Today we are in Matthew 3: 1 - 12. John the Baptist splashes onto the scene in Judea. These verses that tell of his work.
Have you seen the commercials utilizing "the most interesting man in the world"? I actually would nominate John the Baptist for that title! I am so intrigued by him. We read of his birth circumstances in Luke 1. When did he go into the wilderness to live? Were his parents still living? What did they think about his life choices?
People were flocking out of the cities and towns to hear him preach, to be baptized by him. And I wonder, would I have gone? It would not have been easy traveling. The landscape in that southern region of Palestine is brutal. Sometimes we allow ease and comfort to stop us from experiencing remarkable things.
Clothes obviously did not matter to him. They were necessity ... not statement of value and success. He did not have to spend any time deciding what to put on for the day! Sometimes we place way too much importance on the trappings of clothing and style.
Food obviously was for living ... not the other way around. Sometimes we spend far too much time thinking about food and fixing food and where to eat and what to eat.
John's message was repentance for the kingdom of heaven was near. Repentance was an important teaching in Judaism so this is not a new idea for his hearers. William Barclay says: "To Jews, repentance was central to all religious faith and to all relationship with God." The Jewish scholar G. F. Moore writes: "Repentance is the sole, but inexorable, condition of God's forgiveness and the restoration of his favour, and the divine forgiveness and favour are never refused to genuine repentance. That God fully and freely remits the sins of the penitent is a cardinal doctrine of Judaism."
The word means "to turn". It is turning away from evil and from wrong and turning to God. Repentance was at the center of the Jewish faith as it is in the Christian faith. Sometimes we are flippant about the wrongs we do and the sins in our lives. We justify and rationalize them when what we need is repentance.
Finally today, I hear again the warning against relying on spiritual pedigrees. John confronts the Pharisees and Sadducees as they come out to see him. Did they come for baptism? Did they come out of curiosity? Were they sent by those in power in Jerusalem to check things out? We don't know their motivations ... but John lays into them with passion. What he said to them strikes a cord in me ... "And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'"
It's easy to think that parents or family or church affiliation can take the place of my own relationship with God. It's easy ... but it's foolish. It is a privilege to grow up in a Christian home ... but there must be the realization that my own relationship with God does not rest there. It is a privilege to be involved with a church, a family of faith, that is vibrant and active in the service of God ... but there must be the realization that my affiliation with a church group does not take the place of my own relationship with God.
Michael J. Wilkins writes:
I shudder when I recognize the possibility of becoming like those Pharisees and
Sadducees who hardened their heart to God through empty religious activities.
I must open my own heart to God to live in sincerity before him and experience
the ministry of God in my own life, leading me to experience the fruit of a life
lived in humble dependence on the Spirit of God.
As we read these verses in Matthew, we, figuratively, have gone out to hear John preaching. Can you hear him? He preached repentance to those men and women centuries ago ... and he preaches repentance to you and I today. Listen ...
September 29, 2012
September 26, 2012
The First Years (Matthew 2 - P6)
Today, our reading is Matthew 2: 13 - 23.
I find several lessons for me as I read these familiar words. Think with me ...
1. Joseph ... righteous Joseph ... did you notice how long it took him to decide to respond to what the Lord had said? He did not argue ... he did not give God a different plan that would suit him better ... he did not complain that it was too hard, too much to ask of him. He just got up, collected his little family, and left for Egypt. I am touched by the beauty of his pure obedience. I want to be more like that. God speaks to us all the time through His Word ... and sometimes I justify and argue my way right out of obedience. Not Joseph. I don't think God has spoken to me through a dream ... if He has, I missed it! Obedience ... it matters.
2. Meanwhile, back to King Herod. He was so infuriated that the Magi had tricked him. So he took out his rage and madness on innocent victims. Some scholars question the reality of this massacre because there is no record of it in historical writing outside of the Bible. However, consider that Bethlehem was a small town ... a town of no importance in the mighty Roman Empire. Most estimates I have read say that there may have been somewhere between 20 to 30 little boys 2 years old and under killed by madman Herod. So on a world scale ... genocides of much greater magnitude take place in our world today and have throughout history. I am not surprised that the death of 20+ babies in a little obscure town in an occupied, unimportant, backwater country in the Roman Empire did not make an historical splash.
