BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 2:3

Sunday, 4 August 2024
 
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:3
 
“And Herod the king, having heard, he was agitated, and all Jerusalem with him” (CG).
 
The previous verse noted that the magicians had seen the star of the King of the Jews in the direction of the sunrising and they had come to worship Him. With that noted, Matthew now records, “And Herod the king.”
 
Herod was a power-hungry king who feared any challenge, real or imagined, to his reign. Of him, Charles Ellicott writes –
 
“The old king (the title had been given by the Roman Senate in B.C. 40) was drawing to the close of his long and blood-stained reign. Two years before he had put to death, on a charge of treason, his two sons by Mariamne, his best-loved wife, through sheer jealousy of the favour with which the people looked on them. At the time when this history opens, his eldest son, Antipater, was under condemnation.”
 
So fearful was he of any challenge to his throne that he had his own sons executed for simply being popular. Understanding his personality, Matthew next records, “having heard, he was agitated.”
 
Herod certainly questioned how magicians from the East could come looking for the King of the Jews but not be looking for him. He sat on the throne over the Jewish people! Because of this, Matthew notes that he was agitated.
 
The word is tarassó. HELPS Word Studies says it means to “put in motion (to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro); (figuratively) to set in motion what needs to remain still (at ease); to ‘trouble’ (‘agitate’), causing inner perplexity (emotional agitation) from getting too stirred up inside (‘upset’).”
 
One can see Herod standing there beside himself, distraught with the thought of a challenge to his throne. Certainly because of this, it next says, “and all Jerusalem with him.”
 
The word “all” is used in a comparative sense. An important point in Scripture is that not every “every” means “every,” and not all “all’s” mean “all.” There were certainly people sitting in local cafes that had no idea what was transpiring in the royal hall. There were servants tending to the homes of their masters who would have no idea about the coming of the magicians. In all, probably very few of the people in the city had an inkling about the report.
 
Rather, in this case, Jerusalem stands for the seat of power. Therefore, it is referring to those who were in the royal court with Herod. They would have certainly been agitated, knowing his proclivity for harming others, and they would be walking on eggshells at the thought of what he might do in this instance.
 
Life application: Herod was an Idumean by birth, meaning an Edomite. Idumean is simply the Greek form of the word. Of this people group, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus says that about 129 BC John Hyrcanus –
 
“...subdued all the Idumeans; and permitted them to stay in that country, if they would circumcise their genitals, and make use of the laws of the Jews; and they were so desirous of living in the country of their forefathers, that they submitted to the use of circumcision, and of the rest of the Jewish ways of living; at which time therefore this befell them, that they were hereafter no other than Jews.” Antiquities, Book 13 Chapter 9 Section 1
 
What this means is that the Edomites were brought into the nation of Israel, becoming Jews. This is no different than an Arab or a Japanese person today converting to Judaism. They become a part of the Jewish people. Whether their origins are remembered and held against them by other supposedly pure-blooded Jews or not is irrelevant. They are now Jews.
 
The line of Herod was a part of this conversion, but the racial animosities obviously remained, and despite being a Jew, it is obvious from historical records that he was remembered for his ancestral heritage more than his acceptance into the Jewish culture.
 
In the Bible, there are references to Edom, Moab, Ammon, etc., that are contained in prophecies that extend even beyond our time. And yet, there is no nation of Edom, Moab, etc. What this means is that the Bible is using the lands, once inhabited by those people groups, as emblematic of the people in those lands today.
 
Thus, when a future prophecy refers to Philistia, it is speaking of the modern-day Gazans, not Philistines. In referring to Ammon, Edom, or Moab, it is generally speaking of the Arabs who occupy Jordan. In other words, the lands that were originally settled by these people retain those name designations in Scripture.
 
This is important to understand because the Edomites of the past are now incorporated into the Jews of today. When the Romans exiled the Jews, those Edomites (Idumeans) who had assimilated into the Jewish people were a part of that exile. There are no “Edomites” today in a real sense. The nation does not exist. Instead, only the lands where they were are considered Edom.
 
Remember this as you read the Bible. There is a baseline for what is presented. That baseline does not change unless the change is recorded in Scripture. But whatever the final designation in Scripture is, that is what is to be considered when analyzing the world today.
 
Understanding this, the biblical model which refers to Christians is one that is set and unchanging. Jesus came, fulfilled the law, and introduced the New Covenant. Entry into what God is doing now takes place through the baseline that has been set because of Jesus Christ.
 
Being “Jewish” is no longer what designates a person who is in a right standing with God. Jews may be in a right standing, or they might not be. But the standard that makes it so is by coming to God through Christ Jesus. This is what God is doing in the world. The pattern is set because the Bible is complete.
 
And for those who have come to Christ, there are no longer any distinctions that should separate us. Herod may have been considered an Edomite even though he was a Jewish convert. However, such designations are no longer to be looked down on as if one group is better than another.
 
A Japanese, a Kenyan, and a Jew all walked into a church...
 
When they got there, they were (and remain) on an equal footing before God because of faith in Jesus Christ –
 
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatian 3:26-29
 
Lord God, how grateful we are for what Christ has done for us. We are all one in Him through faith in His completed work. We are granted access to Your heavenly throne where You hear us regardless of who we once were. Thank You for the wonderful blessing of being Your child through simple faith in Him. Hallelujah and Amen.

Matthew 2:2

Saturday, 3 August 2024
 
saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2
 
“Saying, ‘Where is He having been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the sunrising, and we came to worship Him’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the magicians had come from the sunrisings to Jerusalem. Now, Matthew continues with the words, “Saying, ‘Where is He?’”
 
The words of the magicians are in the form of a question, but they are also just as much an assertion. By stating “Where is He,” they are proclaiming that they are certain that the person they are looking for exists. This is understood. The question isn’t, “Has He come?” but rather, “Where is He?” Understanding this, they continue with, “having been born?”
 
Again, it is an assertion. They do not ask, “Where is the King who has been coronated?” Nor do they ask, “Where is the King who has been appointed by Rome?” Instead, the question is about a birth. Therefore, something prompted them to accept that a divinely appointed birth had taken place for one who was to be “King of the Jews.”
 
The answer is to be found in Daniel 9:24-27 where a timeline of prophetic events was to take place –
 
“Seventy weeks are determinedFor your people and for your holy city,To finish the transgression,To make an end of sins,To make reconciliation for iniquity,To bring in everlasting righteousness,To seal up vision and prophecy,And to anoint the Most Holy.25 “Know therefore and understand,That from the going forth of the commandTo restore and build JerusalemUntil Messiah the Prince,There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;The street shall be built again, and the wall,Even in troublesome times.26 “And after the sixty-two weeksMessiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;And the people of the prince who is to comeShall destroy the city and the sanctuary.The end of it shall be with a flood,And till the end of the war desolations are determined.27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;But in the middle of the weekHe shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,Even until the consummation, which is determined,Is poured out on the desolate.”
 
