Hi, I am Glenn Russell.
Welcome to a special book
00:00:22.83\00:00:26.13
exploration of
the Book of Matthew,
00:00:26.14\00:00:28.55
fascinating book.
00:00:28.56\00:00:29.99
We are so glad
that you joined us.
00:00:30.00\00:00:31.57
This is part of the series on
00:00:31.58\00:00:33.34
3ABN entitled
"Books of the Book."
00:00:33.35\00:00:35.87
It's a extraordinary series
00:00:35.88\00:00:38.03
and I am so glad
you're part of it.
00:00:38.04\00:00:39.60
We want to welcome our guest,
00:00:39.61\00:00:41.17
Dr. Ranko Stefanovic,
pastor, teacher and friend.
00:00:41.18\00:00:44.38
Ranko, you teach New Testament
00:00:44.39\00:00:47.23
at Andrews
University Theological Seminary.
00:00:47.24\00:00:49.31
Why do you want
to--have to spend sometime
00:00:49.32\00:00:51.71
in the Book of Matthew.
00:00:51.72\00:00:52.69
Just give us a sentence or two,
00:00:52.70\00:00:54.52
what's the motivation.
00:00:54.53\00:00:55.68
You see for
instance when we read
00:00:55.69\00:00:58.94
the Book of Revelation,
00:00:58.95\00:00:59.92
it's telling us what
the future brings to us,
00:00:59.93\00:01:01.99
and how Jesus will come.
00:01:02.00\00:01:03.58
The Book of Romans is telling us
00:01:03.59\00:01:05.58
how we are saved before God,
00:01:05.59\00:01:07.39
but the Gospel of Matthew is
telling us how we should live,
00:01:07.40\00:01:11.04
as Christians in this life
00:01:11.05\00:01:13.02
as the
followers of Jesus Christ.
00:01:13.03\00:01:16.22
All right, we want to learn
00:01:16.23\00:01:18.06
much more about our Savior
00:01:18.07\00:01:19.04
here in the Book of Matthew. Yes
00:01:19.05\00:01:20.33
Before we go any further
00:01:20.34\00:01:21.33
let's make sure we
ask the spirit of God,
00:01:21.34\00:01:23.24
let's pray together.
00:01:23.25\00:01:24.27
Lord as we open Your word,
00:01:24.28\00:01:27.14
open our hearts,
may we be drawn to you,
00:01:27.15\00:01:30.19
may we see your portrait
00:01:30.20\00:01:32.08
through this
marvelous Book of Matthew.
00:01:32.09\00:01:35.07
Lord teach us
Your message for today
00:01:35.08\00:01:38.49
that we may be faithful to you.
00:01:38.50\00:01:39.92
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:01:39.93\00:01:42.64
Ranko, last time we took
00:01:42.65\00:01:46.68
a look at the genealogy of Jesus
00:01:46.69\00:01:49.53
and you made the
point that this family tree,
00:01:49.54\00:01:53.39
this lineage of Jesus.
00:01:53.40\00:01:54.62
People in Matthew's days
00:01:54.63\00:01:57.55
thought that could save you.
00:01:57.56\00:01:58.54
Now we're gonna
look at a section,
00:01:58.55\00:02:00.91
today of people who
are in that family tree,
00:02:00.92\00:02:04.88
they didn't do so well.
00:02:04.89\00:02:06.24
Is that where we're going today.
00:02:06.25\00:02:08.59
Yes.
00:02:08.60\00:02:09.73
We are taking a look
at the birth of Jesus.
00:02:09.74\00:02:11.25
What a fantastic
place for studying.
00:02:11.26\00:02:13.42
You see Glenn, without Jesus
00:02:13.43\00:02:15.64
and His coming and
His death on the cross,
00:02:15.65\00:02:18.58
all those people that are,
00:02:18.59\00:02:21.17
they have a place in genealogy,
00:02:21.18\00:02:23.63
they would not have any hope.