It is dangerous to outwit an all-powerful, ego maniacal king. I wonder if the Magi knew what had happened? I wonder if Mary and Joseph knew what had happened? O the sadness ... the grief ... the loss. My heart breaks for those moms and dads who lost innocent, precious little ones that day to satiate the power of a mad monarch. Whether there were few or many ... if one was yours, there was wailing and grief the depths of which only you who have lost children can possibly understand. But think about the moms and dads around our world throughout history who have been forced to bear the same tragedy! It blows our minds. Jesus will later tell his followers, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." William Barclay translates that 'beatitude' with these words:
3. After Herod died, God told Joseph it was safe to take his family back to Israel. So Joseph packs up and heads home ... but not to Bethlehem, to Nazareth. Nazareth is in the northern part of the country. It is green, surrounded by hills and quite beautiful. Joseph settles his family there, and, perhaps, they enjoyed some years of just ordinary living ... raising children ... training them in Jewish life and law ... and teaching them the family trade.
When I taught school some years ago, I remember the continual barrage of "This is boring!" that assaulted me periodically. I told them that one day they would be grateful for ordinary days - no drama, no crises. They vehemently disagreed! But ordinary can be so good ... and I wonder if Joseph and Mary had some 'ordinary' years together in Nazareth. I hope so. And I hope you are in a season of 'ordinary' in your life right now!
Matthew does not give us any glimpses into the childhood of Jesus. But we learn from Luke that "the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him." (Luke 2:40) We also learn in Luke that Jesus had the opportunity to be taken to the Temple in Jerusalem when he was 12. That experience is recorded for us in Luke 2: 41 - 51. Jesus' childhood is summed up with these words from Luke 2:52:
I find several lessons for me as I read these familiar words. Think with me ...
1. Joseph ... righteous Joseph ... did you notice how long it took him to decide to respond to what the Lord had said? He did not argue ... he did not give God a different plan that would suit him better ... he did not complain that it was too hard, too much to ask of him. He just got up, collected his little family, and left for Egypt. I am touched by the beauty of his pure obedience. I want to be more like that. God speaks to us all the time through His Word ... and sometimes I justify and argue my way right out of obedience. Not Joseph. I don't think God has spoken to me through a dream ... if He has, I missed it! Obedience ... it matters.
2. Meanwhile, back to King Herod. He was so infuriated that the Magi had tricked him. So he took out his rage and madness on innocent victims. Some scholars question the reality of this massacre because there is no record of it in historical writing outside of the Bible. However, consider that Bethlehem was a small town ... a town of no importance in the mighty Roman Empire. Most estimates I have read say that there may have been somewhere between 20 to 30 little boys 2 years old and under killed by madman Herod. So on a world scale ... genocides of much greater magnitude take place in our world today and have throughout history. I am not surprised that the death of 20+ babies in a little obscure town in an occupied, unimportant, backwater country in the Roman Empire did not make an historical splash.
It is dangerous to outwit an all-powerful, ego maniacal king. I wonder if the Magi knew what had happened? I wonder if Mary and Joseph knew what had happened? O the sadness ... the grief ... the loss. My heart breaks for those moms and dads who lost innocent, precious little ones that day to satiate the power of a mad monarch. Whether there were few or many ... if one was yours, there was wailing and grief the depths of which only you who have lost children can possibly understand. But think about the moms and dads around our world throughout history who have been forced to bear the same tragedy! It blows our minds. Jesus will later tell his followers, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." William Barclay translates that 'beatitude' with these words:
O the bliss of those whose hearts are broken for the world's suffering and for their own sin, for out of their sorrow they will find the joy of God.
3. After Herod died, God told Joseph it was safe to take his family back to Israel. So Joseph packs up and heads home ... but not to Bethlehem, to Nazareth. Nazareth is in the northern part of the country. It is green, surrounded by hills and quite beautiful. Joseph settles his family there, and, perhaps, they enjoyed some years of just ordinary living ... raising children ... training them in Jewish life and law ... and teaching them the family trade.
When I taught school some years ago, I remember the continual barrage of "This is boring!" that assaulted me periodically. I told them that one day they would be grateful for ordinary days - no drama, no crises. They vehemently disagreed! But ordinary can be so good ... and I wonder if Joseph and Mary had some 'ordinary' years together in Nazareth. I hope so. And I hope you are in a season of 'ordinary' in your life right now!
