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Section Introduction
Luke 1 & 2, John 1:1-18, and Matthew 1 & 2

Each of the four Gospels is written to a different audience and intended to address a different element of the Good News which tells of the miraculous birth, life ministry, and sacrificial death of the Son of man, Jesus. The pre-arrival, arrival, and pre-public ministry of Jesus are recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John; such was not a purpose of the Book of Mark.

This first section, or week, of the Integrated Study of the Gospels will cover all of Luke 1 & 2, most of John 1, and all of Matthew 1 & 2.

Sunday

Luke 1:1-25

Explanatory Preface

1:1 Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 1:2 like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning. 1:3 So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 1:4 so that you may know for certain the things you were taught.

Birth Announcement of John the Baptist

1:5 During the reign of Herod king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and he had a wife named Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron. 1:6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 1:7 But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

1:8 Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 1:9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the holy place of the Lord and burn incense. 1:10 Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. 1:11 An angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared to him. 1:12 And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, was seized with fear. 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. 1:14 Joy and gladness will come to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 1:15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 1:16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 1:17 And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”

1:18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” 1:19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 1:20 And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place.”

1:21 Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place. 1:22 When he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the holy place, because he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak. 1:23 When his time of service was over, he went to his home.

1:24 After some time his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. She said, 1:25 “This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.”

Prayer

Lord, as Your Word transitions from the Law-based practices and traditions of the Old Testament, may I be sensitive to Your emphasis upon the way that the Gospels introduce Your new covenant built upon Your sovereign gift of Grace through Jesus the Christ.

Commentary

In verses 1 & 2, Luke tells the reader that he is following the pattern that others used in reporting the events, their reports which preceded his account. He acknowledges that those who related these events before him were “eyewitnesses” and he was not. In verses 3 & 4, Luke acknowledges that he has undertaken to compile an account to edify and educate Theophilus, to reinforce what he had been taught absent a document as complete as Luke was assembling for him [and for us].

Luke tells the story of the angelic messenger who brings to Zechariah news of the upcoming miracle-birth of John (the Baptist or Baptizer) by his elderly wife. Zechariah was serving his turn as a priest in the temple, where only a few were permitted, and where the priests entered fearfully to burn incense on behalf of the people to God.

Zechariah's doubts, even in the presence of an angel, resulted in him being struck mute until the prophesy was fulfilled. The angel had identified himself as “Gabriel who stands in the presence of God.” Gabriel is one of the rare named angels in the Bible.

Zechariah was without excuse for his doubts because as a high priest he would have known of the stories of God's prophesies delivered via angels in the Old Testament, and the expectation of God that His heavenly emissaries be treated with respect.

Interaction

Consider

Zechariah, knowing well the prophesies of God, doubted God based upon the unreliable evidence of his worldly [non-spiritual] eyes [and experience]; he and Elizabeth were elderly – much like Abraham and his wife Sarai.

Discuss

God always tells us what we need to know – when we need to know it. He gave us His Word; and, as we are waiting on Him, He speaks today to our hearts and minds. His Word, illuminated by His Holy Spirit, is His primary means of communication today.

Reflect

Do we, like Zechariah, also doubt God's promises, and then wonder why His blessings do not flow more freely in and through us into the lives of others?

Share

When have you known clearly what God expected of you yet doubted His provision or His wisdom? How has that made you temporarily “mute” in your witness for Him?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of the perfection of God.

Action

I will prayerfully discern where doubts about God have in some way resulted in harm to my witness for Him, so that like Zechariah I am “mute.” Partnering with the Holy Spirit I will repent (turn away) and make an intentional effort to follow and to trust God.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

Monday

Luke 1:26-80

Birth Announcement of Jesus the Messiah

1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 1:27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 1:28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!” 1:29 But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. 1:30 So the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! 1:31 Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 1:32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 1:33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 1:34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 1:35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.

1:36 “And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 1:38 So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Mary and Elizabeth

1:39 In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, 1:40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 1:42 She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! 1:43 And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 1:44 For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 1:45 And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

Mary’s Hymn of Praise

1:46 And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, 1:47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, 1:48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, 1:49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 1:50 from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him. 1:51 He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts. 1:52 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; 1:53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty. 1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, 1:55 as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 1:56 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.

