The Gospel of Matthew
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Key words
- Fulfill: to convert into reality, to put into effect
He fulfilled his promise to cut taxes.
- Messiah: the expected King of the Jews
Some Jews in Israel believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
- Christ: Messiah
Christians believe that Jesus is the Christ.
- Outwit: to be cleverer and wiser
The fox outwitted the hunter by hiding in a tree.
- Tragic event: a very sad thing, often involving death
We must have high safety standards to avoid a tragic event.
Read the article to find the answers
- What is the main message of Matthew's Gospel?
- Where did Joseph and his family flee to?
- What did Herod do to the children in Bethlehem?
- How many prophecies were fulfilled by the time Joseph returned to Israel?
Overview
The Gospel of Matthew contains the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the King of the Jews. The main message of Matthew's Gospel is that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah - the Christ. This Gospel was written primarily for a Jewish audience.
The birth of Jesus Christ
Mary was engaged to Joseph, but became pregnant before they were married. Joseph thought about ending the engagement, but an angel appeared to him in a dream and said:
Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, her child is from the Holy Ghost. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.
All this happened to fulfil what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Emmanuel.
Joseph did exactly what the angel commanded him.
King Herod
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the time of King Herod, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking:
Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We've seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.
When King Herod heard this, he was deeply troubled and gathered the leading priests and scholars demanding that they tell him where the Christ was to be born. They told him in Bethlehem because the prophecy said:
Bethlehem, out of you shall come a Governor who will rule my people.
Then Herod asked the wise men about when the star first appeared, and instructed them to go to Bethlehem and find the young child so that he could also worship Him. When they found the young child, they worshiped Him, and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Later, they received a warning from God not to return to Herod, so they went back to their own country. After they left, an angel appeared to Joseph, saying:
Get up, take the young child and His mother, and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you to come back, because Herod wants to find the child and kill Him.
So, Joseph took the young child and his mother during the night, and fled to Egypt. They stayed there until Herod died, fulfilling the prophecy:
I have called my son out of Egypt.
When Herod realized that the wise men outwitted him, he became extremely angry. He sent his soldiers to Bethlehem and ordered them to kill all the children who were two years old and younger. This tragic event fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecy:
Weeping and mourning greatly. Rachel weeping for her children would not be comforted.
Jesus returns to Israel
After Herod's death, an angel appeared to Joseph, saying:
Take the young child and His mother, and return to the land of Israel. Those who wanted to kill the child are dead.
Joseph returned to the land of Israel and was guided to Nazareth fulfilling the prophecy:
He shall be called a Nazarene.
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- Do you know the Bible passage quoted at the top of this article?
- Do you know what happens next in Matthew's Gospel?
- Do you know how Matthew's Gospel ends?
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