Matthew does not give us any glimpses into the childhood of Jesus. But we learn from Luke that "the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him." (Luke 2:40) We also learn in Luke that Jesus had the opportunity to be taken to the Temple in Jerusalem when he was 12. That experience is recorded for us in Luke 2: 41 - 51. Jesus' childhood is summed up with these words from Luke 2:52:
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.Parents, that's our task - to help our children grow - in what areas?
In wisdom (that requires God's word)
In stature (that requires attention to physical health)
In favor with God (that requires learning love for and submission to God)
In favor with men (that requires social skills and consideration for others)
Lord, help us as parents to grow our children in these ways. Give us strength when we grow weary. Give us wisdom to focus on the important and not the trivial. Give us patience to train well. Give us your love to spread all over our children.
September 24, 2012
The Magi (Matthew 2 - P5)
Today, read Matthew 2: 1 - 12.
We see three "players" in the verses we read today.
First, we see King Herod ... and he was "disturbed". These Magi from the east were asking about the birth of a King of the Jews? But Herod was the king of the Jews ... and his offspring would be the next in position. Herod was "disturbed". Herod had the position and power ... he had the wealth and control. He had made himself useful to the Romans through the civil wars of Palestine so Rome trusted him. He was the only ruler of Palestine who ever succeeded in keeping the peace and in bringing any order to the general status of chaos that existed in the region.
He was a great architect. He was also insanely suspicious. Any rivals to his power were simply eliminated ... even three of his sons and one of his wives. So this "news" disturbed him. And it disturbed Jerusalem as well. They knew the ends to which Herod would go to eradicate this newest threat. So Herod begins to plot ...
There can still be hatred and hostility to the news about Jesus. There are still those who would rather destroy Jesus than hear him, certainly than submit to him. We should not be surprised.
The second set of players are the chief priests and the teachers of the law (vs. 4 - 5) They were called in to provide information for Herod. They gave it ... and evidently just went about there business. We have no indication that there was either interest or curiosity about the question from Herod. If all Jerusalem knew about the Magi visit, then these leaders would have know as well. Why did they not seek out the child themselves?
The only plausible explanation would be that they were totally indifferent. It just did not make any difference to them. They most likely went back to their religious duties.
There are still those who are so interested in their own business that Jesus makes no difference to them at all. Believe it if you like ... but don't bother me with any of that stuff. We should not be surprised.
Thirdly, we see these Magi. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, "The Magi were men of holiness and wisdom. They were skilled in philosophy, medicine and natural science. They were soothsayers and interpreters of dreams." In those ancient days, everyone believed in astrology and this star made a splash. We don't really know what they saw ... but it was their profession to watch the heavens ... and something they saw was extraordinary ... and drew them to Palestine.
Their reaction to the birth of Jesus was one of adoration and worship. They were willing to make quite an arduous journey ... one that required effort and expense ... to see ... to worship.
There are still those who fall and worship. There are still those who are willing to make whatever sacrifices are required to serve and adore this King. We should not be surprised.
Now here is the question: Into which category do you fall? I suspect you are not in the Herod group ... the fact that you are reading this is evidence! But can you fall into the 'indifferent' group? How we must fight being so wrapped up in our own lives that we are complacent and careless about our King. Are you one of the ones who fall down and worship this King?
Notice their gifts ... gold is a gift for a King. Frankincense is a gift for a Priest. Myrrh is a gift for one's burial. And through those gifts we gain another glimpse into the person of Jesus.
How can we not worship? What of your "treasures" will you lay before Him today? Be intentional ... be generous ... He is worthy of our adoration and worship.
We see three "players" in the verses we read today.
First, we see King Herod ... and he was "disturbed". These Magi from the east were asking about the birth of a King of the Jews? But Herod was the king of the Jews ... and his offspring would be the next in position. Herod was "disturbed". Herod had the position and power ... he had the wealth and control. He had made himself useful to the Romans through the civil wars of Palestine so Rome trusted him. He was the only ruler of Palestine who ever succeeded in keeping the peace and in bringing any order to the general status of chaos that existed in the region.
