SEPT 1. READ GENESIS 31-35

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Again, each day 5 chapters and comments. For Sept 1, read Genesis 31-35. Here is the map of Jacob’s journey from Beersheba to Haran and back to Canaan. You can trace his journey by key places on the map, even number them if you wish.

BEERSHEBA. He begins in Beersheba when he steal the blessing that Isaac intended to give to Esau. He flees from Esau’ plan to kill him, going to Haran supposedly to get a godly wife but really to escape Esau.

BETHEL He leaves Beersheba at the age of 77. His first night away from being protected by his mama Rebekah, he dreams of the ladder to heaven and names the place, Bethel, “house of God”, sensing God’s presence there.

HARAN. He spends the next 20 years working for Laban who is a bigger con man than Jacob ever was. But God blesses him and after the 20 years he ends up with 11 sons, 1 daughter, and much wealth. But he only has one wife that he loves, i.e. Rachel, and his favorite son is the son born to Rachel, i.e. Joseph.

GILEAD. (Genesis 31) After 20 years working for Laban, Jacob observes that Laban’s attitude has become hostile to Jacob. Why has Laban become so hostile toward Jacob? The reason is that during those last 6 years of the 20 years, Jacob worked for Laban, paid with sheep. Laban would say that Jacob’s pay was all the speckled sheep born that year, which would only be a few, but God would make there be many, many speckled born. Laban would then get mad and change Jacob’s wages to the spotted ones born, but God would multiply the spotted ones born. Laban would change his wages again, etc. for 10 times in 6 years. By the end of the 6 years Laban is very angry with Jacob. God then told Jacob to return with his family and flocks to Canaan where he began his journey 20 years earlier. Jacob tells his wives and they agree, sensing that Laban has nothing to give them as an inheritance. It is interesting to note that Jacob, while trying to outsmart Laban (read how Jacob used tree “rods” to try to induce a certain type of sheep born and stronger sheep in Genesis 30:37-43), it seems that Jacob has finally realized that it was God who made him wealthy and not his own cunning. He told Rachel and Leah, “God has been with me”, “God did not allow Laban to hurt me”, and “God took away Laban’s flocks and gave them to me”. I consider this to be an important step in Jacob’s spiritual growth. Laban deceived, lied to, and cheated Jacob for 20 years but God kept Jacob safe and made him wealthy. Jacob and his family, servants, and animals flee Haran without telling Laban. When Laban discovers their departure, he is furious. He chases Jacob down for 7 days, catching him at the hill country of Gilead. God warned Laban not to hurt Jacob. An interesting side note is that Rachel had stolen Laban’s household god idols and hidden them on her camel. That means that Rachel apparently has some reverence for the foreign gods of Laban. Laban doesn’t find the idols. He and Jacob made a treaty to not hurt each other and Laban goes back to Haran. Again, Jacob gives God the credit for his wealth and protection from Laban (31:42). They name the place of their peace covenant Gilead or Mizpah. Life lesson: Have you ever been through a real tough time in your life? You tried to use your own cunning and ingenuity to handle things but felt frustrated the whole time? But then, somehow, later there was a break through and things changed and got better without your help? You then realized that it was God blessing you even during the tough times? That’s how God works some times!

MAHANAIIM. (Genesis 32:1-2) Find it on the map. The angels meet him and he names the place “Mahanaim” which means “two camps” (i.e. his camp and the camp of angels). Another step in Jacob’s spiritual growth? He realizes when he meets those angels that God will protect him with his angels wherever he goes? Unfortunately, that doesn’t keep him from being terrified at the next stop in Penuel. Life lesson: God’s angels are protecting us at all times but we don’t always see them.

PENUEL (Genesis 32:3-33:17) Find it. Panic! Jacob learns that Esau is headed toward him with 400 men. The last time he saw Esau, Esau (say that fast) was planning to kill Jacob (20 years earlier). He was “greatly afraid and distressed” (32:7). He resorted to his own cunning instead of trusting God. He devised a plan for Rachel and Joseph to escape if Esau kills his less favorite sons and Leah. I assume he would escape with them. He tries to bribe his way out by offering Esau animals. Pretty cowardly, but typical of Jacob. That night a man wrestles with Jacob all night but neither prevail. In the morning, the man touches Jacob’s thigh and dislocates it. An interesting trait of Jacob follows. You would think that Jacob would gladly let the man go after the man dislocates his thigh by just touching him. I mean, if the man could do that, then he could have done that the first 5 minutes of the wrestling match. If the man was that powerful, then why would he still keep him in your grasp after he dislocates your thigh? But Jacob would not let the man go unless the man blessed him. He must have realized that this was not an ordinary man, but was God himself who had taken the form of a man just to wrestle with Jacob. For all his faults, Jacob seems to realize that all blessings come from God and therefore he wants more blessings from God. The man changes Jacob’s name to “Israel”, which means “he who strives or wrestles with God”. Jacob names the place “Penuel”, which means “face of God”. He felt he had seen and wrestled with God himself, but that God had not killed him so God must have bigger plans for Jacob. This idea that Jacob wrestled with God seems to fit Jacob’s whole life. He had always tried to control things and get blessings by his own cunning and ingenuity. He had wrestled with God for control of his life instead of giving God complete control. Life Lesson: Does anyone reading this relate to that? I know I do. I have always tried to control things instead of giving complete control to God. Usually I am pretty successful, but often I realize that I have not let God have complete control. Often I make a mess of things by not submitting to God.

The next day when Esau came, Esau hugged him and kissed him and they both wept! Esau was the redneck who could threaten to kill you one day and have a friendly beer with you the next day! God had blessed Esau with wealth to compensate for what Jacob took from him. Jacob made an amazing statement: “I see your face as one sees the face of God” (33:10) and you have received me favorably (i.e. forgiven me). Perhaps Jacob had felt guilty over the years for the way he stole from and took advantage of Esau. Perhaps he wondered if God would ever forgive him of that wrong he had done. But when Esau forgave him, that was like looking at the face of God and God saying, “Jacob, I forgive you for what you did to Esau”. Life lesson: Have you ever struggled to forgive yourself for wrongs you have done to others? God will forgive you. Have you ever struggled with fear and panic attacks facings some danger or bad situation? Sometimes, God uses someone like Esau to ease your fears. I had that happen to me one time. I was about to have a nervous breakdown over an issue I was dealing with. A friend took me to a legal expert and that man told me, “you have nothing to worry about, we “got your back”, get back to using your gifts for God and quit worrying and being afraid”. That man telling me that allowed me to sleep that night (I had been getting about an hour of sleep every night and waking up worrying and my mind racing). I saw the face of God in that man who helped me. I should have seen the face of God a month earlier and trusted God and found peace of mind, but I just couldn’t do it. I needed that man’s help and I think God used him like God used Esau to help Jacob see God’s forgiveness for Jacob. Does any of that resonate with you?

SUCCOTH. (Genesis 33:17) Find it on the map. Jacob then goes to Succoth, just east of the Jordan River and close to Canaan. Apparently he planned to stay there for an extended period b/c he built a house. Many think he stayed about a year there. Why didn’t he just cross the Jordan River and just go on over into Canaan? We don’t know, but perhaps what happened at Shechem when he did cross the Jordan gives an indication of his reluctance to cross the Jordan. We must remember that there were many powerful armies in Canaan. Jacob might have been afraid to cross over?

SHECHEM. (Genesis 33:18-34:31) Find it. After leaving Succoth, Jacob camped near Shechem. Shechem was a well developed fortified urban center with massive walls, inhabited by Canaanite people with polytheistic practices. Leah’s daughter Dinah visited the city (we don’t know why?) and was raped by a man named Shechem who said he loved her and wanted to marry her. Jacob’s usual cowardice shows up and he does nothing to correct the wrong done to his daughter Dinah. But two of her biological brothers (all born to Leah) were angry. They devised a plan. They got the men of Shechem to agree to all be circumcised so they could marry the “daughters” in Jacob’s family. Again, we hear nothing from Jacob. But the 3rd day after they Shechemites are all circumcised and completely incapacitated by the “surgery”, Simeon and Levi go in the city and kill all the men. They rescued Dinah from the house of Shechem and killed him, and Jacob’s other sons looted the city completely. Jacob’s reaction? He was only concerned that what Simeon and Levi had done would unite the other Canaanites to attack him. Again, Jacob’s cowardice and lack of trust in God pops up. How could any father be so passive if his daughter gets raped and do nothing? I know I would be tempted to take the law into my own hands if that happened to one of my two daughters (which would be wrong to do of course). God could have righted this wrong done to Dinah without this deceptive and cruel plan of Simeon and Levi. Life Lesson: Rape is one of the most degrading, horrible crimes ever. We have to wonder how Dinah handled this whole incident later. Do you know of someone who has had to deal with a rape incident? Was justice served?

BETHEL (Genesis 35) Find it. God told Jacob to move on to Bethel and make an altar. Do you remember Bethel, “house of God” where he spent his first night after leaving Beersheba to flee to Haran at the age of 77? He is about 97 years old when he returned to Bethel. His journey has made “full circle”. To his credit, another step in spiritual growth. He makes an altar at Bethel, makes his family give up their foreign gods idols, and said, “God answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” Jacob has come a long way, distance wise and spiritually also. God takes care of his fears as the people of Canaan have apparently heard of the ruthlessness of Jacob’s sons and are afraid of Jacob, which is just the opposite reaction to what Jacob had feared. At Bethel, God reaffirmed Jacob’s name change to Israel and his promises of a nation and land. Life Lesson: Do you have a “Bethel” in your life, a place and time when you finally decided to put way your idols and totally trust in God like you never had before? Where you realized that you had been on a long journey with God and finally arrived at a more trusting relationship with God? Share that with others.

BETHLEHEM. (Genesis 35:16-21) Leaving Bethel, on the way to Bethlehem, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. Rachel’s two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, would become Jacob’s favorite sons which cause a lot of problems later. Jacob would stay in Canaan 33 years after returning to Canaan.

HEBRON (Genesis 35:21-29) Find it. This is where he found his father Isaac whom he had not seen for 20 years. Isaac was 137 years old when Jacob left for Haran. He was about 157 when Jacob came to Hebron. He died at the age of 180. So Jacob would have been able to spend about 20 years with Isaac at Hebron before Isaac died. You have to wonder what that was like. Did Isaac see a changed person in Jacob after he returned from Haran? Did he see a more mature spiritual man than the deceptive, cunning, lying son that Jacob was before he left for Haran? Did Jacob ever apologize to his father for lying and deceiving him when he stole the blessing from Esau? Was Jacob’s mother Rebekah still alive when Jacob returned to Hebron to live with Isaac? She is never mentioned in Genesis after she sent Jacob off to Haran so some assume that she died while he was in Haran. Genesis 49:31 tells us that she was buried in the cave of Machpelah but we don’t know when she died. It is interesting that Jacob and Esau join together to bury their father Isaac. Esau had settled in Edom, which is southeast of the Dead Sea. I wonder what that reunion was like when they buried their father. Did Jacob and Esau ever see each other again after that? Life Lesson: God can reconcile broken family relationships like that of Jacob and Esau.

Jacob would be 130 when he moved to Egypt so he spent 33 years in Canaan. His journey will not be totally complete until he spends his last 17 years in Egypt and meets Pharoah, but we will save that for later. I hope you keep up with the daily reading and maybe even read these blog article that go along with each reading. This could be a great plan for personal or small group Bible study on a daily basis.

AUG 31 READ GENESIS 26-30

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I am going to begin a daily commentary on about 5 chapters of the Bible every day. My grandaughter and her friends are doing those readings daily. Aug 31 is Genesis 26-30 so read those chapters and then this blog article. I will include some great images that I hope come through ok.

I love the story of Jacob which begins with 25:19-34 which was covered on the Aug 30 reading. The birth of Jacob and Esau. Esau the firstborn with special birthright privileges (twice as much inheritance as the firstborn) but he gives his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew! Typical redneck hunter who didn’t appreciate his birthright. How could anyone give up 1/3 of his inheritance for a bowl of stew! A lof of kids raised in the church get off to college after being grounded in the faith all their lives only to give it up to some atheistic or skeptic view of God and the Bible. The stats say we lose 2/3 of church kids by the time they finish college.