The words of Daniel may be confusing without understanding the greater context of the Bible, but they clearly and precisely state when the Messiah would come, what would happen to Him, and what would happen afterward. For example, it is understood from the words that the sanctuary, meaning the temple in Jerusalem, would be destroyed.
 
Of this expectation of the coming Messiah, Albert Barnes writes –
 
“This personage, they supposed would be a temporal prince, and they were expecting that he would deliver them from Roman bondage. It was natural that this expectation should spread into other countries. Many Jews at that time lived in Egypt, in Rome, and in Greece; many, also, had gone to Eastern countries, and in every place they carried their sacred writings, and diffused the expectation that some remarkable person was about to appear. Suetonius, a Roman historian, speaking of this rumor. says: ‘An ancient and settled persuasion prevailed throughout the East that the Fates had decreed some one to proceed from Judea who should attain universal empire.’ Tacitus, another Roman historian, says: ‘Many were persuaded that it was contained in the ancient books of their priests, that at that very time the East should prevail, and that some one should proceed from Judea and possess the dominion.’ Josephus also, and Philo, two Jewish historians, make mention of the same expectation. The fact that such a person was expected is clearly attested. Under this expectation these wise men came to do him homage, and inquired anxiously where he was born?”
 
The reason for paying homage to Him is next explained by them, “For we saw His star.” This “star” is referred to in the Book of Numbers –
 
“I see Him, but not now;I behold Him, but not near;A Star shall come out of Jacob;A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,And batter the brow of Moab,And destroy all the sons of tumult.18 “And Edom shall be a possession;Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,While Israel does valiantly.19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion,And destroy the remains of the city.”  Numbers 24:17-19
 
The Jews, attempting to hide the fact that Jesus fit the biblical narrative, hid a significant period of time in the chronology of the Old Testament. By doing this, they then made the assertion that another person, Simon bar Kokhba, was the anticipated Messiah. His name means “Simon son of a Star.” They claimed he was the fulfillment of the Numbers prophecy.
 
However, he came after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Thus, he could not be the Messiah as indicated in the Daniel timeline. As for the Numbers prophecy, it was understood that One would arise and subdue the surrounding nations. But in the greater context of Scripture, much more was understood about this coming One.
 
As for seeing His star, the word can mean literally seeing, as in a visible star, or it can mean to perceive, as in “the magicians perceived the star from a reading of sacred texts.” Thus, it is a seeing with the mind. This explanation of the word may help understand later verses. Or it may be that they have seen a literal event that alerted them to the coming of the Messiah. Understanding that, it next says, “in the sunrising.”
 
It is the same word used in the previous verse. It indicates “east,” but it means “rising of light.” This does not mean that they saw the star to their east but that they were east of Israel and saw the star rising from there, knowing that the heavenly sign prophesied for Israel had come to pass. Therefore, with this information clearly known by them, it next says, “and we came to worship Him.”
 
Of these words, Albert Barnes says, “This does not mean that they had come to pay him religious homage, or to adore him They regarded him as the King of the Jews, but there is no evidence that they supposed that he was divine. They came to honor him as a Prince, or a king, not as God.”
 
Barnes’ words, though dogmatic, are not necessarily correct. Depending on the knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, one could clearly determine that this coming One was, in fact, divine. At a minimum, it would be understood He was divinely appointed by God. He had been anticipated since the time of the first man on earth. He was spoken of throughout the historical writings and prophets of the Jews, etc.
 
Therefore, whether mere obeisance or worship, these magicians had come to bow before this coming King.
 
As for the star that anticipated the coming of Christ, the number of theories concerning planetary alignments, the position of constellations, particular comets, and so forth go on and on. Everyone who has a theory dogmatically claims his presentation is correct. Those who hear one claim or another will hold fast to the one they find most convincing and dogmatically avow that they are right as to what is being referred to.
 
In the end, these things are not necessary to determine when Christ came. The years of Herod’s life and the prophecy of Daniel sufficiently tells us by what time Jesus had to be born and by what time He would be crucified. And more, the fact that these magicians saw a divinely appointed star tells us that it was there.
 
As such, determining the particular star that heralded in the coming of Jesus, whatever it was, is not necessary, even if it is fun to consider.
 
Life application: As noted, there are many theories about the star in the skies which point to the coming of Jesus. Some say it is a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, which took place in May to July and again in September of 7BC. Others say it was the rising of Sirius which occurred on the same day in four subsequent years from 5-2BC. Many other speculations have been set forth as well.
 
A video that has gotten jillions of social media views and sold innumerable CDs by Rick Larsen makes certain assertions about the star of Bethlehem. He goes on to cite details about the cosmic event at Christ’s cross as well. The problem with his analysis is that after all of his calculations and details, he assertively places Christ’s crucifixion at the time of a particular solar eclipse.
 
The problem with this is that it is impossible to have a solar eclipse at the time of the Passover. The moon is full at the Passover. Thus, it is on the other side of the earth when the sun is in the sky. With such an obvious error in his presentation, it then calls into question all of his other assertions as well. The house of cards comes crashing down.
 
It is best to not get caught up in such hype. If the Bible does not provide the particular details concerning things like this, it is because God is not interested in telling us about those things. Rather, He is directing our attention to Jesus, not a star that served a purpose in telling eastern magicians about the coming of Jesus.
 
Let us not get overly distracted from the biblical text. It is good to research extra-biblical history, which can confirm many aspects of the Bible but when something is so unreasonably argued over, like the Star of Bethlehem, we have lost focus of the main Subject. Eyes to Jesus. In this, we will do well. The Bible records the facts, and they are sufficient for us to know that Christ has come according to the plan and purposes of God.
 
Lord God, before Jesus came, we were given the timeline to tell us that He would come at a certain time. As we can rely on Your word, we can also be certain that He is the Messiah. No other person can make the claim because the time for His coming is past. With that, we can read the New Testament and discover what He did and how it has changed all of human history. Thank You, O God, for the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 

Matthew 2:1

Friday, 2 August 2024
 
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, Matthew 2:1
 
“And Jesus, having been born in Bethlehem Judea, in days Herod the king: Behold, magicians from sunrisings – they came unto Jerusalem” (CG).
 
Chapter 1 ended with the note that Joseph refrained from having physical relations with his wife, Mary, until she had brought forth Jesus. Now, the narrative continues in Chapter 2, beginning with, “And Jesus, having been born in Bethlehem Judea.”
 