He was a great architect. He was also insanely suspicious. Any rivals to his power were simply eliminated ... even three of his sons and one of his wives. So this "news" disturbed him. And it disturbed Jerusalem as well. They knew the ends to which Herod would go to eradicate this newest threat. So Herod begins to plot ...
There can still be hatred and hostility to the news about Jesus. There are still those who would rather destroy Jesus than hear him, certainly than submit to him. We should not be surprised.
The second set of players are the chief priests and the teachers of the law (vs. 4 - 5) They were called in to provide information for Herod. They gave it ... and evidently just went about there business. We have no indication that there was either interest or curiosity about the question from Herod. If all Jerusalem knew about the Magi visit, then these leaders would have know as well. Why did they not seek out the child themselves?
The only plausible explanation would be that they were totally indifferent. It just did not make any difference to them. They most likely went back to their religious duties.
There are still those who are so interested in their own business that Jesus makes no difference to them at all. Believe it if you like ... but don't bother me with any of that stuff. We should not be surprised.
Thirdly, we see these Magi. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, "The Magi were men of holiness and wisdom. They were skilled in philosophy, medicine and natural science. They were soothsayers and interpreters of dreams." In those ancient days, everyone believed in astrology and this star made a splash. We don't really know what they saw ... but it was their profession to watch the heavens ... and something they saw was extraordinary ... and drew them to Palestine.
Their reaction to the birth of Jesus was one of adoration and worship. They were willing to make quite an arduous journey ... one that required effort and expense ... to see ... to worship.
There are still those who fall and worship. There are still those who are willing to make whatever sacrifices are required to serve and adore this King. We should not be surprised.
Now here is the question: Into which category do you fall? I suspect you are not in the Herod group ... the fact that you are reading this is evidence! But can you fall into the 'indifferent' group? How we must fight being so wrapped up in our own lives that we are complacent and careless about our King. Are you one of the ones who fall down and worship this King?
Notice their gifts ... gold is a gift for a King. Frankincense is a gift for a Priest. Myrrh is a gift for one's burial. And through those gifts we gain another glimpse into the person of Jesus.
He is our King
He is our High Priest
He died to pay our penalty
How can we not worship? What of your "treasures" will you lay before Him today? Be intentional ... be generous ... He is worthy of our adoration and worship.
September 20, 2012
Jesus is Born (Matthew 1 - P4)
Read Matthew 1: 18 - 25.
I have never paid much attention to Joseph. He has always seemed to me to have a "bit part" in the birth story of Jesus. This time through, I am seeing him with different eyes. And I am amazed at him!
We know so little about the man. Some of the facts we glean from this first chapter of Matthew include:
And we find Mary pregnant during that betrothal year. More importantly, Joseph finds her pregnant during that betrothal year.
Watch him in these verses. We are told in verse 19 that he was "righteous". Today, let's consider some of the things from his behaviors that could be included in this "righteous" description. And after observing, let's consider ourselves.
First, he did not want Mary exposed to public disgrace. For all he knew, she had disgraced him. She had gone behind his back and ended up pregnant. But he was a righteous man ... he had no desire for revenge. To me, that makes him noble. Revenge is bitter business. And once the ball is rolling, there is no end. I think that is why God had previously said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." (Deuteronomy 32:35)
Secondly, he recognized the voice of the angel of the Lord in his dream. I wish I knew details about that dream! But Joseph was sensitive to the voice of God. He was a righteous man ... he knew the voice of God. And when he heard, he obeyed ... no argument, no questions it seems. He just did what the Lord had said do.
Third, Joseph waited. He took Mary to be his wife ... but did not have union with her until after Jesus was born. Joseph was a righteous man ... he was willing to put himself aside for a season.
How about you? Are you willing to set aside revenge when you have been "wronged"? It is wise to set it aside. It is wise to leave it in the hands of God rather than your own hands. Revenge is deadly. It brings the wrong kind of satisfaction. Leave it alone!
Are you striving to be sensitive to the voice of God in your own life? Are you listening? It takes time ... it takes quiet. And are you willing to obey God? When God speaks to you through His written word, do you listen? Do you respond? Or do you make excuses for why you cannot obey.
I have never paid much attention to Joseph. He has always seemed to me to have a "bit part" in the birth story of Jesus. This time through, I am seeing him with different eyes. And I am amazed at him!
