Jesus Begins His Adult Ministry

¹ In those days, John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, ² “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near (or has come).” ³ The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for Him!’” ⁴ John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. ⁶ And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. ⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? ⁸ Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. ⁹ Do not just say to each other, ‘We are safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. ¹⁰ Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I am not worthy even to be His slave and carry His sandals. He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹² He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with His winnowing fork. Then He will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into His barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” Matthew 3:1-12 (NLT)

After approximately twenty-five years of silence, Matthew takes us from Jesus’ childhood home in Nazareth (Matthew 2:23) into the barren Judean wilderness, where John the Baptist is preaching his message of repentance (Matthew 3:1-2). It has been more than twenty-five years since Joseph and his family moved back to Nazareth. The focus of Matthew’s Gospel now shifts to Jesus’ adult ministry. Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His public ministry (Luke 3:23). The Gospel of Matthew, like the three other New Testament Gospels, is not a biography of Jesus’ life. Instead, the four New Testament Gospels are theological portraits of Jesus that reveal Him as the Messiah (Christ), God’s unique Son, and the long-awaited “Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1, 16), who is the rightful “King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2) and “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

With this new section, Matthew begins Jesus’ adult ministry with an announcement by John the Baptist to “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2, NLT). Significantly, when Jesus begins His public preaching, His first sermon is the same as John the Baptist, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17, NLT; see also Mark 1:14-15). Both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ begin their message with a call to repentance. Repentance is a demand for change in our thoughts and actions by turning our whole hearts and minds from sin (selfishness, self-protection, and self-centeredness) and turning to God with wholehearted allegiance to Him. Our selfishness always leads to wrong actions such as lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, taking revenge, abusing, and indulging in sexual immorality. God wants everyone to love Him and lead holy and righteous lives that bear good fruit and deeds toward others (Matthew 3:2, 8, 10; see also Matthew 5:16; Galatians 5:22-23).

With the arrival of Jesus, God’s reign and rule had now arrived into the world (Matthew 1:23). John the Baptist, as well as the New Testament apostles, proclaimed that God’s reign and rule with Jesus demands our confession of sins, repentance, and obedience to God (Matthew 3:5-6; see also Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30-31; Acts 26:20). God’s blessings and grace falls upon those who repent of their sins, wholeheartedly obey to Him, and receive His Son, Jesus Christ. Those who repent of their sins and accept Jesus will receive the blessing of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; Acts 11:15-17) while the unrepentant will receive judgment and God’s wrath (Romans 1:18-32).

As before, Matthew explains how Jesus’ personal history repeats certain aspects of Israel’s national history. Like Israel of old going into the wilderness (Exodus 15:22), God leads Jesus from Egypt into the Judea wilderness (Matthew 3:1; see also Matthew 4:1-11). The wilderness has special meaning in the Old Testament, having both positive and negative connotations. In the Exodus, God takes Israel into the wilderness after leaving Egypt to teach His people to trust Him, purify them of their sins, and bring His people into a covenant relationship with Him. John the Baptist comes inviting all people into the wilderness for baptism and repentance so they can bear good fruit as evidence of their repentance and get into a relationship with God (Matthew 3:2-10). Jesus the Coming One had arrived into the world with the power of God to inaugurate God’s Kingdom. Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire to change our hearts from the inside out (Matthew 3:11-12). Even more, Jesus would make a clean sweep of your lives and place everything false into the trash to be burned (Matthew 3:12; see also Matthew 7:19; Luke 3:9; John 15:2, 6).

References

Life Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).

Message Bible (Colorado Springs, CO:  NavPress, 2002).

ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008).

Ross, Mark E. Let’s Study Matthew (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009).

New Exodus

¹³ After the wise men (magi) were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the Child and His mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” ₁₄ That night Joseph left for Egypt with the Child and Mary, His mother, ¹⁵ and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called My Son out of Egypt.” ¹⁶ Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. ¹⁷ Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ¹⁸ “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” ¹⁹ When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. ²⁰ “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the Child and His mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the Child are dead.” ²¹ So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and His mother. ²² But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. ²³ So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:13-23 (NLT)

This section of Matthew’s Gospel includes three more Old Testament references fulfilled in Jesus’ life (see Matthew 2:15, 17, 23). Matthew explains how Jesus’ personal history repeats certain aspects of Israel’s national history. As an infant nation, God led Israel into Egypt (see Genesis 46:2-3, 8; Exodus 1:1-4) just as Jesus did as a Child (Matthew 2:13-23). Similarly, Israel of old is called God’s firstborn son (Exodus 4:22-23; see also Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1) and Jesus is called God’s unique Son sent to Egypt for protection (Matthew 2:15; see also John 1:18; John 3:16; Romans 1:4). Similar to Moses’ escape from Pharaoh, Jesus escaped King Herod’s murderous plot to kill Him (see Exodus 1:15-22; Exodus 2:1-4; Matthew 2:16-18). When the danger had passed, God called Jesus out of Egypt similarly to God calling Israel of old out of Egypt during the times of Moses (see Hosea 11:1). These events show God’s sovereignty working to save His people (see Luke 9:31; Matthew 1:21; Acts 4:12).