The words are stated to confirm the prophecy of the Lord through Micah –
 
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,Yet out of you shall come forth to MeThe One to be Ruler in Israel,Whose goings forth are from of old,From everlasting.” Micah 5:2
 
Matthew will deal with this prophecy in a few verses, but this confirms another prophecy that had to be fulfilled concerning Israel’s true Messiah. Next, it says, “in days Herod the king.” He is known as Herod the Great. Of him, Albert Barnes says –
 
“Judea, where our Saviour was born, was a province of the Roman Empire. It was taken about 63 years before his birth by Pompey, and placed under tribute. Herod received his appointment from the Romans, and had reigned at the time of the birth of Jesus for 34 years. Though he was permitted to be called king, yet he was, in all respects, dependent on the Roman emperor. He was commonly called ‘Herod the Great’ because he had distinguished himself in the wars with Antigonus and his other enemies, and because he had evinced great talents in governing and defending his country, in repairing the temple, and in building and ornamenting the cities of his kingdom. He was, however, as much distinguished for his cruelty and his crimes as he was for his greatness.”
 
It was at this time that Matthew next records, “Behold, magicians.” The Greek word is magos, a magician, astrologer, wizard, etc. HELPS Word Studies says of them, “one of a sacred caste, originally Median, who seem to have conformed to the Persian religion while retaining some of their old beliefs.”
 
Various opinions have been given concerning who exactly these magicians were and where they came from. What is possibly the case is that they were from the area of Iran. It is to the east of Israel, and it is where the great empire that replaced the Babylonians was. Daniel and others were exiled to Babylon. However, Babylon was destroyed by the Medes and Persians. This is detailed in Daniel 5, which ends with –
 
“That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.” Daniel 5:30, 31
 
When Babylon was destroyed, the new empire would have received all of the ancient writings of the Chaldeans. They also acquired their wise men, such as Daniel. This body of knowledge would have been incorporated into their empire, and it is possible that this included all of the Jewish prophetic writings.
 
It appears from Isaiah 44 that they possessed the book of Isaiah. If so, it may be that they had copies of all of the writings. The coming verses will show that there was an awareness of the book of Daniel and Numbers. Thus, it seems that all of the Jewish writings were maintained in the archives of this eastern empire.
 
Therefore, the ancient prophecy of a coming Messiah would be known to these magicians. The word magos is likely connected to the Aramaic name of the Rabmag [Great Mag] found in Jeremiah 39.
 
This would confirm that these people once were a part of the Chaldeans and were assimilated into the empire of the Medes and Persians. Because of their libraries and training, these men were alerted to the ancient prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures. Of them, Matthew next notes that they were “from sunrisings.”
 
Most translations say, “from the east.” However, the word is anatolé, a rising of light. In this case, it signifies the rising of the sun. Further, it is plural. Thus, these magicians are “from sunrisings,” and thus east of Israel. Whoever they were and wherever they were from, it next notes that “they came unto Jerusalem.”
 
These men had traveled from outside of the land of Israel. They had a specific knowledge from prophecy concerning the coming of Christ, and they came to behold what they were certain of. As Jerusalem is the seat of government, they first came there to proclaim what they knew and to ask for further details. This will be seen as the verses continue.
 
Life application: One interpretation of who these men were that has arisen is that these Magi were Jewish Rabbis who had remained a part of the exile. This has become a point of boasting among Jewish believers in recent times, but it hardly seems likely.
 
These Magi will ask about the King of the Jews, not specifically the Messiah. It is unlikely they would ask about a king first and foremost. Likewise, they will ask where the King would be born. However, a Jewish rabbi would know where to look for such information, as is evidenced by the verses ahead.
 
But most notably, if these were Jews, the text would have said so. The problem with this type of analysis is the same as with much else that is ascribed to the Jewish people today. Since the return of Israel to the land and with the modern messianic movement, everything Jewish has become fashionable.
 
Many deceitful people have arisen because of this, profiting off of their heritage. Many of them do not hold to the grace of God in Christ, but to their traditions and to law observance, in part or in whole. What has been sound theology, and a proper interpretation of Scripture for millennia has been upended by such unsound teaching. The Judaizers Paul warned of have come back like an overflowing flood.
 
Be sure to not get caught up in the hype of genealogy, culture, or tradition. Hold fast to the word of God as it has been revealed. And that revelation is one of God’s grace being bestowed upon undeserved sinners, not man’s effort to reconcile himself through an obsolete law that only God in Christ could (and did) fulfill.
 
To return to what is fulfilled is to say to God, “I know you did Your best, but I will take it from here.” What a slap in the face of God, who has done it all for us. Let us never mar the grace of God in Christ. To Jesus alone is to be our hope, and He alone is our place of refuge.
 
Lord God, may we hold fast to the grace of God in Christ, never trusting in our own merit. We have no standing before You without Jesus. Help us to recognize this and to exalt You for what You alone have done for us in the coming of our Lord. All hail the glorious and exalted name of JESUS! Amen.
 

Matthew 1:25

Thursday, 1 August 2024
 
and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:25
 
 “And he knew her not until that she brought forth the Son, her Firstborn. And he called His name JESUS” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it said that after his visitation by the messenger, he thoroughly aroused from his sleep and did as the angel commanded him, taking to him his wife. Now, Matthew continues the narrative, saying, “And he knew her not.”
 
This is a biblical euphemism, meaning that he did not have intercourse with her. The first of many times this is mentioned in Scripture is in Genesis 4 –
 
“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.’” Genesis 4:1
 
Joseph refrained from consummating his marriage to Mary until a certain point. However, at some point after that time, they would have come together as husband and wife. That is seen in the next words, “until that.”
 
The Greek says heós hu, until that. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says of this concerning the word heós, “with the genitive of the neuter relative pronoun οὗ [hou] or ὅτου [hotou] it gets the force of a conjunction, until, till (the time when).” In other words, up until a certain point, Joseph did not know his wife intimately. However, that certainly changed after the time “she brought forth the Son.”
 
The birth of Jesus was untainted by any hint of sexual intercourse between Joseph and Mary. She was a virgin, and her virginity remained until the birth of her Son, “her Firstborn.”
 
The words are a standard designation. They do not imply she had other children. It simply calls out that this Child, regardless of whether He had siblings or not, was the Firstborn of Mary. As He is also God’s only begotten, Jesus is also the Firstborn of God –
 
“For to which of the angels did He ever say:
‘You are My Son,Today I have begotten You’?
And again:
‘I will be to Him a Father,And He shall be to Me a Son’?
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’” Hebrews 1:5-6
 
Of this, the words of Exodus 4:22 should be reviewed –
 
“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”’”
 
Israel, the nation, is said to be the Firstborn of the Lord. This means through adoption. God selected them to carry out His purposes, leading to the coming of the Messiah. However, Jesus is the Firstborn in the sense of being begotten.
 
A couple who could not have their own children might adopt a child who becomes their firstborn. However, later that condition could change, and they beget a child through the life-generative process. This is the difference between the two.
 
Next, and in accordance with the words of the messenger, Matthew notes, “And he called His name JESUS.”
 