Chapter 26: God renews to Isaac his nation/land/seed promise he made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 (the nation would be then nation of Israel, the land would be the promised land of Canaan, and the seed promise would be salvation through Jesus Galatians 3:16). Then “like father like son”, Isaac goes to Gerar in Philistine territory and tells the same lie that Abraham did, i.e. he told Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister so that Abimelech would not kill him to take his wife! Did Isaac not know that Abraham told that same lie about his wife Sarah twice and how much trouble it caused? Did Isaac not trust God to protect him from Abimelech? Then quarreling with the Philistines over wells of water that Isaac drilled until finally Isaac and Abimelech make a treaty to not harm each other. Isaac is allowed to drill another well at Beersheba and he builds an altar there. Beersheba will be an important location in the journeys of Jacob.

Esau’s lack of spiritual concern pops up again as he marries two Hittite women which grieves Isaac and Rebekah greatly. They no doubt remember how Abraham sent Eliezar back to Haran to get a godly wife for Isaac (chapter 24). How Eliezar prayed for God’s guidance and success in his mission. Rebekah would have been a believer in the one true God, El Shaddai. Now Esau is marrying two Hittite pagan women. The Hittites were known as the “people of a thousand gods”, worshipping gods like Tarhum the storm god and king of the gods, the sun goddess of Arinna, and many others. Esau’s lack of spiritual concern is why God chose Jacob, the younger, to be in the seed line of Jesus and not Esau.

This is a great image that tracks the journey of Jacob beginning in Beersheba, to Haran, and ending up back in Canaan in Hebron where Isaac dies. Follow his journey on the map as you study the rest of Jacob’s life.

BEERSHEBA. This journey begins in Beersheba when Jacob, with Rachel’s guidance, deceives an aging, almost blind, Isaac into giving his final blessing to Jacob instead of Esau. The birthright was already gone to Jacob and Isaac couldn’t change that, but he hoped he could give Esau a final special blessing. Jacob stole it (Genesis 27 for details). After that, Esau planned to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac would die, so Rebekah sent Jacob off to Haran under the pretense of sending him to get a godly wife from their relatives just as happened with getting Rebekah for Esau. BTW Genesis 27 shows the damage due to favoritism in families. Was there favoritism in your family if you have siblings? Most people will say there was but then say they were not the favorite child! But very seldom does favoritism do to the extremes of Jacob lying several times to his father and stealing a blessing from a sibling! Isaac seems resolved (chapter 28) that the promises to Abraham will be fulfilled thourgh Jacob, not Esau, even though Esau was his favorite. He sends Jacob off to Haran to get a godly wife.

BETHEL. (Genesis 28:10-22) Jacob is 77 years old when he begins his journey from Canaan to Haran. On the first night, he sleeps on a rock and has a dream of angels ascending and descending on a ladder to heaven. He interprets this as a sign of God’s presence and protection and names the place, Bethel, “house of God” (where God dwells). Typical of Jacob, he makes a conditional promise that if God will bless him on his journey then he will give God a tenth and will make El Shaddai his God! Jacob is always trying to get blessings by his own cunning and ingenuity. Did you ever do the craft “Jacob’s ladder” with string when you were little? Get some yarn and pull up a youtube video on making a “Jacob’s ladder” if you can. My wife finally did it after 30 minutes. Some of my kids in my Bible classes did it quickly while watching the video.

HARAN. (Genesis 29, 30 you can read the details). Bottom line, he spends 20 years in Haran: 14 years working for Laban (Rebekah’s brother) and 6 years after that working for Laban for wages paid in sheep, etc. Jacob conned his brother out of his birthright and blessing, and now he meets a bigger con man in Laban who deceives him into 7 extra years of work to get Rachel and then continues to deceive Jacob by changing his wages 10 times over the last 6 years in Haran. Karma for what Jacob did to Esau. But God continues to bless Jacob and make him wealthy. He gives Jacob 11 sons and one daughter during those 20 years in Haran. I feel sorry for Leah, the “unloved wife who had weak eyes, whatever that means!”), but God gave her 6 of the 11 sons. Jacob’s only wife he loved was Rachel who finally had Joseph and Joseph automatically became Jacob’s favorite son. Years later Rachel would have a 2nd son, Benjamin, while dying in childbirth near Bethlehem in Canaan, and Joseph and Benjamin became Jacob’s two favorite sons. That favoritism cause much trouble for Joseph as we will see later on. These 12 sons would become the 12 tribes of Israel. Talk about a dysfunctional family! Seems like all the patriarchal families were dysfunctional! That gives you hope if you came from a dysfunctional family!

This blog was a rush job so I hope you can read Genesis 26-30, the Aug 31 reading, and read the article today. The next reading is Sept 1, Genesis 31-35. I will do a blog article for that early tomorrow. I hope this helps and is not too long.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 4

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Matthew 4:1-11

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil *took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written:‘He will give His angels orders concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will lift You up,So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil *took Him along to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus *said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him. (NASB)

How long after his baptism was Jesus tempted in the wilderness?  Most say it was immediately after his baptism.

Why did the Spirit lead him to the wilderness to be tempted? Fasting 40 days is one things, but this was to be tempted and even worst, tempted by the devil. God and the Spirit are going to allow Satan to tempt Jesus. Does this remind you of Job? 

AI: “The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted to publicly demonstrate His sinless nature, fulfill the typological mission of Israel, and prepare Him for His redemptive ministry. 

The primary theological reasons for this event include:

  • Overcoming Where Israel Failed: The 40 days in the wilderness parallel Israel’s 40 years of wandering. While ancient Israel succumbed to temptation and failed God, Jesus triumphed over the exact same tests through perfect obedience. 
  • Equipping as Our High Priest: By experiencing and resisting human temptation, Jesus became a compassionate and sympathetic High Priest who understands human suffering and weakness. 
  • Revealing Satan’s Tactics: The temptations exposed the core categories of worldly temptation—physical desire, pride, and the desire for power—and provided a model for how humans can resist them using scripture.
  • Validating His Messiahship: In his weakest physical state, Jesus confirmed His true identity as the Son of God, choosing the path of the Suffering Servant over a path of worldly glory or easy miracles.”

But isn’t this a case of God tempting someone which James 1 says He does not do? Answer: It was the devil tempting Jesus, not God. But it was God and His Spirit that led him into the wilderness to be tempted. The Greek word is peirazó: To test, to tempt, to try, to examine. So it can mean tempt or test. The problem is James 1:13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. But then Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested (peirazó), offered up Isaac, and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son. Then Genesis 22:1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham. The Hebrew word is nasah: To test, to try, to prove, to tempt (the equivalent of peirazo in Greek). So God does test people, even tempt them. How do we reconcile James 1:13,14? 

AI: “To reconcile these verses, we must distinguish between two different meanings of the word “tempt” in the Bible: outward testing (designed to prove and strengthen faith) and inward temptation (an enticement to commit sin). 

The passages present two different concepts:

1. James 1:13-14: Inward Temptation to Sin

In James, the Greek word for “tempt” is peirazō, which here means to entice or lure into committing evil. James states clearly that God does not tempt anyone this way. Instead, sin originates from our own internal desires. God is holy, untemptable, and never entices His children to do wrong. 

2. Genesis 22:1 & Hebrews 11:17: Outward Divine Testing of Faith

In Genesis and Hebrews, the word translated as “tempt” or “test” means to evaluate, examine, or prove something. The purpose of God “testing” Abraham was not to make him sin, but to provide an opportunity for Abraham to demonstrate and strengthen his obedience and trust in God. 

The Core Difference:

  • Temptation (James 1): Designed to cause failure and lead to moral downfall. Originates from our own flesh, not from God.
  • Testing (Genesis 22 / Hebrews 11): Designed to bring out the best and lead to spiritual growth. Originates from God.”

But then what does 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation (peirasmos: Temptation, trial, testing) has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (peirazó: To test, to tempt, to try, to examine) will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Is this saying that God will never allow you or cause you to face a trial or temptation that you will fail? If so, God is not doing a very good job b/c we do fail tests often. It is saying that your trials or testing is common to all and that if you will control your lusts you can overcome or endure trials without giving in to your lusts and sinning. Even if you fail, you can get stronger from your failure. The context of 1 Corinthians 10 is the Israelites in the 40 years in the wilderness: they craved, grumbled, lusted and committed sexual immorality, etc and they fell from grace! But they could have endured their trials if they had controlled their lusts. Even then, their are times when we just can’t find the strength to endure. 2 Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.” Deuteronomy 8:2 And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, in order to humble you, putting you to the test, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” God did test them the 40 years but he did not cause them to give in to their lusts and sin. Peter failed but came back stronger: Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 

What are the 3 general areas of lusts that Jesus was tempted in?  The lust of the eye the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.                      

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” 

Turn stones to bread = lust of the flesh. After 40 days without food, this had to be a real temptation for Jesus.

Throw yourself off the temple = pride of life. To show everyone that He was the Son of God!

Worship Satan = lust of the eye. To be given control of all the kingdoms of the world, and to get that control without having to die on the cross. Could Satan give him all the kingdoms? Yes, he controlled all kingdoms with his demonic princes.

These 3 areas cover all temptations categorically. Hebrews 4: 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.” Maybe not specific situations, I.e. Jesus was not tempted to cheat on his wife as we might be tempted to do. Add the temptation he faced due to his suffering: Hebrews 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” That was a special temptation needed b/c 2 Timothy 3 all who live godly will suffer and Jesus needed to set an example of endurance. 1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps.”

What did Jesus use to answer all 3 temptations even as Satan used some OT scriptures out of context?  3 times Jesus answered with “It is written” (i.e. written in the Old Testament). That means that Jesus had Scriptures memorized to be able to resist temptation. Psalm 119: 11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”. When you are tempted to commit adultery, you need to already have verses memorized ready to resist. Say those verses over and over until you have resisted the temptation. You can’t wait till you face temptation to decide how you will handle certain temptations. If you do, in the heat of the moment you will probably give in and sin.

Does Satan or anyone still use Scriptures out of context to tempt people to sin? Yes. Satan quoted an Old Testament verse: ‘He will give His angels orders concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will lift You up,So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’ But he quoted it out of context. LGBTQ advocates will quote “God is love” passages. Universalists, Calvinists, JW’s will quote passages out of context. Jesus said “on the other hand” to show other verses that showed that Satan was quoting Scripture out of context. A Calvinist will quote John 10:28 and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. But we need to say, “on the other hand” Galatians 5:4 clearly said that some believers had fallen from grace. Also John 10:27 My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. Present tense verb: they “follow me”. As long as the sheep follow Jesus, they will not fall from grace. But if they quit following Jesus, they can fall from grace. The verses harmonize when interpreted correctly. Jesus’ “on the other hand” tells us to harmonize verses that appear to contradict each other.

What are the main areas in general or specific temptations that you face?  Maybe some things never tempt you, like doing drugs, but other things do. Have you set your mind to resist those temptations? Daniel 1:8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank.” James 4:7 (ESV): “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Do you pray Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil? Do you try to avoid situations where you might be tempted? Of course, you can’t avoid all possible tempting situations. You can’t quit driving b/c you get road rage. You can’t quit work b/c there are some pretty women there who might tempt you. But maybe you can avoid some like going out with guy friends who are going to be drinking. 

Do we test God, and if so, how do we test God? Yes, we test God when we challenge him to do things just to satisfy our own purposes. “On the other hand”, Jesus said,”do not test the Lord God”. Examples of testing God: Exodus 17:2, 7: The Israelites quarreled with Moses in the desert when they had no water, asking, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) because they tested the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:16: Moses explicitly warns the Israelites later: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.” Psalm 78:18-19: Describes how the Israelites “tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved”. Hebrews 3:8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me,As on the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers put Me to the test, And saw My works for forty years. Judges 6:36-40 Gideon tested God asking for the fleece signs. There is one notable exception where God actively commands humanity to test Him. Malachi 3:10: God challenges His people regarding tithing, saying, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse… And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” Can you think of some examples where we test God?

Matthew 4:12 Why was John taken into custody and by whom?

AI: “John the Baptist was taken into custody by King Herod Antipas. 

The Outcome: Herodias wanted John killed immediately, but Herod protected him initially because he respected him as a holy man. However, following a dance by Herodias’s daughter, Herod was tricked into an oath and ultimately had John beheaded in prison. 

The Reason: John openly and publicly condemned Herod’s marriage to Herodias, the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip, calling the union unlawful.”

