To try to make every passage talk about Jesus dying to forgive the sins of unbelievers is to distort the truth just like the perverted priests of the OT did (cf Ezekiel 13:9-11), and deprive God's people of the words of the abundant life. If you've been deceived into the thinking that the truth doesn't apply to you, you will miss the application and blessing God desires.
The first four books are called the Gospels (good news), a combination of narrative and discourse describing the Messiah's life and ministry. They were written as eyewitness accounts shortly after Christ's death (why would anyone wait decades to write what happened?). There are papyrus fragments of Matthew and Mark dated to before the AD 70 destruction of the temple. See under the 7 Questions for “Can God Communicate" for an overview of the reliability of Scripture, or this link for more detail.
Each gospel is written to a different audience, and they are not strict chronology but more topical (like most of the Prophets), and are arranged to make a theological point which served the needs of the audience. The first three are referred to as the syn-optic gospels because the see-together similar material. John has a different focus and purpose and correspondingly selected somewhat different material to emphasize.
See Digging Deeper for a detailed timeline of the NT, which has a link so you can download and print it. There is also a link to Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources.
Don't miss the new “Build-A-Jesus” section under Digging Deeper; we'll be developing a Biblical portrait of the Revealed Jesus, as we go through the NT.
Matthew 1 Jesus the Messiah Will Save His People as Promised
The Genealogy of Jesus
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
The Birth of Jesus
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Application
God is not just interested in having Jesus die for our sin, but in fulfilling His promises, including those of saving us from the effects of sins in our lives, so He can bless us.
Prayer
God, You are ever faithful to Your promises, may I live righteously so I can experience You dwelling with me throughout each day. Amen.
Matthew 2 Worshiped and Rejected
The Pilgrimage of the Magi
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
The Flight to Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”Weeping and Great Mourning
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
The Return to Nazareth
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.Application
God protects His servants from opposition that would endanger the fulfillment of His purposes, but doesn't spare them the discomfort of living in an evil world.
Prayer
God, may I be quick to hear and obey like righteous Joseph, and willing to be despised for the fulfillment of Your purposes. Amen.
Matthew 3 Repentance and Authentication
The Mission of John the Baptist
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”
4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”Application
Living righteously in light of the Kingdom of God is best way to live if you want to experience God's pleasure rather than pain.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me for denying Your promises and commands, and living for myself, as if this world is all there is; show me how to bring forth fruits consistent with my repentance, and live for You. Thanks. Amen.
Matthew 4 Passing the Test of the Temporal
The Temptation of Jesus
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The First Disciples
18 While walking 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. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.Jesus Heals the Multitudes
23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.Application
Prayer
Lord Jesus, may I follow You and Your example of submitting to the Father's will, and living for Your fulfillment of my desires, both now and in the world to come. Amen.
Digging Deeper
The url's are included in case you have trouble with the link. Swartzentrover has a treasure trove of information, some more useful than other links, which would be worth exploring after you finish Revelation.
Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources
The Bible's Manuscript Evidence
God in a nutshell: God is working out His plan to bless the world through the seed of Abraham. His kingdom promises are not forgotten, and He calls people to live for them. He authenticates His servants when they deliver His message. He doesn't exempt them from difficulty, but gives grace and glory for service.
Build-A-Jesus : Since so many people talk about “being like Jesus” or being Christlike, without a clue to the “real” Jesus (rather than that of the oral tradition they hear at Christmas and Easter), I thought it would be beneficial to build a balanced, Biblical view of our Awesome Lord (who is nothing like the helpless babe in the manger). I'll just highlight the aspects of Jesus that the chapters we consider emphasize. You more technically oriented might want to start a spreadsheet, listing the traits or characteristic or actions along one axis, and the references along the other. As your understanding of the revealed person of Christ grows, you might need to expand or combine the traits. There is no right answer, but your final portrait should be pretty close to the original subject. (No Impressionists allowed, sorry.)
Want to be like Jesus? Then know how to handle the Truth, resist the temporal temptations of Satan, submit to the Father's will, call others to repentance, and make disciples. A few miracles couldn't hurt either.
Us in a nutshell: We need to repent (change our mind) about living for this world, as if this is all there is (like Herod), and there is no kingdom coming as promised in the OT. We need to get a grip on Truth that won't get away from us when confronted by Satan's lies. We need to view fishing for men as superior to fishing for things that stink after a few days.
Where to go for more
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