02/28/2022 – Day 001 !: Matthew- Chapters 1 – 2 // Overview of Matthew / Genealogy of Jesus //1 of 2
Footnote reference key for when I pull excepts from my commentary experts::
*A – Halley’s Bible Handbook – by Henry H. Halley – 23rd edition, Copyright 1962 (Orig. copyright – 1927)
*B – “The Gospel of Matthew – Volume 1” by William Barclay (copyright 1975, first edition 1956)
*C – “The Matthew Henry Commentary” by Matthew Henry (Matthew was born in 1662. My book’s copyright is 1962 but this commentary has been around for 250 years now, originally published in five volumes. My book was handed down to me from my brides maternal granfather Harvey, complete with notes underlined with a ruler. haha) *C
Book of Matthew Overview: “The special emphasis of Matthew is that Jesus is the Messiah foretold by the Old Testament Prophets. He quotes from the Old Testament repeatedly. He seems to have had the Jewish readers particularly in mind. Such frequent use of the term “Kingdom of Heaven” occurs that the Gospel is commonly called the Gospel of the Kingdom. While in the main, it follows a chronological order, its material is grouped rather by Subjects. It gives Jesus’ Discourses quite fully, specially the Sermon on the Mount, and about His Coming and End of the World….
The only word that Matthew has about himself is that he was a Publican. Publicans were collectors of Roman taxes, ordinarily extortioners, and generally despised. Luke tells us that Matthew made a Great Feast for Jesus and Forsook All to follow Him. But Matthew does not even give himself credit for that. He loses sight of himself utterly in Adoration of His Master. We love him for his self-effacing Humility. (Jimmy note: In the popular series “Chosen”, I really resonated with the actor’s characterization of Matthew. It was like he was “quirky” but he would have been my choice of the twelve to hang out with, speaking of the series production)” *A
-Of the Four Synoptic Gospels, only Matthew and Luke cover Jesus’ Birth and Childhood , our reading today in Matthew.
Genealogy of Jesus:
We have the genealogy of Jesus right up front in the first 17 verses. “42 generations, 3 groups of 14 each, cover 2000 years: the 1st group, 1000 years: 2nd group, 400 years; 3rd , 600 years. The Genealogy,as given in Luke is somewhat different. (Insert note: See Luke 3: 23 – 38) Matthew goes back to Abraham; Luke to Adam. One is descending, ‘begat’, the other is ascending, ‘ was son of.’ From David, they are separate lines, touching in Shealtiel and Zerubbabel.. The commonly accepted view is that Matthew gives Joseph’s line shoing Jesus to be the Legal Heir to the Promises given Abraham and David; and Luke gives Mary’s line, showing Jesus’ blood descent, ‘Son of David according to the flesh’ (Romans 1:3)”
I want to share Barclay’s explanation that the three stage s stand for the three stages in the spiritual history of mankind.:
“(i) Man was born for greatness. ‘God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him.’ (Genesis 1:27 – our reading tomorrow ! Chapter 1 through 3) …
(ii) Man lost his greatness. Instead of being the servant of God, man became the slave of sin…
(iii) Man can regain his greatness. . The end of the story was not left to be a tragedy. Into this world God sent His son, Jesus Christ, that he might rescue man from the morass of sin in which he had lost himself, and liberate him from the chains of sin with which he had bound himself so that through him man might regain the fellowship with God which he had lost.
In his genealogy Matthew shows us the royalty of kingship gained; the tragedy of freedom lost; the glory of liberty restored. And that, in the mercy of God, is the story of mankind, and of each individual man.” *B
Here is another Christ prophecy fulfilled from the Old Testament:
“Now the scripture that was fulfilled in the birth of Christ was that promise of a sign which God gave to king Ahaz (Isaiah 12:14): Behold a virgin shall conceive; where the prophet, encouraging the people of God to hope for the promised deliverance from Sennacherib’s invasion, directs them to look forward to the Messiah, who was to come of the people of the Jews, and the house of David.” *C
SolI Deo Gloria!