The Seeking By The Magi - Matthew 2:1–12

    Four significant events, which occurred in the first few years of Jesus Christ on earth, are recorded in this chapter. All the events are related and are a sequence to the previous event. Matthew 2 can be divided into four major parts as follows:

·         The Seeking by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12)

·         The Staying in Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15)

·         The Slaying of the Children (Matthew 2:16–18)

·         The Settling in Nazareth (Matthew 2:19–23)

    Though Christ was born in a very humble situation, yet there were some high honors that came to Him anyway. The first such honor was the angels announcing His birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:9–15). This was followed by the adoration given from Simeon and Anna in the Temple (Luke 2:25–38). The next honor recorded for Christ in connection with His birth was the seeking of Christ by the magi (wise men) which is recorded in this second chapter of Matthew.

1. The Instant of the Seeking (Matthew 2:1)

    The time when the wise men came seeking Christ was after Christ was born.

The duration of the time. “When Jesus was born” (Matthew 2:1). Some weeks had gone by after Christ was born before the magi actually saw Him. The age limit of the children which Herod killed suggests that Christ may have been nearing His second birthday. Though the magi started their journey to see Christ at the time He was born, they did not arrive for some months, because of the great distance they had to travel. Travel in those days was much slower than in our day.

    The danger of the time. “In the days of Herod the king” (Matthew 2:1). This is the first mention of Herod in the Bible He was vicious and lustful (married nine times), and in his quest for absolute power did not hesitate to kill even members of his own family (a wife and some sons were murdered). He is called “Herod the Great” in secular history but not “Great” in the Bible. He had no greatness of character, his greatness was in vileness. That Christ was born in this most perilous of times is another illustration of God delighting to do His great works when the opposition is the greatest. This shows the great power of God. And it is an encouragement to God’s people that the darkest of days and direst of circumstances are no problem for God to work mightily on our behalf.

2. The Individuals in the Seeking (Matthew 2:1)

    “Came wise men from the east” (Matthew 2:1). The word translated “wise men” is the word “magi” (“magoic” in the Greek). We get the name “magician” from this word. The magi were a priestly cast of men especially interested in astrology and astronomy. Their counsel was often sought by ancient rulers of the eastern world. Daniel was made head of such an order (Daniel 2:48) because of his interpreting a dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. Being from the “east” indicated they were from the Arabian or Persian areas. Tradition says they were three in number, but Scripture gives no hint of that number. Their worshiping of Christ does not sanction astrology, of course; but it does say that God revealed to some prominent Gentiles the news about the birth of Christ, and they responded commendably by coming to find Christ and worship Him.

3. The Intensity of the Seeking (Matthew 2:1)

    “From the east to Jerusalem” (Matthew 2:1). The magi showed a great deal of intensity and dedication in seeking Christ. “From the east” as we noted above, means they were from either the Arabian or Persian lands. In either case it would involve a great deal of effort and time to get to Jerusalem, for they did not have the comfortable and speedy modes of travel which we have today. The intensity of their seeking Christ shames most people, for few show much effort in seeking Christ. Even long-time church members often lack spiritual zeal.

4. The Intent in the Seeking (Matthew 2:2)

    “We … are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). The seeking by the magi was done to honor Jesus Christ. Not many are interested in honoring Christ, but these men certainly were interested in honoring Him by worshiping Him. The motivation of the magi rebukes the motivation of many church goers who go to church not to worship Christ but to meet friends, show off a new dress, or learn the latest gossip.

5. The Inquiry in the Seeking (Matthew 2:1–3)

    Not knowing exactly where the Christ-child was in the land of Israel, the magi inquired to get more specific knowledge of Christ’s location.

    The practice in the inquiry. If you would know the will of God in your life, you will often have to do some earnest and diligent inquiring. The star had informed the magi of Christ’s birth and therefore of their time to travel to Israel, but nothing more. God will give supernatural help (the star) when necessary; but when you can do some inquiring yourself, God does not give supernatural aid. God does not work miracles to make us lazy and irresponsible. He does not fill your mind with spiritual knowledge and wisdom while you sleep, but you will have to do some personal inquiring in the study of the Word to learn great and valuable spiritual truths.

    The place of the inquiry. “There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:1, 2). The magi came to a logical place to inquire about this spiritual knowledge. Jerusalem was the seat of the Jews’ religion. It was where the great Temple was (the one Herod had made for political reasons). So one would logically think that any spiritual inquiry should be done in Jerusalem.

    The profession in the inquiry. “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). It is sometimes surprising where one finds faith. Here the magi evidence considerably more faith than most others in Jerusalem. They did not ask “if” Christ had been born but “where.” And they called Him “King of the Jews.” That title was never acceptable to the religious leadership of Jerusalem. They refused to give Christ that honor; yet the magi, from a foreign country, showed this honor and belief in Christ. Such a profession of faith in this inquiry was a strong rebuke to the Israelites of that day.

    The persistency in the inquiry. “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). The Greek word translated “Saying” is a present active participle in the Greek which denoted continuous or repeated action. Thus the magi are reported making repeated inquiries about Christ. The magi found Christ because they were persistent in the pursuit of the knowledge about Him. Such diligence in their effort to learn more about Christ is a good illustration of how we must pursue spiritual knowledge. Our study of the Scripture must be continuous and diligent. We must study the Scripture again and again to learn great spiritual truths.

    The perturbation from the inquiry. “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:3). The inquiry of the magi upset many folk. Both Herod and the people in Jerusalem were troubled because of the news about the King of the Jews being born. Herod was troubled because this meant a rival for his throne. He was a “king” in Israel and he wanted no rivals. The people were troubled because of their sinfulness—they were not wanting Holiness on the scene. They are like people who get upset when a law enforcement officer shows up on the scene or like carnal people in the church who do not rejoice in special meetings or revival, and who are not anxious for the Lord to come because they do not want to give up their fleshly pursuits. So this perturbation simply revealed the evil in the perturbed hearts.

6. The Investigation for the Seeking (Matthew 2:4–6)

    The inquiry resulted in an investigation by Herod to obtain an answer for the magi and also for himself.

    The cause of the investigation. Ignorance was the cause of the investigation. Herod did not know or he would not have sought an answer to the inquiry. Spiritual ignorance in high places is not uncommon. Ask the typical politician today some spiritual question and his response will be one of ignorance. But politicians are not the only ones ignorant of spiritual knowledge. Most people know little about spiritual truths. They may know much about many other unimportant things, but about the most important matters of life, most people are woefully ignorant.

    The counselors for the investigation. “Gathered all the chief priests and scribes” (Matthew 2:4). Herod did not know the answer to the inquiry, but he did know the religious hierarchy of the day and so called them in for an answer. The scribes would be of the most help, for they especially gave attention to studying and copying the Scriptures.

The counsel in the investigation. “In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah … out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matthew 2:5, 6). The religious people gave the right answer. It is a loose quote from Micah 5:2.

    The condemnation in the investigation. Though these religious leaders knew the answers, they did not go to Bethlehem to see about the reports of the Christ-child. They were not interested in Jesus; and furthermore while they knew the Scriptures, they did not always believe them. Knowing the Word and believing it is two different things. These religious leaders had a head knowledge but not a heart commitment to the Word. They had information but made no application of it to their lives.

7. The Instructing for the Seeking (Matthew 2:7, 8)

    Herod had some words of instructions for the magi after it was learned where the Christ-child was to be born.

    The privacy of the instructions. “He had privily called the wise men” (Matthew 2:7). Why did Herod not want what he had to say known to others? Why did he want privacy in this chat with the magi? The answer is that Herod was plotting evil as later texts of Scripture record. He did not want other people knowing his intentions and interfering with his murderous plans. Privacy is not necessary wrong and is desirable in many situations, but evil perverts privacy to cover up its dirty plans.

    The probing in the instructions. “Herod … inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared” (Matthew 2:7). Knowing when the star first appeared would give Herod help in knowing approximately how old the child would be at this time. This would help Herod to know what ages of children to kill in Bethlehem so he would be sure to kill the Christ-child.

    The providence in the instructing. “He sent them to Bethlehem” (Matthew 2:8). Herod had learned from the religious leaders where Christ was to be born, so now he tells the magi and urges them to go to Bethlehem. But his helping and encouraging of the magi had ulterior motives. Herod wanted information on the Christ-child so he could kill Him. But God, in His providence, used Herod’s evil here to urge the magi to be on their way and find Christ. God has interesting ways by which He promotes His work. Sometimes He allows wicked men to unwittingly aid the promotion of the work of God. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee” (Psalm 76:10) is the principle that often occurs when evil seems to promote good.