We know so little about the man. Some of the facts we glean from this first chapter of Matthew include:
- Descendant of Abraham through King David
- of the tribe of Judah
- father's name was Jacob
- betrothed to Mary
- a righteous man
And we find Mary pregnant during that betrothal year. More importantly, Joseph finds her pregnant during that betrothal year.
Watch him in these verses. We are told in verse 19 that he was "righteous". Today, let's consider some of the things from his behaviors that could be included in this "righteous" description. And after observing, let's consider ourselves.
First, he did not want Mary exposed to public disgrace. For all he knew, she had disgraced him. She had gone behind his back and ended up pregnant. But he was a righteous man ... he had no desire for revenge. To me, that makes him noble. Revenge is bitter business. And once the ball is rolling, there is no end. I think that is why God had previously said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." (Deuteronomy 32:35)
Secondly, he recognized the voice of the angel of the Lord in his dream. I wish I knew details about that dream! But Joseph was sensitive to the voice of God. He was a righteous man ... he knew the voice of God. And when he heard, he obeyed ... no argument, no questions it seems. He just did what the Lord had said do.
Third, Joseph waited. He took Mary to be his wife ... but did not have union with her until after Jesus was born. Joseph was a righteous man ... he was willing to put himself aside for a season.
How about you? Are you willing to set aside revenge when you have been "wronged"? It is wise to set it aside. It is wise to leave it in the hands of God rather than your own hands. Revenge is deadly. It brings the wrong kind of satisfaction. Leave it alone!
Lord, I place my need for revenge over ____ in your hands.
Are you striving to be sensitive to the voice of God in your own life? Are you listening? It takes time ... it takes quiet. And are you willing to obey God? When God speaks to you through His written word, do you listen? Do you respond? Or do you make excuses for why you cannot obey.
Lord, I want to hear you. Give me ears to hear and the desire to obey.
Are you willing to set yourself aside for the good of another ... ever? Do you think the apostle Paul was serious when he said, "Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others"? (Philippians 2:4) Will you do that?
Lord, help me be free of self consumption! Give me the courage to set
myself aside for the good of someone else. Teach me how ...
Joseph was a righteous man. I want to be a righteous woman. How about you? God chose Mary to carry this baby. But He also chose Joseph ... to be the dad in the household ... to help train this little boy ... to grow him up as a strong, Jewish boy. He chose Joseph ...
September 12, 2012
Heredity (Matthew 1 - P3)
Read Matthew 1: 1 - 17.
I know, it's a list of names ... many of which we have a hard time pronouncing ... most of which are not in our current "popular baby names" lists. This reading at first glance may seem like an exercise in futility ... or one that is pointless ... but I encourage you to read it anyway. After you read, come back here and I will share a couple of observations with you.
Welcome back. Now, what in the world is the point? Why would Matthew begin a book with a list like this? We would not! He did so because there was nothing more important in the Jewish mind of that day than heredity. Which tribe ... what lineage. In fact, when many of the Jews returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity (they had been there 70 years) they had to prove their heredity. One group of men were among the priests. However, Ezra tells us in Ezra 2:62 "These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean." That's how important it was.
It has been 400 years since God last spoke to His people through prophets. The Old Testament closes with the prophecy of Malachi. And God has been silent. Four hundred years is a long time! I wonder if faithful Jews had become discouraged? I wonder if they had given up? I wonder if they thought that God had abandoned them? I wonder if they decided that they had misunderstood His words through those prophets? We tend to give up much sooner than 400 years! But this silence from God is being broken in the person of Jesus. Matthew is writing to prove beyond any doubt that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Therefore, heredity was of utmost importance. Through this "list", Matthew shows Jesus to have direct lineage with Abraham and King David.
Matthew organized this heredity in three groups of fourteen generations. That made it much easier to remember. In our older translations, the word "begat" is used. That word is used to show direct descent, not necessarily immediate parentage. The groupings of names are indicative of Jewish history ...
Group 1: verses 2 - 6
from Abraham to David
from nomad existence to greatness
the rise of Israel as a people to her greatest king and world prominence
Group 2: verses 7 - 11
from Solomon to the Exile in Babylon
from greatness to disgrace
the fall from world prominence to exiled slaves
Group 3: verses 12 - 16
from disgrace and exile to redemption
from foreign land to home
Do you recognize your own personal history?
Born for greatness ... created in the image of God, Himself ... created to care for the earth, having dominion over her ... born to walk in fellowship with God.
But we went from greatness to disgrace. We found ourselves slaves and exiles to sin.
And yet ... allowed redemption from disgrace back into fellowship and union with God through Jesus. Back home.
This is our story as well.
This "list of names" links Jesus with Abraham through King David. It proves Jesus to be "born of a woman" ... "the seed of Abraham" ... "of the tribe of Judah" ... "a descendant of David". Yes, Matthew tells us through this list, this Jesus is the promised Messiah of old. He has the right pedigree ... the right lineage.
I know, it's a list of names ... many of which we have a hard time pronouncing ... most of which are not in our current "popular baby names" lists. This reading at first glance may seem like an exercise in futility ... or one that is pointless ... but I encourage you to read it anyway. After you read, come back here and I will share a couple of observations with you.
Welcome back. Now, what in the world is the point? Why would Matthew begin a book with a list like this? We would not! He did so because there was nothing more important in the Jewish mind of that day than heredity. Which tribe ... what lineage. In fact, when many of the Jews returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity (they had been there 70 years) they had to prove their heredity. One group of men were among the priests. However, Ezra tells us in Ezra 2:62 "These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean." That's how important it was.
It has been 400 years since God last spoke to His people through prophets. The Old Testament closes with the prophecy of Malachi. And God has been silent. Four hundred years is a long time! I wonder if faithful Jews had become discouraged? I wonder if they had given up? I wonder if they thought that God had abandoned them? I wonder if they decided that they had misunderstood His words through those prophets? We tend to give up much sooner than 400 years! But this silence from God is being broken in the person of Jesus. Matthew is writing to prove beyond any doubt that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Therefore, heredity was of utmost importance. Through this "list", Matthew shows Jesus to have direct lineage with Abraham and King David.
Matthew organized this heredity in three groups of fourteen generations. That made it much easier to remember. In our older translations, the word "begat" is used. That word is used to show direct descent, not necessarily immediate parentage. The groupings of names are indicative of Jewish history ...
Group 1: verses 2 - 6
from Abraham to David
from nomad existence to greatness
the rise of Israel as a people to her greatest king and world prominence
Group 2: verses 7 - 11
from Solomon to the Exile in Babylon
from greatness to disgrace
the fall from world prominence to exiled slaves
Group 3: verses 12 - 16
from disgrace and exile to redemption
from foreign land to home
Do you recognize your own personal history?
Born for greatness ... created in the image of God, Himself ... created to care for the earth, having dominion over her ... born to walk in fellowship with God.
But we went from greatness to disgrace. We found ourselves slaves and exiles to sin.
And yet ... allowed redemption from disgrace back into fellowship and union with God through Jesus. Back home.
This is our story as well.
This "list of names" links Jesus with Abraham through King David. It proves Jesus to be "born of a woman" ... "the seed of Abraham" ... "of the tribe of Judah" ... "a descendant of David". Yes, Matthew tells us through this list, this Jesus is the promised Messiah of old. He has the right pedigree ... the right lineage.
Father, we honor Jesus today ... we bow before Him ... knowing that He is, indeed, the King ... sent from You at the perfect time. Thank you for providing a way for us to come "home".
September 11, 2012
Matthew - Introduction (P2)
Let's begin ...
The Gospel of Matthew is one of the three synoptic gospels. The other two are Mark and Luke. That merely means that the three are similar. They tell the story of Jesus' physical life on this earth. Chronologically, the first one written was Mark. And it is assumed that Mark was the prime source for Matthew and Luke.
Some interesting numerical facts ...
1. nearly 90% of the material in Mark is reproduced in Matthew
2. Mark has 661 verses ... Matthew has 1068 ... Luke has 1149
3. Only 24 verses in Mark are not reproduced in Matthew or Luke
Mark's narrative is vivid, simple, direct. It seems that Matthew takes that narrative and, with his Jewish-ness, expands on the narrative for a Jewish audience. Luke takes the narrative and writes for a Greek audience.
To the writer, Mark, we owe a debt of gratitude for recording many of the events in Jesus' life.
To the writer, Matthew, we owe a debt of gratitude for recording many of the teachings of Jesus.