The Birth of John

1:57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 1:58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

1:59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. 1:60 But his mother replied, “No! He must be named John.” 1:61 They said to her, “But none of your relatives bears this name.” 1:62 So they made signs to the baby’s father, inquiring what he wanted to name his son. 1:63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 1:64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue released, and he spoke, blessing God. 1:65 All their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about. 1:66 All who heard these things kept them in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the Lord’s hand was indeed with him.

Zechariah’s Praise and Prediction

1:67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help and has redeemed his people. 1:69 For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 1:70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago, 1:71 that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us. 1:72 He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant – 1:73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.

This oath grants 1:74 that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, may serve him without fear, 1:75 in holiness and righteousness before him for as long as we live. 1:76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 1:77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. 1:78 Because of our God’s tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high 1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

1:80 And the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he was revealed to Israel.

Prayer

Lord, may my faith be as childlike and obedient as that of Mary.

Commentary

Verses 26-38 report the angelic prophesy of the virgin birth of Jesus to Mary, this very young woman was to receive the incredible blessing to be His maternal host. The text records the angel Gabriel reassuring Mary that God had sent him and telling her that “the power of the Most High will overshadow you” causing her to conceive and give birth to a son Who would be called “the Son of God.”

Notable is Mary's righteous response in verse 38, one expected of every true child of God: “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord, let this happen to me according to Your word.”

Verse 41 is an interesting qualifier for the idea that speaking “filled with the Holy Spirit” is always in "tongues" (a nonhuman 'spiritual' language.) Elizabeth was motivated by the Holy Spirit to declare the miracle of God and to praise God in common human language.

Together Mary and Joseph celebrate, with the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of prophesy growing within them. Mary goes on in verses 46-56 to share a hymn of praise.

Verses 57-66 record the birth and naming of John and the release of Zechariah from the temporary curse of muteness.

Verses 67-79 report that “Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied.” Again the “filling” caused Heaven-sent utterances in a known tongue.

Verse 80 concludes the account by noting the passage of time leading up to John's public ministry in the wilderness, time during which John became increasingly “strong in spirit.”

John was drawing nearer to God in relationship and more bold in the declaration of truth, without regard to the approval or reproof of man, as a result.

Interaction

Consider

Do we respond to a challenging word from God with the faithful submission of Mary?

Discuss

Do we celebrate with other Believers, and with the Holy Spirit, the miracles of God in us and in our lives?

Reflect

Do we understand what it means to become increasingly “strong in spirit” and what this means in our personal walk with Christ?

Share

When have you been confronted with a challenge in your service to God, one which would likely place you at odds with other people? How did you respond?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to encourage you in your life of praise and your life of service.

Action

Today I will choose one area in my life where God has challenged me, yet I have resisted, and I will intentionally work towards a more submissive heart. I will also choose to celebrate with other Believers every blessing He has poured out on me, intentionally inviting the Holy Spirit of God to join with us in celebration. I will make certain that I practice growing in the spirit, drawing nearer to Him, which is God's desire for me.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

Tuesday

John 1:1-18

The Prologue to the Gospel

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. 1:2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 1:3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 1:5 And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.

1:6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 1:7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him. 1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 1:9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. 1:11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. 1:12 But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name – he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13 – children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.

1:14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 1:15 John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” 1:16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.

Prayer

Lord, I am humbled to know that the same Jesus Who was at Creation is the One Who humbled Himself to be born of a fallen human woman; this bears powerful witness to Your incredible sacrificial love.

Commentary

John inexorably links Jesus, Who is "the Word" and "fully God," to Creation. "In the beginning" all things came in to being by Him, the "life" which was "the light of mankind." Verse 5 reminds that “the light” continues to shine in the darkness even though man in his rebellion chooses darkness, and yet darkness "has not mastered [overpowered] it."

Verses 6-8 introduce the ministry of John the Baptist (or as some might have it, the Baptizer), a truly humble man who would proclaim the coming of the Christ. Verse 9 is a reminder that Christ, the "true light", is coming. Verses 10-11 note that while He created the Earth and everything in it, man failed to recognize Him and would not "receive" Him.

