Lesson 1 - The Book of the Geneology Matthew 1:1 – A record of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.[1]
Matthew begins his book with an amazing choice of words, the force of which does not come through in the English. Those words in Greek look like this: Βίβλος γενέσεως and sound something like this “biblos geneseos”. Looking at the transliteration[2], you may notice that Matthew starts out with an allusion to the book of Genesis. Some may be wondering why we are looking at Matthew in Greek at all. Whether or not Matthew was originally written in Greek versus Hebrew or Aramaic is hotly debated. Most, though not all, scholars believe Greek to be the original language. Regardless of the language, when reading Matthew one must keep in mind the Jewishness of the story and setting…it is truly and thoroughly Hebrew in thought if not in language. However, because of how ancient and reliable the Greek manuscripts are for Matthew, it is important to study the Greek.
Now, back to those opening words…Biblos geneseos can be translated in various ways. The World Messianic Bible says “a record of the genealogy…” and thus considers these words to simply be an opening for the genealogy that is to follow. The Tree of Life Version and the English Standard Version translate it similarly as “The book of the genealogy”. Another possibility could be “a record of the origins…” which would seem to refer to the genealogy and birth narratives of Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus), or “a record of the history…” which could then be an opening that refers to the entire book of Matthew.[3]
However, to focus on how much of the gospel these words actually refer to (be it the genealogy of chapter 1, the whole birth and early life of Yeshua, or the entire book) may be to lose the main point. As we continue through the book of Matthew, we will find that he uses highly suggestive words, often taken from the Tanakh (the Hebrew term for what Christians call the “Old Testament”), to get the reader’s attention. Since these words in Matthew come to us in the Greek, let us look at the two places where “biblos geneseos” are found in the Septuagint.
The Septuagint is an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures that predates Yeshua’s birth and was in great use throughout the Roman Empire by Jews during Yeshua’s time. We find “biblos geneseos” used in Genesis 2:4 and 5:1. Genesis 2:4 states the following: “This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” Genesis 5:1 is the other portion that uses these words: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness.” Both times, biblos geneseos is used to introduce major, universe-changing events. In the first case it is to introduce the creation of heaven and earth. In the second case it is used to re-introduce the theme of the creation of man.
Matthew’s point in using these words was to grab the reader’s attention, focus it on Yeshua, and to basically declare: “here is a universe-changing event that you cannot ignore.” However we read the book of Matthew, one thing he does not allow for is a picture of Yeshua as simply a traveling rabbi, or even a miracle-working prophet. From the very first to the very last words, Matthew makes it clear that this book is going to be about Yeshua the Messiah, the life-changer, indeed the world-changer that ushers in a new era.
Notes [1] Unless otherwise stated, all quotes are from the World Messianic Bible. [2] Using English letters to approximate the sounds of the Greek. [3] Carson, D. A. (2010). Matthew. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew–Mark (Revised Edition) (Vol. 9, pp. 86–87). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Lesson 2 - The Messiah Matthew 1:1 - A record of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
What is meant by the word “Messiah”? Matthew comes to us in Greek, and the Greek behind the World Messianic Bible’s “Messiah” is cristos, from which we get the familiar word “Christ”. Despite the fact that our earliest manuscripts (copies) are in Greek, the book of Matthew is thoroughly Jewish in thought and greatly influenced by Hebrew language and idioms. Therefore, we must look to the Hebrew equivalent of “Christ” for a full understanding of this term. That Hebrew word is “mashiach” from which we get the word “Messiah”.
Why does Matthew mention that Yeshua is the Messiah, and what does he mean by that? Mashiachcomes from the word for “anoint”, and it denoted someone who was set apart for a particular role often by the symbolic act of having oil poured on them. There were three positions for which one could be anointed. High priests were anointed (Leviticus 6:15[1]), prophets could be anointed (1 Kings 19:16), and kings could be anointed (1 Samuel 16:13). The word “messiah”, then, does not necessarily apply to one hoped for savior; there were in fact, many “messiahs”. Even the pagan king, Cyrus, is called a “messiah” in Isaiah 45:1.
If “messiah” could be used to describe a number of people for various roles, why did Matthew find it important to mention it here at the beginning of his gospel? Because for each of the roles for which someone could be anointed, there is mentioned in the Tanakh (Old Testament) a coming figure that would bring that position to its zenith. In Deuteronomy 18:15 – 19, for example, God foretells the day when a great prophet, like Moses, would arise who would speak the very words of God. So while many prophets would come and go, and in a sense, these could be called “messiahs”, there would arise one great prophet that would epitomize everything a prophet of the Lord should be. This one could, so to speak, be called the Messiah with a capital “M”.
Likewise, many priests could be “anointed” and thus, in a sense, be called “messiahs”. While priests were called to teach and act as judges between clean and unclean, their main role was to officiate the ceremony of atonement in the Sanctuary. It was this atonement (often through blood sacrifice – see Leviticus 17:11) that allowed the people to draw near to God. The Psalms and Prophets speak of a coming one who would be the ultimate High Priest. The prophet Isaiah speaks of this coming priest that, instead of offering the blood of animals, would offer his own sinless life as atonement: “But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
Many kings were anointed in Israel; however, the idea of the arrival of one particular Messianic king is evident in the Tanakh. In 2 Samuel 7, for example, David is promised a descendant who would establish an eternal kingdom (verses 13 and 16). While at first it looked as if Solomon, one of David’s sons, might be this anointed king who would establish the eternal kingdom, the failure of the Davidic kingdom to establish righteousness (even Solomon fell into great sin) and to avoid collapse (Jerusalem and the Davidic throne were defeated by the Babylonians in 586 BCE[2]), the Psalms and Prophets had us look not for just another messianic king, but for the Messianic King. Isaiah gives this coming King the status of divinity when he says: “For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever…” (Isaiah 9:5,6)[3]. So it is through this coming, divine King that the promise to David of an eternal, righteous throne will be established.
We will see in the book of Matthew that Yeshua will fulfill all of these messianic roles. He will be declared the ultimate Messianic Prophet that speaks the words of God when God’s voice from heaven announces: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). We will see him as the perfect High Priest when Yeshua predicts that his blood, about to be spilled in his death on the cross, is the “blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). And we will see Matthew repeatedly refer to Yeshua’s establishment of the “Kingdom of Heaven”, an eternal kingdom made up of those who choose to follow him. While his followers may have persecution and trials in this life, those who persevere will receive the fullness of all of those promises that God gave to David – an eternal kingdom of righteousness and peace.
In short, this ultimate Messiah means the fulfillment of hope. Those who hoped for the prophetic voice of the Lord, the perfect atonement that would allow us to dwell in the presence of the Lord, and the eternal righteous King and kingdom found it in Yeshua, the perfect, divine Messiah. Today, his followers still find all of these blessings and more.