God called Israel out of Egypt to fulfill His promises made to Abraham and to bring His people into blessings and grace (see Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 13:14-16; Genesis 15:5). Jesus’ life is the second and greater Exodus to fulfill the purposes God revealed in the first Exodus.  As the first Exodus was marked by Pharaoh’s murderous destruction of Israelite children (see Exodus 1:15-22) so the second Exodus begins with Herod’s destruction of Israelite children (Matthew 2:16-18; see also Jeremiah 31:15). Yet God followed both Exoduses with deliverance and blessings (see Exodus 15:1-21; Matthew 28:1-20). Our faith in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection lead us into a new Exodus out of bondage to sin and death into a glorious freedom as children of God (John 8:32, 36; Galatians 5:1, 13).  

References

Life Application Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005).

ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles,

2008).

Ross, Mark E. Let’s Study Matthew (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009).

Jesus’ Rising Star

¹ Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ² “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him.” ³ King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. ⁴ He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ⁶ ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a Ruler will come from you who will be the Shepherd for My people Israel.’” ⁷ Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. ⁸ Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the Child. And when you find Him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship Him, too!” ⁹ After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! ¹¹ They entered the house and saw the Child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. Matthew 2:1-12 (NLT)

The birth of Jesus the Christ (Messiah) in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod, was a unique universal event (Matthew 2:2; Luke 2:4-15). Through the birth of Jesus, God was fulfilling His promise made to Abraham to bless all people on earth - Jews and Gentiles (see Genesis 12:3; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 22:18; Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8, 16). The glorious birth of Jesus Messiah affected people and governments worldwide (see Isaiah 9:6-7).

At the birth of Jesus, God directed wise men from eastern lands through a rising star in the east to come and worship Jesus (Matthew 2:2). These wise men, also called “magoi” in the Greek and usually translated “magi” in English, were Gentiles. The Old Testament book of Daniel used the term “magi” for royal magicians, astrologers or conjurers who served the King (e.g., see Daniel 1:20; Daniel 2:2; Daniel 4:7; Daniel 5:7). Many biblical scholars believe that these wise men from eastern lands first learned the Jewish Scriptures and their prophecies of the promised King of the Jews through Daniel, a Jew serving during the Jewish exile in Babylonia. The Old Testament prophecies foretold, “a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17; see also Revelation 22:16). God sent a star to bring the wise men from eastern lands to the Messiah’s birth (Matthew 2:2).

Of the four Gospels, Matthew alone tells of the visit of the wise men (Matthew 2:1, 7, 16). The Gentile wise men came seeking the “King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2; see also Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; John 1:49; John 18:33-37). Kingship belonged to Jesus from His birth as the promised Son of David (Matthew 1:1; see also 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Jeremiah 30:9; Jeremiah 33:15-16; Zechariah 9:9). Jesus is King (Daniel 7:13-14). This incident shows that people from other nations of the world, not just Israel, were anticipating the Messiah and King. The wise men’s visit emphasizes that Jesus came for all people and not just the Jews. The last words of Matthew’s Gospel spell out Jesus’ mission very clearly (Matthew 28:18-20; see also Matthew 24:14; Mark 11:17; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:5). One day, this world will become Jesus’ Kingdom, and He shall reign forever and ever for all nations (see Revelation 11:15; Revelation 21:1-4).

When King Herod heard of Jesus’ kingship, he was troubled along with all Jerusalem (Matthew 2:3). Herod summoned the Jewish chief priests and scribes to inquire of them the location of the Messiah’s birth. The Jewish religious leaders told Herod that the Messiah (Greek “Christ” or “Christos”) would be born in Bethlehem, and the Messiah would shepherd God’s people (Matthew 2:5-6; see also 2 Samuel 5:2, 4; Micah 5:2; John 7:42). The promised Messiah would be Ruler, and He would compassionately care and shepherd God’s people (Matthew 9:35-38; see also Ezekiel 34:23; John 10:11-16; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 7:17).

Then, the wise men left Jerusalem, and the star appeared to them again, standing over Jesus’ location in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:9). The wise men were filled with joy (Matthew 2:10). Entering the house where Jesus was with His mother Mary, the wise men threw themselves down and worshiped Him (Matthew 2:11; see also Isaiah 60:1-3). Then, the wise men opened their treasure and gave Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11; see also Psalm 72:8-11).

