Gospel According to Matthew Bible Study
Chapter 2
Prologue Narrative: The Ancestry and Infancy of Jesus
Questions
- Jesus was born in Bethlehem. What notable OT figure was also from Bethlehem - and annointed King of Israel there? (1 Sam 16:1-13)?
- The Wise Men from the East visited Herod in Jerusalem looking for more clues about the location of the king of the Jews. Why was Herod troubled by this news; why were these (Gentile) Wise Men looking for the King of the Jews and why would they follow a star to find him? (Num 24:17-18)
- The chief priests and scribes were able to answer Herod’s question with a combined citation from OT prophets (Mic 5:2-4, 2 Sam 5:2); those verses emphasize the importance of both the Messiah’s birthplace and kingship. Today these may seem less relevant to us POST Jesus’ establishment of the Kingdom. However, what could their ability to cite those references tell us about Messiah expectations amongst the religious authorities of the time?
- The Wise Men want to find the newborn King to worship Him. Why does Herod tell the Wise Men that they should let him know where they find the child? Why does he really want to know?
- Why these particular gifts (gold, frankincese, and myrrh)? (Is 60:3, 6, Tob 13:11, Ps 72:10-15)
- Matthew sees the fulfillment of Hosea 11:1 in the calling of Jesus back from Egypt. How does this also point to Israel’s Exodus? (Ex 4:22)
- We see the first NT martyrs in verse 16 when Herod kills the male children in Bethlehem. What OT event does this feel like (Ex 1:15-16)? Verse 18 is a citation from Jer 31:15. Why does Jeremiah see Ramah (5 miles north of Jerusalem) as a place of sorrow and exile? (Is 10:29; Hos 5:8; Jer 40:1; Gen 35:17-19)
- (Extra Credit) Where in the OT can you find the quotation in verse 23?
Primary Resources
Secondary Resources
The Bible in a Year Podcast (Fr. Mike)
Logical Daily Gospel Exegesis (Hayden)