Bible Study - Class meets on Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CST.

[LadyLionness]

A great big thank you for all who came to join us. 

For those of you who could not join us during lunchtime today, please keep on reading and ask any questions that you may have.  We will continue to discuss Matthew Chapter 1 this week.  Awesome discussion today! 

Next week, March 22, we will be discussing Matthew Chapter 2.   See y'all then... same place... same time... and same lame jokes from me... 

[LadyLionness]

I believe to say it's impossible would be ignorant in my opinion.  Losing salvation is simply doing the opposite of receiving salvation - rejecting Jesus.

That is true, BoyRescue... but how sad is that?  I think those who have met God face to face (in a way) will never be able to reject him... but then again, there was Judas who was with Christ Jesus himself for 3 whole years, witnessing all the miracles... and yet at the end, he still choose to betray Jesus and then continued to sin by not repenting as Peter did... but by taking his own life... 

[LadyLionness]

Matthew 1:7, 8
 
Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah.

Matthew omits three kings in this list: Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah.

Matthew 1:9-11
 
Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

Matthew skips Jehoiakim but includes Jeconiah. Jeconiah was Josiah's grandson (1 Ch 3:15). God said that none of Jeconiah's children would sit on the throne because of his sin (Je 22:24,30). Joseph was in his line but was not the natural father of Jesus. Joseph gave Jesus the legal title to the throne of David, but He was not the physical seed of Jeconiah. In Mary's line (Luke), Jesus' lineage came through David's son Nathan. Joseph's line came through Solomon.

Matthew 1:12
 
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.

After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah begot three sons. Jeconiah was to have seed but no reigning son.

This is the Zerubbabel of Ezra 3:2; Ne 12:1; Hag 1:1.

Matthew 1:13-15
 
Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.

We find none of these names in the Old Testament except Zerubbabel. However, the Jews kept very careful records of genealogies.

Matthew 1:16
 
And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus

This does not say that Joseph begot Jesus but instead it says that Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary.  Matthew makes it clear that Joseph was not the father of Jesus and explains all of this in the rest of the chapter that Jesus was born of a virgin.

The Greek of whom� is singular and feminine in gender, indicating that Jesus was born of Mary, not Joseph.

who is called Christ.

The word Christ signifies anointed. Anointed applied to kings, priests, and prophets. All were anointed with oil. It applies most significantly to the Messiah. The Messiah was consecrated to office like no other (Is 61:1).

Matthew 1:17
 
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

Matthew lists only 14 generations in each of the time periods. Jewish reckoning did not require every name to be listed in the genealogy.

PRINCIPLE: The credentials of Christ are impeccable.

APPLICATION: God carefully presents the differences between the genealogies of Matthew and Luke. Jesus was not the physical descendant of Joseph, but his legal descendant. Jesus has the legal right to the Messiahship and throne of David.

[BoyRescue]

the theme of of the gospel of matthew is "the kingdom of God."  i believe matthew truely understood jesus because he was a witness to all the events during jesus' time.  not only did he record the events that happened, i believe he injected what he felt the reason/purpose for jesus being here on this earth.  "the kingddom of God" is used more frequent in matthew than any books of the bible.

Good point, Ren.

The kingdom of heaven refers to the rule of God on the earth.  This phrase occurs 32 times and nowhere else in Scripture.

Looking at the KJV Bible of the book of Matthews, the "kingdom of God" is used only 5 times and the "kingdom of heaven" is used amazingly 32 times.  Each phrase having a different meaning.

What's the different meaning between "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven"?

[BoyRescue]

That is true, BoyRescue... but how sad is that?  I think those who have met God face to face (in a way) will never be able to reject him... but then again, there was Judas who was with Christ Jesus himself for 3 whole years, witnessing all the miracles... and yet at the end, he still choose to betray Jesus and then continued to sin by not repenting as Peter did... but by taking his own life...  

I know sad indeed, but here's the catcher:  it was sin that led Judas to betray and eventual the death of Jesus.

So if Christians continue to sin, it can led to the betrayal of Jesus.

[LadyLionness]

I know sad indeed, but here's the catcher:  it was sin that led Judas to betray and eventual the death of Jesus.

So if Christians continue to sin, it can led to the betrayal of Jesus.

Interesting concept, I am not sure that I get it... can you go into more details?

[LadyLionness]

Summary of Matthew Chapter 1:1-17


We meet 46 people spanning 2,000 years.  All were ancestors of Jesus, but they varied considerably in personality, spirituallity, and experience.  Some were heroes of faith - like Abraha, Issac, Ruth, and David.  Some had shady reputations - like Rehab and Tamar.  Many were very ordinary - like Esrom, Aram, Naasson, and Achim.  And ohters were evil - like Manasses and Abia.  God's work in history is not limited by human failures or sins, and he works through ordinary people.  Just as God used all kinds of people to bring his Son into the world, he uses all kinds today to accomplish his will.  God wants to use you.

[yajmafia]

Looking at the KJV Bible of the book of Matthews, the "kingdom of God" is used only 5 times and the "kingdom of heaven" is used amazingly 32 times.  Each phrase having a different meaning.

What's the different meaning between "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven"?

Its actually 5 and 31.