    The plea in the instructing. “Search diligently for the young child” (Matthew 2:8). This plea is a good one for all mankind. It is the plea Isaiah spoke when he said, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6). “Search diligently” is a plea that says we are to be diligent in our spiritual pursuits. But, of course, Herod had evil motives for giving this plea. He wanted to know where Christ was so he could kill Him.

    The precept in the instruction. “When ye have found him, bring me word again” (Matthew 2:8). The magi were told by Herod to come back to him after they had found Christ. The magi were to give Herod information about the location of Christ. There is a good evangelical message here about the fact that when we find Christ we are to tell others, but Herod’s precept had a very evil motivation in it.

    The prevaricating in the instruction. “That I may come and worship him also” (Matthew 2:8). That was a big lie. Herod was not wanting to do any worshiping of Christ; he wanted instead to kill Him. But he lied to the magi about his motives so they would not refuse to come back and tell him information about where the Christ-child was. Herod, like many politicians, would use a phony interest in religion for his own political gain.

8. The Illumination for the Seeking (Matthew 2:9, 10)

    When the magi left Herod, they were blessed with illumination for their path by the star they had seen in the east.

    The phenomena of the star. “The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was” (Matthew 2:9). Many have been the natural explanations for this star (e.g. an alignment of some planets, a super star, a comet, etc.), but the star was simply a supernatural phenomena to help the magi find Christ. The fact that the star “stood over where the young child was” (Ibid.) shows the supernatural character of the star.

    The place of the star. “Went before them” (Matthew 2:9). Many misunderstand the star to be “in the east” (Matthew 2:2, 9). But the “east” only means that is where the magi were when they first saw the star. It does not even mean that the star led them to Jerusalem, but the appearance of the star to the magi when they were in their eastern lands simply informed them that Christ had been born. The magi knew how to get to Jerusalem without a star leading them.

    The purpose of the star. “Till it came and stood over where the young child was” (Matthew 2:9). The purpose of the star was to lead the magi to Jesus in Bethlehem. It was not for the entertainment of the magi but for the edification of the magi.

The privilege in the star. “The star, which they saw in the east” (Matthew 2:9). The star was a spiritual privilege. It informed them of the birth of Christ. The magi wisely used their spiritual privileges to grow in the knowledge of Christ and to improve their service for Christ. Privileges are to help us grow and develop in our spiritual lives. Failure to use our spiritual privileges will stop our spiritual blessings. Many are the spiritual blessings in our land today, but often they are ignored and unused. Some gloat in their spiritual privileges, like the Pharisees and Sadducees did, but they do not use their spiritual privileges to improve their spiritual lives. The privilege itself is of no value if we are not good stewards of it.

    The pleasure from the star. “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:10). The joy of seeing the star was that it was a great encouragement to them about seeing the Christ-child. This joy compares to seeing the plane or train on which a loved one is who you are desirous of seeing. This great joy is a sharp contrast to the attitude of most of the people in Jerusalem who saw no joy in the news that Christ was born. God’s dedicated followers will find few people who share their spiritual interests and joys.

9. The Infant in the Seeking (Matthew 2:11)

    The star led the magi to the house where the infant Christ was Whom they wanted to see.

The whereabouts of the infant. “House” (Matthew 2:11). Christ was not born in a house, but He did not stay in the animal shelter where He had been born. After the birth of Christ, Joseph would soon seek a better place to live. But even though the house was a better place than the stable, it was still not appropriate for the King of kings. Royalty lives in palaces and other splendid places. The fact that Christ lived in a mere house shows how the world did not recognize Him. The world does not do well in recognizing the greatness of spiritual matters. Hence, those who serve the Lord should not be surprised if they must walk a humble road.

    The woman with the infant. “With Mary his mother” (Matthew 2:11). Our modern women need to especially note whom the Christ-child was with when the magi came to visit. He was with “Mary his mother” not with some baby-sitter or in some day-care center. The Bible exalts motherhood, but our day does not. God gave the child to the mother which says the mother is the woman who should raise the child. What a tragedy it would have been if Mary had been so interested in being a career woman (not a “stay-at-home-mom”) and making some extra money that she put Christ in a day-care center or hired a baby-sitter instead of taking care of Him herself. She would have regretted that action eternally. Mothers make a huge mistake in not taking care of their own children themselves. The anti-motherhood philosophy of our day is Satanic and hellish and robs countless mothers of great blessings.

    The worship of the infant. “Fell down, and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11). The wise men were wise in that they worshiped Christ, not His mother Mary (as Catholics do) or Joseph (like the cults who have their alternatives to Christ).

    The wealth for the infant. “They … opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). If our worship is to be genuine and meaningful, it will be accompanied by gifts for Christ. Out of their treasures, the magi gave generous gifts and expensive gifts to Christ. We may not all have treasures that have the wealth in them which the magi had, but our gifts should be generous in comparisons to our treasures. Offerings in the Old Testament were called sacrifices. Our offerings ought to reflect that fact, but few of them do. Christ is worthy of our best. Too often our offerings dishonor Christ because they are so cheap.

10. The Insight After the Seeking (Matthew 2:12)

    To counter the evil intentions of Herod, the magi were given insight by being warned not to return to Herod as he had earlier requested them to do.

    The source of the insight. “Being warned of God in a dream” (Matthew 2:12). God was the one Who gave the insight to the magi. If you want good insight on what to do in any situation, get it from God Who knows what is going on in the world. Too many folk are trying to get insight about life from the world, such as from psychologists and psychiatrists; but the world is most deficient in such insight and wisdom.

    The seeking of the insight. “Being warned” (Matthew 2:12). The word translated “being warned” means “to give a response to one who asks or consults; hence, in the passive, as here, to receive an answer. The word therefore implies that the wise men had sought counsel of God” (Vincent). These magi were not simpletons. They readily perceived Herod’s craftiness and being concerned about it, they wisely sought God about it. The principle for us is in “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5)

    The substance of the insight. “Warned of God … they should not return to Herod” (Matthew 2:12). The insight had to do with the travel plans of the magi. Herod wanted them to return to him, but God warned them not to return to Herod. This warning exposed Herod’s desire to worship Christ as being phony. Herod, like most governments in the world, was no friend of Christ. His professed religious interests were deceitful. He had ulterior motives for his show of piety.

    The submission to the insight. “They departed into their own country another way” (Matthew 2:12). The magi recognized rank in submitting first and foremost to God. Herod was a king, which gave his orders to the magi considerable weight. But the magi knew that when orders conflict, you obey the highest authority. The principle is found in Peter’s statement, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

    The safety in the insight. Obedience to God has its rewards. One of the immediate rewards for the magi in obeying God here was the saving of their lives. This warning for the magi was “God’s mercy and grace towards them, preserving them from probably death at Herod’s hands.” (Williams). Had the magi gone back to Herod, their lives would have been in great jeopardy. Herod would milk the magi dry for information about Christ, then kill them, so they would not come back to worship Christ and learn of Herod’s dirty deed of killing Christ.

The Advent in Bethlehem - Luke 2:1–7

     This text is probably used more at Christmas than any other Biblical text. It reports the details of the birth of Christ.