Matthew 4:12-16 Why did Jesus move from Nazareth to Capernaum? 

AI: “Jesus relocated from Nazareth to Capernaum primarily to escape a violent threat to his life in his hometown and to establish a strategic base for his ministry. 

The move was driven by several key factors:

  • Hostility in Nazareth: After Jesus preached in his hometown synagogue and challenged the traditional expectations of the townspeople, the crowd became enraged, expelled him from the city, and attempted to throw him off a cliff. Luke 4
  • Strategic Location: Capernaum was a bustling, prosperous fishing village located on the Via Maris (the “Way of the Sea”). This major international trade route allowed Jesus to reach large, diverse, and traveling crowds.
  • Discipleship Network: The city was the hometown of key disciples like Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Basing his ministry there provided immediate support from their fishing operations and established a reliable community foundation.
  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: According to the Gospel of Matthew, this move fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 9:1–2 regarding the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, bringing “a great light” to the region. Isaiah 9:1-2 is a predictive prophecy not an analogy. That is obvious b/c it follows with Isaiah 9:6-9 which is all Messianic. 
  • Safety Following John’s Arrest: The Gospels note that Jesus moved to Capernaum immediately after John the Baptist was imprisoned, suggesting the bustling town also offered a safer environment for his early ministry compared to small, tight-knit Nazareth.”

Matthew 4:17 What was the message of Jesus about the kingdom?

The same message as that of John (Matthew 3:1-2): “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand or near.” Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 4:23 Jesus was going about in all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. This was the kingdom predicted to be established during the reign of Rome, Daniel 2:44-45. The Jews expected the Messiah to set up a kingdom that would defeat the Romans so they would have liked his preaching until he said that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:26) which is why they rejected him in spirt of his miracles and fulfilled prophecy. The kingdom was near. It would be a spiritual kingdom, the church, that was established in Acts 2, made up of those saved by Jesus’s death.

Matthew 4:18-20 Who were the first two disciples Jesus called?

Peter and Andrew. Now read John 1:35-42. Same first two disciples but John is very different. Is this a contradiction?

AI: “The accounts in Matthew and John appear to contradict each other, but most biblical scholars view them as complementary stages of the same events rather than direct contradictions . They describe two different milestones in the relationship between Jesus and the disciples. 

John’s Account (An Initial Meeting)

  • What happens: John the Baptist points out Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” prompting Andrew (and likely John) to follow Jesus and spend the day with Him. Andrew then finds his brother Simon, tells him he has found the Messiah, and brings him to Jesus. Jesus meets Simon and gives him the name “Peter”.
  • Key detail: The brothers are introduced to Jesus, but Jesus does not formally call them to leave their livelihoods at this moment.

Matthew’s Account (A Formal Call to Ministry)

  • What happens: Some time later, after John the Baptist has been arrested, Jesus is walking by the Sea of Galilee. He sees Peter and Andrew fishing and formally commands them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” prompting them to immediately leave their nets to follow Him.
  • Key detail: This is the official induction into full-time discipleship.

How the Accounts Reconcile

In first-century Jewish culture, it was common for disciples to meet a rabbi informally before making a permanent, life-altering commitment to follow him. The consensus among theologians is that John records their first initial meeting in Judea, while Matthew describes a later, formal calling by the Sea of Galilee, where they officially left their fishing business to become traveling disciples.”

Matthew 4:21-22 Who were the next two disciples called?

The brothers James and John. Now read John 1:43-51 where Philip and Nathaniel are the next two called after Peter and Andrew. Is this a contradiction?

AI: “No, the two accounts describe different stages of Jesus’ early ministry and name different disciples after Peter and Andrew. 

The two passages detail these callings as follows:

1. Matthew 4:21-22

In this account, Jesus calls James and John (the sons of Zebedee) immediately after calling Peter and Andrew. All four men were fishermen by trade, and Jesus called them directly from their boats to follow him. 

2. John 1:43-51

In this account, Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael (also known as Bartholomew) after Peter and Andrew. This event happens chronologically earlier than Matthew 4, occurring in the region of Judea/Bethsaida before Jesus began his widespread ministry in Galilee.

Summary

  • Matthew’s sequence: Peter → Andrew → James → John.
  • John’s sequence: Andrew (and an unnamed disciple) → Peter → Philip → Nathanael.”

Did people really travel from Syria to be healed by Jesus?

AI: “Yes. 60-80 miles depending on starting point. In the first century, this trip through mountainous terrain and rugged ancient roads would have taken a traveler around 3 to 5 days on foot. Also from Decapolis and Judea which could be many miles from Capernaum.”

Matthew 4:23-25 Name all the diseases and sicknesses that Jesus healed. Did he cull anyone? No. Did he have disciples culling the severe cases like modern faith healers do? 

AI: “Many modern faith healers and large crusade ministries do screen or deter people with severe, terminal, or visibly verifiable illnesses . Organizers often use screening lines or strict pre-interviews to manage the crowd, weed out obvious medical cases, and prioritize ailments that rely heavily on subjective reporting.

The practice of screening at healing crusades can be understood across three main approaches:

1. Pre-Screening and “Faith” Requirements

Many ministries use “prayer teams” or volunteer ushers to interview attendees before they ever reach the main stage or the healer. 

  • Selective Vetting: Individuals with severe or terminal medical conditions are frequently weeded out or directed to a separate prayer area away from the main event.
  • Managing Expectations: Attendees are often screened to gauge their “level of faith”. Those who express doubt, medical skepticism, or who are not members of the specific faith tradition are often turned away. 

2. Focus on Subjective Ailments

Instead of attempting to heal verifiable organic diseases (such as advanced cancer, genetic conditions, or amputations), crusades typically focus on symptoms that are subjective, fluctuate in intensity, or improve naturally. 

  • Common Ailments Treated: Back pain, arthritis, temporary mobility issues, fatigue, and headaches.
  • Medical Verification: Because these conditions are not easily verified by objective medical imaging or blood tests, claims of immediate “healing” are much easier for a ministry to promote as miraculous.

3. Shifting the Blame for Failure

In a widely known investigatory documentary, Miracles for Sale by Derren Brown, undercover investigations revealed that some faith healers utilize “plants” and covertly gather information on the sick prior to the show to stage dramatic healings. 

When a cure does not happen, modern healers often circumvent the issue by claiming:

  • The individual did not have enough faith.
  • There was a hidden, unconfessed sin in the person’s life.
  • It was simply “not God’s will” for that person to be healed at that time.

While some communities and ministries emphasize prayer as spiritual support alongside modern medicine, large-scale traveling “crusades” generally rely heavily on rigorous curation and orchestration.

This does not mean that God cannot heal today. But the evidence is clear that there are no healers who are healing instantaneously, undeniably, no relapses, unconditional (faith is not always required or mentioned), confirmable sicknesses and diseases. The healings ofJesus and the apostles were to confirm. We now have the completed word of God to confirm our salvation. If God still did those kind of healings, can you imagine how many people would become Christians just to be healed?”

I hope you enjoy this study of Matthew 4. A lot of “AI” but my philosophy is that if AI has a great answer to questions and searches, then why not use it. The info in AI comes from very good Biblical articles and usually finds some of the best answers on topics.

MATTHEW 24

On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

CHAPTER 24

24:1-14 Signs of Christ’s return

Mark 13 and Luke 21 comment on the beautiful stones in Herod’s temple. 

AI: “Herod’s Temple, or the Second Temple, was a massive expansion of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem begun by Herod the Great around 19 BCE. It served as the focal point of Jewish worship and the three major pilgrimage festivals until it was completely destroyed by the Roman army in 70 CE.

History and Construction

Following the return of the Jewish people from the Babylonian exile and the destruction of the First Temple (built by Solomon), the Second Temple was constructed around 516 BCE. Seeking to legitimize his rule and honor the Jewish faith, Herod the Great initiated a massive renovation and expansion project in the 1st century BC.

  • The Temple Mount: Herod greatly expanded the flat esplanade of the Temple Mount by building monumental retaining walls and filling in the surrounding terrain, creating a massive, nearly 35-acre platform.
  • Engineering Feats: The construction involved massive stones, some weighing hundreds of tons, which were maneuvered and set using advanced ancient techniques. 
  • Timeline: While the main sanctuary took about 18 months to build, expansions and subsidiary additions continued for decades. It was frequently under construction during the time of Jesus’s ministry.

Architecture and Layout

The temple complex was renowned for its beauty and grandeur, and the Talmud noted that “he who has not seen the Temple of Herod has never seen a beautiful building”. 

  • The Sanctuary: The temple building itself was faced with white marble and overlaid with gold, reflecting the sunlight so brightly that it was hard to look at directly.
  • The Courts: The esplanade was surrounded by magnificent colonnades. On the southern side stood the Royal Stoa, a grand basilica used for civic and commercial purposes. Other sections included the Court of the Gentiles, the Court of the Women, and the Court of the Priests.
  • The Antonia Fortress: At the northwest corner of the complex sat the Antonia Fortress, a Roman military garrison that overlooked the temple courts.

Significance and Destruction

Herod’s Temple was the epicenter of religious, cultural, and national life for the Jewish people. Complex sacrifices and rituals were performed there, and it was the destination for required annual pilgrimages.

  • Destruction: In 66 CE, the First Jewish-Roman War broke out. In 70 CE, Roman legions under the command of Titus besieged and conquered Jerusalem. The Romans set fire to the temple and completely leveled it, leaving not one stone standing upon another, as prophesied in Christian scriptures.
  • Modern Surviving Remains: The Temple building itself was entirely lost. However, the colossal retaining walls Herod built to support the Temple Mount esplanade survived. The most famous and holiest remaining section of this structure is the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem, which continues to be a sacred site of prayer for the Jewish people. 

But Jesus said to the disciples, “Not one stone will be left on another”. The disciples  would never have expected such  a prediction of the destruction of God’s holy temple. The Babylonians destroyed it in 586 BC. The Jews rebuilt it, although not as grandeur as Solomon’s first temple, in 516 BC on the first return from Babylonian captivity. Herod then made it a beautiful structure by the time of Jesus. 

The disciples then asked a question with two parts.” 1) When will that happen? 2) What will be the sign of Christ’s coming and the end of the age. They had heard Jesus predict that he would come back within that generation (Matthew 10:23; 16:27,28). They assumed that the 2nd coming would bring about the end of the Jewish Age and usher in the beginning of the Messianic Age. The prediction of the destruction of the temple had to confound and disturb. Maybe they are thinking that Christ will return, destroy the temple, rebuild a 3rd temple, which is what a lot of Christians think today. 

AI: “In Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus about the “end of the age”. To the 1st-century Jewish mind, this was not the end of the physical planet, but the end of the Old Covenant era—the age dominated by the Jerusalem Temple and Roman oppression. They expected the Messiah to trigger an apocalyptic transition, overthrow the Roman Empire, and establish a permanent, glorious Kingdom of Israel.

Key Jewish expectations regarding the “end of the age” included:

  • The Messiah’s Glorious Reign: They expected the Messiah to literally “come” (as inquired in verse 3) to sit on a physical throne, judge the wicked, and restore national sovereignty to Israel.
  • The Resurrection and Judgment: Rooted in passages like [Daniel 12:1-13], they anticipated a final resurrection of the dead and a vindication of the righteous.
  • The Passing of “This Age”: Jewish theology divided history into two periods: “this present evil age” (characterized by sin, suffering, and foreign domination) and “the age to come” (characterized by righteousness and the visible presence of God).

When Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Temple (v. 2), the disciples naturally assumed this catastrophic judgment would signal the arrival of the Messiah’s kingdom and the dawn of the “age to come”.”

So the disciples are looking for “when” the temple will be destroyed and for the “signs” that would precede the 2nd coming and end of the age. Jesus then names several things that will happen that will not be signs (wars, etc.). He gives a “when” answer in Matthew 24:14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”” The preaching of the gospel to the whole Roman Empire would have to happen first and the end of the age would follow right after that. The apostles fulfilled that by 70 AD (Colossians 1:23) when the temple was destroyed. 

Daniel 9:24-27 had predicted the abomination and destruction of the temple in the 70 week prophecy. Daniel 12 also predicted the abomination of desolation to occur at the “end”, the “end time”, and the “end of the age”. That would be where the Jews got the idea of the “end of the age”. Jesus said that the abomination of desolation predicted by Daniel would occur after the gospel was preached to the whole world (Matthew 24:15). When would that be? In Matthew 24:34 Jesus said 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” The Greek word genea in the New Testament always means a 40 year period or the people living in a 40 year period. So the abomination of desolation of the temple had to occur within about 40 years of when Jesus said that. That means that he must be predicting the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD since he made that prediction in about 30 AD.

