Matthew 1 ~ Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.



18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 

20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

And this is the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew's Truth.

Yesterday we talked of generations going forward - this impacted Matthew too. Friends came alongside  Matthew for hundreds of years to say this Gospel is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Matthew's personality begins with verse - One. Luke is a Physician and he begins with Mary's Genealogy - someone a Physician could touch, talk, visit and know. The Talmud of the Sanhedrin Council, now located in Scotland, explains the genealogy of Luke 3.

Matthew announces right off the word - start - Matthew is interested in Faith as fitting into customary history with his own reservations. Fitting for someone with the moral flexibility to accept being a tax collector - making the funds without the backing of propriety.

And Matthew is recorded directly into history by employers and then friends. In the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) "Mattai" is one of five disciples of "Jeshu." How is this Sanhedrin the employer of Matthew? No one sits in the Temple official seats without Herod's Approval Stamp. The Essenes have left the Temple of Luke 2's warmth stating Herod has taken the Holy Spirit from the Temple in his quest for Roman Privilege. The Royal Stoa is on the Temple Mount and is of utterly Roman Architecture and houses "the Money People." The truth is the Money People in the Temple and collecting the taxes had the stamp of Herod's Approval.

Matthew does not have overt praise for being a tax collector. And when History records the downfall of Judah in 70 A.D, the gold and silver is going to run into the millions and millions and millions. Herod has a choke hold on the throats of the people. Herod is this - a puppet of Rome and Prize Cash Cow. Ching taxes, Ching Roman improvements, Ching Temple. Ching Governor Pontius Pilate kills Jews and Passover and taxes roll in better for Herod. Ching more castles for Herod. Ching more personal glory. The people are suffering and Matthew is going to be - disliked. The Roman Coliseum is going to be built and stand today from the Cash Cow of Herod's Fox Enterprise. Herod - really did - like to build things for the Emperor and look how - that - ended up for him.


Verse One. Matthew is not about to include Genesis and the Creation. This is a man who dots the i's and t's of taxes. It doesn't make 'cents'. Matthew well understands about fathers, culture and tradition.

The math makes sense to Matthew, the timing agrees this is time for an Act of God.

Before we decide Matthew is good with cheating little widows for Herod, we have to see Matthew believes God should be arriving about Now. And as fathers care for sons, God should be arriving - probably because the industry is not supposed to be "industry". Matthew has had a front row seat into the corruption of the entire 'industry'.

Maybe - maybe - maybe this is an entirely different Judea than Matthew grew up expecting. And we know Matthew is literate from his very employment. Matthew has gone looking for prophetic knowledge of "God, I really believe You need to see what I'm seeing." This is prayer. Matthew quotes from Isaiah 7. Perfect. Isaiah 7 even announces the arrival of "clean shaven men." Matthew probably has noticed this is indeed a Problem. In fact, Isaiah 7 says if they can't be defeated - there is a message exactly in that. The New Testament includes this a lot. If these are your circumstances - then God's hand is here. Solomon was counted as wise for knowing this.



Now ask yourself, what is God's Son going to do with this thinking and disliked thug who has found, probably, disgust in the undefeated corruption. Just what every Ministry needs - the mathematical thug. Possibly with a nod at solving problems by looking in Scripture? The kind that 2 millenniums would record ... Throwing a Party for Jesus!!!

Look at Matthew thawing as the Chapter continues...

Matthew is putting away the Song from Fiddler on the Roof "TRADITION." He says this couple is going to have a baby. And in this very unhappy event - incorrect morality while in Judaism - there is a Just man. Who Considers. And is looking for the Way, Truth and Life God would call him to live. This man doesn't enjoy shame and he does not like to see shame brought to others.

Jesus has seen, probably, Joseph in Matthew. And Matthew is going to Jump up at the opportunity to go with Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus has rocked Capernaum by healing everyone. The lame walk. The blind see The deaf hear. And Matthew understands who Jesus is and the timing of God.



Capernaum avoided disastrous wars until about 1400 A.D. which is coincidentally when the world would see the level of Trade and Prosperity of the Roman Empire again. Peter's House was still used as a House Church. Next to the Synagogue. The house has plaster walls that match Peter's Tomb in the Vatican. Discovered when the World itself faced disastrous war.

God puts His hand in interesting places. All the time.

Matthew's Gospel would see this continue to live. John was forced to Patmos Island by Emperor Domitian. The world was so interested in Jesus that on this exile island of Greece - John had disciples.

One of the most interesting is Papias of Hierapolis (c. 100–140 A.D.). Papias meets John on Patmos and sails off to Israel to meet the people who were healed by Jesus. And a lot of Matthew's confirmation and love for Matthew's Gospel is from Papias adoring Matthew's Gospel. This is the Second Century A.D. Papias' travels lead him to be called Bishop. One of the First. And his histories record pages of people who confirm Jesus is God indeed. A lot is missing but the people who loved what Papias, learned to quote him constantly. This is called getting by with a little help from your friends.



3rd Century. Jerome. Jerome was the same man conversion story as St. Augustine. No one readily quotes Jerome any more but he loved Matthew's Gospel and thanks to Jerome adoring Antioch. Ahhhh Antioch, we have an intact 3rd Century Bible of Matthew's Gospel. Today.

Jerome was having a happy life and started to die. In dying, his visions told him about Jesus. He woke up. Became a Humble Priest but Jerome loved language and he was soon working for The Pope. Jerome and Matthew would have been companions and boon friends. Jerome loved the company of a woman and found Jesus had as well. Jerome threw parties. Jerome schmoozed. Jerome was tapped by the Pope to be the one who collected every manuscript of the New Testament and put this in Latin. He did. We have the Bible thanks to 'Joy of Life Jerome". And like Matthew - rode off into the sunset.

No one knows exactly what happened to Matthew. Yet all agree Matthew loves Jesus Christ. Jerome retired to Ahhh Antioch and had a wonderful life for having done his All for the Lord Jesus Christ. I would bet you dollars to donuts, Matthew felt the same way about his Life. Matthew fell into company with God's Son. Jerome fell into the priesthood by death bed vision. And then Pope Employment and then establishing all of the New Testament into Latin. You bet Jerome liked Matthew. Both of these Just men considered life and found Jesus Christ. Life.

Jacob would become Israel and Israel found this:

Genesis 32:10
I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

God sorts us - up.

Revelation 5:12
with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”


Abba,

Blessed be Your Son, Jesus. Blessed is His Name.

You have delivered us and Saved us. Redeemed us and LOVED us. Thank You.

We pray for our friend, numbered among the Greatest, to be healed completely of cancer. And rest in Your Love for him.

We give You all our cares and are made stronger and more joyous.

We give You all our Loved Ones for their Love and Care and are made to rest with great happiness in Your Love for us.

We give to You this Nation to be Lifted Up to Faith and Love and Joy and Peace.

We give You the whole world to save and know Your Mercy and Love and have Comfort.

Rejoicing Jesus told us to ask You for more Heaven on earth

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †