December . 1929
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I n t e r n a t i o n a l L e s s o n C o m m e n t a r y Lesson Exposition Outline of the Lesson Children’s Division J. H. Jaderquist David L. Cooper Mrs. Gordon Hooker
Studies in the Gospel of Matthew ""PHE Gospel of Matthew is the opening book, the Genesis, of the New Testa ment. The last thought of the Old Tes tament is the coming of the promised King and Messiah of Israel. This Gos pel is the link between the expectation found in the Old Testament and the real ization of that expectation in Jesus Christ. It is often said that Matthew writes to convince the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, as Mark writes to the Romans, and Luke to the Greeks. It may be more correct to say that Matthew writes to the Hebrew Christians to confirm and establish their faith. If he were trying to convince unbelievers, would he so con stantly portray a Messiah whom the Jews rejected, but whom Gentiles often recognized ? Matthew portrays Jesus Christ as King of Israel. As a help to the memory, the student will find it convenient to carry this thought of King and kingdom throughout the book. Thus in chapter one we have the King’s genealogy (vs. 1-17) ; the King’s birth and name (vs. 18- 25). In chapter two, homage is paid to the King (vs. 1-12) ; the King is in exile (vs. 13-18) and then returns (vs. 19-23). Chapter three presents the King’s herald (vs. 1-12) ; and the King’s inauguration (vs. 13-23). In chapter four is seen the test and victory of the King (vs. 1-11); the King’s headquarters and ministry (vs. 12-16). This carries us to the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus. Many students have found it conven ient, for the purpose of study, to divide the Gospel into three parts: I. Preparation, 1:1 to 4:16. 'IL Proclamation, 4:17 to 16:20.- III. Passion, 16:21 to 28:20. ;The second division opens with the words, “From that time Jesus began to preach,” Looking backward from this point, one may trace, step by step, the preparation of Jesus for His ministry. Not until this preparation was completed did He begin to preach, or proclaim, His royal message. How did He proceed? What results followed His proclamation? To what climax was He leading? We may find the answer to this last question in His two questions to the disciples at the end of this period, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” and "Who say ye that I am?” (16:13, 15). In other words, during these years of public min istry He was pressing His claims as Mes siah. The many rejected His claims. Peter is on solid ground when he says, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the liv ing God” (16:16). That question being settled for the disciples, another is raised. The transition is noted in the words, “From that time began Jesus to shew" (16:21). Then looking forward, we dis cover that the new lesson which Jesus would teach was that He must suffer, be killed, and the third day rise from the
dead. In the previous section, the great question was as to the person of Christ, who is He? The next fundamental ques tion was as to the work of Christ. The Twelve were slow -to learn this lesson, for the cross was not in their program. But they did learn the lesson. Matthew leads us on, in his story, to the tragedy of Calvary, and then to the great climax, after the resurrection when Jesus gave His farewell message in what we call “the great commission’’ (28:18-22). By logical argument, buttressed by abun dant evidence, he has proved that Jesus is the God-Man ; who must die, and must rise from the dead, in order that He may exercise “all authority in heaven and in earth.” Chronological sequence is disregarded in Matthew. Instead, we have logical ar rangement and development. Similar events are grouped together, as, for in stance, the sayings which we call the Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5, 6 and 7) ; exhibitions of His power (chaps. 8 and 9) ; kingdom parables (chap. 13). Christ’s method of teaching, in the first twelve chapters, is that of direct and ex plicit statement. In the thirteenth chap ter, because of the blindness of the Jews, He introduces teaching by parables. In the parables, also, we may see a logical development, beginning with that of the sower scattering the seed, illustrating the beginning of the kingdom, and conclud ing with that of the talents, which shows the method of final judgment at the last day. Again, in the presentation of Christ to the Jewish nation there is the same evidence of development. First, He is seen as the royal Son of David fleeing to Egypt and returning to seclusion in Nazareth (chaps. 1 and 2 ) ; next, He is the Son of God, acknowledged by the Father at His baptism, rejected by the nation, but acknowledged by the Twelve (chaps. 3 to 20 ) ; His formal presentation to the nation, in the incident we call “the triumphant entry,” resulted in His rejec tion, death and burial; God raised Him up and He gave to His disciples the com mission to go to all the nations with the message of His grace (chaps. 21 to 28). —o— January 5, 1930 The Childhood of Jesus Lesson: Matthew 1:1-2:23. (Lesson Text: Matt. 2:10-23.) L esson in O utline Introduction: Historical Setting (see Matt. 2:1-9). , . £ The Visit of the Wise Men. Vs. 10-12. 1. The Reappearance of the Guiding St^r. V. 10. 2. The Wise Men Worshiping the Child Jesus. V. 11. 3. The Departure of the Wise Men. V. 12.
II. The Flight into Egypt. Vs. 13-15. 1. The Warning by the Angel. V. 13. 2. The Journey to Egypt. V. 14. 3. The Residence in Egypt. V. 15. III. The Destruction of the Innocent Children of Bethlehem. Vs. 16-18, 1. Herod’s Ordering the Slaughter. V. 16. 2. The Execution of the Orders. Vs. 17, 18. IV. The Return to Nazareth. Vs. 19-23. 1. The Angel’s Call to Return to the Land of Israel. Vs. 19, 20. 2. Obeying the Call. Vs. 21, 22. 3. Residence in Nazareth. V. 23. I. The Wise Men Worshiping (10-12). T H E term Magi was used of those who employed magical arts, and also of teachers of religion and science (astrol ogy, divination, etc.). Probably these V. 10. The star. Various explanations of this phenomenon have been offered. One theory is that it was a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn. An other explanation is that it was some “variable star.” Either of these theories might be possible, but it is easier simply to regard the appearance of the star as a miracle, and leave it unexplained. V. 11. The house. We must not con fuse this with the place where the shep herds^ found the Child. Probably some time had '-elapsed since that occasion Forty days after His birth He had been' presented in the temple (Luke 2:22; cf. Lev. 12:1-4). There may have been also a journey to Nazareth (Luke 2:39). The Child with Mary. Note that “the Child” is first mentioned. Modern Romanists would invert the order. Worshiped. The Greek word may mean to do homage, in a sense lower than worship. Whether Jesus was recognized as in any sense di vine cannot be determined by the lan guage, but can easily be inferred from the general description of the incident. Offered gifts. The word rendered “trea sures” is better read “treasure chests." The Wise Men brought their best. The ancient church saw in the gold a symbol of Christ’s royalty; in the myrrh, a sym bol of His humanity, and in the incense a symbol of His deity. V. 12. Warned of God . The warning may have been preceded by prayer for guidance. Perhaps they had been sus picious of Herod when they met him in Jerusalem. In a dream. Communica tions from God by dreams are mentioned in the New Testament only in Matthew 1:20; 2:12, 13, 19; 27:19 and Acts 2: m en c a m e from some eastern land where the Jews had b e e n during their captivity. If so, t h e i r information about the Messiah came from the He brew Scriptures.
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