Hi, I am Glenn Russell.
Welcome to a special book
00:00:22.78\00:00:26.09
exploration of
the Book of Matthew,
00:00:26.12\00:00:28.49
fascinating book.
00:00:28.52\00:00:29.92
We are so glad
that you joined us.
00:00:29.96\00:00:31.53
This is part of the series on
00:00:31.56\00:00:33.29
3ABN entitled
"Books of the Book."
00:00:33.33\00:00:35.80
It's a extraordinary series
00:00:35.83\00:00:37.93
and I am so glad
you're part of it.
00:00:37.97\00:00:39.50
We want to welcome our guest,
00:00:39.53\00:00:41.07
Dr. Ranko Stefanovic,
pastor, teacher and friend.
00:00:41.10\00:00:44.31
Ranko, you teach New Testament
00:00:44.34\00:00:47.14
at Andrews
University Theological Seminary.
00:00:47.18\00:00:49.21
Why do you want
to--have to spend sometime
00:00:49.24\00:00:51.61
in the Book of Matthew.
00:00:51.65\00:00:52.98
Just give us a sentence or two,
00:00:53.01\00:00:54.42
what's the motivation.
00:00:54.45\00:00:55.78
You see for
instance when we read
00:00:55.82\00:00:58.85
the Book of Revelation,
00:00:58.89\00:01:00.29
it's telling us what
the future brings to us,
00:01:00.32\00:01:01.96
and how Jesus will come.
00:01:01.99\00:01:03.56
The Book of Romans is telling us
00:01:03.59\00:01:05.56
how we are saved before God,
00:01:05.59\00:01:07.36
but the Gospel of Matthew is
telling us how we should live,
00:01:07.40\00:01:11.00
as Christians in this life
00:01:11.03\00:01:12.97
as the
followers of Jesus Christ.
00:01:13.00\00:01:16.17
All right, we want to learn
00:01:16.20\00:01:18.01
much more about our Savior
00:01:18.04\00:01:19.37
here in the Book of Matthew. Yes
00:01:19.41\00:01:20.74
Before we go any further
00:01:20.78\00:01:22.11
let's make sure we
ask the spirit of God,
00:01:22.14\00:01:23.48
let's pray together.
00:01:23.51\00:01:24.85
Lord as we open Your word,
00:01:24.88\00:01:27.08
open our hearts,
may we be drawn to you,
00:01:27.12\00:01:30.15
may we see your portrait
00:01:30.19\00:01:32.02
through this
marvelous Book of Matthew.
00:01:32.05\00:01:35.02
Lord teach us
Your message for today
00:01:35.06\00:01:38.43
that we may be faithful to you.
00:01:38.46\00:01:39.86
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:01:39.89\00:01:42.56
Ranko, last time we took
00:01:42.60\00:01:46.60
a look at the genealogy of Jesus
00:01:46.63\00:01:49.44
and you made the
point that this family tree,
00:01:49.47\00:01:53.31
this lineage of Jesus.
00:01:53.34\00:01:54.68
People in Matthew's days
00:01:54.71\00:01:57.48
thought that could save you.
00:01:57.51\00:01:58.85
Now we're gonna
look at a section,
00:01:58.88\00:02:00.88
today of people who
are in that family tree,
00:02:00.92\00:02:04.85
they didn't do so well.
00:02:04.89\00:02:06.22
Is that where we're going today.
00:02:06.25\00:02:08.56
Yes.
00:02:08.59\00:02:09.92
We are taking a look
at the birth of Jesus.
00:02:09.96\00:02:11.29
What a fantastic
place for studying.
00:02:11.33\00:02:13.40
You see Glenn, without Jesus
00:02:13.43\00:02:15.60
and His coming and
His death on the cross,
00:02:15.63\00:02:18.53
all those people that are,
00:02:18.57\00:02:21.10
they have a place in genealogy,
00:02:21.14\00:02:23.57
they would not have any hope.
00:02:23.61\00:02:25.04
He came to save His people
00:02:25.07\00:02:27.78
who lived in the past
00:02:27.81\00:02:29.14
and He came to save His people
00:02:29.18\00:02:31.58
who will live in the future
00:02:31.61\00:02:32.95
including you and
me and the viewers.
00:02:32.98\00:02:34.72
Now the gospels
have several accounts.
00:02:34.75\00:02:38.19
We have an accoun in loop,
00:02:38.22\00:02:40.06
but let's look
at the uniqueness of
00:02:40.09\00:02:42.29
Matthew's portrait
of the birth of Jesus.
00:02:42.32\00:02:44.79
Yeah, actually what
Matthew has in Chapter 1,
00:02:44.83\00:02:48.63
18 to 25 is not
found in another synoptics.
00:02:48.66\00:02:52.53
So I would like Glenn
to ask you for a favor,
00:02:52.57\00:02:55.07
if you can read verses 18 to 25.
00:02:55.10\00:02:57.27
Alright, we are
looking at Matthew Chapter 1.
00:02:57.31\00:02:59.17
Yeah, 18. Verse 18 to 25.
00:02:59.21\00:03:01.64
Now the birth of
Jesus Christ was as follows,
00:03:01.68\00:03:03.75
after His mother Mary
was betrothed to Joseph,
00:03:03.78\00:03:06.82
before they came
together she was found
00:03:06.85\00:03:09.08
with child of the Holy Spirit.
00:03:09.12\00:03:10.89
Then Joseph her husband,
00:03:10.92\00:03:13.09
being a just man,
00:03:13.12\00:03:14.46
and not wanting to make
a public spectacle of her,
00:03:14.49\00:03:16.73
was reminded to
put her away secretly.
00:03:16.76\00:03:20.40
But while he
thought about these things,
00:03:20.43\00:03:23.13
behold, an angel of the Lord
00:03:23.16\00:03:25.10
appeared to him
in a dream, saying,
00:03:25.13\00:03:26.67
Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid
00:03:26.70\00:03:30.27
to take to you Mary your wife,
00:03:30.31\00:03:33.41
for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Spirit
00:03:33.44\00:03:37.35
and she will bring forth a son
00:03:37.38\00:03:39.61
and you should
call his name Jesus,
00:03:39.65\00:03:41.18
for He shall save His
people from their sins.
00:03:41.22\00:03:44.19
So all this was done,
that it might be fulfilled
00:03:44.22\00:03:47.62
which was spoken by the
Lord through the prophet
00:03:47.66\00:03:51.36
saying Behold, a
virgin shall be with child
00:03:51.39\00:03:54.03
and bear a son and they
should call his name Immanuel,
00:03:54.10\00:03:56.67
which is
translated "God with us."
00:03:56.70\00:03:58.67
Then Joseph, being
aroused from sleep,
00:03:58.70\00:04:01.60
did as the angel of
the Lord commanded him
00:04:01.64\00:04:04.04
and took to him his
wife and did not know her
00:04:04.07\00:04:07.64
till she had brought
forth her firstborn son
00:04:07.68\00:04:10.95
and he called his
name Jesus. Jesus.
00:04:10.98\00:04:13.42
Now, Ranko there's
a few observations,
00:04:13.45\00:04:17.19
questions I have for you.
00:04:17.22\00:04:18.55
I found that when I think
about the birth of a child,
00:04:18.59\00:04:21.69
I usually ask mom and find out
what mother's perspective is.
00:04:21.72\00:04:24.76
It seems a little different.
00:04:24.79\00:04:26.19
What should we notice about
this story of birth of Jesus?
00:04:26.23\00:04:29.73
Actually, it seems
that verses 18 to 25,
00:04:29.76\00:04:33.77
it's a footnote or elaboration
of this genealogy that we have.
00:04:33.80\00:04:39.47
You remember that
we talk in verse 16,
00:04:39.51\00:04:41.94
that while all these people
that are missing in genealogy
00:04:41.98\00:04:47.48
they had something to do
with the birth of their child.