Luke 21 describes it differently and adds that Jerusalem itself will be trampled under foot by Gentiles (Romans) and destroyed: 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. 21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are inside the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled. 23 Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people; 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” But Luke puts the same time limit for the event to happen: 21:32 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.” Indeed the Romans did surround Jerusalem and siege it for 5 months before finally breaking through the 3 walls and destroying the city and the temple under Titus. 

Luke also adds, 21: 22 because these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled.” All Old Testament prophecies had to be fulfilled by 70 AD, and that would include Daniel’s predictions about the abomination of desolation and the end of the Age. 

Jesus adds a few warnings for the inhabitants of the city to flee hastily to the mountains when they see this sign coming true. He predicted a tribulation of the Jews like had never occurred. That tribulation would happen at the same time as the abomination of desolation. Matthew 21:21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again.” Daniel 12:1-2 also predicted this AD 70 tribulation that would occur at the end of the age in 70 AD. Many use this verse to predict a tribulation of Christians at some time in our future, but that is totally incorrect. The tribulation Jesus spoke of occurred in the suffering and killing of Jews by the Romans in the Wars of the Jews (66-70 AD) and In the siege and destruction of the temple in 70 AD. 

Jesus then predicts his 2nd coming that the disciples had asked for a sign of when that would happen (24:3). 24:29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” Notice that this 2nd coming would occur “immediately after the tribulation”. If the tribulation occurred in 70 AD, then the 2nd coming would be immediately after that, also in 70 AD. Jesus had already predicted that his 2nd coming would be within the lifetime of those he was talking to (Matthew 10:23; 16:27,28) so this prediction agrees with earlier predictions. He even said that some of those he was talking to would still be alive to see his 2nd coming in his kingdom (Matthew 16:28). He said in 24:30 that this 2nd coming would happen within that generation. Jesus had ascended in the clouds (Acts 1:9-11) and two angels told the apostles that he would return in the same way. Matthew 24:30 confirms that he came “on the clouds” in 70 AD. “Every eye will see him”: Revelation 1:7 describes the Second Coming of Jesus, stating: “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.” Matthew 24:30 “they will see” Jesus when he would come in 70 AD at his 2nd coming. Did every eye on the planet see Jesus coming in 70 AD? No, but the first century Jews saw that 70 AD was Jesus coming on the clouds to judge the Jews, especially those who crucified him, who would be killed by the Romans in 70 AD. The bottom line is that Matthew 24:30-34 said that they would see Jesus coming on the clouds at the 2nd coming within that generation, fulfilling the prediction that every eye will see him coming on the clouds.

But what about “the stars will fall from the sky” if this prediction in 70 AD? Did that happen literally in 70 AD. Of course not. But such figurative language was used often in the Old Testament describing judgments of nations. Isaiah 13 uses the same type of figurative language to describe the judgment of Babylon. Isaiah 13:10 “the stars will not flash their light, the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light”. So the stars falling was fulfilled figuratively in the 2nd coming in 70 AD. Many think that the stars will have to fall literally at some future 2nd coming but that is false. 

In Matthew 24:36-41 Jesus compares this imminent 2nd coming with the judgment of the world in the days of Noah. Just like the wicked before the flood, the wicked Jews would not heed Jesus’ warning about 70 AD. 24:37 For [ab]the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.” This is the same 2nd coming in 70 AD that he had just predicted. Many agree that up to verse 35 is predicting AD 70 but then they say verses 36-41 is predicting a 3rd coming that is still in our future. Where would such a new prediction of a 3rd coming come from since we now have 3 predictions (Matthew 10:23; 16:27,28; 24:30-34) by Jesus that his 2nd coming would be within that generation? Not only that, he says that, just like the flood, “two men will be taken and one left”. So who was “taken” at the flood? It was the wicked taken and the righteous (Noah and his family) that were left. This is totally opposite of what futurists teach will happen at some “rapture” at some future 2nd coming. They say the righteous will be taken and the wicked left, which is the opposite of what Jesus said would happen in 70 AD. Matthew 24 is predicting only one 2nd coming in 70 AD Even Jesus did not know the exact time and date, but he gave the signs to look for so the righteous Jews could escape the city before it was too lat. According to Eusebius, they Jewish Christians in the city did heed Jesus’ warnings and fled to Pella before 70 AD. 

This discussion of Matthew 24 doesn’t deal with every detail, but I hope it does correctly interpret Jesus’ comments. Some say that it does predict AD 70 but that it has a double fulfillment of a 3rd coming in our future, but such double fulfillments would make the original prediction meaningless. The prediction was that the 2nd coming would occur within that generation and that can’t be fulfilled a 2nd time going on 2000 years later. Some use this chapter to predict nothing but a future 2nd coming that is yet to happen, but that is false also. They say that the “generation” in Matthew 24:34 is some future “terminal generation, the last generation before the 2nd coming, instead of the generation living when Jesus spoke this. That is false also. I heard on TV preacher use 24:34 to say that the 2nd coming was imminent at the time he was speaking b/c he said it had to happen “within this generation” of about 40 years, i.e. the period the preacher was living in. If it meant that when the preacher lived, why did it not mean that when Jesus spoke it? 

AI: Associated with Daniel’s prophecies, this is widely viewed as a future, literal event where an ultimate world leader (the Antichrist) desecrates a rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.” Of course, for Matthew 24 to be fulfilled in our future, a 3rd temple would have to be built and many expect that to happen.

AI:”Beliefs about a Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem are rooted in Jewish eschatology and Christian end-times prophecy. Specific groups hold varying views on its construction:

  • Orthodox Judaism: Many believe a literal Third Temple will be built, and animal sacrifices will be reinstituted in the Messianic era. Organizations like the Temple Institute have actively prepared for this by recreating ritual objects and priestly garments. Traditional views dictate that this Temple will be built by the Messiah himself or descend miraculously from heaven. They do not expect this 3rd temple to be defiled or destroyed, as Christians believe, b/c they do not accept Jesus as the true Messiah and therefore reject his teachings in Matthew 24. 
  • Evangelical and Dispensational Christians: Many Christians (particularly premillennialists) believe a literal Third Temple must be built in Jerusalem prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. They interpret biblical prophecies as foretelling that the Antichrist will allow the Temple to be built, only to defile it mid-way through a seven-year tribulation period. They believe that 3rd temple will be destroyed. 
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Also known as the LDS Church, they believe that a Jewish temple will be built in Jerusalem in the last days, in addition to another temple to be built in Missouri.”

That just amazes me these groups all agree that a 3rd temple will be built but totally disagree on what will happen after that. The orthodox Jews believe that the temple will not be destroyed but will resume animal sacrifices and convert Gentiles to Judaism. They get this from Jeremiah 33:17 For this is what the Lord says: ‘David shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 and the Levitical priests shall not lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to prepare sacrifices continually.’” That does sound like what will happen if this was to be fulfilled literally. But if you are a Christian and believe in the New Testament, then you know that is not going to happen. The book of Hebrews clearly states that the animal sacrifices have ceased and we are saved by the blood of Jesus. God would never have us go back to animal sacrifices and Levitical priests like in the Old Covenant. All Christians are priests in the new covenant and not just one tribe of Judah who can’t even prove their genealogy today. So Jeremiah 33:17-18 is fulfilled figuratively and not literally in the new covenant. The sacrifices Christians offer as spiritual priests are praise, thanksgiving, and sharing with others instead of animal sacrifices. 

Then there are the Christians who mistakenly say Matthew 24 is still in our future, that a 3rd temple will be built and destroyed, and that Jesus’ 2nd coming will convert the Gentiles and Jews to Christianity. But they think the nation of Israel is somehow part of this happening so they promote the support of Israel. But God said that he was taking the kingdom from Israel and giving it to the spiritual kingdom, the church (Matthew 21:43). God wants all Jews to be saved by belief in Jesus but he is through with Israel as a nation. Strange bedfellows, the Jews and the Christians. Raising money together to build a 3rd temple but totally different plans for that temple and two totally different plans of salvation (one with Jesus and one with a future Messiah to come). Of course the Mormons have their cultish believe in two temples, one in Jerusalem and one in Missouri (why not Utah?) 

Let’s thrown in another kink. AI: “Shia Muslims do not believe that Jesus will rebuild the Jewish temple but they do believe that Jesus is coming back with the Imam Madhi. In Shia eschatology, the primary goal of Jesus’s return is to support the Imam Mahdi (the twelfth, hidden Shia Imam) in establishing global justice and to unite believers under Islam.

Key aspects of these beliefs include:

  • The Role of Jesus: Jesus (known as Isa in Islam) is a highly revered prophet and the Messiah. Upon his return, he is expected to pray behind Imam Mahdi, demonstrating the finality of Prophet Muhammad’s message and the leadership of the Imam.
  • Focus on Existing Holy Sites: Rather than building a new Jewish temple, the returned Jesus and Imam Mahdi are focused on defeating evil and restoring righteous rule and the conversion of all peoples and religions other Islam. The site of the former Jewish temple in Jerusalem is currently home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which are deeply sacred in Islam.
  • Islamic Prophecy: According to traditional Islamic sources, Jesus will fulfill his role by correcting misunderstandings about his life, confirming his status as a messenger, and guiding Christians and Jews to recognize the truth of Islam. He will tell Christians that they have been misled into believing that Jesus was the Son of God when he was just another prophet, not even the last prophet (Muhammed was the last prophet). Muhammed was very clear in the Koran that God did not have a Son and that the Christians had been deceived to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. 

MATTHEW CHAPTER 3

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CHAPTER 3. I would encourage you to pull up Matthew chapter 3 as you read this article and study questions.

1 How many years did John preach before he baptized Jesus?

AI: John the Baptist preached for about six months before he baptized Jesus. Historically and biblically, John was six months older than Jesus. According to tradition and Levitical principles, religious teachers began their public ministries around the age of 30. Consequently, John likely started his preaching and baptismal ministry in the wilderness at age 30, preceding Jesus’s own baptism by about half a year.

2 Is 40:3 is a predictive prophecy only fulfilled in John? The voice of one calling out, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

3 Did John do miracles? John 10:41-42 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this Man was true.” And many believed in Him there.

4 Why did so many Jews believe that John was a prophet even though he did no miracles to confirm that he was a prophet?

Matthew 21:23 When He entered the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 24 But Jesus responded and said to them, “I will also ask you one [z]question, which, if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John was from what source: from heaven or from men?” And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.” 27 And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.

AI: “Many first-century Jews viewed John the Baptist as a prophet—despite his lack of miracles—due to a “400-year drought” of prophecy, his compelling Elijah-like persona, and widespread spiritual readiness for an apocalyptic messenger.

Historically, this belief was driven by several distinct factors:

  • The Prophetic Drought: Prophecy was believed to have ceased in Israel centuries earlier with Malachi. When John appeared in the wilderness calling people to repentance, the sheer return of a bold, uncompromising prophetic voice electrified a weary populace. 
  • The “Elijah” Archetype: John dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt—the exact attire of the prophet Elijah. The Jewish people expected Elijah to return before the Messiah, and John’s location at the Jordan River matched these messianic expectations. Micah 4:5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and strike the land with complete destruction.”
  • Anointed Preaching: On Christian forums such as Christianity.StackExchange, users and theologians agree that his powerful, spirit-anointed speech convicted listeners’ hearts. His boldness in calling out the sins of everyday people and religious elites resonated deeply in a time of political and spiritual tension. 
  • The Symbolism of Baptism: Rather than requiring miracles, John’s introduction of mass ritual immersion in the Jordan River for the forgiveness of sins was seen as a potent sign of spiritual cleansing and national renewal. 
  • Vindication by Historical Events: According to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, when King Herod Antipas executed John and later lost a military battle to an enemy, the Jewish populace saw the military defeat as divine punishment for executing a holy man.”

5 What was John’s message?

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. Near: eggizó: To draw near, to approach, to come near. Is this near in God’s time frame? Notice “repent” is tied to “kingdom is near”. What does that imply about the meaning of “near”? The urgency. Study hard b/c I’m giving you a test soon. If the kingdom was not established soon after John and Jesus predicted that then they were false prophets. 