Verses 12-13 note that redemptive salvation, the "right to become God's children," is the sovereign provision of God irrespective of to whom one is related, what man wants or wills for himself, or any mandate of ones spouse. Salvation is obtained purely by an individual's choice to accept the Lordship of Christ, may not be coerced, and is provided for only by the sovereign grace of God.

John concludes by reminding his readers in verse 14 that the Word became "flesh" and humbled Himself to live among us. This was a demonstration of His glory, that He was an absolutely unique being, and that He was "the one and only" (the only begotten) sent by God the Father.

Interaction

Consider

The Apostle John dismisses any doubt that may remain (after a careful study of Genesis 1-4) of the participation of the Son, together with the other two Persons of the Trinity, in Creation.

Discuss

Do we appreciate what He gave up – flawless perfection, untouched by the ravages of the Fall, in Heaven - albeit temporarily, for us?

Reflect

Do we observe that the light of God is always present no matter how dark things appear?

Share

When and how have you celebrated and shared the good news of the undeserved gift of salvation?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the light where you now see only darkness.

Action

Today I choose to thank God that, no matter how dark things may seem, His light is always there for me. I also choose to celebrate His undeserved gift of salvation and to pray that He will trust me with an opportunity to tell somebody about this good news.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

Wednesday

Matthew 1, Luke 2:1-21

Matthew

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

1:1 This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

1:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 1:3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (by Tamar), Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 1:4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 1:5 Salmon the father of Boaz (by Rahab), Boaz the father of Obed (by Ruth), Obed the father of Jesse, 1:6 and Jesse the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon (by the wife of Uriah), 1:7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 1:8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah, 1:9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 1:10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 1:11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

1:12 After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 1:13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 1:14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, 1:15 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 1:16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.

Luke

The Census and the Birth of Jesus

2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes. 2:2 This was the first registration, taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 2:3 Everyone went to his own town to be registered. 2:4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David. 2:5 He went to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, and who was expecting a child. 2:6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Matthew

The Birth of Jesus Christ

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 1:19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. 1:20 When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 1:21 She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 1:22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” 1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife, 1:25 but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus.

Luke

The Shepherds’ Visit

2:8 Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. 2:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: 2:11 Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. 2:12 This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” 2:13 Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!”

2:15 When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.” 2:16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. 2:17 When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child, 2:18 and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said. 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. 2:20 So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

2:21 At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Prayer

Lord, Your consistency in keeping every promise, and in showing me that You never change, is the reassurance I so desperately need in this fallen and constantly unstable world.

Commentary

Matthew 1:1-17 documents the genealogy of the human Jesus as evidence that God kept His promise to bless the world with a redeemer from the line of Abraham and David.

Luke 2:1-7 recounts the demand of the Roman Empire that a census be taken of all of the people so that taxes may be applied. Joseph of the “house and family line of David” was required to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where the Romans had assigned his family to be counted. Joseph was engaged (traditionally the same as marriage minus the final step of approval for marital relations) to Mary who was pregnant and gave birth to a son once they arrived in Bethlehem.

In Matthew 1:18-25 the story of the pregnancy of and birthing by Mary of the baby Jesus, in keeping with Isaiah's prophesy, is recorded similar to the Luke telling. Notable is God sending an angel to keep Joseph from divorcing Mary, just as He did to stay Abraham's hand from sacrificing Isaac.

Luke 2:8-21 tells of the angels appearing to the shepherds and announcing the birth of “your Savior.” The shepherds chose to "go over" to Bethlehem to see the child. The shepherds shared the angelic message of the coming child with Mary and Joseph and everyone they met. The shepherds were very likely a specialized group assigned to care for sacrificial lambs, lambs which were kept apart and kept without blemish for sacrifice. They would have known where to find Jesus, as it would have been nearby in the same place the sacrificial lambs were sheltered.

After eight days Jesus was circumcised and given the name "Jesus," just as Mary and Joseph had been instructed to do by the angel when they were first informed of His impending creation in Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit.

Interaction

Consider

Observe that God reminds us throughout His Word that He always keeps His word. God used the census by the Roman Empire to fulfill one element of His prophesy.

Discuss

Do we observe that our view of things is often obscured by worldly expectations rather than enlightened by God's promises and precision? Observe God's use of the shepherds of sacrificial lambs to deliver the angels' message to the parents of the Sacrificial Lamb.