It is Joseph who named the Child in accordance with the divine instructions. Mary was also told that His name was to be Jesus, but the text records that Joseph is the one who is credited with following through with what he was instructed. Mary, though the human mother of Jesus, is seen to otherwise portray a minor role in the events that take place in the gospel records.
 
Life application: Although the biblical record does not speak of any future intimacy between Joseph and Mary, the way that Matthew writes of Joseph’s keeping separate from Mary until a certain point is a strong indication that their refraining from intercourse was only temporary. For example, this is recorded in Genesis 38 –
 
“So Judah acknowledged them and said, ‘She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.’ And he never knew her again.” Genesis 38:26
 
When something is set and final in this manner, the Bible generally says so to highlight the matter. Not only is there no such statement concerning Joseph and Mary, but exactly the opposite is the case. This is contrary to the aberrant teaching of Roman Catholicism, which dogmatically states that Mary was a perpetual virgin.
 
There is no biblical support for this. The teaching was only decided upon in the year 553, hundreds of years after anyone could have known whether this was the case or not. In other words, it was a decision based on vapor and nothing else.
 
But why would the church want to make this claim? It is the same reason for innumerable decisions in the Roman Catholic Church: to direct people’s attention away from Jesus. Contrary to Scripture alone, the RCC holds to the Bible, plus the authority of the church. Contrary to Christ alone, the RCC holds to the mediation of Christ, plus the intercessory ability of Mary, the Pope, etc. Contrary to faith alone, the RCC holds to faith plus works in the process of justification. Contrary to grace alone, the RCC teaches merit apart from the grace of God. Contrary to the glory of God alone, the RCC uses exalted titles for the dead (such as Mary) and the living (the living pope at any given time), etc.
 
There is nothing acceptable about the doctrines of the RCC. Everything taught is tainted with the machinations of man. Whether Joseph and Mary came together or not after the birth of Jesus is not specifically addressed in Scripture because it has no bearing on where our eyes should be directed, which is to Jesus. Let us not get caught up in strange teachings that misdirect us from this key doctrine.
 
Lord God, may we be faithful to hold to Scripture alone for our doctrine concerning You and the theology that we pursue. Keep us from those who would misdirect us and confuse us in our walk. Thank You for Your word which is sufficient to instruct us. And thank You for Jesus who is the central figure presented in Your word. Amen.
Mathew 1
 
1 Scroll: Genealogy Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham.
 
2Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. 3And Judah begot Perez and Zerah from Tamar, and Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4And Ram begot Amminadab, and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5And Salmon begot Boaz from Rahab, and Boaz begot Obed from Ruth, and Obed begot Jesse. 6And Jesse begot David, the king.
 
And David, the king, begot Solomon from the of Uriah. 7And Solomon begot Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. 8And Asa begot Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. 9And Uzziah begot Jotham, and Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. 10And Hezekiah begot Manasseh, and Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. 11And Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers upon the Babylon deportation.
 
12And after the Babylon deportation, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. 13And Zerubbabel begot Abiud, and Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. 14And Azor begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. 15And Eliud begot Eleazar, and Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. 16And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom birthed Jesus, being called the Christ.
 
17Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen. And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen. And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen.
 
18And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: For his mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, rather before they came together, she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb. 19And Joseph, her husband, being righteous and not willing to expose her to disgrace, intended to send her away secretly. 20And him, having pondered these, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, you should not fear to receive Mary your wife, for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is. 21And she will bring forth a son, and you will call His name JESUS. For He will save His people from their sins.”
 
22And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23“Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,” which is being translated, “With Us: The God.”
 
24And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep, did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him, and received his wife. 25And he knew her not until that she brought forth the Son, her Firstborn. And he called His name JESUS.
 

Matthew 1:24

Wednesday, 31 July 2024
 
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, Matthew 1:24
 
“And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep, did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him, and received his wife” (CG).
 
The previous verse finished the explanation of the words of the messenger that Joseph received as he dreamed. With these things complete, Matthew now records, “And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused from the sleep...”
 
There is a slight difference in texts here. Some use the word diegeiró, to arouse completely. Others use the word egeiró, to arouse. The difference is the prefix dia, or through, which intensifies the word egeiró.
 
Further, the Greek has an article before the word “sleep.” It wasn’t just a regular sleep but a personal sleep that included a formal visit from the messenger of the Lord. As such, it seems likely that Joseph wasn’t just aroused but fully aroused from the sleep in order to take the next action recorded by Matthew. He “did as the messenger of the Lord commanded him.”
 
In the words of the angel, Joseph was told to take Mary as his wife and to name the child Jesus. Implied, although not specifically recorded, was that he was not to consummate the marriage until after the birth of Jesus. That will be seen in the next verse. For now, it records, “and received his wife.”
 
Joseph had thought to put away Mary secretly for what he supposed she had done. Now, he rather openly confirms the marriage, ensuring that those who are close to Mary would not inappropriately judge her for being pregnant before the marriage was formalized.
 
The message of the dream was sufficient for Joseph to know for certain that the hand of the Lord was involved in what was taking place. Therefore, he obediently complied with all that he was instructed to do.
 
Life application: Since the time of Christ’s incarnation, other women have made similar claims concerning being pregnant without male involvement. No such claims are to be accepted. At one point in human history, God directly intervened in the human experience by uniting with His creatures in the Person of Jesus.
 
Today, women can be artificially inseminated, but this still means that a man is involved in the process. The generation of human life is not possible without this, except in the case of Jesus.
 
What God has done in Christ is the single most important aspect of human existence. From the conception and birth of Jesus to His crucifixion and resurrection, nothing in all of history even comes close to this. Without Jesus, we are fallen and separate from God, condemned by the sin we have inherited.
 
However, in the coming of Christ, the line of sin is cut. We can now have full restoration with God through simple faith in what He has done. If Mary’s child was not born of God, there would be no hope for humanity. To deny the virgin birth is a point of heresy that cannot be overcome by those who hear and accept it.
 
Either Christ Jesus is God, or we stand condemned. When Paul says in Romans 10:13, “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,’” he is not saying “Lord” meaning “Master.” He is telling us that Jesus Christ is the Lord, Yehovah, of the Old Testament. Thus, to not call on Jesus as the incarnate Lord God means you will not be saved.
 
Calling on a created savior is idolatry. It is placing a part of the creation as the means of salvation, but we are told that “salvation is of the Lord (Yehovah)” (Jonah 2:9) and that Yehovah is Israel’s Savior (Isaiah 43:3 & 45:15). Be confident in your understanding of who Jesus is. He is the Lord God, our Savior.
 
Glorious Almighty God, thank You for what You have done to bring us back to Yourself. It is incredible, and yet it is certain: You have come in the Person of Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, honor, and power to You alone. Thank You, O God, for Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 1:23

Tuesday, 30 July 2024
 
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
 
“‘Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,’ which is being translated, ‘With Us: The God’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Matthew noted that the things that were conveyed by the messenger to Joseph were done in order that a prophecy of the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled. Now, Matthew cites that prophecy so that we can understand what is being referred to. And so, he writes –
 
“‘Behold, the virgin will have in womb, and will bring forth a Son, and they will call His name Emmanouél,’ which is being translated, ‘With Us: The God.’”
 
