Introduction
The book of Matthew is like no other book in the “New Testament” because it proves to the searching Jew that Jesus is the one Moses and the Prophets spoke about in all of their writings. Jesus himself had said to the religious leaders of his own nation:
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39
That is why Matthew is placed as the first book in the New Testament. The events that occurred in the life of Jesus and especially during his last three and a half year ministry all occurred while Israel was under the Law of Moses (The Mosaic Covenant).
I encourage you to have an open mind about the gospels and ask yourself just what in them actually belongs to the Jewish nation when they were under the Law of Moses and what can believers claim from them during this age of Grace? The Law of Moses remained in effect until after the death of Jesus Christ, the Testator which is mentioned in Hebrews 9:16-17.
Millions have had to spiritualize away hundreds of verses in the gospels and say they mean something else because they fail to apply them to whom they were delivered to (Israel under the Law).
The book of Acts then serves as a transitional book between Law and Grace, with the doctrines of grace being introduced in Paul’s Epistles. There can only be harmony in our Bible study when we rightly divide scripture as Paul told us to in 2 Timothy 2:15.
I hope this study will help you to start to believe every word of God instead of spiritualizing Israel’s passages as yours. Your walk with God will be so much more complete if you do and the body of Christ (the Church) will begin to be unified around the truth.
Brethren,
It is my heart’s desire that any seeds which our heavenly Father as not planted in your theology will be rooted up and burned as the chaff, and that any seed which he has planted will take root and produce some an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty fold in your life.
Jim Phillips
Chapter One
The Generation of Jesus Christ
I want us to begin our study together by noticing in the very first verse how that Matthew records Jesus’ genealogy by listing David before Abraham. The reason for this is that Matthew’s main message is about Israel’s future King and His future Kingdom.
Abraham is the Father of the Jewish Nation but it was through David (God’s choice for King)that the promise of an heir which would reign over Israel forever would be fulfilled.
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
For those who may not know it, Christ is not Jesus’ last name, it is his title and it means exactly the same thing as the word Messiah in Hebrew, it means literally, the anointed one.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Booz is of course Boaz who was the son of Rachab(Rahab) the harlot. Boaz could marry Ruth (a Gentile) because of who his mother was (A gentile). Jews were not supposed to marry outside of the Jewish lines unless the one they were marrying had converted to Judaism.
Under the Law a gentile had to convert to Judaism in order to be saved for salvation was of the Jews. (John 4:22) We no longer have to convert to Judaism today in the age of Grace to be saved.
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
The very fact that the New Testament begins with the lineage of the Kings of Israel testifies to the fact that the book of Matthew is a book about a King and his Kingdom. Luke’s gospel goes back to Adam because Jesus is called the Son of Man (Adam being the first man. Christ is later called the second Adam in 1 Cor 15:45).
It would be through the lineage of Solomon that all future kings would reign. There is another lineage given in the book of Luke that traces Christ’s lineage back from Mary to Nathan, Solomon’s brother).
The reason for the two lineages is that there was a curse put on Solomon’s line found in Jeremiah 22:30 and in order for Jesus to become King he would have to be born through a virgin from Nathan’s lineage (Solomon’s brother) to avoid the curse.
“Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. Jeremiah 22:30
7 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; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
What a coincidence that there was fourteen generations separating these three major periods in Israel’s history. It wasn’t a coincidence at all, but rather an indicator to the Nation of Israel and to the world that something big was about to happen once again. There are actually seventeen generations between David and the carrying away but God only allows the legitimate fourteen generations to be mentioned.
Three kings were cursed by God and their generations removed from His list for all eternity. At the carrying away into Babylon the reign of the Kings of Israel had ceased. After fourteen generations had passed from the Babylonian captivity a new King was born that literally change the world.
Notice also that this lineage was the kingly line which would mean that the rightful king of Israel prior to the Messiah’s birth should have been Joseph the husband of Mary had it not been for the curse upon his house. Instead there was a puppet of Rome sitting on the throne of Israel as there had been for quite some time. Herod himself was an Edomite.
Also notice from David down to Jacob (Joseph’s father) how that Matthew records that each father begat their son up until Joseph and Jesus. Joseph it says “was the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus” because as the gospel of John records that Jesus was the only begotten Son of God as found in John 3:16:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The necessity for the virgin birth was because of mankind’s sin nature which could not be passed down to the Son of God if was to become the Lamb of God (Sacrifice) which took away the sin of the world. More on the necessity of the virgin birth follows.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
The Law says that if a woman has played the Harlot, she and the man should both be stoned. Now we know that Mary was innocent of any wrong doing, but put yourself in Joseph’s place for a moment, would you believe Mary’s story? No you wouldn’t have.
Joseph however was a kind and just man and was going to give her a divorce privately so as not to bring any more perceived shame to his or her family. Notice that scripture records that Mary and Joseph had not come together yet intimately and that the child was from the Holy Ghost and not Joseph.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Who your Father is means something in the Scripture. The angel of the Lord called Joseph, the son of David to testify to any Jew who would read these Scriptures that Joseph was a descendant of King David himself and should have been King at the time preceding Jesus’ birth had it not been for the curse.
Herod may have been selected as King over the “Land” of Israel by Rome, but Jesus was born King of the Jews by divine right. The Jews should have been paying attention to the descendants of King David because they knew that the Messiah must come from that line. The very name Jesus in Hebrew means “Salvation”.
The people should have been in Bethlehem that night waiting for the Messiah’s birth, but no one was waiting. The fact that there was no room for them in the Inn signified that the Nation of Israel as a whole had no room for God in their hearts at that time.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Here we have the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 being fulfilled right on time. Time is not an obstacle for God. Joseph would have been the king of Israel at that time had it not been for the curse put on this lineage in Jeremiah 22:30. This curse actually served to protect Joseph’s ancestors from Satan’s attacks because he would know that the royal bloodline was now cursed, but God had a way around the curse which was the virgin birth.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
The statement that Joseph “knew her not” is a very important portion of Scripture as it refutes the Catholic’s claim to the perpetual virginity of Mary. Joseph and Mary had sexual relations after the birth of Jesus as any normal husband and wife would and produce numerous offspring. (James, Joses, Simon and Judas and their sisters. Matthew 13:5556)
There is no excuse today for those who claim they are still looking for the Messiah, all they have to do is to take an honest look at the gospel account of Jesus and compare it with the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah and they can plainly see that Jesus is the Messiah they have been waiting for.
Sadly, many Jews will one day very soon follow the Anti-Christ during the first half of the seven year tribulation period (the time of Jacob’s Trouble Jeremiah 30:7) and believe him to be their Messiah.
It is then that they will flee into the wilderness and realize that they missed their Messiah by two thousand years. The good news however is that all the Jewish people alive at the end of that time will be saved, because God promised it in his word.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob(Israel):
Sadly many “Christians” have pushed Jews away from reading the gospels instead of toward them by their actions over past two thousand years in persecuting them because they themselves do not understand their own scriptures. Satan is good at deceiving both Jew and Gentile alike.No true Christian should ever persecute the Jews. They should however provoke them to jealousy by telling them how good God has been to them by saving them.
Chapter Two
King of the Jews
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Wise men still seek him today, but these were not just some lucky travelers who just happened to come across a great event in human history. These men were anxiously waiting the appearing of the sign in the heavens as foretold in Isaiah and in the book of numbers that would lead them to the very spot were the Saviour of the world would be born.
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Moses foretold of a star that would come out of Jacob (Israel) that would posses a Sceptre (a King’s royal staff), and the book of Daniel foretold the very day when the Messiah would come riding into the City of Jerusalem. Daniel 9:24-27
Numbers 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
The wise men were waiting but Herod was trembling because the very next verse in Numbers prophesied his doom. I think Herod was well aware of this prophesy and that explains why he acted the way he did in killing all the children under two years of age. He was trying to prevent its fulfillment. But you can’t stop God!
Numbers 24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. 19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
Herod was an Edomite and the Edomites don’t fare to well when the Messiah reigns, so Herod was nervous and rightfully so. He thought he was about to lose everything. Too bad he didn’t turn to Christ at that time, but instead he became infamous because of his brutal attempt to stay in power.
These wise men from the east were Jewish Magi from the area of Babylon. Many Jews remained behind after their captivity had ended and religious schools were established by some of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego’s descendants.
It is very possible that these Jews did not possess the book of Micah because they were still living in the land of Babylon and may not have had access to the whole Old Testament as the Jews living in Israel would. This would also explain why the wise men didn’t know exactly where the Messiah was born. Micah 5:1 & 2 prophesied Bethlehem as the place of the Kings birth.
Who else in that area would have been searching the Jewish Scriptures and waiting for their Messiah than the Jewish descendants remaining from the Babylonian captivity?
The news troubled Herod but it troubled Satan even more, for if the King of the Jews was born, then the Messianic Kingdom would undoubtedly begin soon. Satan knew his incarceration in the bottomless pit was nigh at hand, so he had to act quickly. He moved Herod to find this would be King that would threaten both of their reigns so that he could have him killed.