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In Matthew's genealogy "Abraham" and " David" are highlighted by its numerical design i. Verses follow the genealogy of 1 Chr. The Messianic line came through Perez. This section of the genealogy Matt. It was very unusual to include women in Jewish genealogical lists. Several are included here in Matthew to emphasize that the lineage of the Messiah was not based on nationality or meritorious effort. The Gentiles, even women, are included for an inclusive theological impact! In Jewish and Christian tradition Rahab was an example of the power of repentance cf.
Moabites were forbidden from entering the congregation of Israel cf. She exemplified the faith of Gentiles and women and God's inclusive love. She was the grandmother of King David. This Judean king was named Asa in 1 Kgs. Most textual critics assume that this is an ancient copyist error, or just a variant spelling of the name of the king. The reason for their omission is uncertain. This would be the middle section. He was a godly king who was struck with leprosy because he offered a sacrifice in a wrong manner. His life is recorded in 2 Kgs.
Manasseh was reputed to be the most evil king in Judah's history cf. He also reigned the longest, fifty-five years cf. Many scholars believe that the righteous father, the wicked son of the righteous father, and the righteous son of the wicked father in Ezekiel cf. The next to last Davidic king before the Babylonian captivity, Jeconiah was either 8 years old when he ascended the throne cf.
Ezekiel dates his prophecies from the year of this king's exile by Nebuchadnezzar II in b. Jerusalem was captured by the army of Babylon several times-in , , , and b. Several different deportations occurred. He was of the line of David cf. Hebrew familial terms were fluid and could refer to several different categories of relatives. In this case, Shealtiel was an uncle. This confusion could be explained if Shealtiel adopted Zerubbabel after his father Pedaiah died cf. These two names also appear in the Lucan genealogy, but in a much later period.
Joseph is named as the legal father and his lineage given because this was what the Jews of the first century legally required and recognized. But he was not the true biological father. Jesus was virgin born of the Spirit of God cf. See Special Topic at Matt. The Hebrew term "generations" was ambiguous and could have meant grandfather or great-great-grandfather or ancestor.
Only thirteen names are listed in the third section, so possibly Jehoiachin is counted in both the second and third sections. The number pattern implies that some names were left out cf. The term genesis was probably original cf. While both terms can mean "birth," the first had wider connotations creation, generation, i.
The parties lived separately but were considered contractually married. Only death or divorce could break the betrothal arrangement. This refers to the virgin birth, which was not a sexual experience for Mary or the Spirit. This was a prophetic fulfillment of Gen. Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel". Surprisingly, no apostolic sermons in Acts or the Epistles mention this, possibly because it could have been confused with Greco-Roman mythology the Mount Olympus gods often took human women and bore children by them.
It does not imply sinlessness; Noah and Job were righteous in the same sense cf. Mary had not shared the vision concerning her pregnancy with Joseph.
OT Law demanded the death penalty for sexual unfaithfulness cf. The word "dream" onar occurs five times in the first two chapters of Matthew cf. Matthew uses the phrase often cf. The NT does not use sense 2 except Acts 8: This is the name which reflects deity as the covenant making God; God as savior, redeemer! Humans break covenants, but God is loyal to His word, promise, covenant cf. This name is first mentioned in combination with Elohim in Gen. There are not two creation accounts in Genesis , but two emphases: However, the writings of Moses often interpret words by popular word plays, not etymologies cf.
There have been several theories as to the meaning of this name taken from IDB, vol. The full name YHWH is often expressed in abbreviation or possibly an original form. In later Judaism this covenant name became so holy the tetragrammaton that Jews were afraid to say it lest they break the command of Exod. So they substituted the Hebrew term for "owner," "master," " husband," "lord" - adon or adonai my lord. While there are many possible combinations of terms, here are some. Genesis 3 affected all life on this planet cf. Jesus came to die in our place cf.
The promise of Gen. Only one virgin birth has ever occurred, not two; therefore, the historical fulfillment in Isaiah's day was a sign to Ahaz, but not an impregnation by the Holy Spirit. This is an example of a multiple fulfillment of prophecy. The sign to Ahaz was the child's name. See my commentary of Isaiah online at www. Immanuel meant "God with us" BDB This shows that the OT passage pointed beyond its own day. However, it must be remembered that the Jews did not expect the Messiah to be divine.
They would have seen the powerful names from Isa. They also imply that the couple had a normal married life after the birth of Jesus. These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive. This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. It was a small rural village of about people, located miles south of Jerusalem.
There were two villages by this name; one in Judah cf. He expanded the second Temple in order to appease the Jews who were upset over a non-Jew ruling over them. He died in 4 b. This type of sage probably originated in Media, but they came to be a well known group of wise men, counselors, and astrologers all over Mesopotamia. Herodotus called them Medean Priests Herodotus I, They were sometimes referred to in Babylon literature as "Chaldeans" cf. The ones mentioned in this text were possibly Zoroastrians from Persia, but they could have been Jewish exiles like Daniel.
It is unusual that Matthew, writing to Jews, included the story of the wise men Gentiles from the East while Luke, writing to Gentiles, included the story of the Jewish shepherds outcast Jews. This was the same title that was placed on Jesus' cross cf. It was a way of referring to the Messiah cf. This is literally "from the rising of the sun. The ancient world correlated the birth of important men or events with astrological occurrences.
God revealed to them in a way they would understand. In a sense they represent the world seeking and finding the Jewish Messiah. This " star" may have related to the prophecy of Num. A notable example of his cruelty was that when he was near death, he was afraid no one would mourn his passing, so he imprisoned many Pharisees who were to be crucified when he died.
This would ensure that the day of his death would be a day of grieving. The order was not carried out, but this illustrates his character. Herod had arrested and later killed many of the Jerusalem leaders several years earlier so it is uncertain if this is a reference to the official Sanhedrin. It was not an exact quote from the Masoretic Text or the Septuagint. This specific prophecy gives strong evidence for the inspiration of the Bible. Micah wrote approximately years before Christ's birth yet he predicted the small village where the Messiah would unexpectedly be born.
The most powerful empirical evidence for an inspired Bible is predictive prophecy which is unique to Scripture! Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Herod was interested in the age of the child. Since it took the Magi many months to travel from Persia, Jesus was at least one or two years of age at this time. NASB "the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over the place where the Child was" NKJV "the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was" NRSV "and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was" TEV "and it went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was" NJB "the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was".
I believe in the supernatural, although I cannot always explain why or how. The star moved and stopped! It must not have been so spectacular that many others saw it or recognized its significance. These men were trained in what to expect in the night sky. This phenomena did not fit a standard pattern. Therefore, it was not solely a natural phenomenon.
This mixture of the natural and supernatural is similar to the plagues on Egypt. The wise men did not come the same time as the shepherds. It has always surprised me that Matthew, writing to Jews, mentions Gentiles coming saw the star and Luke, writing to Gentiles, mentions Jewish shepherds coming heard the angels. The theological truth is obvious-everyone is welcome to come Gentiles, outcast Jews! Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were living in their own house. There was a lengthy period of time between the visit of the shepherds and the wise men.
Tertullian even went so far as to assert that they were the kings mentioned in Isa. Much effort has been spent to interpret the significance of the gifts, but what is known definitely is that these gifts were expensive and were used by royalty. It is possible they are fulfillment of Isa. They were spiritually sensitive men. Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: The plural "sons" usually referred to angels. This then is a play on the word "son," originally referring to Israel. Matthew alone records this incident. It is impossible to construct an exact chronology of the early life of Jesus from the Gospels. Egypt was home to a large Jewish community. Maybe this is symbolic of a second exodus or deliverance. The phrase "two years old and under," reinforces the age of Jesus as a toddler, not an infant, at the time of the Magi's visit.
Rachel, the mother of Joseph, was associated with the Northern Ten Tribes, while her other son, Benjamin, was associated with Judah. In this one mother both houses of Israel are joined. Symbolically Rachel is again weeping over her lost children. This is an allusion to Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel, who had children, one of whom would be part of the northern ten tribes after the united monarchy split in b.
She is depicted as weeping over the exile of her sons cf. In this context her grief is a metaphor for the death of the children of Bethlehem by Herod. Some uncial Greek manuscripts have one verb , " weeping" i. As with so many of these manuscript variants, it makes little difference in understanding the meaning of the verse.
Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: It is not mentioned in the OT, the Talmud, or in Josephus. It apparently was not settled until the time of John Hyrcanus i. The presence of Joseph and Mary from this village implies that a clan of David's line settled here. There may be an etymological connection between the names Nazareth and the Messianic title "Branch," which is netser in Hebrew cf.
This interpretation is evidenced by the fact that no prophet ever foretold of Jesus being born or raised in Nazareth, but they did predict the coming of a special anointed Davidic king i. It was apparently a term of reproach because of its location far from Jerusalem in a Gentile area cf. This may be why it was included on the board above Jesus on the cross i. How does Micah 5: Between Matthew 2 and 3 are the silent years of Jesus' childhood. Except for one experience at the age of twelve, details about Jesus' childhood are not known. There has been much interest and speculation by believers.
Several extra-canonical pseudepigraphic gospels record other specific events, which are supposed to have occurred during His adolescence, but these years are simply unrecorded in the Bible. The parallel passages for Matt. It does not attempt to locate a specific time. John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. There had not been a prophet in Israel since Malachi, around b. His very presence caused great spiritual excitement among the people. If someone from a Gentile background were to become a full child of Israel, he had to accomplish three tasks:.
In sectarian groups of first century Palestine, such as the Essenes, baptism was apparently a common, repeated experience. However, to mainline Judaism, John's baptism of repentance would have been humiliating for a natural child of Abraham to undergo a Gentile ritual. It should be noted that all other baptisms in first century Jewish culture were self-administered.
Only John's called for him to administer this rite. Apparently John made a spiritual evaluation of the spiritual qualifications which denoted a personal repentance cf. John not only dressed like Elijah cf. John was claiming a prophetic position cf. His nomadic life resembled the wilderness wandering of Israel, which was an idealized time of an intimate relationship between YHWH and Israel. Parallel passages suggest the geographical location of John's preaching was somewhere close to the city of Jericho just north of the Dead Sea, near the Jordan River.
Without repentance, it is impossible to be saved cf. The Hebrew equivalent meant "to change one's actions," while the Greek word meant "to change one's mind. Salvation requires faith in Christ and repentance cf. John's ministry was one of spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus the Messiah and His message. God is King of creation! This is a perfect tense verb which describes the culmination and continuing results of a process started earlier.
The nearness of the kingdom is stressed in the Gospels cf. This is the tension of "the already" and "not yet" of the New Age. It describes the time between the two comings of Christ. It is the overlapping of two Jewish ages. The same idea was also reflected in Isa. John saw himself as being the preparer for the coming of the Messiah cf.
This fulfilled the predictions concerning Elijah found in the Mal. All four Gospels record these words of John cf. The second phrase was usually a metaphor for preparing for a royal visit. It is significant to note that in Isa. The NT authors use several literary ways to assert the Deity of Jesus. Most of the Hebrew as well as Greek words for sin reflect a deviation from a standard or "measuring reed. Camel-hair clothes were the cheapest available. John was accustomed to living in a desert and eating the diet available there.
Locusts were a food allowed by the Mosaic legislation cf. The term was also used of the beans of the locust, or carob, tree. This verse shows the great hunger for God of the first century Jews. Even the religious leaders came. This verse is obviously a hyperbole, but it communicates the religious fervor which John caused. The people as a whole recognized the need for spiritual renewal. OT precedents are found in Lev. See special topic on confession at Matt. Several theories have been advanced about why he reacted so strongly. It is significant that these leaders were considering baptism themselves.
Possibly they wanted to identify with the multitude and thereby retain their leadership status. John recognized their true motives. For a full discussion of the origin and theology of the Pharisees see Special Topic at Matt. Amos called it "the day of YHWH" i. Here John confirms Malachi's judgment motif. Note that John's message was not national or corporate like Malachi's, but individual cf. Even in the OT, faith was more than simply ritual or membership in a national group cf.
Faith was and is both corporate and individual, both faith and works cf. Their lives must show their new relationship with God cf. For "repentance" see full note at Matt. The Jews believed that the merit of Abraham's faith was applied to them. Lifestyle faith, not lineage, is the way to recognize a true child of Abraham cf.
A parallel can be seen in Isa. One reason John the Baptist wondered whether Jesus was really the Messiah was because His message was not one primarily of judgment as John anticipated. This term may be translated two ways 1 following the usage in the Egyptian papyri, "to take off and carry a visitor's shoes to the storage place" or 2 to " untie and remove.
Not even the students of rabbis were asked to perform this task. This was an idiomatic statement of John's understanding of the superiority of Jesus. However, as in Luke 3: It is possible both refer to the Pentecostal experience of Acts 2. Some have seen this as a two-fold baptism: Others have related it to conversion before Pentecost and the special endowment at Pentecost. A Canaanite fire and fertility god had been worshiped an activity known as molech at Gehenna in Israel's past by sacrificing of children cf. This aspect of eternal judgment is shocking to modern readers, but it was evident rabbinical teaching and expressive to first century Jews.
Jesus did not come as judge, but all who reject Him will be judged cf. It seems that there was an early Judean ministry and a later one, but all four Gospels'chronologies must be harmonized in order to see this early Judean visit cf. Why Jesus was baptized has always been a concern for believers because John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not need forgiveness for He was sinless cf. The theories have been as follows:. Whatever the reason, this was a defining moment in Jesus' life.
Although it does not imply that Jesus became the Messiah at this point adoptionism, cf. Many commentators have struggled with why John tried again and again to prevent Jesus from being baptized. They do not provide enough information to completely answer the question of verse It is certain, however, that the baptism had meaning both for Jesus and John and that it was God's will for both their lives.
This verse has been used by those who support immersion as the only biblical mode of baptism to prove that Jesus was immersed. Only God can open heaven cf. God opens blind eyes i. Was it like a dove or was it a real dove? The question cannot be fully answered cf. This is related to Isa. The specific form of the Spirit is not as significant as the Spirit Himself coming upon Jesus. This does not imply that before this time Jesus did not have the Holy Spirit, but that this was a special inauguration of His Messianic task.
The symbolism of the dove has been discussed a great deal as to its origin and purpose. Tasker, in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary Series , says that it refers to gentleness, which is to be contrasted with the fire in verse 11 cf.
During the inter-biblical period, when there was no true prophet, the rabbis said that God confirmed His choice and decisions by means of a bath kol , which was a voice from heaven. Also, this voice was a sign from God in a cultural way these first century Jews could understand cf. It was apparently as meaningful to Jesus as it was to John and possibly to the crowd which observed His baptism. Here, in this quote, the royal Messiah is linked to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. This phrase, "My Beloved Son" also note It is significant to note that in Mark 1: Son of God at Matt.
Verses involve all three persons of the Trinity. The term "trinity" is not in the Bible, but the concept is surely scriptural. The fact that the Bible asserts the oneness of God monotheism, Deut. There is one divine essence and three eternal personal manifestations. The three divine personalities are often mentioned in the same context i.
You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. Why does Matthew use the phrase "kingdom of heaven" and Mark and Luke use " kingdom of God"? Why did the religious leaders want to be baptized? What did baptism symbolize in that day? Why is the emphasis of John the Baptist's message on judgment and not on salvation? What is the significance of God speaking out of heaven?
