Gospel of Matthew Week 2 – 12/5/10
Monday – Read Matthew 1:1-25
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
1. Why do you think Matthew begins this account of the life of Jesus with a listing of His genealogy? This would be of top importance to his audience, Jews, since their scriptures had prophesied the lineage of the Messiah.
2. Of all the names listed in the genealogy of Jesus, which are the ones that would be important to the Jews? Abraham and David.
3. In the genealogical listing, Jacob and Judah have something in common. What do these two individuals have in common? They are not the firstborn son from their fathers, the ones that normally received the birthright blessings from the father. They are in the lineage of the Messiah even though not the firstborn.
4. Since Jesus was not actually from the seed of Joseph, why is he listed in the genealogy? Seed, or descendants for the Jews, is counted to the man, the father. So since Jesus was born a man, to the Jews, he had to have a physical father.
5. What do you understand “betrothed” to mean? Is it the same as someone in our time being engaged? Why or why not? Betrothed is like our being engaged but it had a much stronger legal meaning as noted that even though Joseph was only betrothed to Mary, he was going to “divorce” her, verse 19.
6. Thought Question – Why do you think it was necessary for Jesus to be born of a virgin? That of course was what was prophesied but Jesus was to live as the Son of God, even though He was born a man. He was born of God, not of man.
Prayer: Thank God for Joseph and Mary who lived by faith and followed the commands of God and thus were used to bring the Savior of man into the world.
Tuesday – Read Matthew 2:1-12
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
7. What do you know about Bethlehem of Judea? Bethlehem of Judea was a very insignificant village, even considered one of the least villages in Judah, yet it was there that God chose for the Christ to be born. This was just another one of the things that made the birth of Jesus really insignificant by the ways of man. He was born in one of the least significant places in the country.
8. What made Jesus being born in Bethlehem of Judea significant? There was nothing of significance about the town.
9. Why do you think the person who was king at the time of Jesus was born is mentioned in this account of his birth? To establish that Jesus was born at a specific time, in a specific, real location, on the earth.
10. Where do you think “the east,” verse 1, was? At this time this phrase “the east,” was used to refer to the places to the east of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
11. From what is said about the wise men, verses 1 & 2 & 10-12, what do you assume about them? They must have believed in the God of the Bible because they knew of the Jews and knew Jesus was to be king of the Jews and came to worship Him.
12. Why do you think King Herod troubled when the wise men came and told him about the birth of Jesus? Herod was constantly in fear of losing his position because of the trouble he had with the Jews over whom he was supposed to rule. The actions of the Jews in rising up against him at various times during his reign always keep his position in jeopardy with Rome because he was not able to bring the people under the subjection of his rule and keep the peace.
13. Why would King Herod assemble the “chief priests and scribes of the people,” verse 4, since he was not a Jew? Because he knew they would know what had been prophesied from earlier times since they were the religious leaders of the people.
14. Since the wise men said they saw the star when it rose, and the star led them to the house in Bethlehem where Mary and baby Jesus were, why do you think they stopped in Jerusalem and talked with King Herod? There could have been many reasons, one being it would have been a common courtesy to show you had no evil intentions, to stop in at the local ruler’s house. It could have been that God led them to Jerusalem with the star just to alert Herod because of what had been previously prophesied would happen at the birth of Jesus.
15. Why did the wise men fall down and worship baby Jesus when they saw Him? They knew who He was, the Son of God.
16. Thought Question – About how long after His birth do you think it was when the wise men came to Bethlehem? It seems from the context it was some time after the birth of Jesus since it says “And going into the house,” which seems to indicate they were no longer in the manager. Also, the command of Herod was to kill all the male children who were two years old and under, Mt. 2:16, which would seem to indicate Jesus could have been up to two years old at the time. Logically, if the star did not appear until after Jesus was born, it would have taken months for them to travel from the East to Bethlehem.
Prayer: Thank God for the miracle of the birth of Jesus.
Wednesday – Read Matthew 2:13-23
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
17. Why did the angel of the Lord tell Joseph to take the child and flee to Egypt? Egypt had always been a place of refuge for the Jews from the time the descendants of Abraham went there but it also was not controlled by the Roman Empire, thus would be a safe place where Herod would have no authority.
18. Why do you think Herod killed all the male children in Bethlehem and its regions, two years old or under? He was probably trying to make sure he killed the baby Jesus by killing the male children in such a broad spread of time.
19. Read verses 19 & 20 again. From reading those two verses, where do you think Joseph intended to live with his family when he returned to Israel? Why do you think he would have chosen to live there? Joseph was probably planning on living in Judea which may have indicated he had some understanding of Jesus’ role, thinking He needed to be raised in the religious center of the Jews.
20. What is the difference between a “Nazarene” and a “Nazarite?” A Nazarene was simply someone who was from a particular place, “Nazareth,” but a Nazarite was someone who took a religious vow according to the Law of Moses, Numbers 6:1-21.