6 What was this kingdom of heaven that was near? 

Jesus also predicted that the kingdom of heaven was near: Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the gospel.”Daniel 2 had predicted that God would set up His kingdom in the days of the 4th empire, the legs of iron on the stature, which would be Rome, so the kingdom had to be established while Rome was still in power (Rome fell in 450 AD). Rome was ruling at the time John preached. That kingdom and long awaited Messiah and King would establish a spiritual kingdom. John 18:36 My kingdom is not of this world. That kingdom would be the church (church and kingdom are synonymous in Matthew 16:16-18).      Colossians 1:13 believers were translated into the kingdom of Jesus (the church).        Revelation 1:6 God made believers into a kingdom of spiritual priests. 

7 What was the baptism of John for? Mark 1:4: “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (KJV). Luke 3:3: “And he came into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

8 How long would it be used and valid? As of Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38 the baptism of the new covenant after Jesus died was in the name of Jesus. Acts 19:1-10 there were 12 disciples who were baptized with John’s baptism after it was no longer valid. Apollos (Acts 18:24-28) was a Christian preacher but for some reason was still preaching the baptism of John after it was no longer valid so he probably baptized these 12 disciples. Paul re-baptized the 12 men in the name of Jesus. Did those baptized with John’s baptism before Acts 2, before the new baptism started, have to be re-baptized in the name of Jesus? Surely some of those 3,000 baptized in Acts 2 in the name of Jesus had been baptized with John’s baptism? 

9 Who did John rebuke harshly and why?

AI: John the Baptist’s rebuke was specifically directed at the Pharisees and Sadducees , not the entirety of the Jewish population. In the biblical accounts, he condemned these specific religious leaders for hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and lack of genuine repentance.

The historical context and exact details of his message clarify this distinction:

The Metaphor of “Vipers”

  • Nature of the Term: John called them a “generation” or “brood of vipers” (poisonous snakes).
  • Theological Meaning: In biblical tradition, serpents and vipers were associated with deceit, danger, and Satan. John used this metaphor to highlight that these religious leaders bore evil, satanic qualities despite their outward appearance of righteousness. 
  • Scholarly Consensus: Scholars agree that John was directly condemning the hypocrisy of these leaders, who sought baptism not out of a repentant heart, but to maintain their status and escape God’s judgment. 

The Warning Against False Lineage

  • Relying on Heritage: The Pharisees and Sadducees believed they were secure in God’s favor simply because they were physical descendants of Abraham. 
  • John’s Rebuttal: John told them not to rely on their lineage, warning that God could “raise up children to Abraham from these stones”. He demanded that they produce “fruit in keeping with repentance”, meaning their inner faith had to be backed by righteous actions.

Who He Preached To

  • The General Crowds: In Luke 3:7-14, large crowds of regular Jewish people, tax collectors, and soldiers came to hear John and asked him, “What should we do then?” Instead of calling them vipers, John instructed them to share their resources, act with integrity, and avoid extortion.
  • The Opponents: The harsh judgment was reserved for the unrepentant leaders who opposed his message of humility and actively misled the people.

10 What do you admire about John the Baptist? His courage, humility (willing to play 2nd fiddle to Jesus), dedication to his calling, sacrifice (tough lifestyle), perseverance, he was beheaded for condemning a marriage. What if God called you to such a job? Do we need some of John’s preaching today for America, for the church? 

11 What was the “wrath to come” he warned them about? Was that AD 70 and the judgment on the Jews that killed one million Jews? The “axe already at the root of the Jews” also indicates imminency. 

12 What was the baptism of the Spirit that Jesus would baptize with?

Acts 1:4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” What did they receive? Miraculous speaking in tongues in Acts 2.    Acts 2:33 Therefore, since He has been exalted at the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.” Baptism is immersion. The HS was “poured out” in Acts 2, immersing (baptizing) the apostles in the HS. Acts 2:17 Joel had predicted that the HS would be poured out on all believers in the last days (30-70 AD), referring to the miraculous gifts (again, immersing them in the HS). 

Cornelius also received the baptism of the HS. Acts 10:45 All theJewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles.” Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 Therefore, if God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

The fact that the HS was to be poured out on all believers in the last days indicates to me that the baptism of the HS was the pouring out of the HS miraculous gifts during the last days. The apostles received a greater miraculous portion of that pouring out. They received inspiration. I don’t believe that we have the baptism of the HS today after 70 AD.

13 What was the baptism of fire that Jesus would baptize with? Hint: 3:10 mentioned trees being cast into the fire. 3:12 the chaff were burned up with fire. The baptism of fire was the judgment on the Jews in 70 AD killing one milliion wicked Jews. Some groups taught that the baptism of fire was a good thing:

AI: Pentecostals & Holiness Groups: Many denominations within the Holiness and Pentecostal movements (such as the International Pentecostal Holiness Church) explicitly teach that the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire is an empowering, sanctifying experience that comes after water baptism. They associate this “fire” with intense spiritual zeal and often link it to the outward sign of speaking in tongues as recorded in Acts 2.

Charismatics: Contemporary Charismatic groups often emphasize a “baptism of fire” as a refining process that burns away worldly habits and empowers believers to boldly preach and serve.

Historical Church Fathers: In the early Church, theologians like Origen and Gregory of Nyssa taught that God’s fire was restorative. They viewed the baptism of fire as a necessary, loving purification of the soul—either in this life or the afterlife—to purge away sin and reconcile all people to God.”

This pouring out of the HS on believers was promised in Isaiah 43:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, And My For I will pour water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring.”

14 Why was John so reluctant to baptize Jesus? How long had he known Jesus? He was Jesus’ second cousin and roughly 6 months older. While they likely knew of each other as family, John did not fully recognize Jesus’ divine identity until Jesus’ baptism when he saw the Spirit descend on Jesus. . 

John 1:29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He in behalf of whom I said, ‘After me is coming a Man who has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’ 31 And I did not recognize Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 And John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”Their active ministries overlapped for roughly 1 to 3 years before John was imprisoned and beheaded.”

Apparently John knew Jesus’ upright character and didn’t think that Jesus even needed a baptism for repentance and remission of sins. Have you ever known someone that you think is flawless? 

15 Why did Jesus insist on John baptizing him? He said it was to “fulfill all righteousness”. What does that mean?

16 What did Jesus receive when he was baptized by John? 

Isaiah 42:1: Records God’s promise: “I will put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring justice to the nations” Isaiah 61:1: Foretells that the “Spirit of the Lord GOD” is upon the Anointed One.  Acts 10:38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. He received miraculous power. He did no miracles until he was baptized.

17 What miracles did the apocryphal 2nd century Infancy Gospel of Thomas claim that the boy Jesus did?

At age 5, Jesus shaped twelve sparrows from soft clay on the Sabbath. When criticized, he clapped his hands, gave the birds breath, and told them to fly away. He resurrected playmates who had died from falls or fatal illnesses, and once commanded a dead workman to stand up and continue his labor. Jesus healed the foot of a young woodcutter who had severed it with an axe, and also cured his brother James from a venomous snakebite. To assist Joseph with his carpentry, Jesus miraculously stretched a short piece of wood to the exact length Joseph required.Jesus planted a single grain of wheat that yielded an impossible 100 bushels of grain. Unlike the canonical Gospels, the Infancy Gospel also includes darker miracles. When angered, young Jesus cursed a boy who knocked over his play pools causing him to wither and die, and temporarily blinded parents and community members who criticized his actions.

IS CONDEMNATON OF HOMOSEXUALITY BASED ON FAULTY TRANSLATIONS OF GREEK WORDS???????

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A friend and fellow believer asked me to do a blog article on the same sex issue, so here it is. She commented that the LGBTQ advocates keep talking about the mistranslation of words that supposedly condemn homosexuality. There are two of Paul’s passages that conservatives say condemn homosexuality. 1 Corinthians 6:’9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals (arsenokoites: Homosexual, sodomite, a male who lies with a male as with a female. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon),  10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Timothy 1:9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, homosexuals (arsenokoites: Homosexual, sodomite), slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.”

In all openness, here is the pro LGBTQ argument that Paul is not condemning homosexuality, but instead certain typed of deviant sexual behavior. Their argument is based on what they say the original meaning of the Greek word Arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖται) was.

LGBTQ supporters and progressive theologians argue that New Testament Greek words historically translated as “homosexual” actually condemned exploitative practices like pederasty, temple prostitution, or abusive sexual acts rather than consensual same-sex relationships. This historical debate centers heavily on the word Arsenokoitai found in the writings of the Apostle Paul (in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10).

1. Arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖται)

  • Literal Meaning: A compound of arsen (male) and koite (bed/sex), literally meaning “men who lie with a male”.
  • LGBTQ Perspective: Scholars argue this term is a Jewish-Greek adaptation of Leviticus prohibition language (Greek Septuagint). They contend it originally referred to specific abusive acts like pederasty (relations between older men and young boys), male prostitution, or economic exploitation, rather than a modern, loving gay relationship.
  • Historical Note: Critics of the traditional translation frequently cite the 1946 release of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) as the first major Bible translation to use the word “homosexual” for arsenokoitai, a term that did not exist in the English language until the late 19th century. Prior to 1946, it was often translated as “abusers of themselves with mankind,” “sodomites,” or “boy molesters”.

3. The Overall Consensus
While conservative theologians and certain translation committees maintain that the original Greek terms broadly encompass all same-sex sexual activity, many scholars agree that the cultural, ethical, and historical context of the ancient world is fundamentally different from modern understandings of LGBTQ identities and marriage. Determining the exact original intent of these words remains an active area of linguistic and historical research.”

I am not a Greek scholar. I rely on Thayer’s Greek Lexicon to tell me what the word originally meant, and Thayer’s says that it meant “homosexual; a male who lies with a male as with a female”. But let’s suppose we can’t be sure about what it meant in the first century. Is there any other way to determine if Paul is saying that homosexuality is a sin? Yes. The answer to that is found in Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” To me, this is clear. There are no Greek words to quibble over. There is nothing in this text about the forbidden sin being men with boys: this is men with men, women with women. How can advocate of homosexuality argue around this? So how do pro homosexual advocates explain this text? AI: “Homosexual advocates and affirming theologians interpret Romans 1:26–27 as a condemnation of unrestrained lust, pagan idolatry, and exploitative practices (like adult men having sex with boys) rather than a universal prohibition against loving, monogamous same-sex relationships.” I’m sorry but that explanation is putting a twist on the text that is just not there. Again, Paul clearly condemns sex between men with men and women with women. Paul calls this homosexual relations “changes the natural use into that which is against nature”. I know that the pro homosexuality advocates will say “there are many examples in nature of what looks like homosexual activity”. That might be true, but “in nature, reproduction strictly requires both male (sperm) and female (egg) genetic contributions. Because standard homosexual sex cannot produce both types of gametes, two males or two females cannot naturally bear offspring together” (AI). So what is the natural use of the sex organs that God created males and females with? So what is the God given model for sexual relations? A man with a woman. I mean you only have to look at the sex organs of a male and a female to figure that out! The male sex organ fits into the female sex organ. That is nature as God designed it. That is why God designed marriage in Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” What does “become one flesh” mean? 1 Corinthians 6 says that is sex between two people. 6:16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” (quoting Genesis 2:24).

Often the conservatives will quote the Old Testament condemnation of homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Leviticus 20:13: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.” But many argue that these verses target specific ancient practices—such as cultic prostitution, pederasty, or violations of societal honor—rather than modern, loving same-sex relationships. I’m sorry, but again: ” a man lies with a man as with a woman” looks pretty clear to condemn homosexuality. But then the homosexual advocates make this argument: passages like Leviticus 19:19 say that it is condemned to wear a garment of two kinds of material mixed together (like my polyester/cotton shirt), and yet Christians don’t believe that we have to obey that under the new covenant. They argue, “why would you enforce the law against homosexuality and not enforce the law about a mixed material garment? They argue that conservatives just pick and choose which verses in the Old Testament are binding on us today. I feel that there is a big difference between not wearing a shirt with mixed material and men having sex with men. But for the sake of argument, we don’t need the old covenant Law of Moses condemnation of homosexuality to argue that homosexuality is a sin. Romans 1:26-27 is sufficient.