The Decree for the Advent (Luke 2:1–3)
     Associated with and very important to the birth of Christ was a decree given to register all the people in the Roman Empire which included Palestine.
     The perpetrator of the decree. “There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus [Augustus was his title, not part of his name]” (Luke 2:1). This man was the Roman Emperor for forty-five years from 31 B.C. to 14 A.D. His entire name was Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. He was a proud and arrogant person.
     The purpose of the decree. “That all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1). The meaning of the word translated “taxed” is “to register or enter in a list” (Vincent). “It was a census, not a taxing, though taxing generally followed and was based on the census” (Robertson).
     The perimeter of the decree. “All the world” (Luke 2:1). This term was limited to the Roman empire which included Palestine. The Roman empire included a vast number of people but the Bible focuses on the two most important people regarding the decree, namely, Joseph and Mary.
     The period of the decree. “And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius [Quirinius as some call him] was governor of Syria.” (Luke 2:2). “Cyrenius” was another time reference given by Luke of the four Gospels. The reference was especially applicable inasmuch as Syria included Palestine at that time.
     The providence of the decree. “It came to pass in those days … all went to be taxed [registered], every one into his own city” (Luke 2:1,3). The prophets predicted Christ would be born in “Bethlehem” (Micah 5:2). Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth. Thus the providence in the decree is in the fact that it caused Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem at the time when she would give birth and thus fulfill prophecy.
The Dislodgement for the Advent (Luke 2:3–5)
     The decree by Caesar Augustus to register all the people in his kingdom caused a great dislodgement of people.
     The cause of the dislodgement. “All went to be taxed, everyone into his own city” (Luke 2:3). The decree by Caesar required that people go to their native city or town to take care of the registering or census matter. This caused a great dislodgement of people in the empire because, as is often common in every age, many of the people in the Roman empire did not live in their native towns or cities but had moved far from them.
     The couple in the dislodgement. “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David to be taxed [registered] with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child” (Luke 2:4,5). Scripture focuses on what is important to God. Man would think that Caesar was the important one in this decree, but he was only given a supporting role in this great event of the birth of Jesus Christ. He was not the main actor! Joseph and Mary were more important to God in this decree than the ruler who made the decree.
     First, the compliance of the couple. “Joseph also went up from Galilee … [unto] Bethlehem” (Luke 2:4). Joseph and Mary were law-abiding citizens. Scripture exhorts us to obey the laws of the land. This, of course, does not mean we must do evil to obey. But it is a mark of righteousness to obey the laws even if they cause inconvenience.
     Second, the city of the couple. “Went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, in Judea, unto … Bethlehem” (Luke 2:4). This was a trip of approximately seventy-five miles. The trip had to be made on foot or on an animal (Mary doubtless rode on a donkey). Furthermore Bethlehem was higher than Nazareth which meant a lot of up hill for the journey. This would only add to the physical difficulty of the trip.
     Third, the clan of the couple. “Joseph … [and also Mary] was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4). This notation in Scripture is very important, for it helps to support the pedigree of Jesus Christ as the only one Who could claim the throne of Israel and be Israel’s Messiah.
     Fourth, the companionship of the couple. “With Mary his espoused wife” (Luke 2:5). “Espoused wife” notes the unique relationship between Joseph and Mary. This relationship was necessary because of the conception and birth of Christ. However, it would bring a great stigma to them (cp. John 8:41). Heavenly honors are not exempt from earthly shame.
     Fifth, the concern of the couple. “Mary … being great with child” (Luke 2:5). The couple would be very concerned about Mary’s pregnancy because it was nearing its end, and a long hard trip offered much peril for her pregnancy. Satan would like to use the trip to cause the birth before they got to Bethlehem and even to cause the death of the child. But God was in all of this, and the pregnancy survived the trip, and Christ was born in Bethlehem as Scripture predicted. It will always be a mystery as to why Joseph and Mary did not perceive the need of moving earlier to Bethlehem for the birth. Did they not know the prophetic Scripture in Micah 5:2? Whatever the case, God saw to it that they were in Bethlehem when birth occurred.

The Arrival of Christ - Matthew 1:18-25 (Part 2)

The Partner for the Arrival (Matthew 1:24)
     Joseph married Mary as planned which meant that when Christ was born there was a husband and wife involved and thus both a father and mother. Christ was not born in shame to a single woman.
     Joseph married the woman God told him to marry. “Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife [Mary]” (Matthew 1:24). Joseph had questions about Mary and was not going to marry her; but God through the angel told Joseph, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife” (Matthew 1:20). So Joseph did as God told him to do and married Mary. We would have better marriages if people married according to Divine instructions. Many marriages would not be made if men and women sought the will of God about marriage. And many would be more happily married, if they sought God’s will in marriage.
     Joseph married a woman in whom Christ dwelt conspicuously. Christ dwelt within Mary literally when they were married. In fact, she was conspicuously pregnant with Christ when she married Joseph. This certainly gives a good guideline for marriage. Marry someone in whom Christ dwells conspicuously if you want a good marriage. If the Christian profession of your prospective mate is not obvious, do not marry them.

The Protection for the Arrival (Matthew 1:25)
     “Knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25). “Knew” is a euphemism for sexual relations. Joseph abstained from sexual relations with Mary until after Christ was born. His abstinence helped the work of Christ to prosper in the fact that it helped to confirm the doctrine of the virgin birth. It protected the person of Christ from doubt about this important matter of the virgin birth and from shame. Some did indeed imply that He was born of fornication (John 8:41). But had Joseph not abstained from sexual relations, the shame and disgrace and doubt about Jesus’ birth would have been much worse. Joseph abstaining from legitimate pleasure to advance the cause of Christ is most commendable. Today we have a hard time getting folk to abstain from wicked pursuits to aid the cause of Christ, but Joseph abstained from a legitimate pursuit. It is a great example of sacrifice for the cause of Christ. What have you sacrificed lately for the advancement of the cause of Christ?

The Proclamation in the Arrival (Matthew 1:21, 25)
     Joseph gave an excellent proclamation about the the purpose of the Christ-child being born.
     The compliance for the proclamation. “He called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:25). Joseph had been instructed by “the angel of the Lord” (Matthew 1:20) about the name for Mary’s baby. “Thou shalt call his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:21). Thus Joseph obeyed God; he complied with God’s command in giving the new babe the name, “JESUS.” Had he not obeyed, he would have had no proclamation about the purpose of Christ coming to earth. If you would proclaim Divine truth, you must obey the Divine precepts.
     The comfort of the proclamation. “Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The meaning of the name “JESUS” carries an important evangelical message. The name “Jesus” means Savior. Thus the naming of Mary’s baby proclaimed the message that the new babe was to be the Savior of people from sin. This is the great evangelical message which God’s people are to proclaim around the world. No message has brought so much comfort to mankind as this message.
     The condemnation in the proclamation. “He shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This name of “JESUS” condemns people, for it says they are sinful and need saving. This message is not palatable to many folk, but it is the main reason Christ came to earth the first time. “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23), but many do not think they have sinned and resent being called a sinner and in need of a Savior. But all men need Jesus.

The Arrival of Christ - Matthew 1:18-25

     The second main part of Matthew 1 concerns the actual coming of Christ to earth.

The Pregnancy for the Arrival (Matthew 1:18)
     “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise; When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18). The arrival of Christ on earth came through the pregnancy of the virgin Mary. The cause of this pregnancy is plainly stated as being the Holy Spirit. Mary did not conceive Christ by the usual means. There was not a human man involved. It was a Divine miracle.

The Problem About the Arrival (Matthew 1:18–21)
     The coming of Christ in His conception in Mary created a problem for Joseph the man who married Mary, the mother of Christ. The fact that one of the first things we learn in Matthew about the coming of Christ to earth is that it caused a problem tells us that whenever Christ comes on the scene there will be problems. When Christ comes to dwell in you, there will be problems with relationships, with the home, and with society. But those who receive Jesus Christ and submit to God’s Word about Christ will find a solution to the problem and will learn that the blessing of Christ will come in spite of problems. Joseph found this to be true.
     The commitment in the problem. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18). The problem began when Mary’s pregnancy with Christ was discovered during the time she was espoused to Joseph. Joseph did not know about the Divine involvement in the pregnancy; so when he heard the news of her pregnancy, he drew the only conclusion he could draw, namely, that Mary had been unfaithful to him. This pregnancy created a big problem by the fact that Mary was espoused to Joseph. Had Joseph not been espoused to Mary, her pregnancy would not have caused him nearly as much problem as it did in being espoused to Mary. Being espoused to Mary made breaking up with Mary something far more serious than had he just been “dating” her. The espousal was like our engagement except it was a much stronger commitment. It often was a written agreement with an endowment from the husband-to-be for the parents of the bride-to-be. The espousal period could last as long as a year. During this time the man and woman involved generally did not see each other. The custom of not seeing each other accounts for Mary going to dwell with Elizabeth, her cousin and the soon-to-be mother of John the Baptist, for three months during the time Mary was pregnant with Christ (Luke 1:39–56) and just before John the Baptist was born. Because of the strong commitment in an espousal, to break up after being espoused was as serious as getting divorced. So Joseph had a serious problem on his hands.
     The consternation in the problem. “When … Mary was espoused to Joseph … she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18). The consternation for Joseph about Mary’s pregnancy involved both the puzzle and pain about Mary’s condition. First, the puzzle. The condition of pregnancy would be a puzzle in that he thought Mary was impeccable (she was), but what kind of a girl was she to have such loose morals (he thought) that during their espousal time she gets pregnant from another man. Joseph would be shocked at learning of Mary’s pregnancy. In his ignorance of the cause of her condition, he could only see great moral betrayal by Mary—indeed a great puzzle. Second, the pain. The pain was, of course, in learning that the girl he loved and planned to marry appeared to be treacherous and immoral.
     The character for the problem. “Joseph … being a just man” (Matthew 1:19). Though Joseph was a godly, upright man; yet he suffered much trial from this situation of Mary. The godly are not exempt from puzzling and painful trials, rather “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19).
     The convictions in the problem. “Was minded to put her away” (Matthew 1:19). Joseph, in spite of his love for Mary, would deal faithfully and firmly with sin. In spite of his love for Mary, his convictions made immoral conduct intolerable. He would not marry a girl who had bad morals. So he thought to end the espousal and not marry her. He would not sacrifice purity and principle for pleasure but would give up Mary in favor of righteousness. Joseph had some good moral convictions and would conduct himself accordingly in spite of his sorrow.
     The compassion in the problem. “Not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.” (Matthew 1:19). Joseph was a man of both grace and truth (John 1:14). He was truth in that he would put her away (end the espousal and marriage agreement); but he was a man of grace in that he would do it privately, not publicly. He was not anxious to spread such terrible news.
     The control in the problem. “While he thought on these things” (Matthew 1:20). Joseph did not act hastily until he was sure he was doing right—another good character trait in Joseph.
     The comfort for the problem. “Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son” (Matthew 1:20, 21). Joseph was given heavenly enlightenment about Mary’s condition. It had to be a great comfort to Joseph to hear the wonderful news regarding why Mary was pregnant, though he would not understand the matter about the conception and the Holy Spirit. We do not have to understand everything about the Bible to benefit from it.
     The command in the problem. “She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from his sins” (Matthew 1:21). The command is what to name the child—we will see more about this later.

