Lessons from Matthew (Lessons from the New Testament Book 1)
On the face of it, both Matthew and Luke aim to give Joseph's genealogy. Nevertheless, genealogical difficulties should not prevent us from seeing the whole. Matthew Poole acknowledged that there were some problems with the genealogies, and in reconciling the records of Matthew and Luke.
Yet he rightly observed:.
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The Jewish interest in genealogies could sometimes be a dangerous distraction. Therefore Paul warned Timothy to guard against those who were fascinated by endless genealogies 1 Timothy 1: The later ones were persons altogether obscure and insignificant. Our Lord was 'a root out of dry ground'; a shoot from a withered stem of Jesse. He set small store by earthly greatness. Tamar … Rahab … Ruth … her who had been the wife of Uriah: This genealogy is noted for the unusual presence of four women. Women were rarely mentioned in ancient genealogies, and the four mentioned here are worthy of special note as examples of God's grace.
They show how God can take unlikely people and use them in great ways.
She sold herself as a prostitute to her father in-law Judah to bring forth Perez and Zerah Genesis She was a Gentile prostitute, for whom God took extraordinary measures to save from both judgment and her lifestyle of prostitution Joshua 2 ; 6: She was from Moab, a Gentile and until her conversion, out of the covenant of Israel Ruth 1.
Bathsheba who is mentioned by implication in Matthew 1: These four women have an important place in the genealogy of Jesus to demonstrate that Jesus Christ was not royalty according to human perception, in the sense that He did not come from a pure aristocratic background. These four women have an important place in the genealogy of Jesus to demonstrate that Jesus identifies with sinners in His genealogy, even as He will in His birth, baptism, life, and His death on the cross. These four women have an important place in the genealogy of Jesus to show that there is a new place for women under the New Covenant.
In both the pagan and the Jewish culture of that day, men often had little regard for women. In that era, some Jewish men prayed every morning, thanking God that they were not Gentiles, slaves, or women. Despite that, women were regarded more highly among the Jews than they were among the pagans. This was permitted, that He might fully represent our fallen race. Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ: Matthew wanted to make it clear that Joseph was not the father of Jesus; rather he was the husband of Mary.
The genealogy is this clearly intended to be that of Jesus' 'legal' ancestry, not of his physical descent. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Fourteen generations … fourteen generations … fourteen generations: With this Matthew made it clear that this genealogy is not complete.
There were not actually 14 generations between the landmarks he indicates, but Matthew edited the list down to make it easy to remember and memorize. For example, Matthew 1: This was Uzziah, King of Judah, who was struck with leprosy for daring to enter the temple as a priest to offer incense 2 Chronicles Uzziah was not the immediate son of Joram; there were three kings between them Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah. Yet as Clarke rightly says, "It is observed that omissions of this kind are not uncommon in the Jewish genealogies.
So all the generations: The practice of skipping generations at times was common in the listing of ancient genealogies. Matthew did nothing unusual by leaving some generations out. Another of the royal line that Matthew passed over was in between Josiah and Jechoniah Matthew 1: Jehoakim was so wicked that through the Prophet Jeremiah, God promised that no blood descendant of his would sit on the throne of Israel Jeremiah This presented a significant problem: If someone was a blood descendant of David through Jehoakim, he could not sit on the throne of Israel and be the king and the Messiah because of this curse recorded in Jeremiah But, if the conqueror was not descended through David, he could not be the legal heir of the throne, because of the promise made to David and the nature of the royal line.
This is where we come to the differences in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke. Matthew recorded the genealogy of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ Matthew 1: He began at Abraham and followed the line down to Jesus, through Joseph.
Luke recorded the genealogy of Mary: He began with Jesus and followed the line back up, all the way to Adam, starting from the unmentioned Mary. Each genealogy is the same as it records the line from Adam or Abraham all the way down to David. But at David, the two genealogies separated. If we remember the list of David's sons in 2 Samuel 5 we see that Satan focused his attention on the descendants of the royal line through Solomon - and this was a reasonable strategy. According to Matthew 1: Jesus was the legal son of Joseph, but not the blood son of Joseph - so the curse on Jehoakim did not affect him.
Joseph did not contribute any of the "blood" of Jesus, but he did contribute his legal standing as a descendant of the royal line to Jesus. Mary's line - the blood line of Jesus - did not go through Solomon, but through a different son of David, named Nathan Luke 3: Mary was therefore not part of that blood curse on the line of Jehoiakim.
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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. Matthew doesn't really tell us about the birth of Jesus; Luke does that. Matthew instead tells us where Jesus came from , and it tells the story through the eyes of Joseph.
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After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph: There were essentially three steps to marriage in the Jewish world of Jesus' time. This could happen when the bride and groom to be were quite young, and was often arranged by the parents. This made the previous engagement official and binding. During the time of betrothal the couple were known as husband and wife, and a betrothal could only be broken by divorce.
Betrothal typically lasted a year. This took place after the wedding, after the year of betrothal. She was found with child of the Holy Spirit: Matthew plainly without the greater detail found in the Gospel of Luke presents the virginal conception and subsequent birth of Jesus. However, the virgin birth was difficult for people to believe back then, even as it is also doubted now by some. We should consider what a great trial this was for a godly young woman like Mary, and for Joseph her betrothed.
Nothing but the fullest consciousness of her own integrity, and the strongest confidence in God, could have supported her in such trying circumstances, where her reputation, her honour, and her life were at stake. The truth of the supernatural conception of Jesus was disbelieved by many in that day, and was later twisted into lies about the parentage of Jesus.