Isn’t Romans 1:26-27 clearly condemning homosexuality? Does’t Paul clearly call homosexuality “degrading passions” (1:26), and “depraved minds” (1:28)? Paul is saying that homosexuality was maybe the final depraved sin that caused God to give the Gentiles over to their degrading pasions. Adultery (sexual immorality where marriage is involved) is wrong. Fornication (sexual immorality where marriage is not involved) is wrong. But homosexual sex is crossing a bigger more serious line. It shows that not just the passions are degraded but the mind is degraded b/c it says that homosexuality is not even a sin. That’s where our cultrue is today!

I hope this article has been a fair discussion, even giving the opposing views on homosexuality. The last debate might be over whether Paul was speaking by inspiration the words of God through the Holy Spirit or was he jsut expressing his homophobic opinions on the matter. In other words, do we have to obey what Paul wrote in Romans 1:26-27 even if we conclude that he is condemning homosexuality? Paul has been recognized as an apostle by Christians, churches, and church fathers since the first century. One of the requirements to be an apostle was to have seen the resurrected Jesus (Acts 1:21-22) and Paul saw the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus to imprison Jewish Christians (Acts 9). Seeing the resurrected Jesus is the only thing that could have changed Paul from being a persecutor of Christans to an apostle to the Gentiles who was martyred for his testimony of the resurrection. He had nothing to gain by becoming an apostle; instead, he lost everything he had in Judaism. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:12 The distinguishing marks of a true apostle were performed among you (by me, Paul) with all perseverance, by signs, wonders, and miracles.” Apparently all the churches accepted Paul as a true apostle. Not one of the original 12 apostles, but a true apostle to the Gentiles. Some Jewish Christians tried to discredit his apostleship, but he defended his apostleship quite well. Then there is the affirmation of the apostle Peter. Surely all Christians believe that Peter was a true apostle (some even think he was the first Pope). Read what Peter said about Paul’s writings in 2 Peter 3:15 just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” Notice that Peter is saying that Paul’s letters are Scripture. That’s the word used many times of the old testament inspired writings. Peter is putting the letters of Paul on the same authority as old testament scripture. So if someon accepts Peter as an apostle, which most everyone does, then they should accept Paul’s letters as inspirred by the Spirit.

I thnk that wraps it up. Thanks for reading. I hope the arguments are clear and logical. I hope they are truth.

PONDERINGS ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS FROM MY WIFE!!! VERY, VERY GOOD!!!

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The following was written by my wife and is super good. She is much, much more verbal, creative, etc. than I am (as you will see when you read it). My blog on Matthew chapter 1 was on the birth of Jesus.

“Ponderings on the birth of Jesus – How might conversations have gone?
Here’s a young Jewish girl, Mary, probably about 14 or 15 years old, when one day an angel
named Gabriel appears to her and announces a message from God. God calls her “highly
favored” and says has chosen her – out of all the women in Judah – a teenager – to conceive
and bear the Son of God, Savior of the world. She is afraid, incredulous, very troubled at his
words – “How can this be? I am a virgin”. Gabriel reassures her that she has favor with God and
that she will indeed bear His son. The Son who will reign on the throne of David and whose
kingdom will never end. Gabriel also announces to Mary that her relative Elizabeth is going to
bear a son in her old age. “Nothing is impossible with God” says Gabriel. Mary finally says, “I am
the Lord’s servant. Let it happen to me just as you have said.” Gabriel leaves her. What is she
thinking right now?


Mary is pledged to be married to Joseph. Probably within the year. Maybe they have already
seen the rabbi and set a date for the ceremony? What will she say to Joseph? When does she
tell him about Gabriel’s words to her? Does she tell her mother and father? What will they
think? Will they believe her?


It appears her parents sent her off the be with Elizabeth at this point. Maybe they were thinking
some time should go by and maybe Mary would change her story? Maybe they hoped she
would miscarry and avoid all the complications of an “unplanned” pregnancy? At any rate,
Mary goes to the hill country and spends the next three months with her cousin Elizabeth who
has conceived a child in her old age who will become John the Baptizer. And Elizabeth confirms
what the angel Gabriel has told Mary – the tiny embryo growing inside her womb is indeed the
son of God, divine in every way yet human as well.


Mary returns home to Nazareth after John’s birth, now 3 months pregnant – maybe just
beginning to show a little “baby bump.” Has she felt the flutter of the little feet kicking yet?
She must tell Joseph. Face to face. What will he say? How will he react? She knows he is a good
man – if God has chosen her to be the mother of the Messiah, surely, He chose Joseph as well to
be his earthly father.


Who knows? Perhaps the conversation went something like, “Joseph, you know I love you very
much. Do you think we can move up the wedding a few months? – Why? – Well, you probably
won’t believe this, but, and angel of God, he said his name was Gabriel, appeared to me and
told me something incredible. You know how our women through the ages have hoped to be
mother of the promised Messiah? – Yes, it would be the highest honor for a woman. – Well,
this Gabriel told me that I am chosen. – Chosen?? – Yes, chosen to bear the Son of God, the
Messiah we have all been waiting for. I am still in shock. – You are in shock? What about me?
What does this mean?


I don’t know Mary – that sounds far-fetched. How do you know this person was telling the
truth? Where did he go? I want to talk to him. – Joseph, I don’t know where he is now, but my
parents are willing to move the date up – they don’t want a lot of talk.

Joseph may have said, “Let me go home and think this out – it’s going to be a scandal. A good
girl from a good family – pregnant before marriage? How does that make me look? What
shame on my family? I don’t know, Mary, this is not a good way to start out – the whole village
will gossip. This is not good.”


Mary may have replied, “But Joseph, how can we not obey God? You said yourself just now that
it is an honor for a woman to be chosen as the mother of our Messiah – and as unbelievable as
it sounds, I did see an angel, he told me his name was Gabriel, and he did speak those words to
me – “You are highly favored of God” – You will bear a son – and Joseph, we are to name him
JESUS, Gabriel said.”


“I’ll be back tomorrow – let me sleep on this – it’s a lot to take in, Mary.” Joseph goes home,
heavy hearted. How could Mary do this to him and his family? Has she really been with another
man? What is this business about an angel? I just don’t know about that that incredible story
she has told. An angel told her she would be the mother of the promised Messiah. Really? Even
if I believe it, certainly no one else will. What will the elders of our village say? What are we
going to do?


His heart very troubled, Joseph decides that he will divorce sweet Mary quietly, not wanting to
cause her shame or worse. However, that night Gabriel appears to Joseph in a dream and tells
him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife; that her child is indeed the son of God, conceived
by the Holy Spirit, and he confirms that all Mary has told him is true. Joseph, a righteous man
who loves God, joyfully returns to Mary’s house in the morning and arranges to marry her right
away.

Thoughts – Jesus became human so that we could see God. The God of creation has always
been unapproachable by humans, so the incarnate son of God, Jesus, not only came to redeem
humanity, but also to allow humanity to touch God. To converse with God. To have a personal
relationship with the Creator. To eat and drink with him. To have complete fellowship. To be
comforted by and guided by him. To have him not only as redeemer but as a friend. A brother.
The unapproachable became approachable. God came near.


For centuries God has been ‘far away’ – a rule maker, a deity to be appeased with sacrifices,
someone to be obeyed at cost of life…now, with the coming of Jesus, God is still to be obeyed
but because we want to, not because we must. Because of Jesus’ love for us, we willingly give
our lives as a sacrifice of love, not of compulsion or rule keeping. We can enjoy a relationship
with God, Paradise restored in a way; the Garden that was lost after Adam and Eve sinned is
now ours, and we can walk and talk with God in full fellowship because of Jesus.


What a beautiful plan – no wonder angels longed to know God’s plan for humanity.” (End of her article).

Wow! Good stuff. AI: The method of putting yourself in the emotions and situations of biblical characters is most commonly referred to as imaginative identification, experiential reading, or Ignatian contemplation. Sounds like what she did. I should start letting her write my blog articles. Don’t comment on that comment.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 2: STUDY QUESTIONS

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CH 2

1 What do you know about Herod, King of the Jews? Show incredible journey video.    Was he really capable of slaughtering the babies in Bethlehem? 

Watch The incredible journey 28 min video of King Herod

2 Why was “all Jerusalem” troubled by news of birth of Jesus? 

AI: Jerusalem was troubled by Jesus’ birth primarily because the Magi’s announcement of a newborn “King of the Jews” directly threatened the rule of King Herod the Great and raised widespread fears of retaliatory violence and political upheaval. 

The joint anxiety of King Herod and the people of Jerusalem stemmed from a few key factors:

  • Herod’s Paranoia and Loss of Power: Herod held his throne by Roman decree, not through legitimate Jewish lineage. Historically, he was incredibly ruthless and paranoid, famously executing members of his own family and inner circle if he perceived them as threats to his power. The news of an prophesied, rightful “King” put him on high alert. 
  • Fear of Bloody Retaliation: The citizens of Jerusalem were terrified because they knew that when Herod panicked, mass bloodshed and instability usually followed. The populace knew that a threatened king often meant violence, a fear that was later realized in the Slaughter of the Innocents. 
  • Disruption of the Status Quo: The religious and political leaders in Jerusalem had built their security on maintaining favor with Herod and Rome. A new Messiah could spark Roman intervention, war, or an uprising, all of which jeopardized their positions of power

Two types of fulfillment of OT prophesy: Predictive (one and only one event predicted and fulfilled). Analogy: An event in the NT similar to an event in OT (Hosea 11:1). 

Micah 5:2 is predictive. Such predictions were used to proved Jesus as Messiah.

Can you name some other such prophecies that Jesus fulfilled proving that he was the Messiah?

These are the prophecies that Paul used in the synagogue in Thessalonica in Acts 17 showing the prophecies and then showing how Jesus fulfilled every one of them.

Acts 17:1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah”. “Giving evidence” in the Greek is paratithémi: To place beside, to set before, to entrust, to commit. It is listing the OT Messianic predictions and then “placing beside” that list the fulfillment of each prediction by Jesus.

3 What does it tell you about the collection of OT scrolls that had been collected by the time the scribes searched for the birthplace of Jesus? There had been a 400 silent year period of no prophets and no inspired writings, but this shows that all the 39 OT books were collected by about 400 BC. 

4 Who were these magi from the east? 

AI: The Magi were ancient scholars, often believed to be Persian or Babylonian astronomers and priests. The Bible does not state their number, but early traditions claim three. The origin of the “star” is heavily debated, with theories ranging from a supernatural light to rare planetary alignments.

Who Were the Magi?

  • Scholars & Astrologers: The term Magi refers to a class of highly educated wise men from the ancient East. They were likely a hereditary caste of priests or astrologers from ancient Persia or Babylon (modern-day Iran and Iraq).
  • Not Kings: The Bible refers to them as “wise men,” not kings. The tradition that they were kings arose later from interpretations of Old Testament prophecies about nations bringing gifts to a ruler.
  • The Number Three: Tradition assumes there were three Magi, which stems directly from the mention of three specific gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
  • Why They Traveled: Because these scholars also studied ancient history and literature, it is highly likely they had access to Jewish writings from the time when Jews were exiled in Babylon hundreds of years prior. This gave them an understanding of prophecies regarding the birth of a Jewish king. Maybe they studied Numbers 24:17 (the 4th of Balaam’s prophecies)

5 What was that star that led them to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem? 

AI: Because the “star” of Bethlehem performed unusual actions (e.g., appearing, disappearing, and moving to hover over a specific house), theologians and historians generally attribute its origin to one of three possibilities: 

  • A Supernatural Phenomenon: The most common view among Christians is that the star was a miraculous, divinely created light meant specifically to guide the Magi to Jesus.
  • Planetary Conjunction: Astronomers have long hypothesized that the star was actually a rare, highly visible conjunction of planets (such as Jupiter and Saturn in 7–6 BC). To astrologers of the ancient world, this type of celestial event would have held profound cosmic significance.
  • A Comet or Supernova: Another popular theory is that the Magi observed an exploding star (supernova) or a bright, slow-moving comet, both of which would have been dramatic enough to prompt a months-long journey across the desert.

6 Why did the star not lead them directly to Bethlehem instead of Jerusalem first? Would that not have saved all the babies killed in Bethlehem? Could God have avoided this? Why didn’t he?

7 How do you think the wise men felt when they found baby Jesus? Would you like to have been one of the 3 magi? Where was the baby when they found him? Was he in the stable where he was born? Were there shepherds there? So how accurate is the typical nativity scene? 