The Prophecy About the Arrival (Matthew 1:22, 23)
     The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy more than any of the other Gospels. Since Matthew, more than the other three, was written especially with the Jews in mind, this emphasis on prophecy was most fitting; for the Jews had the Holy Scriptures and prophecy was very important to them. Matthew would have the Jews realize that Jesus Christ was indeed a fulfillment of their Scriptures. His genealogy, His birth and His life—were all predicted in the Old Testament.
     The sureness of the prophecy. “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet” (Matthew 1:22). The sureness of the fulfillment of prophecy underscores the invincible character of the Word of God. Many prophecies, like this one about Christ, seemed at the time of its utterance unlikely to be fulfilled because of the circumstances. But if God’s Word says it will happen, it will happen.
     The source of the prophecy. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). This prophecy about the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, comes from Isaiah 7:14.
     The sanctity in the prophecy. “A virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son” (Matthew 1:23). The sanctity of this conception and birth of Christ by Mary is that she conceived as a virgin. The virgin birth says Christ did not have a biological human father. The virgin birth is not something hinted at in Scripture but something that is dogmatically and repeatedly taught in Scripture. The virgin birth is not only prophesied in Scripture (as noted in our Matthew text), but it is also emphasized—especially in this first chapter of Matthew. It is emphasized in “before they came together, she was found "with child of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18); in “that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:20), in “knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25), and in “her firstborn son [not ‘their’ firstborn]” (Matthew 1:25). To deny the virgin birth is to deny what the Scriptures say.
     The supernatural in the prophecy. “They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). The Deity of Christ is also in this prophecy. Christ was not just human but He was also supernatural—that is, He was very God as well as human. The Deity of Christ also says Jesus Christ is eternal and thus existed before His conception in Mary and His birth in Bethlehem. Apostates despise this doctrine, but they cannot say the Bible does not teach it, for the Deity of Christ, like the virgin birth, is taught plainly and repeatedly in the Scripture.

The Certifying Of Christ - Luke 3:23–38

The last major section of Luke contains a genealogy of Christ. While it may seem like a boring list of many difficult-to-pronounce names, the genealogy is a very important record of Christ.

The Purpose in the Certifying (Luke 3:23–38)
     “Which was the son of David” (Luke 3:31). This part of the genealogy is what makes it so very important. The purpose of this genealogy was to give the royal pedigree of Jesus Christ. It was promised to David that Christ should descend from him (II Samuel 7:12; Psalm 132:11). So for Christ to claim to be the Messiah and the inheritor of David’s throne, it must be established that He is from the line of David. Both this genealogy in Luke and the one in Matthew certify Christ’s claim to the throne. One of the great indictments upon the Jewish leaders, when Christ was ministering upon the earth, is that these genealogy records were available to them to substantiate the exclusive claim of Christ for the throne; but they ignored the records regarding Christ. Unbelief is not a problem of lack of facts but a problem of a lack of faith.

The Parents in the Certifying (Luke 3:23–38)
     Both Matthew and Luke give a detailed genealogy of Jesus Christ. But the names are different. What does this mean? It means the genealogies are through a different parent.
     The particulars about the parents. The genealogy in Matthew is that of Joseph while this one in Luke is that of Mary. That Matthew’s genealogy is of Joseph is stated in Matthew 1:16 at the end of the genealogy, “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” That Luke’s genealogy is of Mary is indicated by Luke 3:23. “Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph.” Genealogies were not given through women (though women were sometimes mentioned in them) but were given through man, so Joseph is listed as the source of both. Thus in the genealogy in Luke “Joseph, which was the son of Heli” (Luke 1:23) says Joseph was the son-in-law, not an actual blood related son, of Heli.
     The proof in the parents. Further proof that Joseph and Mary were of the lineage of David is found in other Scripture—Joseph was called “thou son of David” (Matthew 1:20) by the angel, and to Mary the angel said about Jesus her Son, “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32). He could not be given the throne unless He was a descendant of David, so Mary had to be of the lineage of David.
     The preservation in the parents. The listing is done in such a way that it preserves the virgin birth truth. “The husband of Mary” (Matthew 1:16) and “Jesus … (as was supposed) the son of Joseph” (Luke 3:23). “As was supposed” reveals some of the reproach Joseph and Mary experienced in the pregnancy and birth of Christ. The thinking of many people was that Christ was a result of an immoral liaison between Joseph and Mary before they were officially married. This thinking is seen in the accusation in John 8:41, “We be not born of fornication.”

The People in the Certifying (Luke 3:23–38)
     We will not examine every individual listed here, but we will look at them in a general way to learn several lessons.
     The contrast in the people. The order in which the names are listed is a great contrast to the way they are listed in Matthew’s genealogy. Matthew starts with Abraham and ends with Jesus. Luke starts with Jesus and ends with Adam. Matthew was writing primarily to Jews and so starting at Abraham would especially show Christ’ relationship to the Jewish people which was important because Christ was promised through Abraham (Genesis 12:3; 22:18; Galatians 3:16). Luke ending with Adam shows the availability of the Gospel to all peoples. Luke was not written primarily to Jews. Being an associate of the Apostle Paul who said he was “the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles” (Romans 15:16) would help Luke to see the universal offer of the Gospel to all peoples hence his genealogy ends with Adam.
     The conclusion in the people. “Which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God” (Luke 3:38). As we have just noted, Luke having a more universal outlook of the Gospel offer ends his genealogy with Adam showing Christ is for all mankind, not just for the Jews.

The Period of the Certifying (Luke 3:23)
     “Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23). Luke’s genealogy begins by speaking about the age of Christ. This is one of only two references in the Bible (both are in Luke) to the human age of Christ. The other reference (Luke 2:42) speaks of Christ when He was twelve years old.
     Thirty was a significant age for the Jews. “This was the age at which the Levites entered upon their work; the age, too, at which it was lawful for scribes to teach. Generally speaking, thirty among the Jews was looked upon as the time of life when manhood had reached its full development” (Spence) Significantly thirty was also the age of Joseph of the Old Testament when he was taken out of prison and began to serve Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46), and thirty was the age of David when he began to reign as king (II Samuel 5:4).
     That Christ was thirty before He began His public ministry is a lesson about patience and preparation. So often we are eager to get in a place of service we pluck the fruit before it is ripe. We get involved in service before we are ready and then make a mess of things. “Thirty” does not teach procrastination but it teaches patience in preparation.

The Place in the Certifying (Luke 3:23–38)
     Matthew places the genealogy of Christ at the beginning of his Gospel. The location of the genealogy in Matthew is most fitting inasmuch as Matthew begins the New Testament. Luke waits until after reporting the baptism of Christ before he records the genealogy of Christ. Luke’s delay (compared to Matthew) in recording the genealogy is not without purpose. We see the purpose by noting that the genealogy in Luke immediately follows the account of Christ’s baptism. His baptism concluded with “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). The next verse begins the genealogy section of Luke. At Christ’s baptism God gave the vocal confirmation that Jesus was the Son of God. Luke immediately and fittingly follows with the genealogy which gives the confirmation of Jesus as the Son of man. Thus the genealogy is also very appropriately located in Luke.
     The locations of Christ’s genealogies in Matthew and Luke are more illustrations of the Bible’s excellent literary style which does not need to take a back seat to any literature of man.