Identify the two OT sources of the Father's quote and explain their significance. It is extremely significant that immediately following God's affirmation of the Messianic Sonship of Jesus, the Spirit "drives" Jesus into the desert to be tempted cf.
Temptation was in the will of God for the Son. Temptation can be defined as the enticement of a God-given desire beyond God-given bounds. Temptation is not a sin. This temptation was initiated by God. The agent was Satan cf. Jesus is seen as the "Ideal Israelite" who fulfills the task which the nation was originally given cf.
Both are called " Son" cf. This explains some of the ambiguity which is found in the Servant Songs of Isa. Could Christ really have sinned? This is really the mystery of the two natures of Christ.
The temptation was real. Jesus, in His human nature, could have violated the will of God. This was not a puppet show. Jesus is truly human though without a fallen nature cf. In this respect He was like Adam. We see this same human nature in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed three times for another way of redemption other than the cross cf.
This tendency is the essence of each one of Satan's temptations in Matthew 4. How will Jesus use His Messianic gifts to redeem mankind? Any way other than substitutionary atonement was the temptation! Jesus must have told this experience to His disciples later because He was alone in the desert. This implies that this account not only teaches us about Christ's temptation, but also helps us in our temptations. It must be remembered that the Bible is not a chronological, cause and effect, western history.
Near Eastern history is selective, but not inaccurate. The Gospels are not biographies but gospel tracts written to different groups of people for the purpose of evangelism and discipleship, not just history. Often Gospel writers selected, adapted, and arranged the material for their own theological and literary purposes cf.
There are several good illustrations of Matthew's tendencies to structure his Gospel. He puts Jesus' teachings together in one sermon Matthew , as he does His miracles and parables. Mark the first written Gospel, used by Matthew and Luke has "seven" for 2, 3, and 5, which shows the number was not a structure unique to Matthew. It is difficult to know what was part of the tradition and what part Matthew's propensity for these numbers caused his structure. This does not mean to imply the Gospel writers falsified or made up events or words.
The differences in the Gospels does not deny inspiration. It affirms eyewitness accounts. The parallels of Jesus' temptations are found in Mark 1: This temptation experience related to how Jesus would use His Messianic powers to redeem mankind the use of first class conditional sentences in Matt. This would have been the kind of territory in which Moses cf. One has the connotation of "to test with a view toward strengthening" [ dokimazo ] and the other "to test with a view toward destruction" [ peirasmo ]. The term used here is the one for destruction cf. God will never tempt us to destruction, but He often tests us, with a view toward strengthening us cf.
Satan tempts to destroy! In the NT he becomes diabolos following the LXX or the devil, which meant slanderer, adversary, or tempter. In the OT he was a servant of God cf. Job ; 2 Kgs. However, by the time of the New Testament there was an intensification of evil and he has become the arch-enemy of God. One of the best books on the development of evil in the Bible is A. Davidson's Old Testament Theology , published by T. Matthew saw Jesus as the New Law giver and deliverer i.
The term "forty" was used often in the Bible implying it could function both literally 40 years from Egypt to Canaan and figuratively the flood. The Hebrews used a lunar calendar. Some commentators see this as Satan waiting until the end of Jesus' fast when He was weak and tired before approaching Him. Others believe that Satan came during the entire fast. The first option fits the context best. Based on the fact that Satan will take Him to a high mountain to view all of the kingdoms of the earth in a single instant Luke parallel , this was probably a vision, but still a personal confrontation between Jesus and Satan.
Satan is not doubting Jesus' Messiahship i. This grammatical form colors the interpretation of this entire temptation experience cf. Satan was tempting Jesus to use His Messianic powers both to meet His personal needs and to win the allegiance of humans by feeding them. In the OT the Messiah was described as feeding the poor cf. These temptation experiences, to some extent, continued to occur during Jesus' ministry.