It is a literal translation of the name and the title. In a case like this, the article before “God” does not need to be included as it is understood that there is one God. Further, the prophecy from Isaiah doesn’t include any article. However, because of the words of Isaiah to the House of David, the One true God, Yehovah, was understood to be who he was referring to. He said –
 
“Then he said, ‘Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?’” Isaiah 7:13
 
Isaiah had just cited the words of the Lord (Yehovah) in verse 7:10. Therefore, the inclusion of the article from the Greek is not inappropriate. Yehovah is the One and only true God. This is why Isaiah said, “weary my God.” A point is being made about the nature of the One to come. After saying his words to the house of David, Isaiah continues with his words of prophecy –
 
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
 
The name Immanuel comes from im, with, and el, God. The form of the word Immanu, having a pronominal suffix, indicates a plural marker. Thus, it means With Us, God. Matthew gives a direct transliteration from the Greek – Emmanouél.
 
In the words of Isaiah, he uses the term almah, translated as “virgin.” That signifies a young woman. Using this word generally signifies a virgin, such as in the account of Rebekah in Genesis 24, but it does not necessarily mean it is so. It is the feminine form of elem, a young man. Because of this, Jewish rabbis and scholars dismiss that this is a future prophecy of the coming of Christ Jesus.
 
However, this flies in the face of Jewish history, which always understood it to refer to a virgin who would bear a child. This is confirmed by the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, which predates the coming of Christ by about two hundred and fifty years –
 
ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Εμμανουήλ (LXX).
 
Idou hē parthenos en gastri hexei kai texetai huion kai kaleseis to onoma autou Emmanouēl.
 
In their translation, the rabbis used the word παρθένος, parthenos, a virgin. It is this translation that Matthew refers to for his words. His citation is almost a letter for letter translation of Isaiah 7:14.
 
His use of parthenos was to clear up any ambiguity in what was being conveyed. Even if a young woman in Isaiah’s time was used as a reference to the fulfillment of the immediate prophecy given by the Lord, the rabbis clearly understood that a greater fulfillment of the prophecy was ahead in the coming of the Messiah.
 
As human biology demands that virgins cannot have a child on their own, then there must be something coming that defied the understanding of those who anticipated their Messiah. Only in the pronouncement to Mary in Luke 1 can the concept of a virgin bearing a child without the seed of a man be understood –
 
“And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35
 
As Mary will be the mother of the Child, and because she is a human, the Child will be a human male. As God is the Father of the Child, the Child will be The God. Thus, the pronouncement of the prophet of the words of the Lord finds its ultimate fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah – Immanuel: God With Us.
 
Because Isaiah referred to his God, Yehovah, then the words of Matthew are fulfilled – Meth’ hēmōn ho Theos: With us: The God. Though the Hebrew word elohim can mean God, god, gods, or even spirits or people, the term ha’elohim, the God, is only used when referring to the true God. Jesus Christ is very God of very God. He is the Incarnation of Yehovah in human flesh.
 
Life application: Despite two thousand years of Jewish attempts to deny the incarnation of God in Christ, this is exactly what their own Scriptures speak of from beginning to end. If you encounter a Jewish rabbi or scholar who adamantly denies that Jesus is the Lord, you have your work cut out for you. But if you know what you are talking about, you can easily defend the truth of Scripture.
 
Others, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, deny that Jesus is God. In this, they proclaim another (a false) Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4), and thus they proclaim a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). Therefore, they stand accursed before God.
 
Be sure to speak about what you know to be true. And be firm in your convictions. God has come to dwell among us! All hail the name of our Lord, our Savior, and our God – JESUS!
 
Lord God, may we continue to pursue a right understanding of who Jesus is all our days. We proclaim Jesus is Lord! Our God is among us, having come in human flesh. Praise You, O God, for what You have done for us. Hallelujah and Amen.
 

Matthew 1:22

Monday, 29 July 2024
 
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Matthew 1:22
 
“And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying...” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the messenger noted to Joseph that the Child’s name was to be Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Now, the narrative continues, saying, “And this all has come to pass that may be fulfilled that having been spoken by the Lord.”
 
Matthew will now cite an Old Testament prophecy. It is one that was uttered by the Lord, Yehovah, to King Ahaz in Isaiah 7. The words of prophecy, as recorded by Matthew, are said to be fulfilled (has come to pass) in the coming of Christ Jesus. And yet, it was a prophecy given to Ahaz about a matter that would be fulfilled at his time.
 
As such, it is a prophecy with a dual significance. This is not a stretch by Matthew, looking to shove the coming of Christ Jesus into an obscure and already fulfilled verse. Rather, it is a prophecy that was understood all along to be messianic in nature.
 
That is evidenced in the words of the coming verse. That we can know this was anticipated to refer to the Messiah will be explained then. For now, Matthew continues by saying that the prophecy was spoken by the Lord “through the prophet, saying...”
 
The Lord spoke to Israel, but He did so indirectly through Isaiah. The words that lead to the prophecy say –
 
“Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 ‘Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.’12 But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!’13 Then he said, ‘Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?’” Isaiah 7:10-13
 
The Lord first spoke to Ahaz directly. The words are in the second person, singular. When Ahaz punted and refused to ask for a sign, the Lord, through Isaiah, responded to the “house of David.” Though Ahaz was the king, the address by Isaiah is made in the second person plural.
 
The meaning is that not only will there be an immediate fulfillment of his words to Ahaz, but the words are intended to extend to the House of David in a more relevant way. This is only implied, but the implication was understood to be there, nonetheless.
 
Life application: When reading the Bible, there are themes that may repeat, even if it seems that what was prophesied was already fulfilled in the past. For example, the prophets speak of the fall of Babylon in the Old Testament, something that actually occurred in the past.
 
Babylon came against Israel according to prophecy. The Babylonians destroyed the land and took the people captive to Babylon. Eventually, Babylon was destroyed according to the prophecies stated in the Old Testament.
 
One could wipe his hands and say, Wah-lah, that’s the end of that. However, the New Testament also refers to the destruction of Babylon, even citing the Old Testament. For example –
 
“‘And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!’Then he answered and said,‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen!And all the carved images of her godsHe has broken to the ground.’” Isaiah 21:9
 
“And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’” Revelation 14:8
 
The Lord is repeating themes and historical events to show that there is a system by which things are accomplished. Nothing is random or haphazard. The Lord works out events in a physical realm while also repeating these things in the spiritual realm.
 
