THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
INTRODUCTION
There is no reason to doubt that this Gospel was written by Matthew. It presents the narrative of our Lord’s life from the standpoint of the pious Jew; and the evident design of the writer is to show how completely and continually our Lord fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. No other Gospel contains so many quotations from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. In it the predominant aspect of our Lord’s character and work is the Messianic. He was great David’s Greater Son. The keyword of the book is “Behold your King.” As King, His line is traced through the kingly race. As King, He proclaims the kingdom of heaven. As King, He promulgates the laws, describes the subjects, and announces the rewards of the Kingdom. When describing His own action at the last, when He sits on His throne and all nations are gathered before Him, He speaks of Himself as King, Mat_25:40. It was on His avowal of kingship that He was condemned to die. From every viewpoint this Gospel is one of the most precious documents in the world.
By F.B.Meyer
{e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Matthew in the printed edition}
Find the outline of our Bible study on The Gospel of Matthew at the link below.
OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
The King of the House of David
1. THE COMING OF THE KING.
Matthew 1:1 to Matthew 4: 11
2. His Birth and Early Life, Mat 2:1-12;
Today we will look at the following questions in the outline.
4. How does the coming and return of the Wise-Men illustrate divine providence?
5. On the death of Herod, where did Joseph and Mary make their home?
The Visit of the Wise Men
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
The answer to question 4;
How does the coming and return of the Wise-Men illustrate divine providence?
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
The Flight to Egypt
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth 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 bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Herod Kills the Children
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 enquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
The Return to Nazareth
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
The answer to question 5;
On the death of Herod, where did Joseph and Mary make their home?
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
By F.B.Meyer.
THE WISE-MEN FOLLOW THE STAR
GOD RULES AND OVERRULES
“OUT OF EGYPT DID I CALL MY SON”
The death of those little children was very pathetic. From the first it seemed as though our Lord’s advent would bring not peace, but the sword. Their mothers have long since been comforted, but it was a bitter experience. The little ones were the nucleus of the great attendant crowd “that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,” Rev_14:1-4.
They are dead that sought the young child’s life. Such is the epitaph that may be written for those who have set themselves to oppose the cause of Christ. Voltaire’s house in Geneva is now used as a Bible Society depot. Many of the books that made Christians tremble for the Ark, are to be found on the top shelves of second-hand libraries. There is no permanence in destructive criticism. The young child comes up out of Egypt. There is a sense in which the life of Jesus is the epitome of the story of Israel and the experience of each Christian. See that you do not linger in Egypt, but come up in the pathway of separation and consecration to His high purposes.
Believer’s Bible commentary
Book by William MacDonald
II. EARLY YEARS OF THE MESSIAH-KING (Chap. 2)
A. Wise Men Come to Worship the King (2:1-12)
B. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus Flee to Egypt (2:13-15)
2:13, 14 From infancy the threat of death hung over our Lord. It is apparent that He was born to die, but only at the appointed time. Anyone who walks in God’s will is immortal until his work is done. An angel of the Lord warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt with his family. Herod was ready to embark on his “search and destroy” mission. The family became refugees from the wrath of Herod. We do not know how long they stayed, but with the death of Herod, the coast was clear for their repatriation.
2:15 Thus, another OT prophecy became clothed with new meaning. God had said through the prophet Hosea: “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Hos_11:1). In its original setting this referred to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt at the time of the exodus. But the statement is capable of a double meaning—the Messiah’s history would closely parallel that of Israel. The prophecy was fulfilled in the life of Christ by His return to Israel from Egypt. When the Lord returns to reign in righteousness, Egypt will be one of the countries sharing in the blessings of the Millennium (Isa_19:21-25; Zep_3:9-10; Psa_68:31). Why should that nation, a traditional enemy of Israel, be so favored? Could it be a token of divine gratitude for its granting sanctuary to the Lord Jesus?
Matthew 2:16-18
C. Herod Massacres the Babies of Bethlehem (2:16-18)
2:16 When the wise men failed to return, Herod realized that he had been deceived in his plot to locate the young King. In senseless rage, he ordered the death of all the male children under the age of two in Bethlehem and in all its districts. Estimates vary as to the number slain; one writer suggests about twenty-six. It is not likely that hundreds were involved.
2:17, 18 The weeping which followed the killing of the children was a fulfillment of the words of Jeremiah the prophet:
Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more” (Jer_31:15).
In the prophecy, Rachel represents the nation Israel. The grief of the nation is attributed to Rachel, who was buried in Ramah (near Bethlehem, where the massacre took place). As the bereaved parents passed her tomb, she is pictured as weeping with them. In his effort to eliminate this young Rival, Herod gained nothing but dishonorable mention in the annals of infamy.
Matthew 2:19-23
D. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus Settle in Nazareth (2:19-23)
After Herod’s death, an angel of the Lord assured Joseph that it was now safe to return. When he reached the land of Israel, however, he heard that Herod’s son Archelaus had succeeded his father as king of Judea. Joseph was reluctant to venture into this region and so, after his fears were confirmed by God in a dream, he traveled north to the region of Galilee and settled in Nazareth.
For the fourth time in this chapter, Matthew reminds us that prophecy was being fulfilled. He mentions none of the prophets by name, but says that the prophets had foretold that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. No OT verse says this directly. Many scholars suggest Matthew is referring to Isa_11:1 : “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” The Hebrew word translated “Rod” is netzer, but the connection seems remote. A more probable explanation is that “Nazarene” is used to describe anyone who lived in Nazareth, a town viewed with contempt by the rest of the people. Nathaniel expresses this by the proverbial question, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Joh_1:46). The scorn heaped upon this “unimportant” town fell upon its inhabitants as well. So when verse 23 says He shall be called a Nazarene, it means that He would be treated with contempt. Although we cannot find any prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, we can find one that says He would be “despised and rejected by men” (Isa_53:3). Another says that He would be a worm and not a man, scorned and rejected by people (Psa_22:6). So while the prophets did not use the exact words, this was undeniably the spirit of several prophecies.
It is amazing that when the mighty God came to earth, He was given a nickname of reproach. Those who follow Him are privileged to share His reproach (Heb_13:13).
WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
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