21. Thought Question – Since John the Baptizer was a Nazarite, why do you think Jesus was not a Nazarite? John had a Nazarite vow placed on him from birth and apparently was a “lifelong” vow, not just for a specific time as was the case with most Nazarite vows. This vow not only brought him close to God, but it may have been to keep him away from people, especially the religious leaders. Jesus did not have a Nazarite vow placed on Him from birth because part of His work was to raise the dead and a Nazarite could not touch the dead and His work was “among” all people, not keeping Himself separated from some because of His vow.
Prayer: Thank God for His wisdom in all the events surrounding the birth of Jesus and His power to make all of these things happen.
Thursday – Read Matthew 3:1-12
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
22. Why do you think this information about John the Baptizer is contained in this account of the life of Jesus? Because the forerunner of the Messiah had been prophesied and John’s life was the fulfillment of those prophecies.
23. What was significant about John’s message about the kingdom, verse 2? It was the “kingdom of heaven,” not the earthly kingdom the Jews were looking for.
24. What do you think the statement from Isaiah that John was uttering, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,” verse 3, means?That probably means “remove the obstacles, that things in the way that might hinder the coming of the Messiah, including straightening out the minds of people about their relationship with God.
25. From the scriptures, what would a person know about baptism when John first preached it, verse 8? Nothing was said about baptism up to this point.
26. Why do you think John was so harsh towards the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to him in the wilderness, verses 7 & 8?Apparently, even though spending most of his time out in the area around the Jordan River, John knew the character of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
27. What do you think the statement “We have Abraham as our father,” verse 9, means? The statement meant a person was in a right relationship with God because they were born as a descendant of Abraham.
28. What does John’s comparison of himself with Jesus, verse 11, indicate about John? He was a very humble person and knew who Jesus was to be, and that he in no way compared with Him.
29. Thought Question – Why do you think John’s ministry was in the wilderness of Judea instead of in Jerusalem, in and around the Temple, the heart of the Jewish religious system? Probably to keep John out of constant conflict with the Jewish religious leaders since he was teaching contrary to what they were saying.
Prayer: Thank God for John the Baptizer and others like him who were willing to withstand the bad treatment by their own people to proclaim the message of Jesus.
Friday – Read Matthew 3:13-17
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared for you during your study.
30. Why did John not want to baptize Jesus, verse 14? Because his was a baptism of repentance and even though he did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until identified as such by God at His baptism, he knew of Jesus and His life and knew He was a much better person than himself.
31. What do you think the statement of Jesus, verse 15, means? Since John’s message was to the Jews and Jesus was a Jew and had not been announced by God as the Messiah at that time, for Jesus to have refused baptism, even though He knew He did not need it for the remission of His sins, would have but Him in conflict with the teaching of John.
32. Why was Jesus baptized? To fulfill all righteous; to obey what John was telling Jews they needed to do.
33. Why did the dove descend on Jesus when He was baptized? To identify Him to John as the promised Messiah.
34. What do you think was the purpose of God’s statement about Jesus at His baptism, verse 17? To publicly identify Jesus as His Son.
35. Thought Question – From Matthew’s Gospel, to this point you have learned that baptism was to be preceded by repentance, verse 2; baptism is in water, verse 6; and after baptism you should bear fruit in keeping with repentance, verse 8. What is the only point Jesus’ baptism, verses 13-17, confirms? That it is in water.
Prayer: Thank God for showing you how to come in contact with the blood of Jesus through baptism so your sins could be forgiven and you could enter a covenant relationship with Him.
Saturday – Read Matthew 4:1-11
Prayer: Ask God to open your heart so that you can learn what He has prepared from you during your study.
36. What does the way Jesus went into the wilderness teach you about the way God wants you to live your Christian life, verse 1? God wants you to be lead by the Spirit.
37. Why do you think Jesus was tempted immediately after His baptism? That is the time new converts are at their weakness because they are just starting a new life and is probably the easiest time to “pick them off.”
38. What is the significance of the number “40” in the Bible, verse 2? It stands for a period of trial and testing followed by victory.
39. In what way does the devil attempt to deceive Jesus just as He did Eve in the Garden, verse 3? By getting Him to doubt God, “IF you are the Son of God...”
40. What does Jesus say is the key to overcoming temptation, verses 4, 6 & 10? God and the Word of God.
41. In what way was the temptations of Jesus similar to the temptations of Eve? The areas where He was tempted, like Eve, were in needs of the body, the bread, “good for food,” Gen. 3:6; things that were “pleasing to the eye,” Gen. 3:6; and things that would increase personal standing, having all the kingdoms of the world to rule, “desirable to make one wise,” Gen. 3:6.
42. What does the story of the temptation of Jesus teach you about temptation, verse 11? Through the power of God you can resist it. You don’t have to sin.
43. Thought Question – Do you think the devil could have done, given to Jesus, the things he promised if He would worship him? Why or why not? No. The Bible says the devil is a liar and the father of liars.
Prayer: Thank God for the power to resist temptation.
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