The Genealogy of Jesus - Matthew 1:1–17

THE GOSPEL OF Matthew is a vital connector of the Old Testament to the New Testament. In fact, no book in the New Testament makes a better book to start the New Testament and connect it to the Old Testament than Matthew. And the first chapter of Matthew is especially vital in connecting the Old Testament to the New Testament. The Old Testament saw Christ in the future; the New Testament sees Christ in fulfillment and begins with the fulfillment of Christ right in the very first chapter of Matthew (see Matthew 1:22). Matthew 1 may be divided into two major parts as follows:

• The Ancestry of Christ (Matthew 1:1–17)
• The Arrival of Christ (Matthew 1:18–25)

The Ancestry Of Christ - Matthew 1:1–17

     The introduction of Jesus Christ in Matthew begins fittingly with His human ancestry. Later the Gospel of John will begin with the Divine ancestry of Christ. Christ was both man and God so the Gospels give both ancestries.

The Prince in the Ancestry (Matthew 1:6)
     “David the king” (Matthew 1:6). There are a number of kings (at least 15) in the genealogy listed here in Matthew, but only one is called “king,” and that is David. He is called “king” twice in Matthew 1:6. The reason for this designation for David and not the other kings is that it is the throne of David that Christ was inheriting by His human descent. David was the first king of this dynasty. David followed Saul as king, but Saul was of a different tribe and family. Therefore, it is fitting to call David “the king” because he is the first of the dynasty and it is his dynasty that Christ belongs to in the human ancestry. Thus this genealogy, as we have noted before, confirms that Christ was indeed the promised Messiah.

The Paternity of the Ancestry (Matthew 1:16)
     Both the lineage and the language in this ancestry are important regarding the paternity in the ancestry.

    The lineage. “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16). This ancestry, in contrast to the one given in Luke 3, is the genealogy of the father’s lineage (Joseph was the adopted father, not the biological father). It goes from Joseph back to Abraham. The genealogy of Christ given in Luke 3 is the maternal ancestry, for it is Mary’s lineage and goes from Mary back to Adam. But importantly, both ancestry lists go through David; so regardless of which genealogy you choose, Christ has claim to the throne. 

     The language. There is a distinct change in the language when the ancestry gets to Joseph, the husband of Mary. The word “begat” occurs some 39 times in the genealogy found in our Matthew text. However, at the end of the genealogy it is not “Joseph begat Jesus,” but “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus.” This distinct change emphasizes the fact of the virgin birth of Christ. Joseph was not the human father of Jesus. Joseph did not “begat” Jesus Christ, for Jesus Christ had no human father. The genealogy of Matthew emphasizes this truth by this change of wording in the succession of names in the genealogy. The virgin birth is carefully preserved in the wording of this genealogy.

The People in the Ancestry (Matthew 1:1–16)
     Forty some people are named in this ancestry. Some significant notations need to be made here about the list of people in this genealogy of Christ.
     The family in the people. This genealogy traces Christ all the way back to “Abraham” (Matthew 1:2). The genealogy in Luke traces Christ back to Adam. Tracing Christ back to Abraham shows the emphasis on the Jew in the Gospel of Matthew. Tracing Christ back to Adam shows the emphasis on all men in the Gospel of Luke.
     The females in the people. Four significant women are listed in this genealogy besides Mary. They are Tamar (“Thamar” Matthew 1:3), Rahab (“Rachab” Matthew 1:5), Ruth (“Obed of Ruth” Matthew 1:5), and Bathsheba (“wife of Urias” Matthew 1:6). The first three women (Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba) all were defiled morally (as well as some of the men in the genealogy); and the other woman Ruth, who had good character, was a Gentile. The mention of these women in the genealogy emphasizes that the Gospel is for all people.
     The familiarity of the people. The spelling of the names in the KJV comes from a transliteration of the Greek and so does not at times correspond to the spelling of the names in the Old Testament. Some notable examples of this problem: “Thamar” (Matthew 1:3) is Tamar, “Rachab” (Matthew 1:5) is Rahab, “Roboam” (Matthew 1:7) is Rehoboam, “Ozias” (Matthew 1:9) is Uzziah, “Ezekias” (Matthew 1:9) is Hezekiah, and “Zorobabel” (Matthew 1:12) is Zerubbabel in the Old Testament. The change in spelling is unfortunate and unnecessarily clouds the understanding of the typical reader of the Scripture.

The Parts of the Ancestry (Matthew 1:17)
     The names in this ancestry are divided into three parts or groups of some 14 names each. This is an artificial arrangement and results in leaving out a few names (listed elsewhere in Scripture); but a Jewish genealogy often leaves out some names as it can skip from a grandson to a grandfather and still show correct lineage.
     The organization in the parts. “All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations” (Matthew 1:17). Dividing the names into three parts serves the purpose of organizing a great number of names into a more easily comprehended list. This illustrates that Scripture is more organized than the typical student of Scripture realizes. The Scriptures are not a confused, disorganized jumble of words thrown together at random but are Divinely inspired truths put together in a organized way. It is an important and legitimate precedence for organizing our Bible study notes and sermons. The Apostle Paul said, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Corinthians 14:40). That is a good principle for all Christians to practice in their lives.
     The categorization in the parts. The three parts of the ancestry are divided according to the three categories of the history of the Israelites. The first part is of the pre-monarchy years, the second part is of the monarchy years, and the third part is of the post-monarchy years. The first part is of the rising of Israel, the second part is of the rule of Israel, and the third part is of the ruin of Israel.
     The memorization in the parts. Some scholars tell us that the grouping here was done for aid in memorizing. People, in years past, did not have books and other means of recording information as we do; and so to keep the information, they would have to memorize it. Copies of the Bible were limited and so not readily available to the Jews and this required much memorization. While we can be thankful today that we have the written Word in our hands, we still will find memorizing profitable. Memorization helps keep the Word fresh in our minds.

The Anthem of Zacharias - Luke 1:67–79

     When Zacharias had his tongue unloosed so he could speak again, he “praised God” (Luke 1:64). The anthem of Zacharias is part of the wonderful praise which now came from the mouth of Zacharias, a mouth that earlier had spoken forth unbelief and had been silenced by God until the birth of John the Baptist. This anthem is called the “Benedictus” which comes from the first line of the anthem, namely, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel” (Luke 1:68).We note three main themes in this anthem.

1. The Salvation Theme (Luke 1:68–74)
     The first theme in the anthem of Zacharias concerns salvation. It not only speaks of personal salvation but even more it speaks of the national salvation of Israel.
     The perceiving for salvation. “He hath visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68). The word translated “visited” is the word from which we get the word episcopal or overseer. It speaks of God visiting His people and seeing a problem and acting to correct the problem.
     The power for salvation. “Hath raised up an horn of salvation” (Luke 1:69). The horn is the great weapon of an animal and its use in Scripture represents power. Salvation requires power (Romans 1:16).
     The prophecy about salvation. “As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:70). The message of salvation has been coming to mankind ever since men prophesied. God has given men ample instruction about how to be saved.
     The protection in salvation. “That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us” (Luke 1:71). This especially speaks of Israel as a nation. Israel has many enemies, but God will deliver Israel from them. Salvation for the individual is also seen here. The enemies of the individual include sin, self, and Satan.
     The passion for salvation. “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers” (Luke 1:72). Salvation is always associated with mercy and grace. None merit Divine salvation; it is all of grace.
     The promise of salvation. “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham” (Luke 1:72,73). The promise of salvation for both Israel and the individual is a promise God will not break. However, you will not experience the promise if you do not receive the Savior. God did not promise to save everyone, but He promised to save those who receive Christ. Israel will not be saved until they accept Christ as their Messiah. No individual will be saved until they receive Christ as Savior.

