The Gospel of Matthew

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The Gospel of Matthew
Knowing the Messiah
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Review

• 2 Biblical Accounts (Matthew and Luke)
• Virgin Birth is the major foundational doctrine
  of the faith.
• The point is the Decision of each believer as to
  the identification of Jesus. Who do you say that
  I am?-The good confession.
• Gnostic heresy- came as a spirit.
• Biblical view fully God and fully man
• 1 John 42-3-antichrist ID
• Power of the name (Yeshua)
• Common heresies based on misinterpretation of the
  text
• )Maryolatry
• )Sacred Name
• )Gnosticism

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Matthews Case for Christ

1)The Magi
Called a Nazarene 6)
2)The Star
3) Born in Bethlehem
Egypts role 5)
4) Time of birth
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The Story

• Matthew 21-12
• Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in
  the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from
  the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
• 2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for
  we saw his star in the east, and are come to
  worship him.
• 3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was
  troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
• 4 And gathering together all the chief priests
  and scribes of the people, he inquired of them
  where the Christ should be born.
• 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea
  for thus it is written through the prophet,
• 6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no
  wise least among the princes of Judah For out of
  thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be
  shepherd of my people Israel.
• 7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and
  learned of them exactly what time the star
  appeared.
• 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and
  search out exactly concerning the young child
  and when ye have found him, bring me word, that
  I also may come and worship him.
• 9 And they, having heard the king, went their
  way and lo, the star, which they saw in the
  east, went before them, till it came and stood
  over where the young child was.
• 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with
  exceeding great joy.
• 11 And they came into the house and saw the young
  child with Mary his mother and they fell down
  and worshipped him and opening their treasures
  they offered unto him gifts, gold and
  frankincense and myrrh.
• 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they
  should not return to Herod, they departed into
  their own country another way.

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Verses 1 2

• Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in
  the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from
  the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
• 2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for
  we saw his star in the east, and are come to
  worship him.
• when Jesus was born
• Jesus was born first.
• When He was born, his star appeared.
• This was the sign to the Magi that a king had
  been born
• From the East
• From Persia (Modern Iran/Iraq)
• This area was situated on the Persian Gulf. It
  would have taken many days to caravan across
  Mesopotamia to get to Israel.

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1) Magi-Wise Men

• ISBE(International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
• the technical description of men who are adepts
  in magic, divination
• Gentiles
• (Herodotus i. 101) Magi. were
• a tribe of the Medes
• skill in divination
• term was applied to the learned and priestly
  caste among the followers of Zoroaster
• in principle worshippers of only one God
• rejecters of polytheism and idolatry
• simple creed and high morality ,
• well adapted to prepare its faithful disciples to
  receive a further revelation, and we may
  reasonably believe that the wise men who had been
  thus guided to worship the new-born king of the
  Jews had been faithful to the light afforded to
  them, for in every nation he that feareth him
  (God), and worketh righteousness, is acceptable
  to him (Acts 1035).

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How did they know?

• 3 sources
• 1) Daniel
• 2) Babylonian influence
• 3) Balaam

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I. Daniel

• The Jews were in captivity in Babylon and Persia.
  
• Daniel became the head of the wise men
• Daniel 9. Daniels weeks calculated to indicate
  the the Messiah would be born 483-490 years after
  the Jews had returned from the exile in Babylon.

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Nebuchudnezzar

• Babylon, after the captivity of Israel was taken
  taken over by the Persian Empire.
• The Wise men, under Daniel, continued to serve
  the Persian rulers
• Nebuchudnezzar had come to believe in the God of
  Daniel, especially after seven years of suffering
  with boanthropy (a disease in which men act like
  cows)
• The change in the king would have been a large
  issue in that day. It would have affected not
  only Babylon, but other local principalities as
  well

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Balaam

• There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and
  a scepter shall rise out of Israel (Nu 2417)
• Verses 7-9 also seem to speak of Jesus
• Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed
  shall be in many waters, And his king shall be
  higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be
  exalted.
• 8 God bringeth him forth out of Egypt He hath
  as it were the strength of the wild-ox He shall
  eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall
  break their bones in pieces, And smite them
  through with his arrows.
• 9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a
  lioness who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every
  one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one
  that curseth thee.

