Matthew-Bible-Study.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
September 2016 to May 2017 Lutheran Church of the Cross Thurs. 6:30 PM – LW campus Name __________________ Instructor: Pastor Ron Michelson Session 1, 9/15/16 Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew Key Question about the Gospel of Matthew • Why do you think Matthew is the first book in the New Testament? • To whom is this Gospel written? Support your answer. • Why is the dating of this Gospel important? • Why do you think Matthew opens with a genealogy? • List Key Feature of Matthew’s Gospel: • Why is this Gospel filled with Messianic language? • Why do you think Matthew uses so many quotes from the Jewish Scriptures? Matthew is the Gospel to the Jewish people about the Kingdom of God and its King. Utilizing a topical rather than a chronological approach, the following outline summarizes Matthew’s Gospel about the King This Gospel is placed first in the New Testament canon because it is the natural bridge between the Old and New Covenants. Matthew’s Gospel is the good news to the Jewish people that all their hopes were fulfilled in Yeshua (Jesus). Matthew’s Gospel was not written simply to chronical events in Jesus’ life, but rather to present the undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Its focus in on the fulfillment of prophesy detailed in the Jewish Scriptures. It is my opinion that Matthew is the key book in the Bible. When we turn to Matthew, we turn to the book which may well be called the most important single document of the Christian faith, for in it we have the fullest and the most systematic account of the life and the teachings of Jesus. From it we have the Great Commission (28:18-19) to “all nations.” Matthew was the most frequently quoted book by the first two centuries of the early church, and perhaps the most widely read Gospel (or book for that matter) ever! This Gospel is a bridge between two Testaments. Matthew’s Gospel contains two new and transforming ideas: Grace replaced “works and sacrifices” for the forgiveness of sin and a life up to the point of faith, faith in God’s One and only Son, Yeshua. The idea of a “new life,” a life forgiven of all past deeds could be carried and proclaimed anywhere, even to the “ends of the earth.” Once the Holy Spirit came, with its power to transform lives, the Gospel was no longer tied to any one place, not even to any one people, but was ready to travel wherever believers took it. Theme verse: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 Date written: Before the destruction of the Temple, between AD 60-65. Special features: The Gospel of Matthew is filled with “Messianic” language such as “the don of David” used to refer to the coming Messiah in the Old Testament. Matthew Quotes the Jewish Scriptures 53 times to demonstrate to the reader how Jesus fulfills each prophesy. Matthew contains Five Major Discourses: Most scholars agree that aside from the introduction (Ch. 1–2: Narrative of Jesus' Birth) and conclusion (Ch. 26–28: Narrative of Jesus' Passion, Death, and Resurrection), the body of Matthew's Gospel is structured around five lengthy sermons that Jesus gives to his disciples or to the broader public. • First Discourse: "Sermon on the Mount": Matt 5–7 • Second Discourse: "Missionary Instructions": Matt 10 • Third Discourse: "Collection of Parables": Matt 13 • Fourth Discourse: "Community Instructions": Matt 18 • Fifth Discourse: " The Olivet Discourse or Olivet prophecy": Matt 24 Each Discourse ends with the phrase, “Now when Jesus had finished saying/teaching these things…” Session 2, 9/22/16 Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Matthew Key Question about Chapter 1 for independent study: • How many years had passed between Malachi and the birth of Jesus? • Who was ruling Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth? • What is the significance of Matthew tracing Jesus’ lineage back to Abraham? Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy to prove that Jesus is the descendant of both King David and Abraham, just as the Old Testament had predicted. Jesus' birth didn't go unnoticed, for both shepherds and wise kings came to worship him. The Jewish people were waiting for the Messiah to appear. Finally, he was born, but the Jews didn't recognize him because they were looking for a different kind of king. 1:11 The exile occurred in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia, conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, and took thousands of captives to Babylonia. 1:16 Because Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant, Matthew lists Joseph only as the husband of Mary, not the father of Jesus. Matthew's genealogy gives Jesus' legal (or royal) lineage through Joseph. Mary's ancestral line is recorded in Luke 3:23-38. Both Mary and Joseph were direct descendants of David. Matthew traced the genealogy back to Abraham, while Luke traced it back to Adam. Matthew wrote to the Jews, so Jesus was shown as a descendant of their father, Abraham. Luke wrote to the Gentiles, so he emphasized Jesus as the Savior of all people. 1:17 Matthew breaks Israel's history into three sets of 14 generations, but there were probably more generations than those listed here. Genealogies often compressed history, meaning that not every generation of ancestors was specifically listed. Thus the phrase the father of can also be translated "the ancestor of." 1:18 There were three steps in a Jewish marriage. First, the two families agreed to the union. Second, a public announcement was made. At this point, the couple was "pledged." This was similar to engagement today except that their relationship could be broken only through death or divorce (even though sexual relations were not yet permitted). Third, the couple was married and began living together. Because Mary and Joseph were engaged, Mary's apparent unfaithfulness carried a severe social stigma. According to Jewish civil law, Joseph had a right to divorce her, and the Jewish authorities could have had her stoned to death (Deuteronomy 22:23,24). Why is the virgin birth important to the Christian faith? Jesus Christ, God's Son, had to be free from the sinful nature passed on to all other human beings by Adam. Because Jesus was born of a woman, he was a human being; but as the Son of God, Jesus was born without any trace of human sin. Jesus is both fully human and fully divine. Because Jesus lived as a man, we know that he fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4:15,16). Because he is God, he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2:13-15). We can tell Jesus all our thoughts, feelings, and needs. He has been where we are now, and he has the ability to help. 1:18-25 Joseph was faced with a difficult choice after discovering that Mary was pregnant. Although he knew that taking Mary as his wife could be humiliating, Joseph chose to obey the angel's command to marry her. His action revealed four admirable qualities: (1) righteousness (Mat 1:19), (2) discretion and sensitivity (Mat 1:19), (3) responsiveness to God (Mat 1:24), and (4) self-discipline (Mat 1:25). 1:19 Perhaps Joseph thought he had only two options: divorce Mary quietly, or have her stoned. But God had a third option — marry her (Mat 1:20-23). In view of the circumstances, this had not occurred to Joseph. But God often shows us that there are more options available than we think. Although Joseph seemed to be doing the right thing by breaking the engagement, only God's guidance helped him make the best decision. When our decisions affect the lives of others, we must always seek God's wisdom. 1:20 The conception and birth of Jesus Christ are supernatural events beyond human logic or reasoning. Because of this, God sent angels to help certain people understand the significance of what was happening (see Mat 2:13,19; Luke 1:11,26; 2:9). Angels are spiritual beings created by God who help carry out his work on earth. They bring God's messages to people (Luke 1:26), protect God's people (Daniel 6:22), offer encouragement (Genesis 16:7ff), give guidance (Exodus 14:19), carry out punishment (2Samuel 24:16), patrol the earth (Zechariah 1:9-14), and fight the forces of evil (2Kings 6:16-18; Revelation 20:1,2). There are both good and bad angels (Revelation 12:7), but because bad angels are allied with the devil, or Satan, they have considerably less power and authority than good angels. Eventually the main role of angels will be to offer continuous praise to God (Revelation 7:11,12). 1:20-23 The angel declared to Joseph that Mary's child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be a son. This reveals an important truth about Jesus — he is both God and human. The infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so he could live and die for the salvation of all who would believe in him. 1:21 Jesus means "the LORD saves." Jesus came to earth to save us because we can't save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can't eliminate the sinful nature present in all of us.