00:02:23.64\00:02:25.08
He came to save His people
00:02:25.09\00:02:27.83
who lived in the past
00:02:27.84\00:02:29.05
and He came to save His people
00:02:29.06\00:02:31.63
who will live in the future
00:02:31.64\00:02:32.82
including you and
me and the viewers.
00:02:32.83\00:02:34.76
Now the gospels
have several accounts.
00:02:34.77\00:02:38.24
We have an accoun in loop,
00:02:38.25\00:02:40.10
but let's look
at the uniqueness of
00:02:40.11\00:02:42.35
Matthew's portrait
of the birth of Jesus.
00:02:42.36\00:02:44.85
Yeah, actually what
Matthew has in Chapter 1,
00:02:44.86\00:02:48.71
18 to 25 is not
found in another synoptics.
00:02:48.72\00:02:52.61
So I would like Glenn
to ask you for a favor,
00:02:52.62\00:02:55.15
if you can read verses 18 to 25.
00:02:55.16\00:02:57.37
Alright, we are
looking at Matthew Chapter 1.
00:02:57.38\00:02:59.25
Yeah, 18. Verse 18 to 25.
00:02:59.26\00:03:01.67
Now the birth of
Jesus Christ was as follows,
00:03:01.68\00:03:03.78
after His mother Mary
was betrothed to Joseph,
00:03:03.79\00:03:06.84
before they came
together she was found
00:03:06.85\00:03:09.09
with child of the Holy Spirit.
00:03:09.10\00:03:10.89
Then Joseph her husband,
00:03:10.90\00:03:13.12
being a just man,
00:03:13.13\00:03:14.10
and not wanting to make
a public spectacle of her,
00:03:14.11\00:03:16.76
was reminded to
put her away secretly.
00:03:16.77\00:03:20.42
But while he
thought about these things,
00:03:20.43\00:03:23.17
behold, an angel of the Lord
00:03:23.18\00:03:25.16
appeared to him
in a dream, saying,
00:03:25.17\00:03:26.72
Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid
00:03:26.73\00:03:30.31
to take to you Mary your wife,
00:03:30.32\00:03:33.47
for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Spirit
00:03:33.48\00:03:37.39
and she will bring forth a son
00:03:37.40\00:03:39.68
and you should
call his name Jesus,
00:03:39.69\00:03:41.25
for He shall save His
people from their sins.
00:03:41.26\00:03:44.23
So all this was done,
that it might be fulfilled
00:03:44.24\00:03:47.67
which was spoken by the
Lord through the prophet
00:03:47.68\00:03:51.41
saying Behold, a
virgin shall be with child
00:03:51.42\00:03:54.13
and bear a son and they
should call his name Immanuel,
00:03:54.14\00:03:56.74
which is
translated "God with us."
00:03:56.75\00:03:58.77
Then Joseph, being
aroused from sleep,
00:03:58.78\00:04:01.63
did as the angel of
the Lord commanded him
00:04:01.64\00:04:04.07
and took to him his
wife and did not know her
00:04:04.08\00:04:07.65
till she had brought
forth her firstborn son
00:04:07.66\00:04:10.97
and he called his
name Jesus. Jesus.
00:04:10.98\00:04:13.45
Now, Ranko there's
a few observations,
00:04:13.46\00:04:17.21
questions I have for you.
00:04:17.22\00:04:18.37
I found that when I think
about the birth of a child,
00:04:18.38\00:04:21.72
I usually ask mom and find out
what mother's perspective is.
00:04:21.73\00:04:24.78
It seems a little different.
00:04:24.79\00:04:26.21
What should we notice about
this story of birth of Jesus?
00:04:26.22\00:04:29.77
Actually, it seems
that verses 18 to 25,
00:04:29.78\00:04:33.81
it's a footnote or elaboration
of this genealogy that we have.
00:04:33.82\00:04:39.53
You remember that
we talk in verse 16,
00:04:39.54\00:04:41.99
that while all these people
that are missing in genealogy
00:04:42.00\00:04:47.52
they had something to do
with the birth of their child.