Notes [1] Verse 22 in Christian Bibles. [2] BCE stands for “Before the Common Era”, another designation akin to BC (before Christ). [3] Verses 6 and 7 in Christian Bibles.
Lesson 3 - Matthew 1:1 – The Son of Abraham
A record of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
While rarely (if ever again) in this study of Matthew will I give three lessons on one verse, this opening verse of Matthew, I feel, requires us to look at one more aspect before we move on. The first lesson dealt with the opening words, here translated as “a record of the genealogy”; we learned that this somewhat bland phrase in English hides a more powerful statement in the original language. Rather than a simple introduction to a genealogy, the opening stands as a notice that something of universal importance is about to be presented.
The second lesson dealt with the word “Messiah” (christos in the Greek, and mashiach in Hebrew) from which we understand that Yeshua will fulfill the role of being Israel’s savior (and world savior) by being the ultimate High Priest, Prophet, and Davidic King. The next phrase, “son of David” ties in with the idea of the Messiah. Indeed, “son of David” at this time in history was code for the promised messianic deliverer.[1] As discussed in lesson two, the idea of a great, indeed, divine king who would sit on David’s throne and bring in lasting peace was fully fleshed out in the Psalms and prophetic books of the Tanakh.[2] For those who argue that there has been too much war, bloodshed, and hatred for Messiah to have already come, the words of Yeshua in Luke 19:44 and Matthew 23:37-39 give a stark reminder that we cannot expect his peace until he is received by Israel as their king. In the meantime, those who receive and follow him wholeheartedly receive an inner peace that comes from a restored relationship with God through Messiah’s atonement and reign over their personal lives and over the Messianic community.[3]
Now we come to the words “son of Abraham”. It is self-evident that Yeshua was a son of Abraham since any son of David must also be Abraham’s son. Therefore, Matthew must have a particular purpose in mind for mentioning this fact. As the expression “son of David” shows Yeshua as the one who would fulfill the promises that God gave to David and Israel regarding one of David’s offspring (see lesson two), so does mention of Yeshua as the “son of Abraham” set him up as the one who would bring about the promises that God gave to Abraham.
What are those promises? In Genesis 12:3, God gives Abram (his name had not yet been changed to “Abraham”) the following promise – “I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” God reiterates this promise in Genesis 22:16-18 and specifies that the blessing to the world will come through Abraham’s “offspring” (verse 18).
In declaring Yeshua to be the son of Abraham, Matthew is giving us here a hint that will be further clarified in this gospel - Yeshua is not only the Jewish Messiah, he is that hoped for offspring of Abraham that will bring in God’s blessing for the world.
[1] Hagner, D. A. (1998). Matthew 1–13 (Vol. 33A, p. 9). Dallas: Word, Incorporated. [2] What Christians call the “Old Testament.” [3] That is, the “church” or followers of Yeshua.
Lesson 4 - Matthew 1:1-17 - A Spotted Genealogy
1 A record of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. 4 Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. 5 Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse became the father of King David. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife. 7 Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. 8 Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. 9 Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. 11 Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. 14 Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. 15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. 16 Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Miriam, from whom was born Yeshua, who is called Messiah. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (WMB)
As discussed in the previous lessons, the mention of Yeshua as the son of Abraham and the son of David was not just a statement regarding his pedigree but his position as the messianic offspring - one who would bring about the universal blessing promised to Abraham and establish the eternal kingdom promised to David. The idea of Yeshua as the Messiah continues with the above genealogy.
The Bible gives a promise early on of rescue from the curse inherited because of Adam and Eve’s sin. The promise is that a coming one would bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15); that is, one would come and defeat the one who had led mankind into sin. (The statement in Genesis 3 is obviously about Satan and not about a literal snake – confer with Revelation 12:9). At the time of Genesis 3, very little was known about this coming savior other than the fact that he would be male (masculine pronouns are used) and he would be a descendent of Eve. So at that point, identity was not the topic as much as the presentation of the idea of a coming savior.
As the Bible develops, however, we begin to see more and more clues as to the lineage of this coming savior. We know from Genesis 12:2,3 that he would be a descendent of Abraham. We know from Genesis 17:19-21 that the savior/Messiah would come through Abraham’s son Isaac and not Ishmael (contrary to Islamic thought). We know from Genesis 25:23 and 28:13-15 that Jacob would inherit the promise of blessing (and thus be progenitor to the Messiah) and not Esau. Jacob had twelve sons, of these we know from Genesis 49:8-10 that Judah would become the ancestor to the Messiah. Of Judah’s descendants, the promise came to rest on David (2 Samuel 7). All of these, as well as other notable figures who were given significant promises (such as Zurabbabel in Haggai 2:23) are a part of Yeshua’s ancestry, and thus he fulfills all of the necessary pedigree and promise requirements of the Messiah.
However, it is equally noteworthy that many in this genealogy were corrupt. Besides the heroes of the faith like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and Hezekiah, Matthew mentions debase men such as Abijah, Ahaz and Manasseh as Yeshua’s ancestors - men that were guilty of idolatry, murder, and other heinous acts. The genealogy in Matthew is not all-inclusive; there are those who are skipped. Why then would Matthew not only fail to skip some of these despicable characters, but even mention one of them (Jechoniah) twice? The answer is that there is no claim here to a pristine lineage. Yeshua did not come to a pure line of Davidic kings and righteous men and take his seat on a throne that was waiting for him in a grand and ready state. Rather, he came to a Davidic line that needed rescuing. As Isaiah prophesied hundreds of years before Yeshua: “A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse (King David’s father)” (Isaiah 11:1). The Hebrew for “stock” is geyzah and means “the trunk of a felled tree”.[1] In fact, he not only came to a line left as a stump, but to a line that was under a curse (this will be discussed in the next lesson); one that, minus divine intervention, would have ended up extinct. Yeshua did not come on a white horse to sit on a golden throne, but he came humbly into the midst of that which was stained with sin, corruption, and persecution in order to revive it and remove the curse.
Also included on the list are the gentile women Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. While women in ancient Israel had a higher status than those in the Roman world in general, they were not nearly as highly regarded as men. In addition, these women were Gentiles – outsiders to the chosen race.
Yeshua’s status as a righteous Jew by any standards is well attested; however, he is the Jewish Messiah that all people – men, women, Jews, and Gentiles, have a claim to. In humility he was born into a line tainted by the blackest evil so the he could resurrect what was dead. In humility, he was born of both Jewish and non-Jewish lineage in order to dignify that which was despised. Whenever we feel like the dirty, the outcast, the rejected, remember that Yeshua came into the midst of just that kind of situation and from just that kind of line to elevate the humble and outcast, to purify the dirty, to remove the curse, and to bring in the blessing for all people.
