Much of this is indebted to the ICC commentary by WD Davies and Dale Allison. INTRODUCTION For us, lists are boring. But ancient people loved lists, and biblical writers pack lists not only with facts but with theology. Matthew’s list of Jesus’ ancestors contains a summary of redemptive history, a preview of Gentile inclusion, and a foreshadowing of the coming of the kingdom. THE TEXT “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of... Read more
Every time God comes to Israel, He is rejected. He gives the law, but Israel does not want this Moses to be king and judge over them. He conquers the land, but Israel doesn’t fills the land with shrines to other gods. He is their king, but they reject Him and choose Saul. He gives them the Davidic dynasty, but 10 tribes withdraw from David. He sends prophets like Jeremiah, but they are beaten and thrown into pits and killed.... Read more
Matthew 1:1: The Book of the Genesis of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. We’ve concentrated this morning on the first two words of Matthew – the “book of the Genesis.” We’ll pick up the pace as we go, and cover more than two words next week. But these words are worth stopping over. Matthew may well have intended these as a title to his entire gospel – a gospel of new beginnings, a gospel of... Read more
Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Jesus gives this commission as the greater Cyrus, the new world emperor, whose authority extends not only to every kingdom under heaven but to heaven itself. He commissions His church... Read more
Matthew begins his gospel with an allusion to Genesis. He is writing a new book of beginnings, a book of new beginnings. That might fool us into thinking that the Bible starts all over again with the New Testament, but that’s not the case. In many portions and many ways, Matthew shows us that his gospel is a continuation of the story of the Old Testament. He traces Jesus’ ancestry from Abraham. He frequently tells us that Jesus fulfills Scripture.... Read more
Dale Allison argues that Matthew’s opening words, BIBLOS GENESEOS, should be translated as “Book of the Genesis,” a translation ambiguous enough to capture all that Matthew intended – an allusion to the first book of the Bible, a new creation theme, an introduction to the genealogy or birth story, etc. GENESIS was, he argues, established as the title of the first book of the Bible by Matthew’s time. He suggests that Matthew 1:1 is a title: “Book of the New... Read more
Bonaventure urges the reader of his Itinerarium to pray for various forms of unbelief: “so that he not believe that reading is sufficient without unction, speculation without devotion, investigation without wonder, observation without joy, work without piety, knowledge without love, understanding without humility, endeavor without divine grace, reflection as a mirror without divinely inspired wisdom.” Read more
INTRODUCTION This section divides into two subsections, verses 16-20 and 21-28. The first section, Waltke points out, hangs together with several repeated words or phrases. The use of the word “fool” introduces the section (as at vv. 10, 21), and the phrase “one who loves” appears in verses 17 and 19. This phrase marks out verses 17-8 and 19-20 as two proverbial pairs in which the second qualifies the first. Waltke also sees a repeated emphasis on the “neighbor” or... Read more
“If there is a natural, there is a spiritual,” Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15. This is often read as a statement about two states: As soon as Adam was created a living soul, he was destined to rise to the state of “Spirit.” In context, though, this contrast is a contrast not of two states of one man, but of two men. Paul immediately goes on to identify the natural/soulish with “the first man” and “live-giving Spirit” with the... Read more
JS Lawry says that Emma insults Miss Bates in an effort to liven up a dull party: “Like a virtuoso, she takes care that her art be equal to its occasions – but no more. Later, when a party seems dull, she will be brought to insult Miss Bates precisely because she cannot bear that those around her be silent, stupid, or dispiriting. She would play the social artist, orchestrating life for swift, intelligent, and amusing human activity while conducting... Read more
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