00:04:47.53\00:04:50.41
In verse 16,
Joseph had nothing to do
00:04:50.42\00:04:54.70
with the birth of Jesus Christ.
00:04:54.71\00:04:55.91
Because, according
to verses 18 to 25,
00:04:55.92\00:05:00.44
Jesus was not
born because of Joseph.
00:05:00.45\00:05:04.16
Actually he says clearly that,
00:05:04.17\00:05:07.48
Mary and Joseph, did
not have sexual intercourse
00:05:07.49\00:05:10.15
after the birth of Jesus.
00:05:10.16\00:05:13.44
So Jesus was not an ordinary man
00:05:13.45\00:05:18.00
and the original readers
of the Gospel of Matthew,
00:05:18.01\00:05:20.87
they could easily recognize that
actually here was the promised
00:05:20.88\00:05:25.82
one, that God made
in Genesis Chapter 3:15,
00:05:25.83\00:05:30.58
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.
00:05:31.94\00:05:35.88
Matthew's penned the portrait
of our Savior Jesus Christ,
00:05:35.89\00:05:39.65
immediately he's showing us
00:05:39.66\00:05:41.54
there is something
unique about Jesus.
00:05:41.55\00:05:42.95
In no other religion,
00:05:42.96\00:05:44.02
no other person,
no one is like Jesus.
00:05:44.03\00:05:46.42
He wants us to see that
00:05:46.43\00:05:47.45
even from the
beginning of Jesus life.
00:05:47.46\00:05:49.13
So when we see it,
00:05:49.14\00:05:51.91
we have to understand something
00:05:51.92\00:05:53.83
about Jewish weddings.
00:05:53.84\00:05:59.42
Because in
verse 19 so many times
00:05:59.43\00:06:00.73
the readers of the
Gospel of Matthew are confused.
00:06:00.74\00:06:03.83
He says that, Joseph and Mary,
00:06:03.84\00:06:06.38
were not married yet,
00:06:06.39\00:06:08.70
but in verse 19
Joseph is called her husband.
00:06:08.71\00:06:12.87
You know in the Jewish wedding,
00:06:12.88\00:06:15.74
initial wedding
practices when two young people
00:06:15.75\00:06:20.26
became engaged to each other,
00:06:20.27\00:06:24.17
they were already considered
to be husband and wife.
00:06:24.18\00:06:27.62
They could not
have sexual intercourse,
00:06:27.63\00:06:29.65
but any divorce, okay,
00:06:29.66\00:06:34.09
any separation, it
was a great offense.
00:06:34.10\00:06:36.70
It was almost like adultery,
00:06:36.71\00:06:38.54
you know, you know,
it was like a divorce.
00:06:38.55\00:06:41.43
Why? Because they had
to pay dowry etcetera,
00:06:41.44\00:06:46.44
they had to make those family
00:06:46.45\00:06:47.70
and arrangements and
that's why Joseph was already,
00:06:47.71\00:06:50.16
so that
relationships were serious.
00:06:50.17\00:06:51.79
The wedding was being prepared
00:06:51.80\00:06:53.89
and now Joseph found that
actually Mary was pregnant.
00:06:53.90\00:06:58.87
And there is
something beautifully mysterious
00:06:58.88\00:07:02.09
about the
description here in verse 18.
00:07:02.10\00:07:05.36
We don't have an explanation
00:07:05.37\00:07:08.81
of all the biology
of the birth of Jesus.
00:07:08.82\00:07:10.96
We have this
reference, she was found.
00:07:10.97\00:07:14.08
It's a beautiful
way of telling us that
00:07:14.09\00:07:17.73
there is a reality here that
he'll need to respond to that
00:07:17.74\00:07:20.83
all the Jewish readers
will need to respond to,
00:07:20.84\00:07:22.37
but it's not all explained
because there's a mystery of
00:07:22.38\00:07:26.28
God. But there is
something that's not mystery
00:07:26.29\00:07:28.55
according to the
gospel of Matthew.