Notes [1] Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament
Lesson 5 - Matthew 1:11-12 - The Mystery of the Curse Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
In the midst of Matthew’s genealogy of Yeshua, a major issue is encountered. Among all the other names of Yeshua’s ancestors is that of Jechoniah, who had a curse placed on him by God through the prophet Jeremiah. (The passage below refers to Jechoniah by one of his other names – “Coniah”. We know this to be Matthew’s Jechoniah by comparing with verses such as Jeremiah 27:20).
Jeremiah 22:24-30 “As I live,” says the LORD, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet on my right hand, yet would I pluck you from there. I would give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of them of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Kasdim. I will cast you out with your mother who bore you into another country, where you were not born; and there you will die. But to the land to which their soul longs to return, there they will not return.” Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? Is he a vessel in which no one delights? Why are they cast out, he and his offspring, and cast into a land which they don’t know? O earth, earth, earth, hear the LORD’s word! the LORD says, “Record this man as childless, a man who will not prosper in his days; for no more will a man of his offspring prosper, sitting on David’s throne, and ruling in Judah.”
If Jechoniah (i.e. “Coniah”) has been cursed to the extent that “no more will a man of his offspring prosper, sitting on David’s throne, and ruling in Judah”, how can Yeshua inherit the Davidic kingdom as one of his descendants?
Commentators have suggested various approaches to this conundrum. Some have suggested that since the genealogy of Matthew is through Joseph and Yeshua (by virtue of the virgin birth) was really not a descendent of Joseph, he did not inherit this curse. Another approach is to claim that the line of Jechoniah is cleansed through levirate marriage. Levirate marriage, as described in Deuteronomy 25:5ff, is a case in which a man marries his brother’s sonless widow in order for her to bear a son to carry on the name of the deceased. According to this theory, Jechoniah was physically though not legally (or vice versa), an ancestor of Yeshua; and, perhaps, the fact that he was either not physically or not legally Yeshua’s ancestor means that Yeshua did not inherit the curse. Others have suggested that the curse in Jeremiah 22 only applies to Jechoniah’s immediate children and not to all of his descendants.
I am not suggesting that the above ways of dealing with the text are without the possibility of merit (and the reader is encouraged to research the texts and come to their own conclusion), but all of these approaches suffer from the flaw of distancing Jechoniah’s role as an ancestor of Yeshua when Matthew (who could have skipped mentioning Jechoniah, since this is not an all-inclusive genealogy) not only names him, but mentions him twice.
I think there is another approach that I am in agreement with that does not diminish Jechoniah’s prominent place in Yeshua’s lineage and adequately explains how his curse was not inherited by Yeshua. This approach states that the curse of Jechoniah had been lifted. However, we must explore how a text with such an explicit promise of doom could be reversed. There are a couple of interesting things in the book of Jeremiah that give the possibility, if not the probability, of the lifted curse legitimacy. The first is found in the words of the Lord as recorded in Jeremiah 18.
Jeremiah 18:7-10 At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.
We see from this portion that the prophecies of Jeremiah are not necessarily a matter of unavoidable destiny, but a warning of what will happen should repentance not be made (or of the good that will not happen if the nation turns to evil). This is akin to a statement in the book of Jonah: “God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it” (Jonah 3:10). God said he would destroy Nineveh but relented because of their repentance.
So, we see from Jeremiah and Jonah that a prophecy of punishment can be avoided through repentance.[1] The question is whether Jechoniah did indeed repent and have the curse removed. It is interesting that in a book that deals largely with the national disaster of the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah ends with this passage:
Jeremiah 52:31-34 In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin (yet another name for Coniah/Jechoniah) king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and released him from prison. He spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon, and changed his prison garments. Jehoiachin ate bread before him continually all the days of his life. For his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
Although Jechoniah was cast out and died in Babylon as Jeremiah foretold, the idea that he repented in prison seems likely since the report of him being blessed is given in a very prominent place (the very closing) of Jeremiah’s book. There is another passage from another book that also seems to hint, if not give out right proof, that the curse of Jechoniah had been lifted.
Haggai 2:23 In that day, says the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the LORD, ‘and will make you as a signet, for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of Hosts.”
Shealtiel and Zerubbabel were descendants of Jechoniah (see Matthew 1:12 and 1 Chronicles 3:16-19)[2], and despite the curse, Zerubbabel is still given a place of rulership as a descendant of David who is governor of Judah after the Babylonian captivity. Also quite interesting is the carefully chosen wording of the Lord in Haggai 2:23 “(I) will make you as a signet, for I have chosen you.” In the curse of Zerubbabel’s grandfather, the Lord proclaims: “As I live,” says the LORD, “though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet on my right hand, yet would I pluck you from there” (Jeremiah 22:24). So in the curse, we have Jechoniah being taken off as a signet or seal (chotam in Hebrew) and cast aside, whereas in Haggai 2:23 we have his grandson before the Lord as a chosen signet (same Hebrew word). So the curse is described in terms of the removal of a signet and the blessing described as the restoration of signet.
Amazingly, this parallels another scenario built around the same Hebrew word (chotam) with a much earlier ancestor of both Zerubbabel and Jechoniah. In Genesis 38:18, Judah looses his chotam/seal because of sin. Despite the depravity of Judah in this chapter, the rest of Genesis shows him in a more humble, righteous light and includes the promise of the symbol of rulership for his descendants (Genesis 49:10). The lost chotam becomes a symbol of curse as a result of sin, but in both Judah’s and Jechoniah’s case, that which was lost is restored. The chotam is lost but then restored; the curse is turned into blessing.
How fitting that Yeshua, the branch from the broken trunk of David’s kingdom, the descendant of the tribe of Judah that lost and regained its symbol of rulership, should become the ultimate sign and method of the curse reversed. By Yeshua bringing to fullness the theme of blessing from curse for David’s house, Israel and the world can receive the fullness of that blessing! For those capable of repentance, God is never beyond reversing the curse and restoring the blessing.
Notes [1] Even though the context in these passages is national, it shows the character of God and the nature of prophecy that in national or personal matters repentance can reverse a decree of punishment. [2] The fact that Zerubbabel is called a son of Pedaiah in 1 Chronicles 3:19, and a son of Shealtiel in Haggai 2:23 may be a case of levirate marriage in which Zerubbabel is the legal son of one and the biological son of the other.
Lesson 6 - Matthew 1:17 - The Time for Something New
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Various ideas have been proposed for the reason Matthew divided the genealogy of Yeshua into 3 sets of 14, some with more merit than others.[1] However, what can be ascertained without a doubt is that Matthew here continues the theme that he began in verse 1 (see Lesson One). The theme is that with arrival of Yeshua a new era has been inaugurated.
“Abraham to David are fourteen generations.” God used David to bring in a new and everlasting covenant (one that is fulfilled in Yeshua – see Lesson 3). “From David to the exile in Babylon are fourteen generations.” The exile in Babylon included the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple. This was a catastrophic and momentous event in Israel’s history. Both the Davidic kingship and the Babylonian exile were the start of new eras in Israel, and now Matthew tells his readers that the timing is right and the protagonist is here…Yeshua brings in a new and glorious era.
The understanding of this for followers of Yeshua should be life changing. While we are called to await the second coming of Messiah (Titus 2:13), and we know that the glory of being with the Lord awaits us when our bodies expire (Philippians 1:23), we must understand that we are not only called to hang on until heaven and the New Jerusalem. We are called to live here and now in the Kingdom of God that Yeshua initiated almost 2,000 years ago.
Just as there was new and exciting meaning for the Israelite who experienced the giving of Torah on Sinai or saw the establishment of the Davidic kingdom, there is new understanding and greater experience for those who live in Yeshua’s kingdom. There is a more effective sacrifice that not only cleanses us outwardly, but renews our very conscience (Hebrews 9:13,14); there is the promise of eternal life through the resurrection of Yeshua from the dead (Romans 6:5); there is a family of fellow-believers called to love one another deeply as the initiator of this family loves us (1 John 3:14-16); and there is the anointing of the very Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) (John 16:7).
We have under Yeshua a kingdom of great brotherly love and intimacy with the living God. We have been forgiven, renewed, and made vessels for God’s Spirit. We will find in Matthew, that this kingdom does come with a price (Matthew 10:39), but that it is well worth the cost. While we will see the fullness of Yeshua’s kingdom when he returns, we are called to live it and experience it here and now. What an awesome calling!
Notes [1] The fact that the number of the names in the genealogy add up to 2 sets of 14 and 1 set of 13 can probably be best understood as Matthew expecting us to count Jechoniah twice. He is to be counted in the second set of 14 as the last king before the exile and counted in the third set as the start of Israel’s history in Babylon (compare Matthew 1:17, which uses the Babylonian exile as a breaking point, with 1:11, 12).
Lesson 7 - Matthew 1:18-25 - The Virgin Birth 18 Now the birth of Yeshua the Messiah was like this: After his mother, Miriam, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Miriam, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Yeshua, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” 24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Yeshua.
This small portion of Matthew states one of the fundamentals of the faith of Messianic Jews and Christians, and it is one that the skeptic has long attacked us over. At issue is the virgin birth of Yeshua. It is the virgin birth that so emphatically points to Yeshua’s humanity and divinity - that he was not just a good and righteous man, not even a great man that rose to the status of divinity, but that we of planet earth have been visited in the flesh by none other than God. He entered our sphere to do those things that only God could as described by Matthew and the other gospel writers and as foretold by the prophets. The authority with which Yeshua spoke, his miracles, his atoning death, and his resurrection are possible only because God became flesh. As John says: “The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).
How wonderful that Josef and Miriam had such great faith to allow God to work in such a wondrous and unique manner. From Miriam’s point of view, her faith was confirmed by the reality of the facts. She knew she was a virgin, she knew that God had spoken to her that in her virginity she would bear a son (Luke 1:29-38). Both her virginity and pregnancy were undeniable to her. Joseph, likewise, shows great faith in what the Lord revealed to him. As a “righteous man” (vs. 19), he was surely familiar with the Scriptures, and the Scriptures speak in two ways that likely prepared his heart to receive this word from the angel.
First, the promises of God often came through miraculous births. The theme of women giving birth according to the promise and foreknowledge of God to children who would bring forth salvation (in the general sense of the word) runs throughout much of Scripture. Perhaps it begins with Genesis 3:15 in which God promises to Eve a child that would crush the head of the serpent (a figure meaning a child that would destroy the one who through tempting brought sin into the world). Through this promise to Eve, we know at the very least that salvation would not just be enacted through God from heaven, but through one of her descendants.
The theme of a child born for the purpose of bringing salvation is also seen in the birth of Samson. The birth narrative in Judges 13 parallels our Matthew portion in that his birth is miraculous (his mother was barren – Judges 13:3), it was foretold by an angel (Judges 13:3), and it was a means for salvation (Judges 13:4).
However, the greatest example of a miraculous birth for the purpose of bringing forth God’s salvation plan is the story of Abraham and Sarah. In chapters 12 and 13 of Genesis, God promises Abram (his name is not changed to “Abraham” until chapter 17) descendants who would inherit the land of Canaan and number as the “dust of the earth” (Genesis 13:16). However, God seemed slow in keeping his promise, so Abraham proposes that his servant Eliezer would inherit his estate (Genesis 15:2). God assures Abram that despite his and his wife’s age, “he who will come out of your own body will be your heir” (Genesis 15:4). In chapter 16, Abram and Sarai (her name gets changed to “Sarah” in chapter 17) are getting older but are still childless. Losing faith in God’s promise they make the mistake of Abram producing offspring through Sarai’s maidservant. Ishmael, the child of this union, however is not the promised descendant. It is not until chapter 21 when Abraham is one hundred years old and Sarah 90 (see Genesis 17:17) that Isaac is finally born. For such an elderly couple, especially considering that Sarah was “passed the age of childbearing” (Genesis 18:11), to have a child according to the promise of God is absolutely miraculous. There is little doubt that Joseph knowing this story assured him that God can and does work miraculously in the matter of bringing forth a miraculous offspring according to promise.
In addition to the miraculous birth stories, Joseph may also have been encouraged to trust God in this unique situation because of the words found in Isaiah and which Matthew quotes in this portion. Isaiah 7:14 states: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” There is much debate as to whether the Hebrew word almaused in Isaiah 7:14 actually means virgin or not.
I believe that alma must mean “virgin” and not “young woman” for the following reasons. First of all, King Ahaz is told to ask God for a sign of a miraculous nature (verse 11). When the king refuses to ask for a sign, the prophet replies: “the Lord himself will give you a sign,” and because of the context of verse 11, this sign would need to be miraculous. A young woman giving birth is no sign at all, but a virgin giving birth is certainly an astounding sign.[1]
Many argue that this passage could not be referring to Yeshua because a virgin birth that occurs centuries after Isaiah’s prophecy, could not be a sign to Ahaz. However, in his refusal to ask for a sign, the Lord promises a sign not just to Ahaz but to the “house of David” (Isaiah 7:13). Thus, God is assuring not just Ahaz, but the house of David that through a virgin birth salvation for the house of David would come. The short-term sign for Ahaz will be the destruction of the two nations he fears (Isaiah 7:15), and that will be confirmation for the house of David of this long term salvation plan through the child born of a virgin. The prophecy continues through chapters 7 and 8, largely foretelling troublous times for Judah (David’s kingdom), but chapter 9 brings the virgin-born Immanuel prophecy to a climax and speaks of the divine child who will rescue David’s throne.
So alma must mean virgin because we need a miraculous sign as seen in the context of Isaiah 7. We also need a divine child (Isaiah 9) that will rescue David’s throne, and one born of the will of God through a virgin would certainly be divine. Further evidence that this word means virgin is found in the Septuagint (as mentioned in previous lessons, the Septuagint was the authoritative Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that preceded the birth of Yeshua). The Septuagint chose to translate alma with the Greek word parthenos. Parthenos almost always means virgin. In fact, the authoritative Lexicon A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, translates parthenosas “one who has never engaged in sexual intercourse, virgin, chaste person.”[2]
Thirdly, I believe that alma meaning virgin is revealed through a word study of Scripture. Most occurrences of this word do not provide conclusive evidence as to whether the word means virgin or maiden, but I will discuss two occurrences, one which skeptics use, and one which lends strong credibility to its translation as virgin. Skeptics often point to Proverbs 30:18,19:
“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.”
The World English Bible here translates alma as “maiden” despite translating it as “virgin” in Isaiah 7. Perhaps it is because of the thought that many point out: “how can the alma be a virgin when we are discussing the way of a man with her?” However, the point is not as strong as it seems. What is the portion discussing? I believe that what holds these four examples together is the author’s wonder of movement emphasized by the repeated use of the word “the way”. How does the eagle move through the air? How does the serpent move along the rock without legs? How does a ship move through the waters without sinking? All of these lead up to climactic question: how does sexual attraction work to move a man towards a virgin? So, the way of a man with an alma is probably not the sexual act itself, but the sexual attraction that brings a man to woo a virgin.
Therefore, the Scriptural evidence against alma meaning virgin is not as strong as first thought since Proverbs 30:19 is really the only Scriptural support that the skeptic has on this issue. However, the support for alma meaning virgin is strengthened by a look at Song of Solomon 6:8. “There are sixty queens, eighty concubines, and virgins without number.” Here, the World English Bible rightly interpretsalamot (the plural of alma) as “virgins”. In describing the king’s women, how could it be otherwise? There are three categories of women here: queens (whom the king has obviously had relations with), concubines (whom the king has also had relations with), and virgins. If the king had been with thealamot, they would have been transferred to at least the status of concubine and thus this third category would be eliminated. But since they are virgins, they are neither queens nor concubines.[3]
Continuing with the idea of support from Scripture for alma as virgin is, of course, the book of Matthew itself. Matthew obviously takes Miriam’s virginity as a sign that she fits the prophecy of Isaiah. Matthew was a skilled and anointed writer and well educated in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Joseph, as a “righteous man”, doubtless knew the Scriptures very well, and was therefore able to take the angel at his word in faith. Miriam was indeed pregnant by the will and work of the Lord alone, and because of this, that which was conceived in her was the reality of God’s visitation to earth to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). It is only because Yeshua was both human and divine that God could bring about through him the salvation that was promised through a descendant of Eve, Abraham, and David (see lessons 2 and 3). The virgin birth makes it clear, Yeshua truly was “Immanuel”, God with us, as the prophets foretold.
Notes [1] Rydelnik, Michael (2010). The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic? (p. 149-150). Nashville: B & H Publishing Group. [2] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 777). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [3] Rydelnik, Michael (2010). The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic? (p. 154). Nashville: B & H Publishing Group.
Lesson 8 - Matthew 2:1-12 - The Wise Men
Now when Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Messiah would be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’ ” Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They came into the house and saw the young child with Miriam, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
As with the story of the virgin birth (see lesson 7), Matthew beautifully integrates passages from the Tanakh (Old Testament). The story of the wise men is reminiscent of the story of Balaam in Numbers chapters 22 – 24. The parallels include the fact that as Balaam used divination (Joshua 13:22), so do the wise men. As the wise men came from the east (verse 1), so did Balaam (Numbers 23:6). Most notably, the wise men are the ones who see that which Balaam foretold…as Balaam foresaw “a star” that will “come out of Jacob” (numbers 24:17), so did the wise men follow a star to find this prophesied ruler from Jacob. Balaam spoke about the coming king of Israel (Numbers 24:7); the wise men followed the star and saw with their eyes that very king.
It is intriguing that in the case of Balaam and the wise men, God uses pagans to point to the Messiah. There is, in both cases, some understanding of the one true God, but there is also the usage of divination and astrology, which the Bible expressly forbids (Deuteronomy 18:9-13). Yet, despite their use in ignorance of that which God disdains, their hearts were open to that which God was doing and they responded by bestowing honor and gifts on the Messianic child.
In the case of the wise men, the guidance of the star is not enough, however, as they require further direction to Bethlehem from Herod, who received instruction from those who consulted the Bible (verses 5 and 6).[1] That Micah 5:1(2) should be consulted to find the birthplace of the Messiah is quite appropriate. The passage speaks of a coming king to be born in Bethlehem who is sent forth by God and whose “goings out are from of old, from ancient times.”[2] The Bible gives clear direction not only to Yeshua’s birthplace, but also to the fact of his pre-existent (and thus, divine) nature.
In this passage Matthew parallels the pagan[3] wise men with pagan Balaam as the ones who see and understand, at least in part, the significance of Yeshua’s birth as opposed to those who actually had the Scriptures yet failed to see. It is the pagan wise men that rejoice at Yeshua’s birth; it is those in Jerusalem who are afraid (verse 3). It is the wise men that know that Yeshua doesn’t rise to kingship but is already “born King of the Jews” (verse 2). While there were foreigners and shepherds who came to worship Yeshua (Luke 2:8-20), there is no report of Jewish priests or scribes who came to worship him or to willingly accept his kingship.
Psalm 118:22 states: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” The psalmist seemingly saw in the story of a stone once rejected for a building (perhaps even the Temple) by the builders but then accepted as the very cornerstone, a theme of rejection before honor for God’s anointed. This thought is paralleled in Zechariah 12:10ff, and Isaiah 53. So perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that Yeshua is more readily accepted by simple shepherds and Gentile wise men than by many of the “builders” and leaders of the Jewish religion (the day of acceptance by the Jewish “builders” is largely still to come, but will come!).
I think there is an important lesson for us in this story. Just as knowing the birthplace of the Messiah did the priests and scribes no good, so reading the Scriptures and knowing the facts is not enough for us. How often do we read the Bible and fail to have it arouse within us the sense of awe, or conviction, or gratitude that it seeks to portray? Are we missing out on true worship as they did because we read the words but fail to tremble at the truths they convey?
At the same time, having the right heart but failing to study the Bible is also not enough. The wise men were able to find their way to Israel, but it took the scribes consulting the Bible for them to find Messiah in Bethlehem. And the true knowledge of who this Messianic child was hidden all along in those simple but striking words in Micah.
