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The Book of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, presents Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah and King of the Jews. It begins with Jesus' genealogy, tracing His lineage back to Abraham, and recounts His miraculous birth to the Virgin Mary. Matthew's Gospel emphasizes Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, demonstrating His divine authority through powerful teachings and miracles. The book includes key events such as Jesus' baptism, the Sermon on the Mount, and the calling of the twelve disciples. Throughout the narrative, Matthew highlights Jesus' ministry of teaching, healing, and confronting religious hypocrisy. The Gospel contains five major discourses, including the Sermon on the Mount, which outlines the ethical and moral principles of the Kingdom of God. Matthew also records numerous parables that Jesus used to illustrate spiritual truths, such as the parables of the sower, the mustard seed, and the prodigal son. As opposition to Jesus grows, the book depicts His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, followed by His betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection. The Book of Matthew concludes with Jesus' resurrection appearances and His Great Commission to His disciples. This final charge instructs them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything Jesus had commanded. Matthew's Gospel serves as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments, presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises and the inaugurator of a new covenant. It emphasizes the universal scope of Jesus' mission, extending salvation to both Jews and Gentiles, and establishes the foundation for the Christian church.
“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah… This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about… His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph…” Matthew 1 serves as the opening chapter of the New Testament, introducing Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah and tracing His royal lineage. The chapter begins with a detailed genealogy, establishing Jesus' descent from Abraham through David, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah's lineage. This genealogy is carefully structured into three sets of fourteen generations, emphasizing Jesus' legal claim to the throne of David and His role as the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. The chapter then transitions to the circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth, focusing on the perspective of Joseph, His earthly father. When Mary, Joseph's betrothed, is found to be pregnant, Joseph plans to divorce her quietly to avoid public shame. However, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, explaining that the child Mary carries is conceived by the Holy Spirit and will be the Savior of His people. Joseph, demonstrating his faith and obedience, takes Mary as his wife but refrains from marital relations until after Jesus' birth. The narrative concludes with the birth of Jesus, emphasizing the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy about a virgin giving birth to Immanuel, meaning "God with us." This chapter sets the stage for the rest of Matthew's Gospel, presenting Jesus as both fully human, through His genealogy and birth, and fully divine, through His miraculous conception. It underscores the themes of fulfillment, divine intervention, and the unfolding of God's plan of salvation that will be developed throughout the book.
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?...” Matthew 2 recounts the events surrounding Jesus' birth and early childhood, focusing on the visit of the Magi, the escape to Egypt, and the return to Nazareth. The chapter begins with the arrival of wise men from the east in Jerusalem, seeking the newborn King of the Jews. They had seen a star signifying his birth and came to worship him. King Herod, troubled by this news, secretly meets with the Magi and instructs them to report back once they find the child, feigning a desire to worship him as well. Guided by the star, the Magi find Jesus in Bethlehem and present him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. However, warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they depart for their country by another route. An angel then appears to Joseph, instructing him to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to escape Herod's murderous intentions. They remain there until Herod's death, fulfilling the prophecy, "Out of Egypt I called my son". Enraged by the Magi's deception, Herod orders the killing of all male children two years old and under in Bethlehem and its vicinity, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy of Rachel weeping for her children. After Herod's death, an angel again appears to Joseph, instructing him to return to Israel. However, fearing Herod's son Archelaus, who now reigns in Judea, Joseph settles his family in Nazareth in the district of Galilee. This fulfills another prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene. Throughout the chapter, Matthew emphasizes how these events fulfill various Old Testament prophecies, establishing Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and connecting his life to the broader narrative of God's plan for Israel and the world.