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Balak the Moabite

• Balak, a King of Moab sought the aid of Baalam,
  in order to pronounce a cures upon the
  Israelites.
• When Baalam attempted to do so, blessings came
  out instead.
• Baalam was guilty of attempting to work against
  the anointed of God and embodied in the people of
  God.
• He was to be struck dead by an angel and was
  saved when his donkey spoke to him
• Balak could have passed this information on to
  his people who are related to the Persians.

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Worship Service

• V. 2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews?
  for we saw his star in the east, and are come to
  worship him
• Why worship?
• He was not their national king
• He was not their religious leader
• They knew that he was the king and Savior of all
  mankind, including the Gentiles.
• They understood that he was the One True
  God,.Gods are worshipped.

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Time of Travel

• From the time that the star appeared to the time
  that the Magi found Jesus, at least 2 years had
  passed.
• It is for this reason that Herod seeks to kill
  the male children 2 and under.
• If Jesus was still a newborn infant, he would
  have been more speedily dispatched by focusing
  the attention on infants only.
• Matthew 211
• Wise men came to house, not a stable. They bowed
  at his feet. He was standing.

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Jerusalem
Persia
Bethlehem
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Why a king?

• Isaiah 9
• v. 6-7 the government shall be upon his
  shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful,
  Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
  Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his
  government and of peace there shall be no end,
  upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom,
  to establish it, and to uphold it with justice
  and with righteousness from henceforth even for
  ever
• All of these are references to a king. Isaiah was
  preaching at the time just prior to and during
  the Babylonian captivity when Daniel was a young
  captive being taken into the service of the
  Babylonian king. He would have seen, heard, and
  known the work of Isaiah.

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2) The Star

• 2 historical perspectives
• A. 7 BC-a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in
  Pisces. The Hebrews believed this to be a
  sign.
• B. In the year 1572 a wonderful new star appeared
  in the constellation Cassiopeia. At its
  brightest it outshone Venus and was
  visible in the daylight, and though it
  gradually declined in splendor it was not lost to
  sight until after 16 months.likely a
  situation like this one..may be the reason
  Jesus is referred to as the Day Star.
• Numbers 2417
• I see Him, but not nowI behold Him, but not
  near A Star shall come out of Jacob A Scepter
  shall rise out of Israel,

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Herrod

• Verses 3 4
• And when Herod the king heard it, he was
  troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And
  gathering together all the chief priests and
  scribes of the people, he inquired of them where
  the Christ should be born.
• Why did Herrod respond this way?
• Numbers 2418
• shall smite through the corners of Moab, And
  break down all the sons of tumult. And Edom shall
  be a possession
• Star out of Jacob
• Edom destroyed
• Herrod an Edomite from Esau

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Herrod

• The prophecy indicated that
• Edom would be destroyed.
• Herod was an Edomite.
• Herrod died in 1 BC which was marked by an
  eclipse according to Josephus.
• Jesus was born around September 2nd 2 BC (Year
  before Herrods death)
• The Star rose out of Jacob (Jesus) The Edomite
  (Herod) was destroyed at the intervention of
  another heavenly sign, an eclipse. He tried to
  cut off the light of the Star of Jacob and he
  died when the light was cut off from the Sun.

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The Coming King

• He was so paranoid, he had his favorite wife and
  two sons killed to keep them from plotting for
  the throne.
• Now a King of the Jews who was born a King of
  the Jews and not just appointed like Herrod, had
  come and he was a Jew. Herrod was scared to lose
  his power.(Herrod was not a Jew) The birthright
  was taken from Esau, the father of the Edomites
  by Jacob, the father of the Israelites.
• All Israel was troubled because they knew what
  Herrod might do to keep his power.

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3) Bethlehem

• Matthew 24-5
• And gathering together all the chief priests and
  scribes of the people, he inquired of them where
  the Christ should be born. And they said unto
  him, In Bethlehem of Judaea for thus it is
  written through the prophet, And thou Bethlehem,
  land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the
  princes of Judah For out of thee shall come
  forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my
  people Israel.
• The scriptures clearly defined the place that
  Jesus was to be born. Bethlehem. Micah 52

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The House of Bread

• Bethlehem House of Bread. (John 651)Jesus is
  the true bread.
• David from Bethlehem.
• Jesus comes in the likeness of David.
• He will be a King like David
• He will be shepherd like David (2nd Sam. 52)