Seeking the Lord with a heart open to the leading of the Ruach[4] and the wisdom of Scriptures will lead to a life lived fully in the joy, peace, and awe of God’s presence. May HaShem[5] bless you greatly as you seek His face with an open heart and an open Bible.
Notes [1] Keener, C. S. (2009). The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (p. 100). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. [2] The quotation of the chief priests and scribes of the portion is somewhat paraphrased from Micah and includes the idea of a “shepherd-king” like David from Micah: 3[4] and 2 Samuel 5:2. [3] The idea that the wise men were Jewish sages in Babylon is unlikely since they themselves did not think to consult Micah 5 as to the birth of the Messiah, and the fact that they are looking for the one “born king of the Jews” instead of asking after the one “born as our king.” [4] Spirit [5] “HaShem” – lit. the name. An reverential way of referring to the Lord.
Lesson 9 - Matthew 2:13-15 - The Flight to Egypt
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” He arose and 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 by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Fleeing to Egypt is a common theme amongst our Jewish ancestors. In Genesis 12 we see that Abram moved to Egypt to escape a drought. Jacob also moved his family to Egypt for the same reason (Genesis 46). Jeroboam, called by God to be the first King of the northern kingdom of Israel after it split from Judah, also had to flee to Egypt to avoid being killed by Solomon (1 Kings 11).
In the fleeing of Yeshua’s family to Egypt we learn many things. First of all, we see that despite the divinity of the Messiah (Matthew 1:23), and despite the fact that from his birth He is a King (Matthew 2:2), Yeshua still lived a fully human and fully Jewish life that, in many ways, paralleled the lives of others in Israel’s history. The power to rise above a human life was within him, but that was not the plan of God for him until after his resurrection. He had first to partake of the life and suffering of humanity (cf. Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 2:14-18).
Secondly, we see in this portion the protection of God over the Messiah, and in this is the assurance that God’s plan for our salvation will come to pass. There is no strategy that Herod or any other enemy could concoct that would have thwarted the will of God. We must see in God’s protection of Yeshua, not just his love for the Messiah, but also his love for us that would be revealed in fullness when that protected Messiah was delivered over to the cruelty of the cross for our sakes.
Many have questioned Matthew’s use of Hosea 11:1 when he says that Yeshua coming of out Egypt fulfilled the passage that says: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” The obvious understanding of this portion of Hosea is that the “son” whom God speaks of is Israel and not the Messiah. How then can Matthew say that this word about Israel is fulfilled in Yeshua?
We must keep in mind that the Greek word for “fulfill” in Matthew 2:15 (plero-o) does not always mean the fulfillment of a direct and literal foretelling prophecy (as we saw in Matthew 2:6). “Fulfill” can also mean that a theme or purpose found in Scripture is brought to fullness or completion.
God’s purpose in bringing Israel out of Egypt was to have a holy nation, a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6) who, through following God’s laws, would declare to the nations the faithfulness of God (Deut. 4:6-8). Israel’s relationship with God was to be that of a “son”, and through that position of son to declare the glory of God to the nations. Instead of fulfilling this role, however, Israel often became the wayward son that, though drawn out of Egypt in love, “sacrificed to the Baals” (Hosea 11:2) and “refused to repent” (Hosea 11:5). The relationship that God desired with Israel as a “son” and the testimony that he desired to make through Israel were broken because of her waywardness. (This should not lead to a judgment of Israel by believers or anyone else, since the Bible makes it clear that all humanity is guilty of such waywardness.)
When Matthew says that Yeshua coming out of Egypt was a fulfillment of Hosea’s words: “Out of Egypt I called my son”, Matthew is saying that in Yeshua the hope and purpose of Israel coming out of Egypt is brought to fullness. In Yeshua is not just one who will come out of Egypt and fall away, thus leaving God’s plan frustrated, but in him is one who will come out of Egypt and remain faithful. Through his faithfulness to God, he fulfills the Israelites’ role of kingship, priesthood, and son. In Yeshua’s fulfillment of the role that was laid out for Israel, is now the hope for Israel’s restoration to God, and the hope of the world to see the glory of God through the faithful one. In a sense, Yeshua is a second Israel, but one who remained faithful and fulfilled the role and purpose of the son called out of Egypt.
Lesson 10 - Matthew 2:16-18 - Rachel Weeps
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
This section of the birth and early childhood narrative of Yeshua fits historically with what we know of Herod's character. Despite Herod's wonderful building projects, including a major renovation of the Temple (including the monumental retaining wall of the Temple foundation, known today as the "Western Wall"), he was, nonetheless, a murderous megalomaniac who ordered the deaths of many, including three of his own sons.
Matthew includes this portion to show the stark contrast between Herod (a Jewish pretender of Idumean descent) and Yeshua who was "born king of the Jews" (Matthew 2:2). Herod murdered innocents for the sake of gaining and maintaining political power. Yeshua, on the other hand, came to give his life to save all those who put their trust in him (Matthew 26:26-28). Herod enslaved others for his own glory; Yeshua came to serve that we might be set free (Matthew 20:28).
Matthew aligns the killing of the young boys with the events described in Jeremiah 31:15 in which Rachel, the representative mother of Israel, figuratively mourns from her grave as she watches her children taken into exile by the Babylonians. By doing so, Matthew emphasizes the case that Israel, despite being physically in the promised land, is really in a state of cursed exile because she is ruled by Rome instead of God. However, as Jeremiah 31 continues with a message of hope for the return from exile (verse 16, etc.) and the giving of a New Covenant (verses 31 and following), so will we learn of the hope in Yeshua - hope that comes not from military victory or worldly might, but hope that comes from the blessings of God for those who choose the righteous path of following the Messiah in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Lesson 11 – Matthew 2:19-23 – The Nazarene
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into Eretz-Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.” He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into Eretz-Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
In this portion, Matthew continues the story of Yeshua's early years under the protective guidance of the Lord and the obedience of Joseph. Joseph's avoidance of Archelaus (one of King Herod's sons who ruled a short time over of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea after the death of his father) was wise considering the extreme cruelty we know about him from history – his dominion was not a place to raise someone who had been proclaimed “king of the Jews”. Instead, Joseph took his family to Galilee where another son of Herod, Herod Antipas (aka. “Antipater”) ruled.