The feeding of the five thousand Matt. This again is parallel to the problems of Israel's wilderness experience. Matthew saw a parallel between Moses and Jesus. The Jews were expecting the Messiah to perform many of the actions of Moses. Satan's temptation functioned on two levels. The first was the Jewish expectation of the Messiah providing food like Moses i. This obviously refers to creation by the spoken word Genesis 1. This was the standard idiomatic way of introducing an inspired quotation from the OT cf.
This particular quote relates to God providing manna to the children of Israel during the wilderness period:. All of Jesus' responses to Satan's temptations were quotes from Deuteronomy. This must have been one of His favorite books. He quoted repeatedly from it during His temptation by Satan in the wilderness, Matt. Jesus quoted this section of the OT Genesis - Deuteronomy most often because the Jews of His day considered it the most authoritative section of the canon. Matthew and Luke use diabolos for the temptation experience, while Mark uses Satanos.
Why the change is uncertain. Matthew knew the Jews would understand this immediately as an allusion from the OT cf. The order of the temptation events in Matthew and Luke are different. The reason for this is uncertain. Possibly Matthew's account is chronological " then" , while Luke's account restructures the order for climactic effect " again". Because of the Jewish tradition that the Messiah was to appear suddenly in the Temple cf. Some have asserted that Satan misquoted this verse.
Although he left out "in all your ways," this quotation is in line with the Apostles'use of the OT Scripture. The problem was not that Satan was misquoting the verse, but was misapplying it. Israel, at this point, did not trust God to provide her basic needs, but demanded a miracle. The pronoun "you" in the quote relates to Israel, not Satan cf. Believers are called on to actively trust God's promises i. For it is written, ' You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.
There has been much discussion as to what Satan meant by his claim in Matt. Satan is called the "god of this world" cf. The exact extent of Satan's influence, ownership cf Luke 4: Job ; Zechariah 3 is uncertain, but his power and evil are pervasive cf. Jesus added the word "only. The fact that Jesus loosely quotes a Scripture text ought to encourage us to memorize Scripture i. The UBS 4 gives the shorter text a "B" rating almost certain. Jesus would experience temptation again. Peter's words at Caesarea Philippi were as tempting and cutting as Satan's words in the wilderness cf.
This recalls 1 Kgs. God's angels ministered to His unique Son. God provided all that Satan said he could provide. Why the incarnate son of God would need the ministry of angels is a mystery. Angels are ministering spirits to the redeemed cf. Twice in Jesus' life angels helped Him in times of His physical weakness, here and in Gethsemane cf.
Jesus the Nazarene at Matt. It was located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Everyone expected the Messiah to minister primarily to Judea and Jerusalem, but the ancient prophecy of Isaiah was uniquely fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus cf. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali were the first to fall to the Assyrian invaders and the first to hear the good news. It all depends on where the person speaking was standing or thinking. This Gentile area was looked down on by the Jews of Judea. God's heart has always been for the salvation of the entire world i.
In the mouth of Jesus it takes on new significance. The kingdom is both present and future.
Repentance is a willingness to change from one's self-centered existence to a life informed and directed by God. It calls for a turning from the priority and bondage of the self cf. Basically it is a new attitude, a new worldview, a new master. Repentance is God's will for every human being, made in His image cf.
The NT passage that best reflects the different Greek terms for repentance is 2 Cor. The contrast is false repentance [ metamelomai ] cf. Jesus' preaching of the conditions of the New Covenant cf. It was known in the Bible by four different names. Apparently their immediate response reflected an earlier meeting, possibly recorded in John. It must be remembered that John records an earlier Galilean and Judean ministry. John's chronology of Jesus' life records events in: Galilee, Judea, Galilee, and Judea.
There were set rules and procedures on how a rabbi did this. The terminology is a word play on their current profession of fishing and their new one as witnesses and evangelists. It is interesting to note that they responded to the third, but not always to the first and second. The third was simply a confirmation of the vitality and power of the first two.