00:04:47.52\00:04:50.35
In verse 16,
Joseph had nothing to do
00:04:50.39\00:04:54.66
with the birth of Jesus Christ.
00:04:54.69\00:04:56.02
Because, according
to verses 18 to 25,
00:04:56.06\00:05:00.46
Jesus was not
born because of Joseph.
00:05:00.50\00:05:04.13
Actually he says clearly that,
00:05:04.17\00:05:07.47
Mary and Joseph, did
not have sexual intercourse
00:05:07.50\00:05:10.14
after the birth of Jesus.
00:05:10.17\00:05:13.41
So Jesus was not an ordinary man
00:05:13.44\00:05:17.98
and the original readers
of the Gospel of Matthew,
00:05:18.01\00:05:20.85
they could easily recognize that
actually here was the promised
00:05:20.88\00:05:25.79
one, that God made
in Genesis Chapter 3:15,
00:05:25.82\00:05:30.56
you know the
beginning of the genealogy,
00:05:30.59\00:05:31.93
He was and now He came to
save His people from their sins.
00:05:31.96\00:05:35.83
Matthew's penned the portrait
of our Savior Jesus Christ,
00:05:35.86\00:05:39.60
immediately he's showing us
00:05:39.63\00:05:41.47
there is something
unique about Jesus.
00:05:41.50\00:05:42.90
In no other religion,
00:05:42.94\00:05:44.27
no other person,
no one is like Jesus.
00:05:44.31\00:05:46.37
He wants us to see that
00:05:46.41\00:05:47.74
even from the
beginning of Jesus life.
00:05:47.78\00:05:49.11
So when we see it,
00:05:49.14\00:05:51.85
we have to understand something
00:05:51.88\00:05:53.78
about Jewish weddings.
00:05:53.82\00:05:59.35
Because in
verse 19 so many times
00:05:59.39\00:06:00.79
the readers of the
Gospel of Matthew are confused.
00:06:00.82\00:06:03.86
He says that, Joseph and Mary,
00:06:03.89\00:06:06.39
were not married yet,
00:06:06.43\00:06:08.66
but in verse 19
Joseph is called her husband.
00:06:08.70\00:06:12.83
You know in the Jewish wedding,
00:06:12.87\00:06:15.70
initial wedding
practices when two young people
00:06:15.74\00:06:20.24
became engaged to each other,
00:06:20.28\00:06:24.15
they were already considered
to be husband and wife.
00:06:24.18\00:06:27.62
They could not
have sexual intercourse,
00:06:27.65\00:06:29.62
but any divorce, okay,
00:06:29.65\00:06:34.06
any separation, it
was a great offense.
00:06:34.09\00:06:36.69
It was almost like adultery,
00:06:36.73\00:06:38.53
you know, you know,
it was like a divorce.
00:06:38.56\00:06:41.36
Why? Because they had
to pay dowry etcetera,
00:06:41.40\00:06:46.40
they had to make those family
00:06:46.43\00:06:47.77
and arrangements and
that's why Joseph was already,
00:06:47.80\00:06:50.11
so that
relationships were serious.
00:06:50.14\00:06:51.74
The wedding was being prepared
00:06:51.77\00:06:53.84
and now Joseph found that
actually Mary was pregnant.
00:06:53.88\00:06:58.81
And there is
something beautifully mysterious
00:06:58.85\00:07:02.12
about the
description here in verse 18.
00:07:02.15\00:07:05.39
We don't have an explanation
00:07:05.42\00:07:08.82
of all the biology
of the birth of Jesus.
00:07:08.86\00:07:10.96
We have this
reference, she was found.
00:07:10.99\00:07:14.10
It's a beautiful
way of telling us that
00:07:14.10\00:07:17.70
there is a reality here that
he'll need to respond to that
00:07:17.73\00:07:20.80
all the Jewish readers
will need to respond to,
00:07:20.84\00:07:22.34
but it's not all explained
because there's a mystery of
00:07:22.37\00:07:26.27
God. But there is
something that's not mystery
00:07:26.31\00:07:28.54
according to the
gospel of Matthew.