This section includes Matthew's fifth reference to a fulfillment of the words of the prophets in the first two chapters. The first was in Matthew 1:20-23 and referred to Yeshua's virgin birth as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 (see lesson 7). The second was found in 2:4-6 which featured a direct prophecy of the birthplace of the Messiah being Bethlehem according to Micah 5:1/2 (see lesson 8). The third prophetic portion was Matthew 2:13-15 which paralleled the exodus from Egypt of Yeshua, the perfect representative of Israel, with Israel's exodus by referring to Hosea 11:1 (see lesson 9). The fourth is found in Matthew 2:16-18 in which Matthew parallels the grief and need for salvation in the days of the Babylonian exile with the grief caused to Israel by Herod in Yeshua's day (see Lesson 10). We now come to the fifth “fulfillment” passage in which Matthew says that Yeshua's childhood in Nazareth fulfills that “which was spoken through the prophets: 'He will be called a Nazarene.'” The apparent problem, as has often been pointed out, is that there is no prophecy of the Messiah being called a Nazarene. Some have suggested that the closeness with the Hebrew word “Nazarite” (meaning one set apart for God by a vow that must avoid grapes, wine, and ceremonial uncleanness – see Numbers 6 and the story of Sampson beginning in Judges 13). There are two problems with this. The first is that “nazarite” and “Nazarene” may sound similar, but they are derived from different root words. The second problem is that Yeshua is no where called, or suggested to be, a Nazarite (see Matthew 11:19).
Others have suggested that “Nazarene” is connected with the Hebrew word “Netzer” which means branch. Although I do not think that this is the main force of the statement in Matthew, he may have used this in a loose way as a play on words. Isaiah uses the word “netzer” in a highly messianic portion: “A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch (netzer) out of his roots will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). This portion does apply to Yeshua, but we have two problems with this being Matthew's main emphasis. The first, as with the idea behind “nazarite”, is that the root of the word is different than “Nazarene”. The second issue is that Matthew says that the prophets (plural) said that he would be a “Nazarene”, yet only Isaiah uses this term as a Messianic title.
The fact that Matthew in this portion says that Yeshua spoke through the prophets, whereas the earlier fulfillment passages speak of a specific prophet is our first clue to understanding this portion. We are not looking here for a particular fulfilled prophecy, but rather an idea that several of the prophets present that would somehow be fulfilled in the term “Nazarene”. We must now find out what being called a Nazarene meant in that day and see how that relates to the words of the prophets.
While Nazareth was more than a little hamlet, it certainly was not a religious or cultural center, and it is not mentioned in the Tanakh (Old Testament) or other major Jewish writings. We get a sense of the thought regarding Nazareth from the words of Nathaniel when told that Yeshua of Nazareth was the Messiah. “Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, 'We have found him, of whom Moses in the Torah, and the Prophets, wrote: Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?'” (John 1:45-46). So, while Nazareth was not necessarily seen in a negative light, is was certainly not the religious or spiritual setting from which one would expect the Messiah to come. Perhaps this was to show that Messiah's learning was from God and not from the great rabbis of Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52). It was also to show Messiah's association with the commoners rather than the religious elite.
In addition, by the time the book of Matthew was written down, “Nazarene” had become a derogatory term for Yeshua and his followers (Acts 24:5). We were told by Yeshua to expect rejection. “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul (the devil), how much more those of his household!” (Matthew 10:25b; see also 1 John 3:1). Nazarene, then, became a pejorative term associated with rejection and condescension.
While we do not find the term “Nazarene” in the prophets, the themes connected to that designation are not just to be found in the words of a prophet, but in the general teachings of many of the prophets. The Messiah was to be one associated with the common people and not one to be known (at least in his first appearance) for his kingly splendor or religious honor, as we read in the prophets:
I will pour on David’s house, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)
“For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.” (Isaiah 53:2,3)
The idea of a rejected Messiah is also found in the Psalms:
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, “He trusts in the LORD. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:8,9/7,8)
The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22)
As the cornerstone of Psalm 118 was rejected by the “builders” before it was then chosen as the stone upon which the whole building (probably the Temple) was built, so most of the rulers of the Jewish people of the time would reject the Messiah before seeing that he is, indeed, the foundation of the New Temple, the people of God (1 Peter 2:4-7). Those builders were concentrated in Jerusalem, but Yeshua was not of them. Rather than starting out his ministry among those entrenched in the status quo, he began his work among those hungry and ready for change. As Isaiah foretold of the coming Messiah:
But there shall be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time he has made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined. (Isaiah 8:23-9:1/9:1-2)
May our hearts not be like those so entrenched in old ways of thinking that we miss whatever new thing the Lord is doing. Rather, may we be like those with open hearts and minds in which the Lord can work the miracles and glory of his Kingdom through the Nazarene who was rejected by the builders but shines his light on the humble Galilean.
Lesson 12 – Matthew 3:1-12 – The Voice in the Wilderness
In those days, Yochanan the Immerser came, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.” Now Yochanan himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. They were immersed by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his immersion, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. I indeed immerse you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) is an important figure in the New Covenant Scriptures (Matthew 11; 17:11-13; Mark 1:1-9; Luke 1; John 1:6-9, 15, 19-35). In almost every instance in which he is mentioned, he is closely tied into his role as the forerunner of the Messiah. The start of Matthew's third chapter is no different. Yochanan is called to announce the soon coming of the “Kingdom of Heaven” (vs. 2) which is instituted with the ministry of Yeshua.
Despite the description of Yochanan's ministry in this chapter, the true focus is on Yeshua's Messianic Kingdom for which Yochanan serves as a forerunner. I am reminded of God's command through Moses to the children of Israel before they encountered God from the foot of Mount Sinai after coming out of Egypt:
The LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, and be ready for the third day; for on the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai” (Exodus 19:10, 11).
The people had to be cleansed and sanctified in order for them to be ready for their meeting with the Lord.
Yochanan's job was no less important than that of Moses in Exodus 19. He was called to get them ready because the Lord was to walk in their midst and establish his kingdom. That Yeshua was indeed the very presence of God in their midst is clear from several portions of Scripture in both the Tanakh/Old Testament, (there are prophecies that point to a divine Messiah – see lessons 2 and 7) and New Covenant Scriptures (John 1, for example). This portion in Matthew also speaks of Yeshua as God himself in human flesh.1 In this passage in Matthew, Yochanan is called to “make ready the way of the Lord” (vs. 3). This is a quote from Isaiah 40:3 in which the voice in the wilderness prepares the way for “YHVH”. The use of YHVH in the Hebrew of Isaiah 40 leaves no doubt that God himself is being spoken of. For Matthew to use this passage in connection with Yochanan's role as a preparer for the way of the Messiah adds emphasis to his message that people must be cleansed and ready to meet God.
How does one prepare for such an awesome event? In Yochanan's day it was through immersion, confessing sin (vs. 6), and repentance (vs. 11). Today, the message is the same. We dare not enter into the presence of God with self-righteous pride. Those who do so will not escape judgment (vs. 12). But those with the humility to repent and receive the mercy of the Lord will not only have their bodies immersed (baptized) in water, but will be immersed in the Holy Spirit (vs. 11). What an awesome and merciful God we serve that, if we approach him in humility, will cleanse us and allow us to come into his very presence!