2. The Service Theme (Luke 1:74,75)
     Salvation brings service. Following the salvation theme, the anthem of Zacharias speaks of service.
     The plea for service. “That he would grant unto us, that we … might serve him” (Luke 1:74). This plea does not sound like the typical church member who is inventing excuses to get out of any kind of serving responsibility.
     The prerequisite to service. “That we being delivered” (Luke 1:74). Service follows salvation. It does not come before salvation. Salvation should motivate one to serve. Those who do not want to serve justify others questioning their salvation.
     The pleasure of service. “Serve him without fear” (Luke 1:74). Serving God is joyous service. Serving sin is ruinous.
     The purity for service. “In holiness and righteousness before him” (Luke 1:75). “Holy” service is the only kind that is “acceptable” (Romans 12:1) to the Lord. “Before him” says God determines the standards of holiness. Our churches could use much help in this area, for many serving in church are far from holy. The qualifications for church office in many churches do not stress holiness.
     The permanency of service. “All the days of our life” (Luke 1:75). This speaks of a far greater commitment than most are willing to give. Short-term missionary service unfortunately describes too much so-called Christian service today.

3. The Servant Theme (Luke 1:76–79)
     The last part of the anthem of Zacharias is about John the Baptist. It speaks of his calling and work and why he was brought into this world.
     The position of the servant. “Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest” (Luke 1:76). John the Baptist was a prophet and a prophet of God. The world did not call John by such high titles, but what heaven calls a man and what the world calls a man are often two very different things.
     The place of the servant. “Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways” (Luke 1:76). John was a herald of Jesus Christ. A herald goes before the dignitary and prepares the people and the path for the coming of the dignitary.
     The proclaiming of the servant. “To give knowledge of salvation … by the remission of sins. Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.” (Luke 1:77,78). John had a very important message of salvation to proclaim to the people. First, the message of salvation. “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people.” John was to make the people aware of how to be saved. No message is more important or valuable or needed. Second, the method of salvation. “Remission of their sins.” Salvation does not come via church membership, baptism, or good works but through the forgiveness and cleansing of a person’s sins. If you do not deal with the sin problem, you will not proclaim any salvation. Third, the mercy in salvation. “Through the tender mercy of our God.” There is no salvation apart from the mercy and grace of God. No one merits salvation. It is all of mercy and grace. Fourth, the Messiah in salvation. “Dayspring from on high hath visited us.” “Dayspring” pictures the coming of dawn which breaks the hold of darkness upon the earth. This speaks of the salvation of Israel as a nation. “The advent of Messiah as a sunrise was a favorite one with the prophets” (Bickersteth). It also speaks of Christ as the light of the world (John 8:12) in soul salvation.
     The perception from the servant. “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79). John’s ministry will turn the lights on so men can perceive Divine truth. Sin has left men in darkness. Men need to be shown the light, and John’s ministry will do just that.
     The peace from the servant. “To guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). Christ brings the greatest peace known to mankind. John’s ministry will guide people into this great peace by directing them to Jesus Christ. Of course people must follow John’s teaching or they will not know peace. Multitudes came to hear John preach, but many did not accept his message so they did not experience the great peace that comes via Jesus Christ.

The Birth of John the Baptist - Luke 1:57-80

The Delivery in the Arrival (Luke 1:57)
     It would be a very exciting time as the birth of John approached. The day of birth was the climax of the excitement.
     The patience for the delivery. “Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered” (Luke 1:57). To Elisabeth and perhaps even more to Zacharias because of the judgment upon his hearing and speech, the waiting for John to be born was probably the longest nine months of their lives. God had promised, but the promise was not fulfilled until the “full time” has passed. “Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36)
     The punctuality in the delivery. “Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son” (Luke 1:57). God had promised and He was not late in fulfilling His promise. It may have required patience to wait for the fulfillment of the promise, but there was no frustration from the failure to fulfill the promise. God is punctual.
     The power for the delivery. “She brought forth a son” (Luke 1:57). Not only did God work miraculously for Elisabeth to conceive but He had to give her strength to give birth. At her advanced age that strength would normally not be present, but God had promised, and God enabled.

The Delight in the Arrival (Luke 1:58)
     As with the birth of most children, there was considerable rejoicing in the birth of John the Baptist.
     The cause of the rejoicing. “Heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her” (Luke 1:58). There was extra cause for rejoicing in this birth because a miracle from God had produced the birth. Elisabeth had been barren for many years, but now the barren bears a child. This brought joy upon joy.
     The crowd in the rejoicing. “Her neighbors and her cousins … rejoiced with her” (Luke 1:58). The word translated “cousins” simply means kinfolk or relatives, as we noted earlier. Cousins may have been present, but there were more than cousins involved here. Doubtless among the neighbors and relatives were those who had heaped reproach upon Elisabeth for her barrenness. So the birth of John the Baptist was a special blessing to Elisabeth in that it stopped the painful reproach she had been experiencing for many years.

The Dispute After the Arrival (Luke 1:59–63)
     In spite of the great rejoicing at the birth of John the Baptist, there arose a great dispute about the new baby.
     The commemoration in the dispute. “It came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child” (Luke 1:59). A Jewish boy was circumcised the eighth day after his birth. It was a special day when friends and relatives would assemble for the occasion, and the child would be named then.
     The cause of the dispute. “They called him Zacharias, after the name of his father … his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John … There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name” (Luke 1:59–61). The cause of the dispute at the time of circumcising John was the name for the baby. First, the consenses name. “They called him Zacharias” (Luke 1:59). Tradition named the first son after his father. So the consenses of those present thought that would be his name. Second, the corrected name. “Not so; but he shall be called John” (Luke 1:60). Elisabeth spoke up quickly and said that Zacharias was the wrong name; the right name was John. Third, the contested name. “They said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name” (Luke 1:61). The contesting argument was right about none of his kindred being named John, but the people were wrong in that God decided the name, not the people or consensus or tradition.
     The conclusion of the dispute. “They made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table [tablet], and wrote … His name is John. And the marvelled all” Luke 1:62,63). Zacharias stopped the dispute. First, the appeal for the conclusion. “They made signs to his father, how he would have him called” (Luke 1:62). Zacharias’ unbelief left him unable to speak or hear so the people made signs to him about John’s name. Second, the agreement for the conclusion. “His name is John” (Luke 1:63). When Zacharias wrote that the babe’s name was John, that agreed with the mother and ended the dispute. Third, the amazement after the dispute. “They marvelled all” (Luke 1:63). The people were amazed at the name and that both Zacharias and Elisabeth agreed on the name in spite of Zacharias being unable to hear or to speak.
     The communication after the dispute. “His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God” (Luke 1:64). When Zacharias said what the name of the babe would be, the judgment for unbelief (deafness and dumbness) ended. First, the confirmation in the communication “His tongue loosed, and he spake” (Luke 1:64). The angel Gabriel had promised that Zacharias would have this curse upon him until John was born (Luke 1:20). Zacharias’ speaking confirmed the fulfillment of that heavenly prediction. Second, the character of the communication “He spake, and praised God” (Luke 1:64). How noble that when Zacharias could again speak he honored God with his tongue. Detailed expression of that honor and praise will be seen shortly in Zacharias’ anthem. Third, the consternation of the communication. “Fear came on all that dwelt round about them” (Luke 1:65). Those who heard about the experience were affected in a great way. The fear here speaks of respect and reverence for God. The people realized that God was working mightily. They were in awe and reverence of what was occurring. Fourth, the cognizance of the communication. “All these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country” (Luke 1:65). Those who were at the circumcising/naming occasion told their neighbors all that had transpired so all were cognizant of the events. Fifth, the contemplation of the communication “They that heard them laid them up in their hearts” (Luke 1:66). The mighty working of God is the kind of information and news we need to put in our hearts and ponder rather than the trash that too often is put in our hearts and pondered. Sixth, the conclusion in the communication. “What manner of child shall this be!” (Luke 1:66). It was obvious from what the people had heard and from what they were observing in the child that John the Baptist was not the typical child. Rather they rightly saw in him something special. They had enough spiritual discernment to see God at work. Today, few ever see God working in anything.

The Development After the Arrival (Luke 1:66,80)
     The report of the arrival of John is accompanied by a few concise sentences about the development of the child.
     The aid in the development. “The hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:66). One will not do much for God if the hand of the Lord is not upon one. The work which John the Baptist had to do required great help from God. But when God calls, God enables. Many do not perceive the need of the hand of the Lord upon them for service. They think by manipulation and clever schemes they can accomplish much for God. Scripture, however, says, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). To serve God adequately we must have Divine help.
     The areas of the development. “The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel” (Luke 1:80). Three important areas of development are covered in this text. First, the physical development. “The child grew.” John developed well physically. His diet helped in this area. He did not drink strong drink (Luke 1:15). Alcohol always hurts one physically. Second, his spiritual development. “Waxed strong in spirit.” John’s spiritual growth kept pace with his physical growth. Today, however, we emphasize the physical over the spiritual and produce physical giants and spiritual pygmies. Third, his vocational development. “Was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.” Like Moses of old, John was trained in the desert for his task, and he was trained in spartan circumstances. John was no weakling.