00:07:28.56\00:07:29.78
You see there are many details,
00:07:29.79\00:07:31.20
they're very mysterious
in the birth of Jesus,
00:07:31.21\00:07:34.33
but there is one thing
that is not mysterious,
00:07:34.34\00:07:36.94
its verse 22.
00:07:36.95\00:07:38.25
Now all this
took place to fulfill
00:07:38.26\00:07:43.53
what was spoken by the
Lord through the prophet.
00:07:43.54\00:07:46.00
This is the
first of 40 quotations
00:07:46.01\00:07:50.23
of the Old Testament
in the Gospel of Matthew.
00:07:50.24\00:07:52.46
Everything in the Gospel of
Matthew with the reference to
00:07:52.47\00:07:56.05
Jesus, starting with His birth
and going all through His life.
00:07:56.06\00:08:00.62
Actually, Gospel of Matthew
00:08:00.63\00:08:02.51
was the fulfillment of
the Old Testament prophecies.
00:08:02.52\00:08:05.65
So there is no
extreme break with the past.
00:08:05.66\00:08:08.40
No, you see.
00:08:08.41\00:08:09.90
God continues His movement.
00:08:09.91\00:08:11.33
God promised in
the Old Testament,
00:08:11.34\00:08:12.61
that the promised
Deliverer will come,
00:08:12.62\00:08:15.55
He will save His people.
00:08:15.56\00:08:17.44
Now the fulfillment of
that prophecy is evident,
00:08:17.45\00:08:21.68
is seen in the
Gospel of Matthew.
00:08:21.69\00:08:22.97
But, Glenn,
00:08:22.98\00:08:23.95
then when we move on,
00:08:23.96\00:08:25.35
that what is strange.
00:08:25.36\00:08:27.98
I'm sorry, we have to
go the Gospel of John,
00:08:27.99\00:08:31.01
just quickly He says,
00:08:31.02\00:08:32.11
He came to His own
00:08:32.12\00:08:33.69
and His own people
did not accept Him.
00:08:33.70\00:08:38.38
You are suggesting such a sad
reality of a human experience.
00:08:38.39\00:08:44.14
God's initiative, god's son
00:08:44.15\00:08:46.23
and yet rejection.
00:08:46.24\00:08:49.07
So now, now, we move,
00:08:49.08\00:08:51.08
we move to Chapter 2.
00:08:51.09\00:08:53.07
If I could review
then in Chapter 1.
00:08:53.08\00:08:55.93
Please.
00:08:55.94\00:08:56.91
This mystery of Mary's pregnancy
through the Holy Spirit.
00:08:56.92\00:09:00.63
She has to make a
decision about Jesus.
00:09:00.64\00:09:04.36
Yeah.
00:09:04.37\00:09:05.34
And when it's revealed to her,
00:09:05.35\00:09:07.03
not how but who and who is that,
00:09:07.04\00:09:09.62
God has come upon her
00:09:09.63\00:09:11.08
and she will have a son
00:09:11.09\00:09:12.82
and that son will be the Savior,
00:09:12.83\00:09:14.94
she is obedient.
00:09:14.95\00:09:16.50
Now Joseph has to make
a decision about Jesus,
00:09:16.51\00:09:21.35
he's obedient also.
00:09:21.36\00:09:22.58
You know, we have similar
situation in Gospel of Luke.
00:09:22.59\00:09:25.86
You see here, the
angel talks to Joseph.
00:09:25.87\00:09:29.12
In Gospel of Luke Chapter 1,
00:09:29.13\00:09:31.80
the angel talks to Mary,
00:09:31.81\00:09:34.98
right here to Joseph?
00:09:34.99\00:09:37.00
It's for the purpose
of verse 16 to say that
00:09:37.01\00:09:41.18
Joseph had nothing to
do with the birth of Jesus.
00:09:41.19\00:09:45.17
And Joseph had a problem.