Notes 1That God can and did meet with mankind in a human form is well attested in Scripture. In Genesis 18, for example, one of the three visitors that came to Abraham is called “the LORD” [YHVH] and even sits and eats a meal with him. Asher Intrader's book “Who Ate Lunch with Abraham?” is a great resource for more information on this issue.
Lesson 13 - Matthew 3:13–17 - Yeshua's Immersion
13 Then Yeshua came from Galilee to the Jordan to Yochanan, to be immersed by him. 14 But Yochanan would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be immersed by you, and you come to me?” 15 But Yeshua, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16 Yeshua, when he was immersed, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Yeshua came to John at the Jordan river for the express purpose of being immersed (vs. 13). Yochanan tries to dissuade Yeshua from being immersed by him because John’s immersing to that point had been about repentance (Matthew 3:2, 6, 11), and being without sin, Yeshua had no need for repentance. Why then did he travel for the purpose of being immersed by John?
In being immersed, John and Yeshua were fulfilling righteousness (notice that Yeshua says “for us to fulfill all righteousness.”) In being immersed Yeshua is showing the attitude of humility and submission to the Father that would characterize his mission on earth. The fact that he allowed himself to be immersed by another (despite being greater than John) also shows his humility, the same humility that would allow others to nail him to the cross (John 10:18).
Not only can immersion be symbolic of death (one cannot breath under water), but even more to the point, this very act of submission and humility revealed within the Messiah the character that would allow him to fulfill the role of the Suffering Servant as revealed in texts such as Isaiah 53, Zechariah 12:10, and Psalm 22.
Through his loving spirit submitted to God, he would fulfill God’s plan of salvation for the world. Thus does God show his good pleasure with him in words reminiscent of Isaiah 42:1a: “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights—I have put my Spirit on him,” (emphasis mine) and Isaiah 53:10a: “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him.” This sentiment is echoed by Yeshua in John 10:17 – “Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.” When God says here of Yeshua: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” God reveals his affirmation of Messiah as the submitted Servant.
However, that is not the end of the story. Messiah does not stay in the waters, but in coming up from the waters and in the descending of the Spirit upon him, we see a foreshadowing of his resurrection and exaltation. As it says in Isaiah 53:11-12a: “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion with the great…” The word “therefore” in Isaiah 53 tells us that the triumph of the Messiah will come because of his willingness to suffer as the one who bears our sins.
The exciting thing for us is that we can participate with the Messiah in both his death and resurrection. Our immersion/baptism is no longer merely one of repentance (though that is also important), but one in which we are united with the Messiah in his death by dying to our former life, and being raised up with the Messiah into eternal life. Paul puts it this way in Romans 6:3-5:
Or don’t you know that all we who were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into his death? We were buried therefore with him through immersion into death, that just as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection.
Let us, therefore, put on the same spirit of self-sacrifice and submission to God that Yeshua showed in his baptism and death. This is not a story that ends in death either for the Messiah or for us, but as he was exalted, so shall we if we remain steadfast in the Lord. As Paul encourages us in Philippians 2:5-11:
Have this in your mind, which was also in Messiah Yeshua, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lesson 14 - Matthew 4:1-11
1 Then Yeshua was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you.’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Yeshua said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 9 He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Yeshua said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
There are numerous parallels and references in this portion that tie Yeshua to Israel after the Exodus. To begin with, Yeshua was led into the wilderness (vs. 1), as Israel was led into the wilderness. He was led into the wilderness after the glory of the Spirit descended on Him when he came out of the waters of immersion (Matthew 3:16), as Israel’s desert wanderings followed their glorious experience coming through the waters of the Red Sea. Yeshua’s 40 days of fasting (vs. 2), may be an allusion to Israel’s 40 years of wandering (Deuteronomy 2:7). In addition, all of Yeshua’s responses to the devil were taken from Deuteronomy, a book that describes Moses’ address to Israel while still in the desert.
Satan’s temptations were an attempt to get Yeshua to sway from the plan of God that would bring salvation to the world. At issue is the fact that this plan involves tremendous suffering on Yeshua’s part. Would Yeshua, who had the power to do so, use his position as the Son of God for self-gratification by making bread, or would he persevere in obedience and wait for God to feed him (as he does in verse 11 through angels)? Would Yeshua, in order to prove that He was the Son of God, tempt God by throwing himself off the pinnacle of the Temple? Would Yeshua, in order to avoid the excruciating pain of rejection, whip, and crucifixion, fall into idolatry in order to receive the kingdoms of the world in a manner that would allow him to avoid all of that pain and suffering?
Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, Israel fell into the trap set by the accuser. Israel in the wilderness was guilty of living by their stomachs instead of living by the word of the Lord; they were guilty of tempting God; and they were guilty of idolatry. Here, Matthew continues the theme at which he hinted at in Matthew 2:15 (see lesson 9), that Yeshua is the epitome of Israel. He fulfills, in its fullness, God’s desires and plans for Israel by remaining obedient and righteous where Israel fell, even though it means He will play the role of the Suffering Servant. In line with that, I would like to share the following quote from D.A. Carson:
“Jesus is hungry (v. 2) but feeds others (14:13–21; 15:29–39); he grows weary (8:24) but offers others rest (11:28); he is the King Messiah but pays tribute (17:24–27); he is called the devil but casts out demons (12:22–32); he dies the death of a sinner but comes to save his people from their sins (1:21); he is sold for thirty pieces of silver but gives his life as a ransom for many (20:28); he will not turn stones to bread for himself (4:3–4) but gives his own body as bread for people (26:26).”[1]
Yeshua did not use his position as the Son of God for self-benefit, but to bless us, those he came to save. We have all fallen as Israel fell in the wilderness: we have all allowed our stomachs to be our god, we have tempted the Lord rather than following him with a trusting obedience, and we have given into idolatry because of the deceitfulness of gain. Despite our disobedience, Yeshua willingly choose self-sacrificial obedience for our sake. Let us never doubt the love of Messiah for us, for when tempted with self-gratification, he choose the path of pain for the joy set before him – our redemption (Hebrews 12:2)! And now that we are the redeemed, let us live as he lived...not lives of self-gratification, but obedient lives as Paul encourages us to do in Colossians 3:1-4:
If then you were raised together with Messiah, seek the things that are above, where Messiah is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in God. When Messiah, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.
Let us follow in the footsteps of the Messiah and not give into the accuser who tempts us to fall away from God's plan for our lives. A great glory awaits those who are remain faithful.
Notes [1] Carson, D. A. (2010). Matthew. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew–Mark (Revised Edition) (Vol. 9, p. 141). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.