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4) Timing

• Micah lived 750 years before Jesus.
• He foretold
• the place of Jesus Birth (Bethlehem)
• The purpose of His coming (718-19)
• Pre-existence of the Messiah (52)
• John the Baptist (213)
• Jesus the Shepherd (212) (John 1011) (Ezekiel
  3411)

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The Visitation

• Matthew 211
• And they came into the house and saw the young
  child with Mary his mother and they fell down
  and worshipped him and opening their treasures
  they offered unto him gifts, gold and
  frankincense and myrrh
• Wise men came to house, not a stable. They bowed
  at his feet. He was standing.
• Jesus was about 2
• Why would he still be in Bethlehem?
• Roman Census took a while (no computers)
• Had family in the area (Stayed to visit and to
  have help with the baby)
• Because Josephs family was there, he would have
  been able to do business. He learned his fathers
  trade.
• Women did not usually travel with newborns

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The Gifts

• Gold-Royalty
• Incense-Divinity
• Myrrh-Burial

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5) Egypt

• 212-215
• And being warned of God in a dream that they
  should not return to Herod, they departed into
  their own country another way.
• 13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel
  of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream,
  saying, Arise and take the young child and his
  mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there
  until I tell thee for Herod will seek the young
  child to destroy him.
• 14 And he arose and took the young child and his
  mother by night, and departed into Egypt
• 15 and was there until the death of Herod that
  it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
  Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt
  did I call my son.
• Hosea 111-PROPHECY FULFILLED IN JESUS
• When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and
  called my son out of Egypt.

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The Egypt Connection

• God used Egypt as
• a place of refuge for His people at the time of
  Joseph (A type of Christ-suffering servant who
  saves his people.)
• But later, he led them back to the land that was
  promised.

• God used Egypt as
• A place where Jesus
• (the true Christ) is sustained and preserved
• Later, he is brought back into the land so that
  the people would be saved.

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Rage of the King

• Matthew 216-18
• Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the
  Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth,
  and slew all the male children that were in
  Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from
  two years old and under, according to the time
  which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.
  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the
  wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth,
  and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem,
  and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old
  and under, according to the time which he had
  diligently inquired of the wise men.
• 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken
  through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Then was
  fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the
  prophet, saying,
• 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great
  mourning, Rachel weeping for her children And
  she would not be comforted, because they are not.
  

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Jeremiah 3115

• Thus said Jehovah A voice is heard in Ramah,
  lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping
  for her children she refuses to be comforted for
  her children, because they are not.
• Children killed in accordance with the time the
  Magi had given. Children 2 and under killed.
• Another fulfilled prophecy and fulfillment of
  typological destruction of male Hebrew children
  in Egypt, leading to Moses, a type of Christ.

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6) A Nazarene

• Matthew 223
• and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth
  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
  through the prophets, that he should be called a
  Nazarene.

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The Branch

• Hebrew Netzer Means Branch. Nazareth derived
  from this word. Literally means Branch townor
  town of the Branch.
• Jesus is called the Branch (Is. 111)
• And there shall come forth a shoot out of the
  stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots
  shall bear fruit
• He lived in the town of the Branch.

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Moses Jesus

• Moses
• In Egypt as a child
• Raised up by God as a deliver
• Attempt to kill him by the King
• Power to perform signs
• Mountain experience with God
• Shepherd
• Giver of Law

• Jesus
• In Egypt as a child
• Raised up by God as a deliver
• Attempt to kill him by the King
• Power to perform signs
• Mountain experience with God
• Shepherd
• Giver of Law (New Law)

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Difference

• One difference-Moses did not actually lead the
  people into the promised land because of his sin.
• Jesus leads His people into the promise land
  because he was sinless.(it was Joshua who led
  them into the land. Jesus name is literally
  Joshua.)

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Conclusion

• Matthew shows that Jesus is the Messiah by his
  fulfillment, even as a child, of prominent
  scriptural prophecies.
• Jesus could not control Herrod, or his parents
  actions, yet he did as the scriptures spoke.
• Finally, From the time of Moses, the Jews have
  been looking for a deliverer like him who would
  fit all of the types and who would lead them out
  of spiritual bondage into the real promise of
  God.

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Its all about HIM

• The Jews still wait for Him.
• Wise men still seek Him.
• The humble of heart find Him.
• Jesus is Him.