I. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE KING 1:1-4:11"Fundamentally, the purpose of this first part is to introduce the reader to Jesus on the one hand and to the religious leaders on the other." [Note: Jack Dean Kingsbury, Matthew as Story, p. 5. He believed the first major section of the book ends with 4:16.] The first two chapters of this section prepare the reader for Jesus’ ministry. Consequently they serve as a prologue to the Gospel. read more
A. The King’s genealogy 1:1-17 (cf. Luke 3:23-38)Matthew began his Gospel with a record of Jesus’ genealogy because the Christians claimed that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. To qualify as such He had to be a Jew from the royal line of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). Matthew’s genealogy proves that Jesus descended not only from Abraham, the father of the Israelite nation, but also from David, the founder of Israel’s royal dynasty. read more
Matthew did not refer to Solomon or the other kings of Israel as kings. Probably he wanted to focus attention on David and on Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises God gave to David. Solomon did not fulfill these promises.The writer’s reference to Bathsheba is unusual (Matthew 1:6 b). It draws attention to the heinousness of David’s sin. Perhaps he wanted to stress that Uriah was not an Israelite but a Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3; 2 Samuel 23:39). Evidently Bathsheba was the daughter of an... read more
Genealogy and Birth of Jesus1-17. Genealogy of Jesus: cp. Luke 3:23. The two genealogies of Jesus, which are constructed on quite different principles, require careful comparison and study, if their purpose and significance are to be understood. In both, the descent of Jesus is traced through Joseph, not Mary, partly because the claim of Jesus to the throne of David could only be established through His foster-father Joseph; partly because, in genealogies, the Jews took no account of female... read more
Jesus the Saviour ( for Christmas Day ) Matthew 1:21 Christmas comes to us with both light and shade. There is the glorious light of the Christ, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Morning Star of prophecy, the Dayspring from on high. But the very fact that Jesus comes as Saviour also speaks to us of sin. There was need for Him to come, and that is the shadow athwart the glory of this day. It is true we need not look so much at the shading as at the glorious colours of the picture, 'the glory... read more
Chapter 1The Coming of the Christ - Matthew 1:1-25THE New Testament opens appropriately with the four Gospels; for, though in their present form they are all later in date than some of the Epistles, their substance was the basis of all apostolic preaching and writing. As the Pentateuch to the Old Testament, so is the fourfold Evangel to the New.That there should be a manifold presentation of the great facts which lie at the foundation of our faith and hope, was both to be expected and desired.... read more
Analysis and Annotations I. The King and the Offer of the Kingdom. Chapters 1-12. 1. Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1 .) 2. From Abraham to David. (Matthew 1:2-6 .) 3. From David to the Captivity. (Matthew 1:6-11 .) 4. From the Captivity to the Birth of Christ. (Matthew 1:12-17 ) 5. The Birth of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:18-25 .) CHAPTER 1 The first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew is divided into two parts. In the first to the seventeenth verse we find... read more
The genealogy of the King of Israel must be clearly established as from Abraham, the original father of the nation, and from David, the first king of God's choice, who is in many ways a type of Christ. This would be of vital importance to every orthodox Jew. Therefore Matthew begins with the genealogy, and as it descends from Abraham to Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Christ Was born. This is the official genealogy. Luke, on the other hand, after describing the events leading to and... read more
THE ADVENT OF OUR LORD In this lesson there are four divisions: 1. The Genealogical Table (Matt. 1-1-17) 2. The Announcement to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25 ) 3. The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:1-18 ) 4. The Return to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-23 ) THE GENEALOGICAL TABLE (Matthew 1:1-17 ) We learned the value of genealogical tables to Israel in the Old Testament. This value applied to the separation into families and tribes with reference to the possession of Canaan; but it had a peculiar... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 1:7
7-8. And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8. And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias—or Uzziah. Three kings are here omitted—Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah (1 Chronicles 3:11; 1 Chronicles 3:12). Some omissions behooved to be made, to compress the whole into three fourteens (Matthew 1:17). The reason why these, rather than other names, are omitted, must be sought in religious considerations—either in the connection of those kings with... read more