00:07:28.58\00:07:29.91
You see there are many details,
00:07:29.94\00:07:31.28
they're very mysterious
in the birth of Jesus,
00:07:31.31\00:07:34.32
but there is one thing
that is not mysterious,
00:07:34.35\00:07:36.92
its verse 22.
00:07:36.95\00:07:38.29
Now all this
took place to fulfill
00:07:38.32\00:07:43.53
what was spoken by the
Lord through the prophet.
00:07:43.56\00:07:45.99
This is the
first of 40 quotations
00:07:46.03\00:07:50.17
of the Old Testament
in the Gospel of Matthew.
00:07:50.20\00:07:52.40
Everything in the Gospel of
Matthew with the reference to
00:07:52.43\00:07:56.00
Jesus, starting with His birth
and going all through His life.
00:07:56.04\00:08:00.64
Actually, Gospel of Matthew
00:08:00.68\00:08:02.51
was the fulfillment of
the Old Testament prophecies.
00:08:02.54\00:08:05.65
So there is no
extreme break with the past.
00:08:05.68\00:08:08.42
No, you see.
00:08:08.45\00:08:09.92
God continues His movement.
00:08:09.95\00:08:11.35
God promised in
the Old Testament,
00:08:11.39\00:08:12.72
that the promised
Deliverer will come,
00:08:12.75\00:08:15.56
He will save His people.
00:08:15.59\00:08:17.46
Now the fulfillment of
that prophecy is evident,
00:08:17.49\00:08:21.66
is seen in the
Gospel of Matthew.
00:08:21.70\00:08:23.03
But, Glenn,
00:08:23.06\00:08:24.40
then when we move on,
00:08:24.43\00:08:25.77
that what is strange.
00:08:25.80\00:08:27.97
I'm sorry, we have to
go the Gospel of John,
00:08:28.00\00:08:30.97
just quickly He says,
00:08:31.01\00:08:32.34
He came to His own
00:08:32.37\00:08:33.71
and His own people
did not accept Him.
00:08:33.74\00:08:38.35
You are suggesting such a sad
reality of a human experience.
00:08:38.38\00:08:44.12
God's initiative, god's son
00:08:44.15\00:08:46.22
and yet rejection.
00:08:46.25\00:08:49.06
So now, now, we move,
00:08:49.09\00:08:51.06
we move to Chapter 2.
00:08:51.09\00:08:53.06
If I could review
then in Chapter 1.
00:08:53.09\00:08:55.86
Please.
00:08:55.90\00:08:57.23
This mystery of Mary's pregnancy
through the Holy Spirit.
00:08:57.27\00:09:00.64
She has to make a
decision about Jesus.
00:09:00.67\00:09:04.37
Yeah.
00:09:04.41\00:09:05.74
And when it's revealed to her,
00:09:05.77\00:09:07.11
not how but who and who is that,
00:09:07.14\00:09:09.64
God has come upon her
00:09:09.68\00:09:11.08
and she will have a son
00:09:11.11\00:09:12.85
and that son will be the Savior,
00:09:12.88\00:09:14.95
she is obedient.
00:09:14.98\00:09:16.52
Now Joseph has to make
a decision about Jesus,
00:09:16.55\00:09:21.36
he's obedient also.
00:09:21.39\00:09:22.72
You know, we have similar
situation in Gospel of Luke.
00:09:22.76\00:09:25.86
You see here, the
angel talks to Joseph.
00:09:25.89\00:09:29.10
In Gospel of Luke Chapter 1,
00:09:29.13\00:09:31.77
the angel talks to Mary,
00:09:31.80\00:09:34.97
right here to Joseph?
00:09:35.00\00:09:36.97
It's for the purpose
of verse 16 to say that
00:09:37.01\00:09:41.14
Joseph had nothing to
do with the birth of Jesus.