A way that this occurs is through typology. To understand this more fully, you can go to the sermons from the Superior Word and see where typology from one story directs the flow of events in future accounts. The Lord explains this through Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes –
 
“That which has been is what will be,That which is done is what will be done,And there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9
 
Things will repeat so that when they occur, we can know that the directive hand of the Lord has brought them to pass.
 
Lord God, help us to see the wonderful things that You have laid out in Your word, even things that are still hidden and waiting to be uncovered. May we look for Your guiding hand in the unfolding of history by looking back to what has been. In doing this, we can know that You are directing us and all events according to a wise and detailed plan. All is well because You have it all under control. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:21

Sunday, 28 July 2024
 
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
 
“And she will bring forth a son, and you will call His name JESUS. For He will save His people from their sins” (CG).
 
Joseph was just told that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit. The messenger continues, saying, “And she will bring forth a Son.”
 
The words not only demonstrate the presence of God in the process, but more, they also reveal the directive hand of God. The Child will not merely be opening Mary’s womb, but the Lord is directing what type of child will be born, a Son. Understanding that, it next says, “and you will call His name JESUS.”
 
The words of this verse are similar to what was said to Mary –
 
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” Luke 1:31
 
Mary was told this, and even if she then told it to Joseph, it is still right that the messenger would repeat it to him now. His words confirm the words of Mary, or they establish the matter for Joseph if she had not yet told him. Either way, he is informed what will come to pass concerning the Child, and he is told what the Child’s name will be.
 
This is not a unique event in Scripture. The names of Isaac and Ishmael were given before they were born. Josiah’s name was prophesied before he was born. Also, the name of Cyrus, King of Persia, was stated in a prophecy before he was born. In the New Testament, John the Baptist had his name designated before he was born.
 
Though the name of Samson was not given before he was born, details concerning him were described. Such events as this show that God is in control of the redemptive narrative, and He intervenes at key points to continue having history unfold according to a set plan.
 
The name Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua. It is a shortened form of Yehoshua, Joshua. Whereas Yehoshua means The Lord is Salvation, Yeshua means Salvation, or He Will Save, coming from the verb yasha, to deliver or save. Joshua anticipated the coming of Christ through his name.
 
In the coming of Christ, the type is fulfilled: the Lord, Yehovah, is Salvation. Therefore, the messenger provides the reason for the selection of the name, saying, “For He will save His people from their sins.”
 
Thus, as happens so often in Scripture, a pun is formed, “You shall call His name Salvation, for He will save His people from their sins.”
 
The implication of the messenger’s word is that Christ has a group of people that will be saved. It is also implied that some will not be saved because they are “not His people.” What is also explicit is that people have sin from which they must be saved. Without this process, they remain in a state of condemnation. Jesus has come to correct this in His people.
 
Life application: It is not uncommon for people to argue over the name of Jesus. Some argue that His name is originally a different Hebrew name than Yeshua, deriving their opinion from one Old Testament passage or another. However, it is most commonly accepted that His name is either Yehoshua or Yeshua.
 
As He is the Lord, Yehovah, in human flesh, it makes less sense to call him The Lord is Salvation (Yehoshua). Rather, He is the Lord who is Salvation (Yeshua). However, fighting over this is not necessary.
 
Another way people argue over Jesus’ name is to insist that we should use the Hebrew name only because that is His “real” name. As Jesus isn’t the way a Hebrew would speak, it is somehow bad to them that we would say “Jesus.”
 
This dismisses the fact that the vast majority of people don’t pronounce any biblical name as it actually is. Some are so far from the Hebrew that when the Hebrew is heard, we don’t even know who is being referred to. To say we must pronounce Jesus’ Hebrew name would necessitate that we do so with all biblical names. It is unreasonable to hold to this view.
 
Languages were developed by God. They continue to change as time passes. As they do, we accommodate to the general use of names within a language. The name Yeshua is transliterated into the Greek as Iésous (ee ay soos). If God wanted us to say Yeshua today, He wouldn’t have had the New Testament given to us in Greek.
 
From Iésous, the English language developed through the Germanic languages. Iésous eventually became Jesus (Yesous). Germans don’t have the hard J (think of Johannes Kepler). The name then moved to the English people as Jesus with a hard J. Within English, this same name is actually pronounced quite differently depending on where you are. If you go to a southern church in the U.S., it sounds like Jayzuz. And so forth.
 
There are YT videos that give the name of Jesus in many languages throughout the world. Different people groups will pronounce the name differently. But in the end, our Jesus is the Christ of the nations as well as the Messiah of Israel. However you pronounce His name, do it with respect. He is our Lord. He is our JESUS.
 
Lord God, we stand in awe of what You have done. You have come to us in the Person of Jesus our Savior. May You be eternally praised for Your goodness to the sons of Adam for redeeming us unto Yourself. All hail the name of Jesus. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:20

Saturday, 27 July 2024
 
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. Matthew 1:20
 
“And him, having pondered these, behold a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, you should not fear to receive Mary your wife, for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is’” (CG).
 
Joseph was considering putting Mary away secretly. Because of this, Matthew now writes, “And him, having pondered these.”
 
Joseph was considering how he could protect Mary despite her seemingly obvious transgression. She was pregnant, and he was not the father despite her being betrothed to him. The timing, location, and circumstances of how to divorce her probably weighed heavily on his mind. But while he was considering these, it next says, “behold a messenger of the Lord.”
 
There is no article before “Lord” in the Greek. However, in the English it would be cumbersome to leave it off because there is one God who is the Lord. Therefore, the article is rightly supplied in italics. The Lord sent a messenger to reveal what had transpired. This messenger “appeared to him in a dream.”
 
The Lord appears in various ways to His people. In the case of Joseph, he may have been pondering letting Mary go while tossing and turning on his bed. In order to soothe his troubled mind, the Lord appeared in his dream.
 
This word, onar, dream, is found only six times, and all six uses are by Matthew. It refers only to a sleep dream. In this dream, the messenger appeared, “saying, ‘Joseph, son of David.’”
 
The words clearly identify Joseph as a son of David. He is being instructed on why things have transpired as they have. In other words, Mary was selected to be the mother of Jesus because she was the betrothed of Joseph. It is his relationship to King David that precipitated the events that transpired.
 
If this same Mary was betrothed to a descendant of King Saul of the tribe of Benjamin, she would not have been selected to bear Jesus. However, in order to establish the male line of ancestry leading back to David for the rights of inheritance, his betrothed wife was selected to be the human receptacle through whom would come the Messiah. Therefore, the angel continues, “you should not fear to receive Mary your wife.”
 
Some translations say something like, “to take Mary as your wife.” This is incorrect. She is already betrothed to him and is considered his wife, even if the marriage is not yet consummated. He is not to fear to receive her, meaning to complete the union, because she is his wife. This is obvious because he was planning on divorcing her, something one can only do with a wife.
 
