Articles
Jesus According to Matthew
Jesus According to Matthew
"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1).
The book of the genealogy… Who is this Jesus? Matthew opens his book with a profound introduction. He affirms some exceeding grand propositions about who Jesus is and then spends the rest of the book proving the truth of these claims. Who is Jesus? Let Matthew tell us.
Jesus. An angel announced to Joseph that Mary would “... bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Strong’s pointed out that “Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”. This name was in fact a very popular name for centuries before this Jesus was born. However, THIS Jesus is different. His birth was to fulfill the promise that Isaiah foretold: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:23). The difference is further elaborated upon as Matthew continues his identification.
The Christ God had been promising that a special anointed one (Messiah) would come. He would be anointed NOT just as king or priest, but also as prophet, priest, and king. These promises (prophecies) gave the means whereby people could tell WHO is the Christ because He would fulfill all such prophecies. Matthew points this out by continually showing how Jesus fulfilled the prophets (1:22; 2:15, 17, 23; 3:15; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14, 35; 21:4; 26:54, 56; and 27:9). "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” (Matthew 1:22).
The son of David God promised King David that one of his seed would sit upon his throne forever. With the coming of Jesus, Matthew’s gospel will mention David some 17 times. Five times he is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (1:1, 6,17). People wanting Jesus to heal them addressed Him as ‘the son of David’ (9:27; 15:22; 20:30-31). As his fame grew, the people began to see that He was the promised son of David (9:23). As He entered Jerusalem to be crucified, the people greeted him: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (21:9). His adversaries, the chief priests and the scribes, hearing this, were indignant (21:15). Jesus himself showed that He was not only David’s son, but David's Lord (22:42-45). His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His authority is over all. He is the rightful king, the son of David.
The Son of Abraham The great promise that through Abraham’s seed all nations would be blessed. We have come to the fulfillment of that promise: Jesus is the Son of Abraham. Paul would declare: "All that are ‘of faith’ are Abraham’s seed and blessed with faithful Abraham” (Gal. 3:9). He continued: "If we be Christ’s then we are of Abraham’s offspring, and heirs according to THE promise" (Gal. 3:29). We became children of God through faith in Jesus, for as many as have been baptized have put on Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). THIS is the fulfillment of the commission that the resurrected and glorified Jesus gave in Matthew 28:18-20.
Such an opening to such a book about such a man! Jesus: the Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Hugh DeLong