Hope this answers your question.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not the same thing as heaven. When the New Testament uses the phrase “the Kingdom of Heaven” it is not referring to heaven. Instead it is referring to the Millennial Kingdom which has been ordained from heaven, that is, from God -- hence the interchangeabi lity between "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God."  Unfortunately too many people have heard a great deal of preaching and teaching about heaven as the hope of a Christian and consequently think that “the Kingdom of Heaven” and “heaven” are the same.  They are not.  The Kingdom of Heaven is a kingdom from heaven, not a kingdom in heaven. God reigns supreme in heaven. Heaven is the locus of His authority – the point from which He rules the universe. The words “of heaven” then are referring to the origin of this Kingdom. It is the place from which the Kingdom is coming, not a destination to which we are going. So we see that although the Kingdom of Heaven is heavenly in character and origin, it is not the same thing as heaven.  To avoid the confusion between heaven and the Kingdom of Heaven, and since the term "Kingdom of God" occurs much more frequently in the Bible, it is the "Kingdom of God" that is preferred when describing the future kingdom in which Jesus will reign as king.

The "Kingdom of God" is the master-term in Jesus’ presentation of the Christian faith. It is his constant slogan, the concept around which all of his discourse revolves. "Kingdom of God" is the phrase in which the genius of the faith is concentrated. Jesus bared his mind and the fundamental intention of his whole career as prophet, rabbi and Son of God with these precious words, which should be indelibly written on the hearts of his followers:

    "But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43).

 Logically, then, the same driving purpose should be found within all Christian evangelism.

Yet, strangely, the phrase "Gospel of the Kingdom of God" is absent from the lips of nearly all contemporary attempts to "preach salvation."  This should tell us that something is seriously amiss in mainstream Christianity.

If Jesus spoke of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and made this the key for an intelligent reception of himself and his message, what is the Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven? The Kingdom of God was a phrase well known to Jesus and his audience. The Kingdom of God was the national hope of Israel. It had been described in detail in the books of the Hebrew prophets (the Old Testament — actually "the Hebrew Bible"). Jesus did not play verbal games with his audience. He did not come into Galilee calling for repentance and belief in the Gospel about the Kingdom (Mark 1:14, 15) intending his audience to misunderstand his words! Common sense and honesty dictate that Jesus expected the audience to know what the Kingdom of God was. Jesus did not define the Kingdom. There was no need to do this. The Kingdom of God meant "God’s revolutionary Government" to be inaugurated by the promised Messiah on a renewed earth. (The Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven certainly did not mean a realm of disembodied post-mortem spirits in Heaven.) The Kingdom of God was a future event, and a very spectacular one. It spelled destruction for the wicked and joy and endless life for the true followers of the Messiah:

    Luke 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

The Kingdom of God involved Israel, the natural sons of Abraham:

    Acts 1:6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

The Kingdom of God was preached as residing upon this earth, not in heaven:

    Luke 11:1-2  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

    Revelation 5:9-10 By thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth.

The Kingdom of God was proclaimed as something that the righteous receive only after Jesus returns:

    Matthew 25:31-34 But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

The Kingdom of God was a key part of the Gospel.  It was what Jesus taught...

    Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,

...and it was what the apostles taught as an essential part of the Gospel...

    Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

    Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

http://www.bibletopics.com/biblestudy/157.htm

[yajmafia]

OFF TOPIC:  Help Needed!

We are typing up the Hmong Bible for personal use.  And might add a commentary translation later on.  Anyone interested in joining us? 

Why not use the one that already exists?

[yajmafia]

I know sad indeed, but here's the catcher:  it was sin that led Judas to betray and eventual the death of Jesus.

So if Christians continue to sin, it can led to the betrayal of Jesus.

Wasn't the betrayal because of the money he was given?  I'd have to say it was greed on his part.

[LadyLionness]

Why not use the one that already exists?

You know of an online one or one that is soft copy?

[LadyLionness]

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this time and for the friends as well as fellow brothers and sisters who are coming together today to share your words.  Father, we love you and want to honor you in all that we do.  Please, open our minds and give us willing hearts to hear and understand your words. 

All this I pray in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

[LadyLionness]

OK, I was so excited about Jesus's genealogy last week, that I forgot part of chapter 1... lolz...

[LadyLionness]

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
 
After a long genealogy presenting the idea that someone was the father of someone else, we now come to a passage that shows someone became someone without a human father.  Why is the virgin birth important to the Christian faith?  Jesus Christ, God's Son, had to be free from the sinful nature passed to all other human beings by Adam.  Because he was born of a woman, he was a human being; but because he was the Son of God, he was born without any trace of human sin.  He was both fully human and fully divine.

Because Jesus lived as a man, we know that he fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4:15, 16).  Because he is God, he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2:13-15).  We can tell him all our thoughts, feelings, and needs.  he has been where we are now, and he has the ability to help.
Joseph is the central figure in Matthew's genealogy in order to show the legal right of Jesus to Messiahship.

[LadyLionness]

Matthew 1:18 con't
 
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.


A Jewish betrothal wa as binding as odern marriage.  A divorce was necessary to terminate the betrothal and the betrothed cuple were regarded legally as husband and wife - although physical union had not yet taken place.  There was a waiting period of one year to determine whether or not the woman as pregnant.  After this period of engagement and a formal ceremony, the couple moe in together. 

Mary was in the one-year waiting period when she became pregnant. This must have shocked Joseph. I can't even imagine what Mary must have felt like.  With the whole town gossiping and Joseph on the fence... it must have been a scary time for her.  But she held on to the one thing that she knows is true... this is God's will.

A birth without a human father is a complete break in the pattern of the genealogy of this person begot that person. � The momentum of the genealogy completely changes.