It was possible to be healed and not be saved cf. However, in this context it may refer to the whole area, which showed the wide-spread popularity of this healer from Nazareth. Although demonic forces might cause physical symptoms, the cure for each is different. Jesus healed all those who were brought to Him see Special Topic at Matt. We know from other accounts that healing was sometimes based on the faith of the individual, or the faith of the sick individual's friends; and sometimes it came without much faith at all.
Physical healing did not always mean or imply spiritual salvation cf. This popularity caused the Jewish leaders to be jealous and the crowds to misunderstand His mission. Does the New Testament make a distinction between demon possession and physical illness? The term "Sermon on the Mount" was first used by Augustine a.
This title came into our English Bibles through the Coverdale Bible of a. The difference in the contents can be explained by comparing the target audiences of the Gospels writers; Matthew's readers were Palestinian Jews and Luke's were Gentiles. However, because the differences are so great, many believe they are not the same sermon. They may be examples of often repeated themes used by Jesus in many places with differing audiences. An example of this is the parable of the lost sheep. In Matthew 18 it was directed to disciples, but in Luke 15 to sinners.
Under God's inspiration, the Gospel writers were free to select from Jesus' teachings and actions and to combine them in non-chronological ways to communicate theological truth. The Gospels are not biographies-they are evangelistic tracts and discipleship manuals. Matthew combines Jesus' teachings and miracles into thematic units, while Luke records these same teachings in different contexts throughout his Gospel.
The structure of Matthew's first of five, i. The statements are pointed gnomic sentences, often paradoxical, which attempt to summarize truth and aid memory. Thematically they are loosely related but grammatically separate. These teachings are the ultimate kingdom ethic meant to convict the lost and motivate the saved.
The audience was comprised of several different groups: Different texts were intended for the differing groups. These teachings are basically an attitude toward life or a " worldview" which is radically reoriented toward faith and obedience to God. There is an obvious play on Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.
A good book which describes Jesus' teaching and preaching methods is Robert H. The purpose is not to show the lost how to be saved, but how God expects the saved to live. The new kingdom ethic is so radical that even the most committed self-righteous legalists feel inadequate. Grace is the only hope for salvation i. The Beatitudes form a spiritual ladder 1 from salvation to Christlikeness or 2 from mankind's sense of spiritual need to mankind's new life in Christ.
They are not informational but motivational! Every moral system is a road which by self-denial, discipline, and effort, men seek to reach the goal. Christ begins with this goal, and places His disciples at once in the position to which all other teachers point as the end. They began by commanding, He by bestowing: It is, instead, a statement of the principles of life essential in a normal society. Many of the sayings of the Sermon are metaphorical or proverbial statements and are not to be understood in a literal or legal sense.
In them, Jesus was illustrating principles in concrete terms. Righteousness is grounded in the inner life. Character is not something imposed from without, but a life that unfolds from within. Character and life exist in and for fellowship with the Father. All worship and conduct look toward God. Deeds and character are the only things that abide and endurance is the final test. These huge crowds were also present in Matt.
Probably the disciples and those who were truly interested, formed an inner circle closest to Jesus with the others in the background cf. Luke's historical setting seems best. Jesus was praying on the mountain about His choice of the Twelve, but He came down onto the plain to receive the crowd and then moved back up the hillside a short distance so all could hear and see. The Greek term in Matthew can refer to the hill country and the term in Luke can refer to a level place in the hill country. So maybe the apparent contradiction is an English translation problem.
However the two messages are different in many ways. Matthew may have described a mountain setting to parallel the giving of the Law on Mt. Jesus is the new law-giver cf. The Gospel writer is purposely structuring the life of Jesus in such a way as to mimic the life of Moses here, Exod. Jesus is the new and greater "law-giver"! He is the prophet that Moses said would come after him cf. Fallen humans both Jew and Gentile find their salvation in Him, not in performance-based religion cf. These phrases, as well as the standardized close at Matt.
