Although our ministry is centered around hospitality, much of the spiritual growth has come through teaching the Word on a regular basis. Since many of our readers have shared in this ministry through giving and prayer, we have decided to share some of the benefits here.
We have completed a two year journey through Matthew and have decided to publish, on a weekly basis, the teaching handouts that Eric prepared. (You may freely share them with others but they are not to be used in any form for sale without contacting us first.)
Matthew: A History of Y’shua the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-17)
One way to look at
the Old Testament is to see that, beginning in Genesis, mankind is in a serious
predicament because of sin. We need
redemption. Then beginning in Genesis 12
we follow God’s program of providing a channel of redemption. Through the means of a specially chosen
people, God would interact with them in their long history to be the people out
of whom would arise a Redeemer.
In Matthew 1:1-17, the writer recounts the genealogy of this
Redeemer through which he goes on to explain His birth, His teaching, His
death, and His resurrection. This Redeemer was Jesus.
Matthew refers to Him as “Jesus Christ” meaning literally
“anointed savior.” To get background on
this anointed one (Messiah in Hebrew), we must study the Old Testament—a
library of sacred books written in Hebrew and Aramaic over a period of 1500
years by Hebrew prophets. 200 years
before Matthew’s day, this collection of writings was translated into everyday
Greek—the language used throughout the Roman Empire from England to India and
the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
Thus, these sacred books became accessible to those who could read or
could understand the reading of this common language. (Not long after Jesus’ death, an ex-Jewish
general turned historian named Josephus wrote a popularization of the history
contained in these books for the enlightenment of the empire.) While the theme of the Old Testament mostly
concerns God’s working and teaching in and through Israel, there is a larger
purpose that repeats itself over and over.
God desires Israel to be a light to the entire world. But Israel fails in this task most
miserably. She even fails to live up to
the light in her own national boundaries.
Lest we read with smugness we must understand that the history of the
rest of the world—even the so-called “Christian” nations—have not fared much
better. A quick read through of the
Cambridge Shorter History of the Western World sounds every bit as sordid as
that of Israel and Judah. Have God’s
purposes been thwarted?
Matthew will show us that this Messiah, Jesus, would be the
One who will successfully fulfill God’s mandate to call out and energize a
people that share the light of the glorious gospel to the whole world. This book is the story of what that means and
how it came about. As various technical
terms are mentioned in the text we will discuss them with special application
to the way Matthew is using the term. He
doesn’t always give us a complete understanding of the term when it is first
mentioned but saves the full explanation as the opportunity arises to
illustrate the meaning in Jesus’ actions and teaching. We will attempt to follow Matthew’s cues in
this although we recognize that we are now armchair explorers who have some
idea how this story goes.
As we open Matthew and read through his genealogy of Jesus,
there are several peculiar features that should stand out. It is as if Matthew deliberately provided
little surveyor flags with their brightly colored streamers to point out to the
reader, “Hey, what do you think this is about?”
(This method is also used in helping us to understand Jesus’ words and
works throughout the book.) In this
case, note that most ancient genealogies contained only the names of men! Who, then, are the five women named
here? Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of
Uriah (Bathsheba) and even Mary are all surprise interjections of suspicious
character. The first four are not even
Israelites – they are Gentiles! And Mary
has gotten pregnant before the wedding—and not by the husband! All but Ruth and Mary had a history of
immorality and Mary was suspected of it!
Jesus is not just born into a family of mortals but of sinners!
Speaking of men, four of the men named here are listed in
the great “faith chapter” in Hebrews 11: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Were these four always faithful men? Eight of the men named here are called “evil”
in Scripture: Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Joram (also called Jehoram in
Scripture), Ahaz, Manasseh, Amos (also called Amon and not to be confused with
a prophet Amos), and Jeconiah. There are
seven men named here who are called “good” in Scripture: David, Asaph (also
called Asa), Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah.
With all these kings and the royal line, the question that
naturally arises is, why isn’t the redeemer born in a palace? The story of the Babylonian exile and the
resulting loss of the control of their own nation is the subject of much of the
Old Testament. The royal line still
lives – but as obscure peasants.
So, Matthew begins with a seemingly hopeless situation to
present the Author of hope—Jesus Christ—who comes exactly as prophesied through
this unlikely channel.
An honest look at the human legacy of our own family will
have its own stains amidst the glories of the past. But the Redeemer is coming into the world in
no better circumstances.
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