Reflect

Do we acknowledge that we need to wait patiently on the Lord, like Joseph, before we act precipitously? It must have been difficult in that culture and time to be traveling with a pregnant fiancée.

Share

When have “worldly eyes” led you to make decisions, like Joseph contemplating divorce, but God stepped in and opened your eyes to His perspective?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you that, no matter how dark things may seem, His light is always there for you.

Action

Today I choose to recognize God's faithfulness in at least three moments in my life, thank Him for His faithfulness, and then share that story with someone. I also choose to recall at least one place where I frequently act without first consulting the Holy Spirit, to reflect on the resultant wrong, and to agree with God to slow down and ask Him first. I also choose to celebrate His undeserved gift of salvation and to pray that He will trust me with an opportunity to tell somebody about that good news.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

Thursday

Luke 2:22-38, Matthew 2:1-15a

Luke

Jesus’ Presentation at the Temple

2:22 Now when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 2:23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord”), 2:24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

The Prophecy of Simeon

2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 2:27 So Simeon, directed by the Spirit, came into the temple courts, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and blessed God, saying,

2:29 “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace.

2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation

2:31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:

2:32 a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

2:33 So the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. 2:35 Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!”

The Testimony of Anna

2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. 2:37 She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 2:38 At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Matthew

The Visit of the Wise Men

2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem 2:2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 2:3 When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 2:4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 2:5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:

2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,

for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

2:7 Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 2:9 After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 2:10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully. 2:11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 2:12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back by another route to their own country.

The Escape to Egypt

2:13 After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.” 2:14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and went to Egypt. 2:15 He stayed there until Herod died.

Prayer

Lord, may I be as sensitive to my obligations as were the wise men, and may I present my life to You in tribute and worship.

Commentary

Luke 2:22-38 reports the presentation of Jesus at the Temple for the purification ritual, as the Law required the first born male to be "set apart to the Lord" (see Exodus 13:2). While there the prophets Simeon and Anna both affirm His deity and purpose as the Savior; they rejoice with Mary and Joseph and bless them.

Matthew 2:1-10 records the "wise men” who, among other things, studied the stars and acted on their awareness of prophesy which related to the coming of a new and unique king whose birth would be heralded by a bright star. They recognized their obligation to bring tribute and worship. These verses also report the jealousy and fear of King Herod and his effort to trick the wise men into revealing the location of Jesus, so that He might be eliminated as a threat.

The astonishment and awe of the wise men and their bringing tribute and worship to the baby Jesus are reported in Mathew 2:11. In verses 12-15a God warns the wise men to not assist Herod in his murderous plans and cautions Joseph to flee to Egypt and await the death of Herod.

Interaction

Consider

Do we see the hand of Satan in King Herod attempting to defeat God?

Discuss

Are we as astonished and in awe of God's incredible gift as were the wise men?

Reflect

Are we well-informed as to what the Bible teaches so that when something happens that is prophesied by the Bible we, like the wise men, will recognize it?

Share

When have you recognized God moving in your life, or in the life of your Christian community, and made a special effort to give Him tribute and worship?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to make you more sensitive to God working in the world around you and also to the schemes of the Enemy to interfere.

Action

Today I choose to recognize one place where the Enemy manipulates me or others, in an attempt to impede the plan of God, and to pray against that interference. I will also pause and recall in amazement what God has done for me and then share that with another.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

Friday

Matthew 2:15b-23

2:15b In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: "I called my Son out of Egypt."

2:16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 2:17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

2:18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were gone.”

The Return to Nazareth

2:19 After Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 2:20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 2:21 So he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee. 2:23 He came to a town called Nazareth and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.

Prayer

Lord, may I be alert to Your warnings and direction on how to avoid places of danger.

Commentary

Verse 2:15b relates that God, in the same way that He had called His 'son' the nation of Israel out of Egypt, called His Son Jesus “out of Egypt.”

Verses 2:16-18 record the demonic monstrous rage of Herod, used as an agent of Satan, when he discovers that he has missed the opportunity to murder Jesus. In a desperate effort he has his soldiers murder every child in Bethlehem below the age of two. (His reaction is eerily reminiscent of Pharaoh's genocidal declaration in Exodus 1:22.) Herod fails in his evil mission, but in so doing fulfills a prophesy of suffering by the Prophet Jeremiah, "Rachel weeping for her children" (Jeremiah 31:15).