They were the object and recipients of this sermon, but the common people and the religious leaders were standing around listening cf. It is possible that Jesus spoke to one group and then another. Matthew's Gospel is characterized by combining Jesus' teachings into topics. The content of Matthew is scattered throughout many chapters in Luke. The English word "happy" comes from the Old English " happenstance. There are no verbs in these statements. They are exclamatory cf. This blessedness is both a current attitude toward God and life as well as an eschatological hope.
A blessed person was a righteous person cf. It was often used of a beggar who was dependent on a provider. In the OT this implied hope in God alone! Matthew makes it clear that this does not refer to physical poverty, but to spiritual inadequacy. Man must recognize God's adequacy and his own inadequacy cf. This is the beginning of the gospel cf. Possibly these first few beatitudes reflect Isa. But the Gospels of Mark cf. The two phrases are synonymous. The phrase refers to the reign of God in human hearts now that will one day be consummated over all the earth cf.
This is possibly confirmed by Matthew alternating between present tense "is" in Matt. The context implies that the mourning was for our sin. The result of seeing one's sin Matt.
It is possible, if the OT referent is Isa. The new age has dawned in Christ. The OT promises to Israel have been universalized to the whole world cf. Its origin implies domesticated strength, like a trained horse. Recognizing our need for God and His provision in Christ makes believers humble and teachable cf.
God wants to direct our strengths to His purposes He gave them, cf. Psalm ; 1 Corinthians 12 , not break them. This reflects the ambiguity of the Hebrew term erets BDB Again God's OT promises have been universalized. This metaphor reflects a kingdom person's ongoing attitude toward God cf. This is a sign that the image of God, lost in the fall, has been restored through Christ. This key theological term can mean 1 a declared legal or imputed banking right standing cf. Romans 4 or 2 a personal kingdom ethic, which is Matthew's use of the term cf.
It involves both justification and justice; both sanctification and sanctified living! This is another example of Matthew's circumlocution , a substitution of another word or phrase for the name of God cf. It is the ability to put one's self in another's situation and act with compassion cf. A change occurs here in the beatitudes. The two previous ones have focused on the Kingdom person's sense of spiritual need; the following ones, however, focus on the attitudes that motivate one's actions.
This was what was missing in Pharisaism then and legalism now. The passive voice may be another circumlocution like "kingdom of heaven," to avoid using God's name. Priorities are equally crucial cf. This term was used in the OT for ritual washings. Notice the focus is on the heart, the center of the individual's being, not the intellect or ritual actions. The central aspect of personhood in the OT was the "heart," while in Greek thought it was the "mind. Purity opens the spiritual eyes.
In the OT to see God meant to die cf.
What is the significance of God speaking out of heaven? Why is the emphasis of John the Baptist's message on judgment and not on salvation? In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects paragraphs , then compare our understanding with the modern versions. However, believers must strive for it in their daily lives. It does reflect the historical situation of the early church. His name is to be made known in this fallen world by the obedience of His children cf.
This statement, therefore, would probably refer to an eschatological setting. It refers to reconciliation between God and humanity, which results in peace between persons. However, this is not a peace at any price, but peace through repentance and faith cf. God has not changed, humanity has i. It is a Hebrew idiom reflecting God's character.
The goal of Christianity is Christlikeness cf. It speaks to those who have been and continue to be persecuted by an outside agent i. The persecution of believers is a real possibility, even an expected reality, for God's children in a fallen world cf. Notice the suffering is occurring because of the godly lifestyle and witness of believers.
God uses it to make believers like Christ cf. This verse is a needed balance to the modern American health, wealth and prosperity, see Gordon Fee, The Disease of the Health Wealth Gospel overemphasis on the covenant promises of Deuteronomy applied directly and unconditionally i.
Health, wealth, and prosperity promises must be balanced by the repeated acknowledgment of the suffering of believers, because they are people of faith in a fallen, godless world. Jesus suffered, the Apostles suffered, the early Christians suffered, so shall believers in every age! With this truth in mind it is also probable that the church will go through the tribulation period no secret rapture!
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