God warned Joseph to take his family to Egypt but God allowed Herod to kill all the 2 and under babies in Bethlehem. What kind of a God would do that? ‘

8 How long did Joseph stay in Egypt? 

AI: The exact duration of the Holy Family’s stay in Egypt is not specified in the Bible, but most biblical scholars estimate it lasted between a few months and about three years They fled to escape King Herod’s massacre and stayed until they received word of Herod’s death in 4 BC. 

Different traditions offer varying timeframes for the sojourn: 

  • Biblical Scholars: Generally agree the exile was relatively short—typically from a few months to around two years, as Jesus was still a young toddler. 
  • Coptic Tradition: Suggests a longer stay, with the Coptic Orthodox Church traditionally commemorating the stay at about three and a half years. 
  • Apocryphal Texts: Ancient writings offer estimates spanning anywhere from one to seven years

9 Was Jesus born in the year 0?

AI: Historically and chronologically, Jesus was not born in the year zero  In fact, there is no year zero in our standard calendar system; the calendar goes directly from 1 BC to 1 AD. 

Scholars and historians widely agree on the following key points regarding the timeline:

  • Likely Birth Window: Modern historians and biblical scholars calculate that Jesus was actually born between 6 BC and 4 BC.
  • The Reason for the Error: The AD/BC calendar was devised in 525 AD by a Roman monk named Dionysius Exiguus. He attempted to calculate the year of Christ’s birth to establish a “Year of Our Lord”. However, he made a miscalculation, basing his math on the reign of King Herod the Great, who is now known to have died in 4 BC. Since Herod was alive during the biblical infancy narratives, Jesus had to be born before 4 BC. 
  • No Year Zero: Dionysius did not include a year zero because the number zero did not exist in Roman numerals. Therefore, time transitions directly from 1 BC to 1 AD in the traditional calendar system. 

Because of these discrepancies, many modern academic and historical texts use BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) to denote time, which avoids the inaccuracies and religious implications of the traditional system. 

10 Was Hosea 11:1 a predictive or analogy prophecy? Read Hosea 11. It is obviously talking about Israel coming out of Egyptian slavery. Therefore Joseph bringing Jesus out of Egypt must just be an analogy, similar event to Israel coming out of Egypt. It was not a direct prediction of Joseph and Egypt.

11 Why did Herod choose the babies 2 and under based on the time the magi came? 

Many estimate that the baby Jesus was 6 months old when the magi found him in a house (not a stable). Herod found out that they had deceived him and left to go back to the East. So he would have estimated baby Jesus to be less than a year, but to make sure he was killed, Herod killed all the children under 2.

12 Was Jeremiah 31:15 of Rachel’s weeping a predictive or analogy fulfillment? 

AI: Jeremiah 31:15 is an Old Testament lament where the symbolic mother of Israel, Rachel, weeps inconsolably for her lost and exiled children. The verse illustrates deep, agonizing grief but serves as an emotional backdrop for God’s impending promise of redemption, comfort, and eventual restoration. 

Historical & Symbolic Meaning (Old Testament)

  • The Context: The prophet Jeremiah spoke this message to the people of Judah before they were exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 
  • Who is Rachel? Rachel was a beloved matriarch of Israel (mother of Joseph and Benjamin). Her historical burial site was located near Ramah and Bethlehem. 
  • The Symbolism: Jeremiah personifies Rachel rising from her grave to weep bitterly as she watches her descendants (the Israelites) being captured, enslaved, and torn from their homeland. She refuses to be comforted because her children are “no more”.
  • The Hope: Although verse 15 focuses on unimaginable tragedy, the verses immediately following (Jeremiah 31:16-17) shift to a message of comfort. God promises Rachel that her weeping will end and that her children will eventually return from “the land of the enemy”.

Prophetic Fulfillment (New Testament)

  • Matthew 2:16-18: In the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew quotes this exact verse. 
  • The Context: Matthew applies the verse to the “Massacre of the Innocents”. When King Herod ordered the execution of all male toddlers in and around Bethlehem in an attempt to destroy the infant Jesus, the mothers of Bethlehem experienced inconsolable grief.
  • The Connection: Matthew uses Jeremiah’s lament to show that Rachel’s ancient weeping is echoed in the horrific suffering of the Bethlehem mothers, linking the historical sorrow of exile with the tragic sacrifices surrounding the birth of the Messiah. 

13 How was the land divided among the sons of Herod after he died? Archelaus got control of Judea.

14 What OT prophecy predicted that Jesus would be called a Nazarene?

AI: There is no single verse in the Old Testament that directly states, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” In fact, Nazareth is never mentioned in the Old Testament.

When Matthew writes in Matthew 2:23 that Jesus lived in Nazareth “so that what was said through the prophets might be fulfilled,” biblical scholars broadly agree that he is summarizing a prophetic theme rather than quoting a single text.

The main theories explain what Matthew might have meant:

  • The Messianic “Branch” (Netser): The Hebrew word for “Branch” or “sprout” is netser, which sounds very similar to Nazareth in Aramaic and Hebrew. This concept of the Messiah as a branch shooting up from the stump of Jesse is found in prophecies like Isaiah 11:1. 
  • The “Despised” One: First-century Judeans generally looked down on the region of Galilee, and especially the obscure, tiny village of Nazareth. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (Nathaniel) Calling Jesus a “Nazarene” carried a stigma of being insignificant or scorned. Matthew links this to Old Testament prophecies where the Messiah would be rejected and despised by his own people, such as Psalm 22:6-7 and Isaiah 53:3.

Jesus not only identified with humanity by coming to our world; He also identified with the lowly of this world. His upbringing in an obscure and despised town served as an important part of His mission. Jesus identified Himself as “Jesus of Nazareth” during His encounter with Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:7–8). After his conversion, Paul mentioned Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 26:9). One of the names of the early Christians was “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5), and the term Nasara, meaning “Nazarene,” is still used today by Muslims to identify a Christian.

15 Where did Joseph and Mary live during the betrothal period?

AI: Joseph and Mary lived in the Galilean town of Nazareth during their betrothal. In first-century Jewish tradition, a betrothal was a legally binding contract, but the couple did not yet live together. Consequently, Mary resided at her parents’ home in Nazareth, while Joseph likely lived with his parents or prepared their future home. So after they left Egypt, they went back to where they lived during the betrothal period.

16 Did Joseph and Mary find out about the slaughter of the babies? If so, how did they feel? 

17 What does Luke add about the birth of Jesus that is not found in Matthew?

Luke’s Gospel provides a much more detailed historical narrative of the birth of Jesus. His unique additions include the annunciation to Mary, the worldwide Roman census, the journey to Bethlehem, the manger birth, the angelic appearance to the shepherds, and Jesus’ dedication at the Temple. 

Specific details found only in Luke include:

  • The Announcement to Mary: The angel Gabriel appears to Mary in Nazareth to announce she will conceive. (Matthew focuses solely on the angel appearing to Joseph in a dream.) 
  • The Roman Census: Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for a decree by Caesar Augustus. 
  • The Manger & Inn: Because there was no room at the inn, Jesus is laid in a manger after birth. 
  • The Shepherds: An angel and a heavenly host announce the birth to local shepherds, who then visit the infant. 
  • Temple Dedication: Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple for purification 8 days after birth (where Simeon and Anna praise the baby). 
  • The Magnificat: Mary’s famous song of praise (Luke 1:46-55).
  • The Birth of John the Baptist: Luke dedicates his opening chapter to the miraculous conception and birth of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin. 

MATTHEW 1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

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I am teaching a class on Wednesday night studying the gospel of Matthew using my combination of study/discussion questions and a lot of AI research. So I thought it might be good for blog readers to start following this study of all 28 chapters of Matthew chapter by chapter. So today I start with my chapter 1 questions and notes. I suggest that you have Matthew 1 open to read as you go through this.

MATTHEW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

CH 1 

1 Why were the genealogy tables so important to the Jews?

AI: Genealogies were incredibly important to Matthew because they provided legal and theological proof that Jesus was the promised Jewish Messiah. By tracing Jesus’ lineage back to Abraham and David, Matthew anchored Christianity in concrete history and demonstrated that Jesus fulfilled centuries of Old Testament prophecy. Matthew’s genealogy served four main purposes:

  • Messianic Legitimacy: To claim the throne of Israel, a claimant required a verifiable royal lineage. Matthew traced Jesus through the kingly line of David (via Solomon) to show that Jesus held the legal right to be the Messiah.
  • Connection to the Covenants: By tracing the lineage to Abraham, Matthew highlighted that Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s seed.
  • Theological Structure: Matthew arranged the genealogy into three distinct sets of 14 generations (14 being the numerical value of the Hebrew letters for “David”). This mathematical symmetry acted as a “sermon” to his primarily Jewish audience, visually demonstrating that history was tightly ordered by God, moving perfectly from Abraham to the monarchy, to the exile, and finally to Christ.
  • A Gospel for All People: Matthew intentionally included four women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba) in his list—a highly unusual practice for ancient patriarchal records. These women included Gentiles and those with complicated pasts. This signaled immediately that Jesus’ kingdom would include outcasts, Gentiles, and be open to the whole world

2 How long were the generations in the 42 generations in Matthew 1?

AI: God renamed Abram, who was born in 2167 BC, “Abraham” in 2068 BC when he was “ninety-nine years old” (Genesis 17:1); David was crowned king in 1010 BC; the southern kingdom of Judah was deported to Babylon in 586 BC; and Jesus was born about 6 BC (see When was Jesus born?). This means that the first set of “fourteen generations” in Matthew 1:17 covered 1,058 years (2068 BC to 1010 BC), the second set of “fourteen generations” covered 424 years (1010 BC to 586 BC), and the third set of “fourteen generations” covered about 580 years (586 BC to 6 BC).

So 1,058 + 424 + 580 =2,062 years from Abraham to Jesus. An average of 2,062/42 = 50 year generations although the 2nd and 3rd 14 were shorter and averaged 1,004/28 = 36 year generations.

3 What did a Jewish betrothal involve?

AI: In traditional Jewish law, a betrothal (kiddushin) is the legally binding first stage of marriage, establishing the couple as husband and wife While modern engagements are merely social promises, historical Jewish betrothal required a formal legal act.

A Jewish betrothal traditionally involved three binding legal and financial components:

  • The Act of Acquisition (Kiddushin): The groom gave the bride an object of value, such as a coin or the traditional wedding band, or a formal written document (shtar), accompanied by the declaration: “You are hereby consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel”.
  • The Marriage Contract (Ketubah): Signed before or during the ceremony, this document served as a binding prenuptial agreement detailing the husband’s financial obligations to his wife. It guaranteed her financial support during the marriage and specified a settlement to be paid in the event of divorce or the husband’s death.
  • Conditions of the Engagement (Tena’im): Separate from the ketubah, these terms were the stipulations laid out between the two families. They outlined the dowry, wedding date, and financial penalties to be paid if either party broke the engagement before the final wedding ceremony (nissuin).

In antiquity, the betrothal lasted about a year, during which the groom prepared a home for the couple. Although legally married, the couple could not live together or consummate the marriage until the final nissuin ceremony took place. Because the betrothal was legally binding, dissolving it required a formal religious divorce (get), even if the marriage had never been consummated.

4 What were the emotions that Joseph had during this?

5 What were the emotions Mary had? 

6 How long from the conception of Mary by the Holy Spirit until Joseph married her?

7 How many months of the one year betrothal had passed before the conception?

8 Did Mary tell Joseph about her pregnancy before or after the 3 month visit to Elizabeth

It is possible that 6 months of the one year betrothal had passed before the conception. And then after the 3 months with Elizabeth, Mary then tells Joesph she is pregnant. And Joesph immediately marries her while she is 3 month pregnant barely showing Which might help with the reaction of relatives and friends not knowing Mary conceived before marriage. .

9 How much did her friends and relatives know about the conception before marriage? 

It seems that Joseph married her quickly after the angel appeared to him, and it would have been strange if he married her months before the one year ended. Did Mary tell her parents she was pregnant? Did they send her away to Elizabeth? 

10 Was the prophecy of the virgin birth in Isaiah 7:14 only fulfilled in Jesus’ birth?

Review the history of the virgin birth prophecy from Isaiah 7-8. 

