The Way - Day 233 (Matthew 1)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Introduction to Matthew
Matthew, also known as Levi, was a former tax collector who had abandoned everything to follow Jesus Christ (Luke 5:27-32).  It is clear that Matthew, one of Jesus' twelve disciples, wrote this gospel prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and most conservative scholars would place the date of its' writing somewhere between AD 50-60.  His writing leans heavily toward a Jewish readership and Matthew seeks to show them throughout that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah and that they could experience a relationship with God through Him.  Matthew also knew that the Jews who desired a relationship with God would experience much guilt at the realization that they had crucified the Messiah, so he spent time writing to encourage them.  With some 50 direct quotations from the Old Testament and nearly 75 references to Old Testament events, Matthew was passionate about proving to the Jewish nation that Jesus Christ was their awaited Messiah and was worthy of their faith.  His carefully chosen words (inspired by the Holy Spirit) rightfully connected the Messiah of promise with the earthly Christ.

Also significant in Matthew's gospel are Jesus' teaching ministry (Matthew 5-7, Matthew 10, Matthew 13, Matthew 23, Matthew 24-25), His conflict with so-called religious leaders, and the Jews' rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.

Matthew 1:1-25
Matthew welcomes his Jewish readers with the genealogy of Jesus Christ and provides a fairly detailed ancestry, which connects Him to the two great covenants in the Old Testament: the Davidic (2 Samuel 7) and the Abrahamic (Genesis 12; 15).  The Davidic covenant promised that a king from the line of David would rule forever (see also 1 Chronicles 17:1-15) and the Abrahamic covenant promises God's people a seed (Messiah, deliverer), a land, a nation, and divine blessing/protection.  Matthew desired to prove that Jesus was the fulfillment of these covenants, so he began his gospel by tracing Jesus' lineage.  By providing this genealogy, Matthew addressed an important issue for the Jews and anyone who claimed to be their king.

Not only did Matthew provide details concerning Jesus' ancestry, but also details surrounding His birth.  It seems that Joseph, Jesus' legal father, discovered that his soon-to-be wife, Mary, was with child (1:18).  Although Matthew mentions that this child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Joseph was not aware of this fact and determined to privately separate himself from Mary (1:19); however, an angel intervened and through a dream revealed to Joseph that this child being carried by Mary was conceived of the Holy Ghost (1:20).  Furthermore, the angel informed Joseph that this child would be named Jesus, meaning Savior, and was being sent to "save His people from their sins" (1:21).  The angel told Joseph that the birth of this child would be the fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah's words, "...the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us" (1:22-23; see also Isaiah 7:14).  The words of the angel brought comfort to Joseph so he listened to and obeyed his words (1:24-25).  Jesus the Messiah had finally come to earth and would eventually provide the necessary sacrifice to bring forgiveness of sin!

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to save us from sin.