Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
Deeper Life Lesson 8, Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022
TOPIC: GENEALOGY AND BIRTH OF CHRIST
MEMORY VERSE: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). (Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022
TEXTS: Matthew 1:1-25; 2:1-23; Luke 3:23-38
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
The Gospel according to Matthew opens appropriately with the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ with the names of Abraham and David to whom God gave the promise of the coming Messiah (Matthew 1:1). Of Abraham, the Lord said, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:18). And to David, He said, “Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations” (Psalm 89:4). Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022
Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, made reference to the promise when he recapped in his epistle that: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). Since God has promised that the Messiah must be the descendant of Abraham and David, it becomes necessary to show, through records, that Jesus Christ had the proper genealogy to qualify Him as the Messiah.
This underscores the significance of records of the acts of God and of the Holy Ghost in the midst of His people. Believers should learn to keep and preserve adequate records of Bible doctrines and teachings, special events, great experiences and testimonies for coming generation to show “…to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done… that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (Psalm 78:4-7).
Moreover, Matthew wrote primarily to the Jews and he needed to convince them that Christ is indeed the Messiah that was promised in the Old Testament. It is worthy of note that the Jews never toyed with records and genealogy and were quick to exclude anyone from their tribes whose ancestry could not be established (Ezra 2:62; Nehemiah 7:64).
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
PECULIARITIES OF THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Romans 10: 12; Galatians 3:28)
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The names of Abraham and David were mentioned first in Matthew’s account of the genealogy of Christ. This goes to show the significance and fulfilment of the covenant which God made with Abraham concerning the promised Messiah and His promise to David regarding his posterity were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
The reckoning begins with Abraham because he is the progenitor of the Jewish nation. God had told him that if he left the idols of his people and turned to Him, He would make of him a great nation and all the families of the earth would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1-3). He obeyed and this led to the establishment of what is known as the Abrahamic covenant.
All through his sojourn and wanderings, the covenant was constantly renewed and re-established (Genesis 17:4; 18:18; 22: 18; 46:3; Acts 3:25). The covenant God made with King David was in furtherance of His determination to fulfil His covenant with Abraham. David, unarguably the most favoured king of Israel, received further assurance that there shall be a Son from his loins that shall reign over the whole earth.
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever…” (Isaiah 9:7).
It was needful therefore, to establish the genealogy of Christ through these patriarchs to convince the children of Israel of its authenticity. The two records establish Christ’s absolute right to the throne of David, both by blood relationship through Mary and by title through Joseph, Mary’s husband. The differences between Matthew’s record and Luke’s are obvious. Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
Matthew began with Abraham and traced the history down to Jesus. Luke began with Jesus through Abraham to Adam. Matthew deliberately arranged his genealogy into three groups of 14 generations each (Matthew 1:17). He traced it through David’s son, Solomon, whereas Luke went through David’s son, Nathan, to Mary the mother of Jesus.
The word “begat” is used of all the names down from Abraham to Joseph, but when it comes to the link between Joseph and Jesus, the statement was altered thus: “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16) indicating that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. Although the two accounts look different, there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of the biblical record. Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022
The fact that there are variations in the record of Matthew and Luke shows that one, each of them had distinct purposes in writing. Matthew wrote from the Jewish perspective to the Jewish audience while Luke wrote to Theophilus, a Gentile monarch.
Two, Luke claimed to have thoroughly and carefully investigated and followed up everything to the source.
Three, both records reveal that Jesus is truly the expected Messiah of Israel.
Four, He is the only person qualified to be the Saviour of the world.
Five, it is clear from both accounts that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but that He was uniquely conceived by the Spirit through the virgin Mary.
Six, Matthew focused on Jesus being the Messiah and King of Israel by tracing His genealogy back through David to Abraham whereas Luke showed that Jesus is the unique Son of Man, Son of God and Saviour of the whole world.
Of further significance and peculiarity in the accounts of both Matthew and Luke is that four women were involved in the Lord’s genealogy. Of the four, two were Gentiles and two of very mean personalities. Rachab (Rahab) was a Canaanitess and described as a harlot; Ruth was a Moabite, of whom the Lord said that they shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord (Deuteronomy 23:3).
