Welcome to the Gospel according to Matthew! I decided to start in Matthew because after finishing an entire read through the Old Testament, I needed a little bit of a break. The plan now is to study 4 chapters a day every day in order to complete another year study.
SUMMARY:
Matthew 1 is largely about the genealogy of Christ, traced through Joseph. Starting in verse 18 is Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth. In this version, Mary and Joseph were betrothed when she discovered that she was pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Unaware of the prophetic nature of the pregnancy, Joseph resolved to divorce her quietly to avoid bringing shame to her and her family. As he struggles with this decision, an angel appears to him in a dream, revealing to him the magnitude and majesty of this baby. Imagine thinking that your future had been ruined by an unfaithful partner when you’re told that it is instead the fulfilling of prophecy.
COMMENTS:
I’m reminded of that hymn “Mary Did You Know?” and the short answer is yes, she did know. What a heartbreaking thing to know that your son is destined for death as is predicted in Isaiah 53:3-7.
VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:
Matthew 2 is about fulfilling four particular prophesies: the birth of the Christ at Bethlehem, running away to Egypt, Herod killing the male children, and Christ being a Nazarene.
COMMENTS:
#1 the Star of Bethlehem. Was this a literal star? If so, how did they know that it was the Christ’s star? I don’t remember any prophesy from the Old Testament, but maybe I missed it? Surely these wise men must have been astrologists or at the very least scientists to have noticed a star.
#2 Age of Jesus. When Herod finally goes for the hunt, Jesus is up to 2 years old. That’s a far cry from the typical nativity scene we see. What was he like at 2?
BRIEF SUMMARY:
The story of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. We see a John cloaked in camel hair and a leather belt, eating just honey and wild locusts. A Nazarene of sorts, he’s proclaiming prophecy about Jesus and rebuking the Pharisees and Sadducees for their lack of understanding. Here we see the Spirit of God enter Jesus and his ministry begin.
COMMENTS:
#1 When I imagine John, I imagine a man with long hair who’s incredibly thin. A man withering away in the wilderness to preach repentance of sins to anyone who will listen before giving them an even better message: Christ. At this point, John the Baptist didn’t even know much about him, but what he did know was enough to keep his loyalty for years.
#2 John predicts Hell. In the Old Testament, there aren’t that many predictions for Hell. Most of the information we know about it comes from Revelation and the Epistles. That’s why it’s significant when John says in verse 12 that the Lord will seperate the good from the bad and “burn” the chaff with “unquenchable fire.” It was prophetic.
#3 God’s spirit descends onto the Lord in verses 16 and 17. Was this a private vision like the prophets would have in the Old Testament or Paul’s conversion in Acts? Was this public like in Acts during the Pentecost? If public, did everyone realize then that he was the Messiah?
SUMMARY:
In this chapter, Jesus: is tempted by Satan and resists, begins his ministry in Capernaum by the sea, calls his first disciples (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) , and ministers throughout Syria.
COMMENTS:
#1 I love to read about the temptation of Jesus. He’s offered bread after a 40 day fast, asked to prove his majesty, and offered all of Earth to bow down to the devil and he resists. Truly things that would make any person crack, He alone resists. It’s a fantastic reminder that not only can we fight temptation with the help of our Father, but that Jesus fought against the same desires we have now and won. If only we follow his footsteps, we can succeed in all holiness.
#2 Did the disciples already know him? Had they heard of him or seen something to make them have faith? Did the Spirit lead them to follow? What makes 4 men get up and leave their lives to follow the Lord, even if it ended up being the best decision anyone made? If they didn’t know him already, what an incredible faith. What would we achieve if we just listened to the spirit more often?
Adalia 