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Getting Started… From the opening genealogy, Matthew right away cements Jesus’ place within history. As the Son of David, Jesus’ ministry to Israel is on full display in these chapters. Whether healing the sick, or confronting the religious establishment, get to know Jesus like never before. In this verse-by-verse study, we’ll follow Jesus’ journey from birth, to death, to resurrection to ascension. As we follow Jesus’ ministry, we’ll see the calling of the first disci

Descendant of David READ Matthew 1:1 1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham. As the New Testament begins it gives the genealogy, or human ancestry, of Jesus the Messiah. The words “Messiah” and “Christ” are interchangeable. He was the “anointed one,” which is what the word “Christ” means. Jesus was God, the second person of the Trinity. But God could not die for sinful mankind so Jesus took upon Himself the limi

Before the Exile READ Matthew 1:9-11 9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham. Jotham was the father of Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh. Manasseh was the father of Amon. Amon was the father of Josiah. 11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon). Matthew 1:6-11 are the verses that record Jesus’ earthly genealogy from David to the Babylonian exile in 586 B.C. This passage also

An Unexpected Pregnancy READ Matthew 1:18 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Modern translations say Joseph and Mary were “engaged,” but it was a more serious thing than in the western world today. It was legally binding and was called a “betrothal.” Although considered husband and wi

The Star of Bethlehem READ Matthew 2:1-2 1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” This passage tells of the specific place and time of Jesus’s birth. Jesus has always existed but this was the time when He took on the form of humanity and was born of the virg

Warned in a Dream READ Matthew 2:12 12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. After the wise men presented their gifts to Jesus and worshiped Him, they left by another road to their country. God had directed them not to return to Herod. They likely did not know the reason for this warning, but they obeyed God. What a lesson this is! One needs to obey God’s instructions

Nazareth in Galilee READ Matthew 2:21-23 21 So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22 But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Joseph continued to be directed by dre

Fruitless Lives READ Matthew 3:9-10 9 “Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to him to be

Into the Wilderness READ Matthew 4:1-2 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. The “wilderness” was an uninhabited place, and could either be a wooded or desert area. Jesus’ experience took place in a desert area. For 40 days and 40 nights he fasted and became “very hungry.” This caused the devil to think this was an opportunity to test Jesus at His tim

Arrested READ Matthew 4:12-13 12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. John the Baptist had been arrested, so persecution was intensifying. Matthew does not tell at this point what happened to John in prison, but he does later. Matthew is not writing a strict chronology of events, he is p

The Good News About the Kingdom READ Matthew 4:23-24 23 Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 24 News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Jesus announced “the Good

Peacekeepers READ Matthew 5:9-10 9 “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Those who work to produce peace are the happy or fortunate ones because it shows they are children of God. Others are usually angry with themselves and with others. Some are persecuted for doing right while others call good evil and evil good. Those persecu

Least and the Greatest READ Matthew 5:19 19 “So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” People today are not under the Old Testament law although the moral law is true for any age. Some today think Church-age believers should be under the Old Testament law, but that law never provided salva

Purpose for Purity READ Matthew 5:27-28 27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” God is not opposed to sex; He is the one who created it. He approves the sexual relationship in marriage between a man and a woman (see Hebrews 13:4). God wants purity in thought and life, however, so these are warnings about bad thoughts tha

The Other Cheek READ Matthew 5:38-39 38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” Jesus continued to contrast the letter of the Old Testament law with a higher level of life He wanted His followers to have in His kingdom. On the one hand He set the limits of punishment; on the othe

Good Deeds READ Matthew 6:1-2 1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.” Jesus continued to tell what His followers should be like—not doing things fo

Forgiveness READ Matthew 6:14-15 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Some are thankful for God’s forgiveness of them but are unforgiving of others. This does not please God. The more believers in Jesus are sensitive to how much they have been forgiven, the more forgiving they will be of others. These statements from the Lord Jesus should be

All Your Worries READ Matthew 6:25-27 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Jesus continued to co

Specks and Logs READ Matthew 7:3-5 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” It is easy to judge someone else, even a Christian brother or sister. Som

The Narrow Gate READ Matthew 7:13-14 13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Think of a funnel: wide at the top with a narrow tube at the end. Consider that those who enter God’s kingdom enter the narrow end with all kinds of blessings and liberties that follow. Rel

Built on Sand READ Matthew 7:26-27 26 “But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Jesus said this after having said the wise person builds his house on bedrock. He warned that all those who do not obey His teaching would be like those building their houses on sand. He warned that those houses wo

The Nature of Authority READ Matthew 8:8-9 8 But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” Jesus said He would come heal the officer’s young soldi

No Place to Lay His Head READ Matthew 8:18-20 18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” Capernaum was on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus instructed His disciples t

Confronting Jesus READ Matthew 8:29 29 They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?” The two demon-possessed men who had come out of the tombs yelled this at Jesus. Notice they knew He was the Son of God. They also knew they had an appointed time when they would be tortured. This reveals how much the devil and his demons know, but their knowledge only condemns them. REFLECT