Messianic Moments Devotional Series—Matthew

The book of Matthew is the gospel that provides the most direct link between the Old Testament prophecies and the life and ministry of Jesus, making it an essential resource for understanding Jesus as the Messiah. Matthew’s gospel begins by establishing Jesus’ royal lineage, tracing His descent from Abraham and David, fulfilling the long-awaited promises of a King who would sit on David’s throne forever. From the very beginning, Matthew presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture—whether it’s His virgin birth in Bethlehem (Matthew 1:22-23), His calling of fishermen to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19), or His miraculous works that heal, restore, and demonstrate the power of God’s Kingdom breaking into the world. Jesus, the Messiah, is portrayed not as a political ruler, but as the servant-king who brings the Kingdom of Heaven near, teaching through parables that reveal the depth of God’s love, mercy, and justice. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus redefines what it means to live under God’s reign, challenging His followers to embody the righteousness that comes through faith in Him. Throughout the gospel, we see Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father, His sacrificial death, and His victorious resurrection, which ultimately fulfills the law and prophets. Matthew’s gospel calls us to look to Jesus—not just as a historical figure, but as the Saviour and King, whose life and work offer us forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life. It points us to Jesus as the Messiah who not only fulfills the promises of the past but also transforms our present and secures our future in His everlasting Kingdom.

• Prophecy/Connection: Matthew begins his Gospel by highlighting Jesus’ genealogy, tracing His lineage back to David and Abraham, emphasizing Jesus as the promised Son of David and the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant.
• Cultural/Historical Insight:

• • The Davidic lineage is crucial in Jewish messianic expectations, with the Messiah being a descendant of King David (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
  • The genealogy also establishes Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that through his offspring all nations would be blessed (Genesis 22:18).

• Jewish Commentary:

• • The Talmud and Midrash often discussed the coming of a descendant of David who would be a redeemer and king. This is echoed in the Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 11:1, which speaks of a shoot coming from the stump of Jesse (David’s father), a messianic figure.
  • The Mishnah and Talmud (Sanhedrin 98b) link the Messiah’s arrival to the fulfillment of these genealogical promises.

• Early Church History:

• • Early Christians saw Matthew’s genealogy as critical for establishing Jesus’ messianic credentials, with writers like Irenaeus emphasizing Jesus as the true heir of David.

• Prophecy/Connection: Matthew cites Isaiah 7:14, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,” directly applying it to the birth of Jesus.
• Cultural/Historical Insight:

• • The prophecy in Isaiah originally spoke to a near-term fulfillment regarding King Ahaz, but Matthew identifies it as pointing to the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus.
  • The name Immanuel means “God with us,” emphasizing Jesus as the divine presence among His people.

• Jewish Commentary:

• • In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 99a), there is a discussion of the Messiah as a figure who will bring God’s presence to His people, a concept that aligns with the meaning of Immanuel.
  • The Midrash Rabbah on Isaiah views God’s presence with Israel as a messianic feature, which Matthew claims is fulfilled in Jesus.

• Early Church History:

• • Church fathers like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus emphasized the fulfillment of this prophecy as proof of Jesus’ divine nature.

• Prophecy/Connection: The visit of the Magi to see the newborn King of the Jews fulfills the prophecy of the Messiah being a king from David’s line.
• Cultural/Historical Insight:

• • The Magi, coming from the East, likely represent Gentile recognition of Jesus as the King of all nations, foreshadowing the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles.
  • The star they followed may reflect the Jewish expectation of celestial signs accompanying the birth of the Messiah (as seen in Numbers 24:17 where Balaam prophesies of a star rising out of Jacob).

• Jewish Commentary:

• • Jewish traditions, like those in the Talmud (Berakhot 59b), discuss the signs of the Messiah’s coming, which some rabbis saw reflected in astrological phenomena.
  • The Midrash on Numbers also mentions the appearance of a star as one of the signs of the Messiah’s arrival.

• Early Church History:

• • Early Christian writers such as Origen saw the Magi as symbolic of the Gentile nations coming to recognize Christ as King.

• Prophecy/Connection: Matthew notes that Jesus’ flight to Egypt and return fulfill the prophecy from Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
• Cultural/Historical Insight:

• • The original context of Hosea 11:1 referred to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, but Matthew applies it to Jesus, showing that He is the true Israel, fulfilling the nation’s calling and purpose.
  • Jesus’ flight and return parallel Israel’s exodus, further reinforcing Jesus’ role as the fulfillment of Israel’s history.

• Jewish Commentary:

• • The Talmud reflects Israel’s national identity as God’s “son” (Sanhedrin 98a), which Matthew applies to Jesus, establishing His identity as the true heir of Israel’s mission.
  • Some rabbinic texts, like Midrash Rabbah on Exodus, emphasize Israel’s special relationship with God, which Jesus embodies.

• Early Church History:

• • Church fathers, such as Augustine, viewed this event as confirming Jesus as the true fulfillment of Israel’s calling.

• Prophecy/Connection: John the Baptist’s ministry is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord.'”
• Cultural/Historical Insight:

• • The prophetic voice in Isaiah is linked to the messianic figure who would usher in the kingdom of God.
  • Jewish tradition expected a forerunner or herald of the Messiah, as seen in the Talmud (Sukkah 52a), which speaks of Elijah preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah.

• Jewish Commentary:

• • The Midrash on Isaiah also identifies the voice in the wilderness with the coming of the Messiah, a role John the Baptist fulfills in preparing the people.
  • The Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a) discusses the prophetic forerunner who will announce the arrival of the Messiah, and John’s ministry is seen as fulfilling this role.

• Early Church History:

• • Early Christian writers, like Tertullian, saw John’s ministry as confirming Jesus’ messianic identity, with his message of repentance preparing the way for the Messiah.

• Prophecy/Connection: Jesus declares that He has come to fulfill, not abolish, the Law and the Prophets, which emphasizes His role in completing God’s covenantal promises.
• Cultural/Historical Insight:

• • The Jewish expectation was that the Messiah would be the one to perfectly fulfill the law and bring its teachings to completion.
  • Jesus’ statement reaffirms His authority over the Jewish law, positioning Him as the ultimate interpreter and embodiment of the Torah.

• Jewish Commentary:

• • The Talmud (Berakhot 58a) emphasizes the Messiah’s role in explaining and fulfilling the Law, which Jesus claims to do.
  • Rabbinic literature often discusses the coming Messiah as one who would complete the vision of the prophets and bring the people into full obedience to God’s law.

• Early Church History:

• • Church fathers like Chrysostom and Augustine noted that Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law was central to His redemptive work, offering salvation not through the Law alone but through His perfect obedience.

The Gospel of Matthew serves as a profound reminder that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, the long-awaited Messiah who ties together the hopes and prophecies of the Old Testament with the reality of His life and ministry. Through Matthew, we see Jesus not as a distant figure, but as a King who fulfills Scripture and offers salvation to all—Jew and Gentile alike. His genealogy, His birth, His teachings, and His ultimate sacrifice all echo the prophetic promises of God, showing that His arrival was not an accident, but a divine plan woven throughout history. For us, as followers of Jesus, Matthew challenges us to see Jesus not just as our Saviour, but as the embodiment of God’s kingdom breaking into the world. As we reflect on the deep connections between the Old and New Testaments, let us be reminded that Jesus came to fulfill and transform our lives. His life calls us to live according to His perfect righteousness, embracing His message of love, mercy, and justice, and looking forward to the eternal Kingdom He is establishing. The Gospel of Matthew encourages us to live with purpose, knowing that we are part of the story of redemption that Jesus came to fulfill, offering forgiveness, peace, and eternal life.