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
Tamar and Bathsheba, though Jews, had questionable past. Tamar was involved in a moral scandal with Judah, her father-in-law (Genesis 38:13-25); and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah was involved in adultery with King David.
From the foregoing, we learn that in spite of the ugly past of these women, they found mercy and favour in the sight of God. Christ indeed, came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Secondly, although Jesus came through the Jewish nation, both Gentiles and Jews are included in God’s redemptive plan.
Christ is for the whole world — Jew and Gentile. “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him” (Romans 10:12).
Thirdly, God does not discriminate against any on the basis of their gender. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Lastly, it means that the vilest of sinners who truly believe shall be forgiven their sins.
PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Psalm 132:11; Luke 1:31-35,76; John 14:30; 1 John 3:5; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22)
Many years before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, detailed prophecies about His birth were revealed, Isaiah said, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son’ and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Angel Gabriel declared to Mary: “…thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
Micah said, concerning Christ’s place of birth, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). The promise of David’s throne and all that is involved is transferred to “Jesus Christ, the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1).
The lineage that began with David has its consummation and actualisation in Christ. One of the most important facts concerning Jesus Christ is that He was born of a virgin woman. God was the first to unveil the virgin birth when He referred to Him as the “seed of the woman” (Genesis 3:15). This was an allusion to the fact that Christ would be conceived by a woman who had never known a man.
Luke recorded that angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, a virgin betrothed to a man (Luke Matthew also narrated that after Mary had been espoused to Joseph, she was found with a child of the Holy Ghost before they came together (Matthew 1:18). The virgin birth is therefore unique to Christ alone, No other living soul will ever be conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost.
The virgin birth of Jesus confirms His Deity and distinguishes Him as the only sinless man conceived without any taint of the sinful nature inherited by all men in Adam. He thus became the spotless Lamb of God found in fashion as a man. It is this distinctive spotlessness that stands Him out and qualifies Him to be the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:25,26). Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
The birth of Jesus occurred at Bethlehem, the birthplace of David (1 Samuel 20:6) and wise men came from the East to pay Him homage. When they saw the young child, Jesus, they fell down and worshipped Him acknowledging His deity. Having fulfilled their mission they did not go back to Herod because they had been warned by God that he was planning to harm the new Child.
Feeling betrayed by the wise men, Herod ordered the slaughter of all children from two years old and under in hope that Christ would be among them. Before he carried out his evil programme, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph to take the child Jesus to Egypt in fulfilment of another Scripture prophecy (Matthew 2: 13-15).
Having received the message from God through Angel Gabriel, Joseph took full responsibility to ensure adequate security of Mary and the child, Jesus.
From this, we learn, one, that our protection depends on obedience to God’s guidance.
Two, we must respond promptly to divine guidance.
Three, challenges and problems are inevitable facts of life.
Four, God works all things for the good of those who love Him.
Five, Satan is always working against the purpose and programme of God but His counsel will always stand (Proverbs 19:21).
Six, God always watches over His children and knows how to deliver them.
Seven, He permits certain things in a believer’s life to accomplish His purpose. After the death of Herod, Joseph and Mary returned with the child Jesus to the land of Israel and they dwelt in the city of Nazareth.
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
PURPOSE OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; Acts 4:12; 5:31; Galatians 4:4,5; Hebrews 2:14, 15)
Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The angel who announced His birth said, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The name Jesus means “Saviour” or “Salvation of Jehovah” or “Jehovah is Saviour”. purpose of Jesus coming into the world is to save mankind from the ruin of sin. This He accomplished through His vicarious death on the cross at Calvary. Anyone who repents from sin and comes to Him for salvation will receive pardon and cleansing through His blood, no matter how vile.
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022
Questions for Review:
I. What can a believer learn from biblical records?
2. What can we learn from the inclusion of Gentiles in the lineage of Christ?
3. Mention two Old Testament women in the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. What is the importance of the virgin birth to the Christian faith?
- What can we learn from the way Jesus was protected from the murderous intention of Herod?
- Explain why Christ came into the world.
- What is the purpose of the virgin birth?
Adult DCLM Search the Scripture 20 February 2022 | Lesson 8
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