00:09:41.18\00:09:45.15
And Joseph had a problem.
00:09:45.18\00:09:46.51
Either Jesus, is
a divine son of God,
00:09:46.55\00:09:48.85
either Mary is
telling him the truth
00:09:48.88\00:09:50.39
or it's all a lie
00:09:50.42\00:09:51.75
and that's the same
issue that the readers had.
00:09:51.79\00:09:53.32
Is Jesus the son of God?
00:09:53.36\00:09:57.46
Is He, is He the Savior?
00:09:57.49\00:09:59.33
Is He unique in
human experience?
00:09:59.36\00:10:01.63
Joseph had to
make that decision,
00:10:01.66\00:10:03.77
so do the readers,
00:10:03.80\00:10:05.13
so do we today.
00:10:05.17\00:10:06.50
Actually I will really
like to address the readers,
00:10:06.53\00:10:09.37
the viewers.
00:10:09.40\00:10:11.17
I know today there are many,
00:10:11.21\00:10:13.38
many books appearing
on the market with ideas
00:10:13.41\00:10:17.65
that Jesus was just a Gudhrabai,
00:10:17.68\00:10:21.25
another great person in history
who did many good things,
00:10:21.28\00:10:26.35
moral teachers, etcetera.
00:10:26.39\00:10:28.39
But that's not
what the Bible says,
00:10:28.42\00:10:30.63
Jesus was not another man,
00:10:30.66\00:10:32.96
a great person who
appeared in history.
00:10:32.99\00:10:35.10
Actually He was God with us.
00:10:35.13\00:10:39.07
Number one,
00:10:39.10\00:10:40.44
with His coming we have the
fulfillment of God's promise
00:10:40.47\00:10:44.01
given in the old Testament
00:10:44.04\00:10:45.71
that one day God Himself will
step into the human situation
00:10:45.74\00:10:50.35
in order to provide
salvation for human beings.
00:10:50.38\00:10:53.35
But He came to His own people
00:10:53.38\00:10:56.25
because they were waiting
for that promised Deliverer.
00:10:56.28\00:11:00.79
Unfortunately when
we go to Chapter 2,
00:11:00.82\00:11:02.69
what can we learn about His
own people in Chapter 2 there.
00:11:02.72\00:11:06.16
It's so amazing
for us to realize that
00:11:06.19\00:11:10.67
their decisions are decisions,
00:11:10.70\00:11:12.83
their
willingness to accept Christ
00:11:12.87\00:11:15.04
or reject Christ,
00:11:15.07\00:11:16.40
parallels our
human experience today.
00:11:16.44\00:11:18.07
We move into Chapter 2 then.
00:11:18.11\00:11:20.14
See we are always
confronted with that question,
00:11:20.18\00:11:22.91
who is Jesus Christ?
00:11:22.94\00:11:24.51
We will come to Chapter 16,
00:11:24.55\00:11:25.88
Jesus said, "What
do you say who I am?"
00:11:25.91\00:11:28.45
Even Jesus was a just
a great moral teacher,
00:11:28.48\00:11:33.22
a great person, a Gudhrabai,
00:11:33.25\00:11:36.36
then what use of that.
00:11:36.39\00:11:37.99
Actually we have to
understand He is the one,
00:11:38.03\00:11:41.63
His name is Yeshua,
00:11:41.66\00:11:43.43
because He came to save
His people from their sins.
00:11:43.47\00:11:46.13
All right, now in Chapter 2,
00:11:46.17\00:11:49.24
the scene changes.
00:11:49.27\00:11:51.07
It changes from Mary and
Joseph to other individuals,
00:11:51.11\00:11:56.58
some from the east
00:11:56.61\00:11:57.95
and some from Jerusalem
00:11:57.98\00:11:59.85
and a pagan king.
00:11:59.88\00:12:01.28
Let's explore that a little bit.
00:12:01.32\00:12:02.98
Yeah, actually how
does Chapter 2 begin?
00:12:03.02\00:12:05.32
Let's go, read verses,
the first three verses.
00:12:05.35\00:12:09.12
Okay, Matthew Chapter 2 verse 1
00:12:09.16\00:12:11.59
Now after Jesus was
born in Bethlehem of Judea
00:12:11.63\00:12:14.23
in the days of Herod the king,
00:12:14.30\00:12:16.16
behold, wise men from
the East came to Jerusalem,
00:12:16.20\00:12:19.17
saying, "Where is He who
has been born King of the Jews?
00:12:19.20\00:12:21.97
For we have seen
His star in the East
00:12:22.00\00:12:24.77
and have come to worship Him."
00:12:24.81\00:12:26.14
When Herod the king heard this,
00:12:26.17\00:12:28.18
he was troubled,
00:12:28.21\00:12:29.54
and all Jerusalem with him.
00:12:29.58\00:12:31.31
Okay, so when we read
in the original language,
00:12:31.35\00:12:33.95
we have English translations,
00:12:33.98\00:12:36.48
they call them wise men.
00:12:36.52\00:12:37.85
Of course, they were wise men
00:12:37.89\00:12:39.22
and I will explain
just in few moments later.
00:12:39.25\00:12:42.42
But in Greek text
that says they were magos.
00:12:42.46\00:12:45.56
Actually they were astrologists.
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.23
Were they wise men? They were,
00:12:47.30\00:12:50.23
because the reference
goes to the Book of Daniel.
00:12:50.27\00:12:52.47
You know, they came from
the East which was Babylonia,
00:12:52.50\00:12:55.57
at the time of
Daniel, they're astrologers,
00:12:55.60\00:12:57.94
they were wise men,
00:12:57.97\00:12:59.31
they're clearly
called in the Book of Daniel,
00:12:59.34\00:13:02.31
referred to as wise men.
00:13:02.34\00:13:03.85
They were people who
were studying astrology
00:13:03.88\00:13:06.21
but evidently
that is great news,
00:13:06.25\00:13:08.92
what Daniel preached there
00:13:08.95\00:13:11.02
and other Jews there in Babylon,
00:13:11.05\00:13:12.72
evidently the
seed was sown there.
00:13:12.75\00:13:14.96
And you know in the book,
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.83
Desire of Ages,
00:13:17.86\00:13:19.19
which is one of my
favorite inspired commentaries
00:13:19.23\00:13:21.23
along with scripture here.
00:13:21.26\00:13:23.30
There is a
reference to the fact Yes.
00:13:23.33\00:13:25.43
that certain truths have
been neglected by God's people.
00:13:25.47\00:13:28.17
And God revealed
them to the other nations.
00:13:28.20\00:13:31.07
There are pagan philosophers,
00:13:31.11\00:13:32.81
pagan writers,
00:13:32.84\00:13:34.31
pagan thinkers who were
seeking for the Messiah,
00:13:34.34\00:13:37.48
who would come.
00:13:37.51\00:13:38.85
So there is truth hidden
among these other nations
00:13:38.88\00:13:42.72
and apparently
these are some men,
00:13:42.75\00:13:44.59
they have seen a star,
00:13:44.62\00:13:46.29
they have seen something
that's got their attention.
00:13:46.32\00:13:48.32
They have gone to digging
00:13:48.36\00:13:49.69
and studying the scriptures
00:13:49.72\00:13:51.06
which have been
revealed to them.
00:13:51.09\00:13:52.96
And so they are
seeking to know more.
00:13:52.99\00:13:55.30
Today they are many,
00:13:55.33\00:13:57.00
many who are seeking to
know more about who Jesus is?
00:13:57.03\00:13:59.43
And that's what the Book of
Matthew is telling us all about.
00:13:59.47\00:14:02.70
We're gonna be right back
00:14:02.74\00:14:04.07
as we explore a little
bit more about the wise men.
00:14:04.11\00:14:06.01
We'll be with
you in just a moment
00:14:06.04\00:14:08.18
right after our break.
00:14:08.21\00:14:09.54