¹ In the beginning, the Word (Jesus) already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He existed in the beginning with God. ³ God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. ⁴ The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. . . . ⁹ The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:1-4, 9 (NLT)

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

Christ, the Lord

References

New Student Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).

Ross, Mark E. Let’s Study Matthew (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009).

God Is With Us

¹⁸ This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. ²⁰ As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the Child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet: ²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a Child! She will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not have sexual relations with her until her Son was born. And Joseph named Him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)

So far, Matthew has taught us a great deal about Jesus’ connection to the Old Testament storyline. From the very beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, Matthew has told us readers that Jesus is the Christ promised to Israel from the Old Testament (Matthew 1:1, 16-17). Christ is a Greek translation of the word Messiah or “Anointed One.” Then, Matthew tells us that Jesus is the Son of David; therefore, Jesus is King and the rightful Heir to God’s everlasting Kingdom promised to David’s Son (Matthew 1:1, see also see 2 Samuel 7:12-16; see also Psalm 132:11; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6). Moreover, Matthew tells us that Jesus is the Son of Abraham; therefore, Jesus is the promised Son in which all people of the world will be blessed (Matthew 1:1; see also Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:9-21, Genesis 22:18; Zechariah 9:9-10; Matthew 28:18; Galatians 3:16). 

Next, Matthew tells us about Jesus’ miraculous birth from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18, 20). During the time of Mary’s engagement (betrothal) to Joseph, while she was still a virgin, Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit and conceived Jesus (Matthew 1:18, 20). Both Matthew and Luke’s birth story stresses that Mary was a virgin at the time of Jesus’ conception (see Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:27, 34). Thus, Jesus’ virgin birth highlights that Jesus conception was indeed supernatural and from God’s Holy Spirit.

In the beginning, Joseph did not see Jesus’ birth as miraculous but adulterous, and he decided to break the engagement quietly with Mary (Matthew 1:19). No doubt, Mary’s pregnancy was also cause concerned among others. John 8:41 is an indication that Jesus’ birth caused Him problems as to legitimacy throughout His entire life. As Joseph was contemplating the engagement, an angel of the Lord visited Joseph and said, “Do not hesitate to take Mary as your wife for the Child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). In other words, Jesus conception in Mary’s womb was not a natural occurrence, and Jesus had no human father. Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20) and He is the one true and unique God Son of the living God (Matthew 14:33; see also Matthew 16:16; Mark 1:1; John 1:14, 18, 34, 49; John 3:16; John 11:27; John 20:28, 30-31; Acts 9:20-22; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Hebrews 1:1-4; Hebrews 5:5). Furthermore, the angelic visitation told Joseph that Mary would have a Son, and he shall name Him Jesus “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, NLT). The name Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua or Jehoshua, which mean, “Yahweh is salvation” or “the Lord saves.” Thus, Jesus is both our Savior and Redeemer.

When the angel’s speech concluded, Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Jesus’ miraculous birth was in fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy from the Prophet Isaiah (Matthew 1:22-23). The Prophet Isaiah predicted 800 years earlier that, “The virgin shall conceive a Child! She shall give birth to a Son, and He shall be called ‘Immanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23; quoting Isaiah 7:14). A distinctive feature of Matthew’s Gospel is his continual references to fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (e.g., see Matthew 1:22-23; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17-18; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:14-16; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17-21; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 27:9-10). Matthew wants to stress to his readers that God is sovereign and fully control His unfolding plan of salvation. 

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and accepted Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:24). However, Mary remained a virgin until her Son was born; and Joseph named Him “Jesus” (Yahweh is salvation) (Matthew 1:25). Jesus is Yahweh, and He will save His people from their sins. Likewise, Jesus is Immanuel (Emmanuel) because He is God with us who will always be with us, even to end of the age (Matthew 1:23; see also Matthew 28:20).

The story of Jesus’ birth is the story of God coming down from heaven to enter into human history and dwell among us (John 1:1-5, 14). Mary’s Child and Joseph’s legal Son is indeed God incarnate (in the flesh) who come down from heaven to be with us and to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21, 23; see also 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 2:5-11). The fullness of God dwelt within Jesus (see John 1:1-5, 14; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13). Moreover, Jesus is not just a Messenger from God, but Jesus is God (John 1:1; John 20:28; Romans 9:5).

⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. ⁶ Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷ Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, ⁸ He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a Cross. ⁹ Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the Name above all other names, ¹⁰ that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 (NLT)

References

New Student Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992).

The Living Bible Paraphrase (Tyndale House, 1971).

Ross, Mark E. Let’s Study Matthew (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009).