00:09:45.18\00:09:46.15
Either Jesus, is
a divine son of God,
00:09:46.16\00:09:48.86
either Mary is
telling him the truth
00:09:48.87\00:09:50.40
or it's all a lie
00:09:50.41\00:09:51.41
and that's the same
issue that the readers had.
00:09:51.42\00:09:53.33
Is Jesus the son of God?
00:09:53.34\00:09:57.49
Is He, is He the Savior?
00:09:57.50\00:09:59.36
Is He unique in
human experience?
00:09:59.37\00:10:01.68
Joseph had to
make that decision,
00:10:01.69\00:10:03.83
so do the readers,
00:10:03.84\00:10:04.90
so do we today.
00:10:04.91\00:10:05.88
Actually I will really
like to address the readers,
00:10:05.89\00:10:09.44
the viewers.
00:10:09.45\00:10:11.24
I know today there are many,
00:10:11.25\00:10:13.44
many books appearing
on the market with ideas
00:10:13.45\00:10:17.71
that Jesus was just a Gudhrabai,
00:10:17.72\00:10:21.29
another great person in history
who did many good things,
00:10:21.30\00:10:26.42
moral teachers, etcetera.
00:10:26.43\00:10:28.46
But that's not
what the Bible says,
00:10:28.47\00:10:30.69
Jesus was not another man,
00:10:30.70\00:10:33.01
a great person who
appeared in history.
00:10:33.02\00:10:35.17
Actually He was God with us.
00:10:35.18\00:10:39.15
Number one,
00:10:39.16\00:10:40.13
with His coming we have the
fulfillment of God's promise
00:10:40.14\00:10:44.08
given in the old Testament
00:10:44.09\00:10:45.78
that one day God Himself will
step into the human situation
00:10:45.79\00:10:50.44
in order to provide
salvation for human beings.
00:10:50.45\00:10:53.43
But He came to His own people
00:10:53.44\00:10:56.33
because they were waiting
for that promised Deliverer.
00:10:56.34\00:11:00.80
Unfortunately when
we go to Chapter 2,
00:11:00.81\00:11:02.71
what can we learn about His
own people in Chapter 2 there.
00:11:02.72\00:11:06.17
It's so amazing
for us to realize that
00:11:06.18\00:11:10.71
their decisions are decisions,
00:11:10.72\00:11:12.88
their
willingness to accept Christ
00:11:12.89\00:11:15.09
or reject Christ,
00:11:15.10\00:11:16.07
parallels our
human experience today.
00:11:16.08\00:11:18.12
We move into Chapter 2 then.
00:11:18.13\00:11:20.18
See we are always
confronted with that question,
00:11:20.19\00:11:22.98
who is Jesus Christ?
00:11:22.99\00:11:24.56
We will come to Chapter 16,
00:11:24.57\00:11:25.94
Jesus said, "What
do you say who I am?"
00:11:25.95\00:11:28.50
Even Jesus was a just
a great moral teacher,
00:11:28.51\00:11:33.29
a great person, a Gudhrabai,
00:11:33.30\00:11:36.41
then what use of that.
00:11:36.42\00:11:38.06
Actually we have to
understand He is the one,
00:11:38.07\00:11:41.71
His name is Yeshua,
00:11:41.72\00:11:43.52
because He came to save
His people from their sins.
00:11:43.53\00:11:46.23
All right, now in Chapter 2,
00:11:46.24\00:11:49.34
the scene changes.
00:11:49.35\00:11:51.16
It changes from Mary and
Joseph to other individuals,
00:11:51.17\00:11:56.67
some from the east
00:11:56.68\00:11:57.94
and some from Jerusalem
00:11:57.95\00:11:59.93
and a pagan king.
00:11:59.94\00:12:01.13
Let's explore that a little bit.
00:12:01.14\00:12:02.99
Yeah, actually how
does Chapter 2 begin?
00:12:03.00\00:12:05.35
Let's go, read verses,
the first three verses.