Think for a few minutes about the apostles whom Jesus called. Remember Peter, Andrew, James and John? All fishermen - which would mean that they possessed little formal education and most likely, little academic and/or word craftmanship. Enter Matthew ... the tax collector. He would have been educated - a bookkeeper, organized. And he uses his particular skills and abilities to tell the story of Jesus. Do you use yours?
We are going to see Matthew's interests as he writes. A few of them ...
* Matthew is Jewish and you are going to notice his passion for Old Testament prophecy and its fulfillment in Jesus.
* Matthew has a very high opinion of the "Law". He never denigrates it. He always honors it. And he is the writer that includes the most scathing words of Jesus against the ones who were abusing it.
* Matthew is the only synoptic writer to use the word, "church". In chapter 16 he records Jesus' affirmation of Peter when Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus' words were, "... upon this rock I will build my church."
* Matthew has apocalyptic interest. He writes much about Jesus' second coming and last things.
* Matthew is a teacher. He organized his writings so that they could be easy to remember. There were not books for the common person. His gospel is very systemized. You are going to find groupings of threes and sevens. Watch for them.
* Matthew's dominate theme: Jesus is King
And we will follow this theme ... Jesus is King. And King Jesus came to establish His Kingdom. Our exploration of this book will be to see King Jesus and to learn how to be a citizen of His Kingdom. What does that citizen look like? How does she behave?
Matthew begins his narrative with Jesus as "Son of David" ... Kingship
He ends his narrative with Jesus, himself, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been give to me. Therefore ..."
Let's pray that we will be willing to listen to this King ... to respond to this King ... to pay homage to this King.
The Gospel of Matthew is one of the three synoptic gospels. The other two are Mark and Luke. That merely means that the three are similar. They tell the story of Jesus' physical life on this earth. Chronologically, the first one written was Mark. And it is assumed that Mark was the prime source for Matthew and Luke.
Some interesting numerical facts ...
1. nearly 90% of the material in Mark is reproduced in Matthew
2. Mark has 661 verses ... Matthew has 1068 ... Luke has 1149
3. Only 24 verses in Mark are not reproduced in Matthew or Luke
Mark's narrative is vivid, simple, direct. It seems that Matthew takes that narrative and, with his Jewish-ness, expands on the narrative for a Jewish audience. Luke takes the narrative and writes for a Greek audience.
To the writer, Mark, we owe a debt of gratitude for recording many of the events in Jesus' life.
To the writer, Matthew, we owe a debt of gratitude for recording many of the teachings of Jesus.
Think for a few minutes about the apostles whom Jesus called. Remember Peter, Andrew, James and John? All fishermen - which would mean that they possessed little formal education and most likely, little academic and/or word craftmanship. Enter Matthew ... the tax collector. He would have been educated - a bookkeeper, organized. And he uses his particular skills and abilities to tell the story of Jesus. Do you use yours?
We are going to see Matthew's interests as he writes. A few of them ...
* Matthew is Jewish and you are going to notice his passion for Old Testament prophecy and its fulfillment in Jesus.
* Matthew has a very high opinion of the "Law". He never denigrates it. He always honors it. And he is the writer that includes the most scathing words of Jesus against the ones who were abusing it.
* Matthew is the only synoptic writer to use the word, "church". In chapter 16 he records Jesus' affirmation of Peter when Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus' words were, "... upon this rock I will build my church."
* Matthew has apocalyptic interest. He writes much about Jesus' second coming and last things.
* Matthew is a teacher. He organized his writings so that they could be easy to remember. There were not books for the common person. His gospel is very systemized. You are going to find groupings of threes and sevens. Watch for them.
* Matthew's dominate theme: Jesus is King
And we will follow this theme ... Jesus is King. And King Jesus came to establish His Kingdom. Our exploration of this book will be to see King Jesus and to learn how to be a citizen of His Kingdom. What does that citizen look like? How does she behave?
Matthew begins his narrative with Jesus as "Son of David" ... Kingship
He ends his narrative with Jesus, himself, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been give to me. Therefore ..."
Let's pray that we will be willing to listen to this King ... to respond to this King ... to pay homage to this King.
Lord, give us fresh eyes to see You through this writing.
Open our eyes ... open our ears ... open our hearts.
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