Blogging Thru the Gospels - Day 004 - The Anthem of Elisabeth - Luke 1:39–45

     Except for the section about the birth of John the Baptist, the last half of Luke 1 is mostly "musical". Three anthems dominate the last half of Luke 1. They are the anthems or songs of Elisabeth, Mary, and Zacharias. All three have special names. Elisabeth’s anthem is called the “Beatitude.” Mary’s is called the “Magnificat” and Zacharias’ anthem is called the “Benedictus.” The contents of each anthem has determined its name.

1. The Prompter of the Anthem (Luke 1:39–41)

     Elisabeth’s anthem was inspired by a series of three significant and unexpected events which came to Elisabeth.

Fellowship with Mary.

“Mary … entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth” (Luke 1:39,40).

     The arrival of Mary, a kinsman of Elisabeth, (the word “cousin” [Luke 1:36] is translated from a word which simply means “kinsman”) began the inspiration for Elisabeth’s anthem.

• First, the rigor for the fellowship. “Went into the hill country … into a city of Juda” (Luke 1:39). Mary’s trip to see Elisabeth covered as much as 80 miles. She came all the way from Nazareth of Galilee to the province of Judea (“Juda”) and to the town of Hebron (likely home of Zacharias and Elisabeth).
• Second, the rapidity for the fellowship. “Went into the hill country with haste” (Luke 1:39). Mary was excited by what the angel had told her about herself and about Elisabeth. That would account for her rapidity.
• Third, the reason for the fellowship. Mary and Elisabeth shared Divine blessings the world would not understand. They would have mutual understanding of God working miracles in them, and the fellowship would be delightful.

 The Flutter in the Womb.

“When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41).

     The word translated “leaped” is stronger than the normal flutter of the fetus in the womb. This was a supernatural reaction.

The Filling with the Holy Spirit.

“Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost” (Luke 1:41).

     This enabled Elisabeth to understand Mary’s situation and to prophesy in her anthem.

The Parts of the Anthem (Luke 1:42–45)

     Elisabeth’s anthem, which is the shortest of the three anthems in Luke 1, is divided into two parts. They speak of the blessings which came to Elisabeth and the three blessings which she prophesied for others. The repetition of “blessed” in this anthem has given it the name of “Beatitude.”

1. The blessings for Elisabeth.

     The blessings Elisabeth cites are twofold. She does not mention the filling of the Spirit as she may not have been altogether conscious of that action. Her anthem revealed it, but she may not have been well aware of it.

• First, the arrival of Mary.

“Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43).

     The filling of the Spirit revealed that Mary was “the mother of my Lord.” Elisabeth takes a very humble position in regard to this special blessing.

• Second, the activity of the babe.

“As soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy” (Luke 1:44).

     The word translated “leaped” involved leaping for joy. The coming of Christ brings great joy.

2. The blessings for others.

     Elisabeth speaks three blessings for others.

• First, the blessing for the female.

“Blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:42).

     Elisabeth, like the angel, spoke it right. It was not blessed above women but “among” women.

• Second, the blessing for the fruit.

(Luke 1:42).

“Blessed is the fruit of thy womb”

     This is honor for Christ, Who is the “fruit” in Mary’s womb.

• Third, the blessing for the faith.

“Blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45).

     There is no blessing for unbelief, but unbelief brings judgment. Faith in the word of God will always be vindicated by the “performance” of the predictions of the Word. Mary’s faith is Gospel faith, for she believed what God said about His Son. What we believe about God’s Son, Jesus Christ, determines our eternal destiny.

The Anthem of Mary - Luke 1:46–56

     After Elisabeth spoke her anthem, Mary then spoke her anthem. What marvelous words were spoken by these two women upon their meeting one another on this occasion. John the Baptist and Jesus were something about which to be excited.

1. The Comparisons of the Anthem (Luke 1:47–54)

     Mary’s anthem had many things in it which also were in Hannah’s prayer of praise when she brought Samuel to “the house of the LORD in Shiloh” (I Samuel 1:24). This says Mary was well acquainted with Scripture. We note some significant comparisons of Mary’s anthem with Hannah’s prayer of praise.

• The rejoicing in God. Mary said, “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:47). Hannah said, “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD” (I Samuel 2:1).
• The honoring from God. Mary said, “He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden … from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). Hannah said, “My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies” (I Samuel 2:1).
• The honoring of God. Mary honored God in two specific ways. First, the purity of God. Mary said of God, “Holy is his name” (Luke 1:49). Hannah said, “There is none holy as the LORD” (I Samuel 2:2). Second, the power of God. Mary said in her anthem, “He hath showed strength with his arm … put down the mighty” (Luke 1:51,52). Hannah said, “The bows of the mighty men are broken [by God]” (I Samuel 2:4).
• The rebuking of the proud. Mary said, “He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts” (Luke 1:51). Hannah said, “Talk no more so exceeding proudly” (I Samuel 2:3).
• The defeating of the mighty. Mary said, “He hath put down the mighty” (Luke 1:52). Hannah said, “The bows of the mighty men are broken” (I Samuel 2:4).
• The lifting of the humble. Mary said in her anthem, “Exalted them of low degree” (Luke 1:52). Hannah said, “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill” (I Samuel 2:8).
• The filling of the hungry. Mary said, “He hath filled the hungry with good things” (Luke 1:53). Hannah said, “They that were hungry ceased [to be hungry]” (I Samuel 2:5).
• The emptying of the rich. Mary said, “The rich he hath sent empty away” (Luke 1:53). Hannah said, “The Lord maketh poor” (I Samuel 2:7).
• The preserving of God’s own. Mary said, “He hath holpen [helped] his servant Israel” (Luke 1:54). Hannah said, “He will keep the feet of his saints” (I Samuel 2:9).

2. The Components of the Anthem (Luke 1:46–55)

     Mary’s anthem is called the “Magnificat” because it magnifies the Lord. “My soul doth magnify the Lord” (Luke 1:46). The name of Mary’s anthem, “Magnificat,” comes from this sentence. Many magnify God only by their lips. When your soul honors God, your whole being honors God. Her anthem does indeed magnify God by stating many Divine attributes in a praising way. We note a number of the attributes Mary mentions about God which magnify Him.

• The joy from God. “My spirit hath rejoiced in God” (Luke 1:47). The world rejoices in the things of the flesh, but faith rejoices in God. No one gives pleasure like God. “At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). The pleasures of the world are empty, void, and vain compared to the pleasures that come from God. Yet most people forsake God to seek after the pleasures of the world (II Timothy 3:4). 
• The salvation from God. “God my Savior” (Luke 1:47). The salvation of man’s soul comes from God through Jesus Christ. Any other way will not save.
• The blessing from God. “All generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). Mary suffered greatly in being the vessel through which Christ came into the world. But the blessings far exceeded any suffering. God’s blessings more than compensate for any loss we experience to gain His blessings.
• The enabling from God. “He … hath done to me great things” (Luke 1:49). An understatement to be sure. When God calls, God will enable. The enabling of Mary was a tremendous miracle. Be encouraged that God will enable you to do what He has called you to do.
• The holiness of God. “Holy is his name” (Luke 1:49). The fundamental attribute of God is holiness. Mary had some good theology in her anthem.
• The mercy of God. “His mercy is on them that fear him” (Luke 1:50). The fear of God and the mercy of God are inseparably related. When we fear God we run to Christ for mercy. There is not much fear of God in the world today.
• The power of God. “He hath showed strength with his arm” (Luke 1:51). This is a figure of speech. Men often roll up their sleeves to show the muscle in their arm to show their power. No one has more power than God.
• The judgment of God. “He hath scattered the proud … put down the mighty from their seats” (Luke 1:51,52). God will judge the arrogant who despise Him. Many politicians and earthly rulers have bitten the dust in humiliation because they rebelled against God.
• The justice of God. “He hath … exalted them of low degree” (Luke 1:52). He exalts the lowly not because they are lowly but because they have character. Character is generally despised in the world, and those with character are given a back seat in the world, but God is just. He exalts character.
• The filling by God. “He hath filled the hungry with good things” (Luke 1:53). This attribute in related to the fourth beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount which says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). You must desire God’s blessings or you will not be filled with God’s blessings.
• The rejection by God. “The rich he hath sent empty away” (Luke 1:53). This reminds us of the experience Jesus had with the rich man (Mark 10:17–22). It is not the wealth that God rejects but the fact that men want their riches more than God.
• The faithfulness of God. “He hath holpen [helped] his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and his seed forever” (Luke 1:54,55). God is faithful to His promises for Israel. He sent them a Messiah as promised, but Israel rejected Him the first time He came to earth. However, God will send Him back a second time, and Israel will receive Him. God was faithful, but Israel was not.