00:12:05.36\00:12:09.15
Okay, Matthew Chapter 2 verse 1
00:12:09.16\00:12:11.61
Now after Jesus was
born in Bethlehem of Judea
00:12:11.62\00:12:14.27
in the days of Herod the king,
00:12:14.28\00:12:16.22
behold, wise men from
the East came to Jerusalem,
00:12:16.23\00:12:19.22
saying, "Where is He who
has been born King of the Jews?
00:12:19.23\00:12:22.04
For we have seen
His star in the East
00:12:22.05\00:12:24.83
and have come to worship Him."
00:12:24.84\00:12:25.90
When Herod the king heard this,
00:12:25.91\00:12:28.23
he was troubled,
00:12:28.24\00:12:29.58
and all Jerusalem with him.
00:12:29.59\00:12:31.36
Okay, so when we read
in the original language,
00:12:31.37\00:12:34.01
we have English translations,
00:12:34.02\00:12:36.54
they call them wise men.
00:12:36.55\00:12:37.74
Of course, they were wise men
00:12:37.75\00:12:38.92
and I will explain
just in few moments later.
00:12:38.93\00:12:42.47
But in Greek text
that says they were magos.
00:12:42.48\00:12:45.62
Actually they were astrologists.
00:12:45.63\00:12:47.32
Were they wise men? They were,
00:12:47.33\00:12:50.33
because the reference
goes to the Book of Daniel.
00:12:50.34\00:12:52.55
You know, they came from
the East which was Babylonia,
00:12:52.56\00:12:55.66
at the time of
Daniel, they're astrologers,
00:12:55.67\00:12:58.02
they were wise men,
00:12:58.03\00:12:59.28
they're clearly
called in the Book of Daniel,
00:12:59.29\00:13:02.33
referred to as wise men.
00:13:02.34\00:13:03.87
They were people who
were studying astrology
00:13:03.88\00:13:06.25
but evidently
that is great news,
00:13:06.26\00:13:08.95
what Daniel preached there
00:13:08.96\00:13:11.04
and other Jews there in Babylon,
00:13:11.05\00:13:12.73
evidently the
seed was sown there.
00:13:12.74\00:13:14.97
And you know in the book,
00:13:14.98\00:13:17.85
Desire of Ages,
00:13:17.86\00:13:18.83
which is one of my
favorite inspired commentaries
00:13:18.84\00:13:21.29
along with scripture here.
00:13:21.30\00:13:23.36
There is a
reference to the fact Yes.
00:13:23.37\00:13:25.50
that certain truths have
been neglected by God's people.
00:13:25.51\00:13:28.23
And God revealed
them to the other nations.
00:13:28.24\00:13:31.14
There are pagan philosophers,
00:13:31.15\00:13:32.86
pagan writers,
00:13:32.87\00:13:34.35
pagan thinkers who were
seeking for the Messiah,
00:13:34.36\00:13:37.54
who would come.
00:13:37.55\00:13:38.83
So there is truth hidden
among these other nations
00:13:38.84\00:13:42.76
and apparently
these are some men,
00:13:42.77\00:13:44.65
they have seen a star,
00:13:44.66\00:13:46.33
they have seen something
that's got their attention.
00:13:46.34\00:13:48.38
They have gone to digging
00:13:48.39\00:13:49.74
and studying the scriptures
00:13:49.75\00:13:50.84
which have been
revealed to them.
00:13:50.85\00:13:53.00
And so they are
seeking to know more.
00:13:53.01\00:13:55.38
Today they are many,
00:13:55.39\00:13:57.08
many who are seeking to
know more about who Jesus is?
00:13:57.09\00:13:59.51
And that's what the Book of
Matthew is telling us all about.
00:13:59.52\00:14:02.71
We're gonna be right back
00:14:02.72\00:14:04.02
as we explore a little
bit more about the wise men.
00:14:04.03\00:14:06.04
We'll be with
you in just a moment
00:14:06.05\00:14:08.21
right after our break.
00:14:08.22\00:14:09.19