The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 originates during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (circa 734–732 BC), when the Kingdom of Judah was threatened by an invading alliance of Israel and Syria.

AI: The Historical Context (8th Century BC)

  • The Crisis: King Rezin of Aram (Syria) and King Pekah of Israel launched a joint military campaign to siege Jerusalem. Their goal was to overthrow Judah’s King Ahaz, who refused to join their coalition against the expanding Assyrian Empire.
  • The Fear: King Ahaz and the people of Judah were terrified, believing their utter destruction was imminent.
  • The Message of Reassurance: God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell Ahaz to remain calm, promising that the enemy coalition would fail.
  • The Sign: To prove this, Isaiah offered King Ahaz a miraculous sign. When Ahaz hypocritically refused to ask for one, God provided one anyway: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, NIV).

The Near-Term Fulfillment

Scholars debate the exact identity of the child in Isaiah’s time, but the prophecy carried an immediate message of timekeeping:

  • Timeline Marker: The sign stated that before this newly conceived child reached the age of knowing right from wrong (weaned, age 2 or 3?), the northern threats to Judah would be completely dismantled.
  • Historical Result: This came to pass just a few years later when the Assyrian Empire intervened, destroying Damascus and conquering the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This coincided with the birth of a child to Isaiah by a prophetess. We assume he married a prophetess and it was a natural birth. 

The Original Hebrew Word: ‘Almah‘

A major point of historical and theological debate centers on the Hebrew word used in the original text: ‘almah.

  • In ancient Hebrew, ‘almah translates to “young woman” or “maiden”. While young unmarried women in that culture were presumed to be virgins, the word itself does not strictly denote virginity (the distinct Hebrew word for a literal virgin is betulah). But the prophecy of the birth of a child to a “maiden” in 7:14 was made before Isaiah married a prophetess and had a child by natural birth. So young maiden who most likely was a virgin when the prophesy was made then married and had a child by natural birth. 
  • Thus it appears that Isaiah 7:14 was only predicting the birth of Isaiah’s child. So in Matthew 1 says 22 Now all this [u]took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled and then he quotes Isaiah 7:14.
  • This is a fulfillment by analogy. There are two ways OT prophecy was fulfilled:    1) A one and one only event like Micah 5:2           2) Fulfilled by analogy: a similar event to the OT event, such as Hosea 11:1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” Historically, this refers to God rescuing the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt during the Exodus. Yet Matthew 2:15, Matthew applies this verse to the infant Jesus returning from Egypt after escaping King Herod’s massacre. The prophet Hosea was looking backward at the nation of Israel’s history; he was not making a predictive statement about the future Messiah.
  • You can see the analogy and how Matthew could say that Jesus was born to a virgin (parthenon in the Greek always meant a virgin). The maiden (almah) in Isaiah’s day was probably a virgin when the prophesy was made, and Mary was a virgin when she conceived, but the difference was that Mary did not have sex before the child was born as the maiden in Isaiah 7 did. But the analogy of the virgins is clear and the prophecy was fulfilled by analogy. 
  • The name of the child to be born to Isaiah would be Immanuel, which means “with us is God”. It would not imply that the child born to Isaiah was God in the flesh. It would just mean the presence of God was with the people through the birth of the child.
  • Isaiah 8 shows that the child born to Isaiah was called Immanuel: 5 Again the Lord spoke to me further, saying, 6 “Inasmuch as these people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah; 7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates River,That is, the king of Assyria and all his glory;And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks. 8 Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through,It will reach as far as the neck;And the spread of its wings will fill the expanse of your land, Immanuel. 9 “Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; And listen, all remote places of the earth. Get ready, yet be shattered; Get ready, yet be shattered. 10 Devise a plan, but it will fail; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”

So in Matthew 1, the child born to the virgin Mary is called Immanuel b/c the birth of Jesus showed God’s presence among His people. He was even God in the flesh, but Isaiah was obviously not predicting a child in Isaiah’s time that would be God in the flesh incarnation like Jesus was.  So the name “Immanuel” is not only used of Jesus as God.

AI: The Shift to “Virgin Birth” (2nd Century BC)

  • The Septuagint Translation: Centuries later, when Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek (a version known as the Septuagint), they translated the Hebrew word ‘almah‘ into the Greek word ‘parthenos’.
  • Strict Meaning: Unlike the Hebrew term, the Greek word ‘parthenos’ explicitly and exclusively means “virgin”.

The Christian Fulfillment

The Gospel of Matthew applied Isaiah 7:14 directly to the birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:22-23). Matthew used the Greek Septuagint’s wording (parthenos) to highlight that Mary’s miraculous, non-sexual conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit was the ultimate, spiritual fulfillment of the prophecy (but only by analogy).

11 How important is it that someone believe in the virgin birth of Jesus? Can someone deny the virgin birth and still be a Christian? 

The Unitarians, liberal branches of the Episcopal and Presbyterian church, the Christodelphians, and United Church of Christ all deny the virgin birth.  Historically, this ancient Jewish-Christian sect the Ebionites in the early centuries of the Church viewed Jesus as the natural human son of Joseph and Mary who was “adopted” by God at his baptism

12 What are the Catholic doctrines about the virgin Mary?

Catholic doctrines about the Virgin Mary emphasize her unique role in God’s plan of salvation. These teachings are built upon four core Marian dogmas that define her sinless nature, divine motherhood, perpetual virginity, and bodily assumption into heaven.

AI: The Four Marian Dogmas

  • Mother of God (Theotokos): Defined at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), this doctrine asserts that Mary is truly the “Mother of God” because she gave birth to Jesus, who is both fully human and fully divine.
  • Immaculate Conception: Defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854, this teaching states that, by a special grace from God, Mary was preserved free from original sin from the very moment of her own conception.
  • Perpetual Virginity: This doctrine holds that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus, remaining a virgin her entire life. They say that the named brothers of Jesus were spiritual brothers or sons of Joseph from a previous marriage.
  • Assumption: Defined by Pope Pius XII in 1950, this teaches that at the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken up (assumed) bodily and spiritually into heavenly glory.

Other Core Teachings

  • Veneration, Not Worship: Catholics do not worship Mary (a privilege reserved for God alone). Instead, she is given hyperdulia—an extraordinary level of honor due to her unique role as the Mother of Christ.
  • Intercession: Catholics pray to Mary in the sense of asking her to intercede on their behalf, meaning she brings their prayers to her Son, Jesus.
  • Spiritual Motherhood: Catholics view Mary as the spiritual mother of all Christians, a title rooted in Jesus’ words on the cross (John 19:26-27).
  • The New Eve: In Catholic theology, Mary is seen as the “New Eve” whose faithful obedience reversed the disobedience of the first Eve, helping to bring about salvation for humanity.

That’s chapter 1. Unless I change my mind, I will continue with blog articles on chapters 2-28, chapter by chapter. I hope this is beneficial to your private or group study.

IS THE CHURCH JUST A SUBSTITUTE FOR A POSTPONED PHYSICAL KINGDOM THAT JESUS WAS TRYING TO SET UP IN THE FIRST CENTURY????

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The question is simple: Did Jesus come the first time to set up a physical kingdom on earth? Many believe that he did. So when the Jewish leaders and most of the Jews rejected him as the Messiah, “they” say that he postponed the establishment of a physical kingdom until his 2nd coming. “They” say that, as a result of this postponement, he established the church as a “backup plan”, a “substitute”, a “stop-gap measure” until his 2nd coming when he will set up that physical kingdom. The church age is seen in this view as a “parenthesis” between the 1st and 2nd coming, but not what Jesus planned to set up to begin with.

The Bible teaches that Jesus did not come the 1st time to set up a physical kingdom. John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” This statement by Jesus destroys the idea of Jesus setting up a physical kingdom at his 1st or 2nd coming. It refutes the idea of a postponed physical kingdom. Period.

So did Jesus set up a kingdom in the 1st century? Yes. Jesus predicted that the establishment of his kingdom was “near”. Mark 1:14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the gospel.” The Greek word for “near” is eggizó: To draw near, to approach, to come near. It occurs 14 times in the Greek perfect tense (indicative mood) in the NT which expresses “extreme closeness, immediate imminence, whether in distance (as Jesus came “near” to Jerusalem) or time (the Passover was “near”). If Jesus did not set up his kingdom within the next soon after making this prediction, then he is a false prophet.

So if he did set up his kingdom soon in the first century, did he set up a physical kingdom? Of course not. Did he plan to set up a physical kingdom but postponed it? Nowhere does Jesus or the New Testament writers teach that. So if he did set up his kingdom in the first century and if it wasn’t a physical kingdom, then what type of kingdom did he set up. He set up a spiritual kingdom, the church. That is why the church is synonymous with the kingdom in Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” When did Peter use those “keys” to open up the door into the kingdom of Jesus? In Acts 2 Peter preached the completed plan of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to those who crucified Jesus. He told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (2:38). 3,000 people obeyed Peter’s message and were saved that day. Acts 2:47 And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” The church is the spiritual body of Jesus of which he is the head. It consists of all who have been saved by Jesus. Acts 2 is the record of the establishment of the church. Notice the connection with the kingdom: when Peter used those gospel “keys” in Acts 2, he opened the door into the kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, the church. The saved are in Jesus’ kingdom. Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Revelation 1:5 To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The church was not a substitute for a failed physical kingdom set up. It was a spiritual kingdom that God and Jesus planned to set up all along. In Ephesians 3 the apostle Paul said that he and the other apostles revealed God’s mystery plan of salvation, i.e. how God united Jew and Gentile believers into one body, the church. He added, Ephesians 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; 10 so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The church was part of God’s eternal plan of salvation and the means of spreading that message. It was not an “after-thought” or “unplanned substitute” for a failed physical kingdom plan.

So why does this matter? It matters because putting emphasis on a future physical kingdom takes away from the value of the church as part of God’s eternal plan. God is to be glorified in this spiritual body, the church. Ephesians 3:21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” The value of the church is minimized if it is not the “real thing” but a substitute for the real thing that will only come later at the 2nd coming. My kids are notorious for telling me on my birthday, “here is a little gift but the main gift is in the mail to be given to you later”. That minimizes the value of the little gift.

It is important to clarify what the church is. As stated, it is simply the saved of all nations all over the world. God is glorified when sinners are saved by the gospel and are added to Jesus’ church. Those saved then follow Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” In the first century, they did this in house churches. In persecuted countries like China, they still do it in house churches. God is glorified in those house churches as believers of all races come together to live for Jesus and spread the gospel to others. The confusion comes in when we ask, “is God glorified by all that is done in the name of “church” today”? Unfortunately not. To begin with, any church today that does not support and teach the basic truths of God’s word is not glorifying God. Paul said, 1 Timothy 3:14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one should act in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” The LGBTQ supporting churches are not glorifying God, but their own false teaching. The churches that deny the deity, virgin birth, and miracles of Jesus (the Unitarian Universalists, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the United Churches of Christ, the liberal wings of the Episcopal and other Protestant churches) are not glorifying God. The Roman Catholic Church was not glorifying God when it set up its empire. AI: “From an institutional and historical standpoint, the Roman Catholic Church functioned as both a spiritual entity and a physical, temporal kingdom. Over centuries, this fusion of worldly power and religious authority led to documented periods of systemic corruption, financial excess, and political manipulation.” Even the doctrinally conservative churches that spend 80% of contributions on staff and buildings are not honoring how God would want money donated in the name of Jesus to be spent. It is the “church business” that gets the honor with their beautiful, comfortable buildings and paid preachers that draw in members. Sure, they still do a lot of good but are they really honoring God’s wishes on spending his money? Are they setting up what Jesus wanted or are they setting up church businesses that glorify their own denominations and churches?

In conclusion, Jesus will not establish a physical kingdom at his 2nd coming. That was never his plan and will not be part of some future eschatological plan. All the churches and their preachers who put emphasis on a future physical kingdom (and the role of Israel in that kingdom) are distracting people from the here-and-now spiritual work of the true church. It’s like saying, “what we have in the church is not the real thing”. Much money and time is spent promoting pre-millennial and dispensational views of how that physical kingdom will be set up, all of which are false teaching if Jesus never intends to set up a physical kingdom. One last thought: if full preterism is true, then the 2nd coming happened in 70 AD and there is no future coming back of Jesus (I wrote many articles on that in my blog if you care to research that). If there is no future coming of Jesus, then obviously there is no future establishment of a physical kingdom.