References are made to these suspicions in passages like John 8: Lies spread that Mary had become pregnant from a Roman soldier. Here, Matthew set the story straight - both then and now. He is born of a woman, that he might be human; but not by man, that he might not be sinful.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. The previous verse told us that Mary was betrothed to Joseph. This comment shows that even though they were not formally married, Joseph was still considered Mary's husband by betrothal.
Being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example: Being a just man , Joseph knew that if Mary had been unfaithful to him it would be impossible to go through with the marriage. Yet his nature as a just man also did not want to make this an unnecessary hardship or stigma upon Mary.
Joseph made the understandable decision to seek a quiet divorce.
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To put her away secretly: This refers to breaking an engagement by divorce. In Jewish culture of that time a betrothal was binding and one needed a divorce to break the arrangement. Maybe we shall not have to do it at all. 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. Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream: This was not the angel of the Lord, but simply an angel of the Lord.
Perhaps it was Gabriel, who is prominent in the announcements made to Mary and Zacharias Luke 1: Yet those were actual angelic visitations; this was presented to Joseph in a dream. The dream came while he thought about these things. Joseph was understandably troubled by Mary's mysterious pregnancy, her future, and what he should do towards her. Though he had decided to put her away secretly , he was not comfortable with that decision. Joseph, son of David: The address son of David should have alerted Joseph that something was particularly significant about this message.
Son of David is a reference to Joseph's legal lineage to the throne of David. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit: It seems that Mary had not told Joseph that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. This shouldn't surprise us; how could she or how could anyone except God explain such a thing?
This angelic word to Joseph was persuasive. There is no explanation as to how this happened, other than what we have in Luke 1: Instead, the power of the Lord, manifest in the Holy Spirit who was expected to be active in the Messianic Age, miraculously brought about the conception. As was later said by the Apostle Peter, there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved Acts 4: The name is the highest, brightest, and noblest of names; it is the glory of our Lord to be a Savior. Joshua of old was a saviour, Gideon was a saviour, David was a saviour; but the title is given to our Lord above all others because he is a Savior in a sense in which no one else is or can be,-he saves his people from their sins.
For He will save His people from their sins: The angelic messenger briefly and eloquently stated the work of the coming Messiah, Jesus. He will come as a savior , and come to save His people from their sins. This description of the work of Jesus reminds us that Jesus meets us in our sin, but His purpose is to save us from our sins. He saves us first from the penalty of sin, then from the power of sin, and finally from the presence of sin.
Matthew 13:1–23
Isaiah 53 ; Jeremiah Its isolation here warns the reader not to expect this Messiah to conform to the more popular hope of a national liberator. Wonderfully, it says " His people. But it isn't belonging to Abraham that brings salvation from sin; it is belonging to Jesus, being one of His people. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: That it might be fulfilled: This is the first use of this important phrase which will become a familiar theme throughout Matthew.
Matthew rightly understood that the supernatural conception of Jesus was prophesied in Isaiah 7: There has been some measure of controversy regarding this quote from Isaiah 7: Display a picture of the Savior. Explain that many people have little knowledge of Jesus Christ and His gospel and that we have the responsibility to help others learn about Him. Ask students to ponder what they could do to help someone want to know more about Jesus Christ.
Invite them to look for a principle as they study Matthew Remind students that a multitude of people followed Jesus and His Apostles as they traveled to Jerusalem from Jericho see Matthew Invite a student to read Matthew Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Jesus instructed two of His disciples to do. Explain that the prophecy referenced in Matthew What are some actions in different cultures that show respectful acknowledgment of royalty?
You may want to point out to students that Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew What did the multitude do to respectfully acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah? Palm branches were a Jewish symbol of victory and triumph over enemies. Providing a carpeted path, like the one the multitude created using branches and clothing, was a gesture used to honor royalty or conquerors. By doing this, the multitude acknowledged and welcomed Jesus as their Deliverer and King.
Ask students to imagine that they are one of the people in this picture. Read the first part of Matthew You may want to suggest that students write this reference next to Matthew Point out that thousands of additional people were in Jerusalem at that time to celebrate the Passover. As illustrated in this account, what can happen as we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ?
Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: As we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ, we can help others develop a desire to know more about Him. You might want to write this principle on the board. What are some settings outside of Church meetings where we can publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ? Help students understand that, when appropriate, we can do this in formal settings, through social media, and during conversations with friends, family members, and neighbors.
How can we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ in a way that will help others want to know more about Him? Write the following questions on the board, and invite students to respond to one of them in their class notebooks or scripture study journals:. When have you or someone you know helped someone want to know more about Jesus Christ because you publicly acknowledged and spoke about Him? After sufficient time, invite several students who are willing to share what they wrote.
Encourage students to look for and take opportunities to appropriately acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ. Display a picture of a Latter-day Saint temple located close to where you live. Invite students to ponder and describe the thoughts and feelings they had the last time they visited the temple.
Matthew | Lesson 1 in Character by Character, series 3
If students have never been to the temple, ask them to describe how they think they would feel inside the temple. What happens in the temple that enables us to experience these feelings? Explain that after the Savior entered Jerusalem, He went to a courtyard on the temple grounds. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what some people were doing that was offensive to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Explain that the visitors who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover needed to purchase animals to offer as sacrifices in the temple as part of their worship. Moneychangers exchanged Roman and other currencies for temple currency so the animals could be purchased, and other merchants sold the animals. What was wrong about conducting this type of business on the grounds of the temple?