Joseph will not sin in having a woman who has conceived in the manner she has. He should not feel as if she was unfaithful to him or forced by someone else. Rather, God Himself was directing the events that took place. The messenger explicitly reveals that with the words, “for that having been begotten in her – from Holy Spirit is.”
 
Again, no article precedes “Holy Spirit.” The construction in the Greek bears emphasis. Joseph is being given the absolute assurance that Mary’s pregnancy is of God. Rather than being from that which is unholy, it is a birth that is Most Holy. Such are the magnificent workings of God in Christ.
 
Life application: The Roman Catholic Church, in particular, has an obsession with Mary. This is so extreme in some circles that Jesus isn’t even a secondary thought in their religious lives. Mary is elevated to the highest point of their idolatrous beliefs.
 
Entire websites are constructed to exalt her and to detail the basis of worship to her. And yet, as this verse in Matthew reveals, it is because of Joseph that Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Lord Jesus. It is Joseph’s genealogy which directed the choice to be made. Mary was blessed to have been betrothed to a son of David.
 
From there, she was blessed to be selected by God to be the human instrument by which Jesus would come into the world. Even if Mary descends from David in her own genealogy, it was through Joseph that the right to the throne was established.
 
The focus, therefore, is to be on Jesus, not Joseph or Mary. These were participants in God’s unfolding plans, but they are in no way to be considered as the objects of adoration, much less idolatrous adoration. No hint of this is to be found in Scripture. All eyes on Jesus!
 
“Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” 2 Timothy 2:8-10
 
Lord God, to You alone, we owe all of our praise and thanks for what You have done. In the coming of Christ Jesus, we can now behold You in His face. Glory to You in the Highest, O God. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:19

Friday, 26 July 2024
 
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. Matthew 1:19
 
“And Joseph, her husband, being righteous and not willing to expose her to disgrace, intended to send her away secretly” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it noted that Mary was betrothed to Joseph but that before they came together, she was pregnant. Matthew noted that the Child was from the Holy Spirit, but Joseph was obviously unaware of this or didn’t believe it. Therefore, Matthew now continues with, “And Joseph, her husband, being righteous.”
 
This is the first of many comparative verses in the New Testament that must be considered in the proper context. Paul, using the same Greek adjective, dikaios, says –
 
 “As it is written:‘There is none righteous, no, not one.’” Romans 3:10
 
Matthew, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, calls Joseph righteous. And yet, Paul, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit says that there is none righteous. Thus, one can deduce that because God is not fickle, that Matthew is speaking in a comparative sense in relation to other humans and within the standards set forth for them in a particular context. However, Paul speaks of the defect of sin in man and compares him to the ultimate standard, which is God.
 
Of Joseph and his being righteous, Matthew next says, “and not willing to expose her to disgrace.”
 
This is an explanation of his righteousness. He understood the fallen nature of humanity, including Mary, and he did not want her to be publicly exposed as a harlot. Rather, he was willing for her to save face by taking her shame of infidelity upon himself. With the child reckoned as his, he could find another reason for divorcing her. As it next says, he “intended to send her away secretly.”
 
It cannot be that Mary told Him that she was pregnant with the Holy Spirit, that he believed it to be true, and that he then wanted to keep the perception of a blight off of the mother of the Messiah. It is not until the coming verse that he will know the truth of that matter.
 
Rather, he is simply a tender man with a righteous disposition who wanted to protect Mary from the harm of the actions he believed she had been a part of (See Deuteronomy 22:13-27). As such, at some point, he would seek a petition for divorce for some particular reason (see Deuteronomy 24:1).
 
Joseph’s actions, however, bring about a sort of dilemma. If the punishment for Mary’s actions was to be stoned (Deuteronomy 22) as required in the law, and yet he determined to put her away secretly, then how could he be deemed as a righteous man? The answer follows the same logic as Jesus displayed in John 8. The law clearly demanded that the woman caught in the act of adultery was to be stoned, and yet, this did not happen.
 
Joseph knew that he had failed to uphold the law in his own life, and yet, the law allowed for the atonement of sin. If Mary had failed, and yet the law could provide a covering for her actions (as was certainly the case with David and Bathsheba – see 2 Samuel 12:13), then Joseph chose to follow that course of action and have Mary spared. Thus, his righteousness is demonstrated in his actions.
 
Life application: As noted, the comparative example given in this verse must take into account the context of what is being said and done. For example, Jesus said –
 
“Why do you call Me good [agathos]? No one is good [agathos] but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17
 
And yet, Jesus says elsewhere –
 
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out [agathos]of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” Matthew 12:35
 
As in the example above, one must consider the context of what is being said. Jesus was making a point about going around calling people good. The thought of goodness implies a standard. Therefore, a standard must be considered when making an evaluation and stating a claim about being good.
 
A great example of this is Joseph of Arimathea who is called a good [agathos] and just [dikaios] man in Luke 23:50. The same word for good is used to describe him as is the same word concerning being righteous used by Paul in Romans 3:10. Just as in English, there are different contexts in what we are referring to when making statements. Considering the context will help us to understand what is being conveyed.
 
Too often, Christians get legalistic or self-abasing when the term “good” is used based on Jesus’ words of Matthew 19:17. But if the context implies that a person is good, such nonsense can and should be avoided. Getting caught up in semantics can be harmful to rightly considering the overall concept of what the Bible is telling us. So, consider the context when evaluating what is said, and you will do well.
 
Lord God, may we use wisdom when considering Your word so that we will properly apply the context in what is being said. In this way, we will not make errors in our thinking. We desire to properly consider Your intent, so help us to do so. We pray this to Your glory. Amen.
 

Matthew 1:18

Thursday, 25 July 2024
 
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 1:18
 
“And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: For his mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, rather before they came together, she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb” (CG).
 
The previous verse explained the number of generations from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian exile, and from the Babylonian exile to the coming of Christ. Now, it says, “And the birth of Jesus Christ was thus.”
 
Matthew immediately begins with an explanation of how Christ Jesus was conceived. He has just carefully detailed the line of Jesus, demonstrating that with all certainty He descended from Abraham and then David in a legal manner. This established His right to the Davidic throne. However, there is more to be considered, and so Matthew next says, “For his mother Mary...”
 
Mary is a human being. As all things produce after their own kind, she will have a human child. This is the pattern set in Genesis 1. It has remained without exception since creation. Mary’s life was a typical one in regard to marriage at that time as Matthew next notes with the words, “having been betrothed to Joseph.”
 
Marriages were often arranged in Israel. For example, in Judges 14, Samson saw a girl he wanted to marry, and he told his parents. They accompanied him to her home and Samson then spoke to the girl, liked her, and a marriage was agreed upon. Something like this was probably the case with Joseph and Mary.
 
She was now his in a legal sense, which was protected by the Law of Moses. However, in the case of Mary, it next says, “rather before they came together.”
 
