Lesson One

MATTHEW 1:1–2:23

Overview, Birth, and Infancy

The best way to introduce yourself to Matthew's gospel is to read it through, in one sitting if possible. It should take you a little under two hours if you read quickly for an overall impression. If your Bible includes subtitles for passages, use them as clues to the story's movement.

As you read, jot down answers to questions 1–6. Questions 7–16 relate to the beginning of Matthew's gospel.

First impressions

1. a. Read through Matthew quickly. After your first reading, what are your first impressions of Matthew's book? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

b. What overall impression does it give you of Jesus? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

c. If you had to pick a single term to describe this gospel, what would it be? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

2. Repetition is a clue to the ideas an author wants to stress. What key words or phrases does Matthew (or Jesus) use over and over? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

3. Look for at least one example of each of the following words or phrases found throughout Matthew's gospel:

Fulfill_________________________________ ________________________________________

John the Baptist________________________ ________________________________________

The kingdom of heaven___________________ ________________________________________

The healing of the sick_________________ ________________________________________

Parables________________________________ ________________________________________

Gentiles________________________________ ________________________________________

Future events____________________________ ________________________________________

The Son of David________________________ ________________________________________

Pharisees and Sadducees_________________ ________________________________________

4. The practice of outlining helps us get a good grasp of the flow and general contents of a book. Fill in the following broad outline. A detailed outline (different from the one below) appears in the background section.

1:1–2:23 The Person of the King ________________________________________ ________________________________________

3:1–4:16 The Preparation of the King ________________________________________ ________________________________________

4:17–9:34 The Precepts of the King ________________________________________ ________________________________________

9:35–16:20 The Program of the King ________________________________________ ________________________________________

16:21–27:66 The Passion of the King ________________________________________ ________________________________________

28:1-20 The Power of the King ________________________________________ ________________________________________

5. Note here any incidents, teachings, topics, or impressions of Jesus in Matthew's gospel that you want to think about this week. ________________________________________ ________________________________________

6. In your first reading of Matthew's gospel or in the background section, you may have encountered some concepts you'd like clarified or questions you'd like answered. While your thoughts are still fresh, jot down your questions here. You can look for answers as you study further. ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Jesus' genealogy and birth (1:1-25)

Genealogy (1:1). Genealogies in the ancient Near East were used not only to show family relationships, but also economic, tribal, and political ones. Frequently they included only the most important members in the line, thus skipping over several links in the chain. Matthew does this, for example, in moving from Boaz to David, listing only two generations between them, when in fact several generations had come and gone. This is not an error; Matthew did this deliberately. Perhaps because the numerical equivalent of David's name is fourteen in Hebrew (and Jesus is the "Son of David"), Matthew lists fourteen generations between Abraham and David, David and the exile, and the exile and Jesus.

7. a. What names do you recognize in the genealogy of 1:1-17? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

b. Which names in the list are unfamiliar to you? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

c. What do you think Matthew hoped to accomplish by beginning his gospel with a genealogy? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

8. a. Of the four women Matthew lists in his genealogy, the first three were Gentiles, and the last was married to a Gentile before he was killed. Why do you think Matthew makes special mention of these women? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

b. What is he trying to convey to his readers? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Expose her to public disgrace ... divorce her quietly (1:19). "Joseph ... could not in conscience marry Mary who was now thought to be unfaithful. And because such a marriage would have been a tacit admission of his own guilt, and also because he was unwilling to expose her to the disgrace of public divorce, Joseph therefore chose a quieter way, permitted by the law itself."

From the Holy Spirit (1:20). The conception of Jesus was a result of the direct activity of God the Holy Spirit.

The name Jesus (1:21). "Jesus" is the Greek form of "Joshua," which in Hebrew means either "Yahweh is salvation" or "Yahweh saves."

9. Why is 1:22-23 so crucial to Matthew's account of Jesus' birth?...