Verses 2:19-23 inform that, once Herod had died, God sent an angel to instruct Joseph to return to the land of Israel. Arriving in the region of Judea, he discovered that the equally-evil son of Herod reigned. At the prompting of an angel, Joseph moved on to the town of Nazareth in the region of Galilee, fulfilling the prophesy that Jesus would be known as a Nazarene.

Interaction

Consider

God calls us out of our places of hiding, our 'Egypt', into His light and under His protection.

Discuss

The Enemy is filled with insane hatred and rage for anyone and anything associated with Jesus and thus will attempt to subvert or destroy all who are His.

Reflect

We must be alert to and avoid the “regions” controlled by the Enemy and his demons. In the light given to us by God, we must learn to recognize those dark places.

Share

When has God called you out of a place of safety, where you have retreated from people and pressures that threatened you, to once again be “in the world but not of it”?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to press into you the wisdom to know the difference between when you are hiding from things that are truly dangerous and when you are hiding from His chastisement and conviction for your choice(s) to sin.

Action

Today I choose to discern a place where I have been hiding — this may be a place where I run from fellow humans or a place where I avoid serving Him. I will surrender these "secret places" to Him. I will also discern at least one specific place where I know the Enemy is strong in my life—it could be on the Internet, a person, a location (bar, beach, club, home, etc), a form of entertainment, a hobby, or a sport—and I will intentionally avoid that place.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

Saturday

Luke 2:39-52

2:39 So when Joseph and Mary had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 2:40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

Jesus in the Temple

2:41 Now Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year for the feast of the Passover. 2:42 When he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 2:43 But when the feast was over, as they were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 2:44 but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) they went a day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 2:45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 2:46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 2:47 And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers. 2:48 When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” 2:49 But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 2:50 Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them. 2:51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart.

2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.

Prayer

Lord, may Your favor be on me as I am being prepared for ministry in Your name, as it was on Jesus as You prepared Him for a life of ministry and sacrifice.

Commentary

Verses 2:39-40 record the completion by Mary and Joseph of the Old Testament purification ritual for a male child (see Luke 2:22-24), and then this passage observes that, “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon Him.”

Verses 2:41-51 record the first evidence that Jesus, at 12 years of age, made His unique knowledge and understanding of God's Word obvious to others. It also records the failure of His parents to be adequately watchful and to fully understand Who Jesus truly was.

Verse 2:52 concludes with “and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people." Here, as earlier in verse 40, “God's favor” does not denote Jesus earning favor through works, rather God blessing Him in preparation for His ministry.

Interaction

Consider

'Becoming strong' is a repeated theme for Christians. The Apostle Paul challenges us to be strong in caring for the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19), our physical bodies, and strong in training for spiritual warfare by putting on “the full armor of God” (see Ephesians 6:11-18).

Discuss

The age of 12 appears to be a approximate developmental point of reference for the human capacity to engage fully at the level of complex thought necessary to volitionally comprehend and respond effectively to the call of God to a saving relationship.

Reflect

Just as Jesus-in-the-flesh, our prototype, was not asked of God to perform works in order to receive blessings for ministry, neither are we. He desires our obedience and our submission as evidence of our availability to serve for His glory and not our own.

Share

When specifically preparing for a ministry, perhaps short-term missions or a special outreach service-project, did you sense God blessing your preparation?

Faith in Action

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of a place in your life where you need to be better prepared to serve Him.

Action

Today I choose, for the sake of my body “the temple of the Holy Spirit of God,” to change or improve on something that I do or don't do. I also choose to revisit the teaching on the “full armor of God” and to engage and train with it. I will ask God to show me a young relative or other child, with the permission of the parents, who is approximately the age of 12 and encourage them to consider Christ. And I will cease from trying to earn God's blessing for ministry through my performance and instead step out, trusting Him to provide all I need.

Be Specific ______________________________________________________

All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated – http://bible.org

Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.

Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lowercase in the original NET text.

Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.

Grateful thanks to Merrilee Clark for sharing her gifts as an editor.

Copyright © 2010 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – Section 1 of the series, “The Gospels in Chronological Order” – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org August 2010. Text may be used for nonprofit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.