3. The Companionship After the Anthem (Luke 1:56) 

“Mary abode with her [Elisabeth] about three months, and returned to her own house” (Luke 1:56).

   Mary wisely left the home of Elisabeth and Zacharias at this time so she would not be in the way when John was born - he would be born shortly after Mary left. (She came in the sixth month and stayed about three months meaning Elisabeth was about ready to give birth to John). Also Mary needed to get back to Nazareth before her own pregnancy advanced so far it would be difficult to travel.

Blogging Thru The Gospels - Gabriel & Mary (Part 2) - Luke 1:26-33

In verse 34, Mary is quite naturally puzzled about all these things, not a puzzlement that stems from disbelief, but a puzzlement concerning how all of this was going to take place given her "physical situation". There can be no misinterpreting this verse. If we do not understand this to be speaking of physical virginity, then the entire circumstances of these verses Falls apart. Mary must have been a physical virgin or the entire set of circumstances ends the entire discussion here. The physical, real virginity of Mary is essential on many levels. We have discussed the need for the virginity of Mary numerous times in sermons in church, Thus we'll not discuss it again here.


In verse 35 the explanation from Gabriel to Mary's question emphasizes the supernatural in the conception of the child. It completely and satisfactorily answers Mary’s question. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee". The nature of the explanation demonstrates for us how different her question was than that of Zacharias. It him was a question of unbelief. For him he and his wife were old, and such a thing does not happen to old people. For her, she just could not understand how it could happen and desire to know how it would be.

In verse 36 and 37 the angel gives Mary support for his statements. What God does can be adequately supported. Mary already believes but God encourages the faith of those who believe. He does not ask them to simply believe without evidence. He tells Mary, in verse 36, of her cousin Elizabeth. She "has also conceived a son in her old age". Gabriel goes on and tells her that this "is this six month with her, who was called barren". Of course this is done to encourage Mary faith. This is done to give her an example that what is humanly impossible is possible with God. It has in fact happened, the impossible has occurred with Mary’s close relative, Elizabeth, in spite of her age and her lengthy barrenness, she has conceived a child. In verse 37 Gabriel goes on and he uses that famous phrase "with God nothing shall be impossible". That's a phrase we all fall remember every day!

Given the fact that Mary is a believer, a godly believer, and a very very godly believer at that!; What more could Mary do but submit to the message that Gabriel has delivered. Even though the message is, quite frankly, unbelievable to human rationale, Mary still submits. In verse 38 she says "behold the handmaiden of the Lord". Her submission is first seen in her submitting to the lowly position of the servant, a slave. If you want high position before the Lord your must bow before Him first of all. If you do not you will not serve well!

Note also the plea in that submission "be it unto me according to Thy word. The word God will be her guide. She will have the course of her life guided and directed by the Word, by the revelation of God. That is certainly a pattern that should be echoed and every one of our lives.

Blogging Thru the Gospels - Gabriel & Mary (Part 1) - Luke 1:26-33

One of the most distinguishing features of this city was its wickedness. This fact is emphasized by Nathanael who, when told by Philip about “Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45), said in scorn of Nazareth producing any worthy person, “Can there any good come thing out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). The fact that Mary was a “virgin” (Luke 1:27) says you can still live a holy life even though you live in a wicked society. Great saints have lived godly amidst great sin.


Here we are introduced to the human mother of Jesus Christ. So much error, thanks to the church of Rome, is attached to her. But the study of Scripture will reveal the truth about her. Being a virgin in Nazareth was especially a mark of character. So few women today have high character morally. Further, in verse 27 we see her commitment. She was espoused to a man whose name was Joseph. This was espousal commitment in that culture was so strong that to separate after it was in place involved an actual divorce. And therefore we have called her spouse in this point.

We also see the clan to which she belonged. She was of the house of David. It is interesting that both Joseph and Mary couldn't trace their line back today but I've seen in the genealogies of Christ that are giving them both and Luke and Matthew.

We also see what for lack of a better word we could call her appellation. Her name was Mary. His name is a derivative of the Hebrew name Miriam. Of course that was the name of Moses' sister. It was in fact a very common name in Israel, in fact it appears from other Scriptures that this particular Mary had a sister who was also named Mary. Just as an interesting little side note, the various Marys mentioned in the Scripture are all godly women.

Moving on to verse 28 Gabriel enters and gives Mary a greeting that is very instructive. He says to her first, Hail! This word is used as a greeting and means literally "Joy to you".

He calls her "highly favored". The term implies both the common idea of grace and the action of God in bestowing that favor. It certainly is a wonderful "shorthand" manner of referring to the tremendous favor bestowed upon Mary by God in using her as the vessel for which He would bring Israel's Messiah. It also demonstrates for us to the nature of how God selects those whom He favors. Mary was not favored because of her deservedness. She was favored because, and only because God chose her. Such is God's grace in all of its manifestations.

We should note, however, that Mary was not simply "favored". She was "highly favored". Mary was not simply a believer, favored in that God had redeemed her. God was about to do a work in her that He had not, and would not do in any other. He was about to bring forth His only begotten Son by means of Mary.

This is further demonstrated by the phrase "the Lord is with thee". What a tremendous gain this is for Mary! What a tremendous gain this is for any believer! You and I have the same gain, as we are indwelt by God's Holy Spirit. The Lord is with us as well!

As would anyone be, verse 29 tells us that Mary "was troubled by his saying". The meaning of the word here and involves alarm and even agitation. Mary was very stressed by this greeting from the angel Gabriel. Further she was perplexed by what Gabriel had said to her. Verse 29 goes on and says "...she cast in her mind what manner of greetings this should be". Now, we need to be very careful to remember that this is very different than Zachariah's response to the same kind of greeting by the same angel, Gabriel. On the surface, both of their responses seem to be very similar. They both seem to question what the angel says to them.

But when we look deeper, we see the critical difference of faith. Where Zachariah responded with unbelief Mary responds with faith. Her faith maybe a faith that is mystified, but it is faith nevertheless. She may not understand how God will do what He is saying He will do, but she believes He will do it nevertheless. Zechariah, on the other hand, does not believe that God would do what Gabriel was reporting that He would do.

In verse 30 thru 33 we get to the specifics of the announcement that Gabriel makes to Mary. The first thing that he tells her is that she need not fear. One can certainly understand why he would leave off with such a reassurance. It is perfectly understandable that Mary would be thoroughly frightened at this point. By the way, Gabriel had given the same command to Zacharias when he had appeared to him. Of course Mary has nothing to fear from this appearance of the angel as he's not appearing in judgment as most would reasonably think from the appearance of such a spectacular heavenly being.

He then repeats some of the greeting that he made telling Mary that she has found favor with God. He goes on in verse 31 to tell her that she would conceive a child in her womb. It is interesting that he does not leave in general, (as most so-called psychics do) but rather is very specific. He tells her she will conceive a Son. The gender of the child is plainly specified. I always been irritated by noon or gender Bibles. They're a farce, God is specific and very detailed and what He reveals.

Gabriel goes on in revealing specifics here in verse 31. Mary's was told the name of the child just as Joseph was told the name of the child is Matthew 1:21. The reason for this name is in the Name's meaning. It means "Jehovah is Savior". It is not too melodramatic then to underscore that Jesus is the Savior of mankind. The name Jesus is the English rendition of the Greek word Jesu and Hebrew Yeshua.

Gabriel goes on and tells Mary at least three specific things about what her child will do. First in verse 32 he tells her that he shall be great. The crucifixion in the eyes of men was not exactly the idea of greatness, but then God evaluates greatness far differently than man.

Secondly he tells her that he shall be called "the Son of the highest". This, of course, announces his Deity. Scripture plainly teachers that Christ was God.

And then thirdly Gabriel says "he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end". This speaks of the Messianic office that the Old Testament promised to the Messiah of God, the coming King. This was a very issue at the crucifixion. Remember that Pilate asked Christ if he was the king of the Jews? (Matthew 27:11).