Though most translations skip the word é, which is translated as or, rather, than, etc., it is an important thought. It is a conjunction used disjunctively, distinguishing things or thoughts which either mutually exclude each other or where one will take the place of the other.
m
In this case, Matthew is noting that Mary is betrothed, and so she is the legally espoused wife of Joseph, but rather, something else is brought into the relationship before they actually united in marriage: this but now this. The thing that occurs is that “she was found – from Holy Spirit – having in womb.”
 
Said plainly, Mary was pregnant. Joseph has a legal right to Mary, but he has not yet consummated the marriage, and yet she is pregnant. In the normal course of events, a man must lie with a woman in order for her to conceive.
 
Should this have been the case, it would be considered adultery. In the Law of Moses, he had a right to have her stoned. At his discretion, he could divorce her and be done with the matter. But Matthew clearly stated that the child in her womb was “from Holy Spirit.”
 
The words bear no article in the Greek. This is the same as Luke 1:35. It was understood that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Yehovah, this is seen, for example, in Psalm 51:11 and Isaiah 63:10, 11. In Daniel, the term “Spirit of Holy God” is used several times.
 
In other words, the Spirit Yehovah has generated a Child in the womb of Mary. As all things reproduce after their own kind, this means that this Child is, in fact, Yehovah, the God of Israel.
 
Life application: What is recorded in Matthew is unmistakable in its meaning. Jesus Christ bears the right to the Davidic throne because of the genealogy of Joseph. Joseph had the right of marriage to Mary through their betrothal. Mary is a human. Before Joseph’s marriage to Mary was consummated, she was found to be pregnant by Yehovah’s Holy Spirit.
 
Thus, this God/Man, Jesus Christ, is being clearly represented as having the right to the Davidic throne. This is what Matthew’s commentary is unmistakably revealing to us. With this set forth, the ongoing narrative will use this thought to continue through its pages. The Lord God has united with humanity and has come to redeem His people. Praise God for what He has done!
 
Lord God, What Your word tells us is simply astonishing. We stand in awe of Your workings in the stream of time and human existence as You fulfill every promise that You have made to Your people. Thank You for allowing us the honor of seeing it laid out in Your word and having it realized in our lives through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory to You, O God. Amen.

Matthew 1:17

Wednesday, 24 July 2024
 
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. Matthew 1:17
 
“Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen. And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen. And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen” (CG).
 
The previous verse noted the birth of Jesus, who is called Christ. With that noted, Matthew now sums up his genealogical listing, beginning with, “Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David, generations fourteen.”
 
The listings of generations, as noted purposefully omit some names. Matthew is setting forth a memory technique by listing the three triads in set intervals of fourteen generations each. These triads set forth the proposition that Jesus is the great Son of David, prophesied in 2 Samuel 7, a passage known to be messianic in nature –
 
“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-16
 
The listing begins with Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people. The genealogies to David are fourteen, upon which the listing pivots. The name of David in Hebrew is דוד (DVD/daleth vav daleth). The letter daleth represents the number 4. The letter vav represents the number 6. Thus, it equates to 4+6+4 = 14.
 
This is the key upon which Matthew is setting forth his listing. The list then continues, saying, “And from David until the Babylon deportation, generations fourteen.”
 
Jeconiah (aka Coniah) was the king deported to Babylon. Of him, the Lord, through Jeremiah, said –
 
 “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off; 25 and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of those whose face you fear—the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of the Chaldeans.’” Jeremiah 22:24, 25
 
David’s kingly line in Judah was cut in Coniah, represented by the plucking off of the signet. And yet, the line remained in Babylon. From there, Matthew next says, “And from the Babylon deportation until the Christ, generations fourteen.”
 
No king reigned from the time of the Babylonian exile. However, the line of the signet in Judah was restored in Zerubbabel, a returnee from Babylon –
 
“‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:23
 
It is this anticipation of the restored kingly line of David that was anticipated in the coming of the Messiah. Matthew is indicating that the promised eternal kingdom is fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. Of the number fourteen, E.W. Bullinger says –
 
“FOURTEEN being a multiple of seven, partakes of its significance; and, being double that number, implies a double measure of spiritual perfection. The number two with which it is combined (2x7) may, however, bring its own significance into its meaning, as in Matthew 1, where the genealogy of Jesus Christ is divided up and given in sets of 14 (2x7) generations, two being the number associated with incarnation.”
 
As there are three triads, Bullinger notes that “three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine.”
 
We are being given numerical hints of the perfection of what God has done in Christ through the manner in which the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to complete this genealogical listing.
 
Interestingly, the total number of generations is forty-two. It is defined by Bullinger, saying “is a number connected with Antichrist. An important part of his career is to last for 42 months (Rev 11:2, 13:5), and thus this number is fixed upon him. ... Being a multiple of seven, it might be supposed that it would be connected with spiritual perfection. But it is the product of six times seven. Six, therefore, being the number of Man, and man's opposition to God, forty-two becomes significant of the working out of man's opposition to God.”
 
Jesus is shown to be the Christ in the two genealogies submitted by Matthew and Luke. However, there cannot be an antichrist if there is no Christ. Thus, at the coming of Christ, there also came the spirit of antichrist. The four uses of the term in Scripture come from the hand of John –
 
“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18
 
“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22
 
“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:2, 3
 
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 2 John 1:7
 
John specifically reveals that the incarnation of God in Christ is the central point upon which the spirit of the antichrist is revealed. Thus, to deny the deity of Jesus Christ is the spirit of antichrist. To deny Jesus is God incarnate is to then deny the Father. This is why Paul says –
 
“...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
 
To proclaim Jesus is Lord is to proclaim that He is Yehovah incarnate. When one proclaims this, he has overcome the spirit of the antichrist. Jesus alone is the dividing line for who can be saved. Upon which side will you stand?
 
Life application: Jesus Christ is the defining figure in all of human history. Adam was created, and from him all people descend. However, in his fall, all men fell because all sinned in Adam. Death is the wages of sin and so all die. However, Jesus came to restore life. As all die in Adam, all in Christ live. This is carefully explained by Paul in the book of Romans.
 
John shows us that those who deny the incarnation of God in Christ have no connection to God the Father. The only way to overcome this spirit of the antichrist is to accept that God alone, through the incarnation of Christ, has done everything necessary for man to be saved.
 
Who is Jesus to you? What does grace mean to you? How do you perceive your relationship with the Law of Moses? If you are trying to merit God’s favor through law observance, you cannot be pleasing to God. This is because if Jesus is God, then He has done everything necessary to satisfy what He promised He would satisfy in the coming of the Messiah.
 
How can you do more than God to reconcile yourself to Him? You cannot. Therefore, law observance, after the coming of Christ, is the spirit of the antichrist, denying the Father/Son relationship. Think it through, put away your self-righteousness. Yield yourself to God’s grace through accepting that He has done it all through Jesus.
 
Lord God Almighty, Thank You for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.