Matthew: Through Old Testament Eyes
Chapters 2-3
As Matthew reflected on his experiences with Christ I’m sure the Rolodex in his mind was turning as he remembered all the promises of Messiah’s kingship. The scepter and ruler’s staff in His hand (Gen. 49:10), the dominion (Num. 24:17-19), reigning over an eternal kingdom (2 Sam. 7:12-13, 16), called God’s King (Ps. 2:6-9), and so many more. However, for all the kingship passages Matthew began by quoting Jesus’ human beginning,
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
He needed to be sure that his Jewish brethren knew that Jesus was God; he even added the translation: Immanuel means ‘God with us’. God wants to hang out with us. Matthew had been following God in the flesh, the One who was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) as the Scriptures predicted, who the magi called King of the Jews and the One who enjoyed simple fellowship.
The Bethlehem prophecy is very specific and impossible to ignore, but the next one is even more credible. Matthew alone records the flight of Jesus’ family to Egypt (Hos. 11:1) for protection from wicked king Herod. The Slaughter of the Innocents, children he had executed attempting to take out the Jewish King, was foretold as the loud voices of grieving mothers were heard from the Bethlehem area (Jer. 31:15). Matthew was undoubtedly told about that slaughter as he grew up; did he consider if he wasn’t born up north in the Galilee, he could’ve been one of those murdered babies? Was this realization what stirred up the passion he needed to write this gospel and prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah? His life now had purpose.
Closing out Chapter Two Matthew includes the prophecies that foretold Messiah would be called a Nazarene. The Hebrew word for Nazareth, where Jesus and his family lived, means ‘branch’ and Is. 11:1-2 clearly prophesied He’ll be a branch from King David’ family tree and the Spirit of the Lord would rest on Him.
That beautifully leads us into Chapter Three where we read of a voice crying out, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” Enter John the Baptizer fulfilling Is. 40:3-5 and Mal. 3:1. This begins with John and Jesus connecting at the Jordan River where the Messiah insisted on being baptized to fulfill all righteousness. What does that mean? Being God Himself, Jesus was the only one who could pay the price to ransom us from sin, death, and the devil so we can now stand before God in His righteousness, not our own. He was our example of the washing away of our sinfulness and giving us a new beginning.
And this is the name by which He will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ Jeremiah 23:5-6
Now he’s speaking their language!
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