Christ in Matthew’s Gospel

~ Jesus Christ Is The Messiah, The King of the Jews, The Son of David, The Savior ~

The Bible is about Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Christ in the Gospel of Matthew  ~  Repeatedly we find Matthew plainly pointing out to his primary readers (Jewish people of his day) that Jesus Christ is their Messiah.  He does this by quoting key verses from their Scriptures that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ.  The following examples are from just the first two chapters of Matthew. 

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23).

“So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel”’” (Matthew 2:5-6).

“When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son’” (Matthew 2:14-15).

“Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:  ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more’” (Matthew 2:17-18).

“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene’” (Matthew 2:23).

The Messiah’s Own Words  ~  “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). 

Comments  ~  1. The fulfillment of prophecies about which Matthew writes were about the life of Jesus Christ.  The references were not always about Jesus Himself but the events surrounding His time on earth (sometimes the prophecies were fulfilled by His friends or His enemies).  2. While on earth Jesus Christ often quoted Scriptures in reference to Himself.  3. The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

Summary of Christ in Matthew’s Historical Account  ~  Matthew presents the Jewish Messiah—the King of the Jews.  Matthew is written to the Hebrew mind and the emphasis is on what He thought and what He said revealing the sovereignty of The Messiah.  Matthew is about His Kingdom and the way of righteousness.  Appropriately, Matthew ends with The Messiah’s resurrection—the crowning proof of His Messiahship.

Compare the Following Passages: 

Matthew 1:23 with Isaiah 7:14 (above)

Matthew 2:6 with Micah 5:2 (above)

Matthew 2:15 with Hosea 11:1 (above)

Matthew 2:18 with Jeremiah 38:15 (above)

Matthew 3:3 with Isaiah 40:3-5

Matthew 4:4 with Deuteronomy 8:3

Matthew 4:6 with Psalms 90:11-12

Matthew 4:7 with Deuteronomy 6:16

Matthew 4:10 with Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20

Matthew 4:15-16 with Isaiah 9:1-2

Matthew 8:17 with Isaiah 53:4

Matthew 9:13 with Hosea 6:7

Matthew 10:35-36 with Micah 7:6

Matthew 11:10 with Malachi 3:1 

Matthew 12:18-21 with Isaiah 42:1-4

Matthew 13:14-15 with Isaiah 6:9-10

Matthew 13:35 with Psalms 77:2

Matthew 15:4 with Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16, 21:16  

Matthew 15:8-9 with Isaiah 29:13

Matthew 18:16 with Deuteronomy 19:15

Matthew 19:5 with Genesis 2:24

Matthew 21:5 with Zechariah 9:9

Matthew 21:9 with Psalm 117:26

Matthew 21:13 with Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11

Matthew 21:16 with Psalm 8:2

Matthew 21:42 with Psalm 117:22-23 

Matthew 22:24 with Deuteronomy 25:5 

Matthew 22:32 with Exodus 3:6

Matthew 22:37 with Deuteronomy 6:5, 10-12, and 30:6  

Matthew 22:39 with Leviticus 19:18

Matthew 22:44 with Psalm 109:1

Matthew 26:31 with Zechariah 13:7

Matthew 27:9 with Zechariah 11:12

Matthew 27:35 with Psalm 21:18

Matthew 27:46 with Psalm 21:1

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

~~~ EXPLANATORY “JESUS CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE” SERIES ~~~   

(1)  Approximately once a month ALN posts an overview of how Jesus Christ is seen in a specific book of the Bible.

(2)  In most cases these posts only scratch the surface regarding Jesus Christ in the particular book.

(3)  These posts will typically be in the same order as the books are found in the Bible.

(4)  These serial posts are in addition to our other ALN postings.

(5)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Messiah, 250

~ At Messiah’s Death The Sun Would Be Darkened at Mid-Day ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“‘And it shall come to pass in that day,’ says the Lord God, ‘that I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in broad daylight’” (Amos 8:9).

The Messiah 

“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:45-46).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Fear God, 11

~ The Israelites Were Commanded to Fear God, 4 ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear God.”  

Comment  ~  The Scripture for this week is a continuation of the Scripture last week.  Again, it is in relation to the Moral and Ceremonial Laws which were given to the Israelites by Moses. 

This Week’s Passage  ~  “You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.  You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.  You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.  Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness.  You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.  Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

“You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.

“And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him.  The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord  your God.  You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.  You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.  Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the Lord'" (Leviticus 19:26-37). 

Comment  ~  In our society today we will fear God when we understand His requirements.

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .