We will be using a couple of different books for our face-to-face discussions of Matthew's Gospel. You probably expected Matthew, from the New Testament. If you want to see it in different translations and editions, take a look at Bible Gateway. Here's the first chapter of Matthew in the New King James version, the English translation I prefer. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1&version=NKJV At the top right of the screen you can use the pull down menu to browse other translations, including numerous non-English languages.
We're also looking at a commentary, which walks through the text of Matthew step by step, explaining the significance. There are all sorts of commentaries out there. For an average audience that maybe has not done much study of the Gospels, we chose the People's Bible Commentary: Matthew, but G.J. Albrecht and M.J. Albrecht, 1996, Concordia Publishing House.
We met face-to-face on 5/20/24 and did a little introduction to the idea of a "gospel" and some of Matthew's special emphases. In that face-to-face meeting I challenged everyone to carefully read Matthew's Gospel, chapter one, and Albrecht, pages 1-23. I also urged them to come up with three or more questions related to chapter 1 and to put them in the comments of this post, which I promised to make. Everyone is welcome to contribute to the comments section of the blog. I'd love to have some discussion break out!
Here are questions for study and discussion that I came up with.
1) Who is Abraham in Matthew 1:1? Why is he important?
2) Who is David in Matthew 1:1? Why is he important?
3) What is the Babylonian captivity? Why is it an important marker in Matthew's genealogy?
4) What is Matthew trying to show us through the genealogy?
5) In Matthew 1:18-25 what do we learn about Joseph and about Mary?
6) Notice that Matthew rarely tells us what someone thinks, but he does tell us what people do. What could Matthew be trying to accomplish by this?
7) "Jesus" means "God saves." "Immanuel" (Isaiah 7) means "God with us." How is it that Joseph and Mary chose the name "Jesus" instead of "Immanuel"?
8) Why does it matter that Jesus is both the son of God and the son of Abraham/David/a blameless woman?
We're also looking at a commentary, which walks through the text of Matthew step by step, explaining the significance. There are all sorts of commentaries out there. For an average audience that maybe has not done much study of the Gospels, we chose the People's Bible Commentary: Matthew, but G.J. Albrecht and M.J. Albrecht, 1996, Concordia Publishing House.
We met face-to-face on 5/20/24 and did a little introduction to the idea of a "gospel" and some of Matthew's special emphases. In that face-to-face meeting I challenged everyone to carefully read Matthew's Gospel, chapter one, and Albrecht, pages 1-23. I also urged them to come up with three or more questions related to chapter 1 and to put them in the comments of this post, which I promised to make. Everyone is welcome to contribute to the comments section of the blog. I'd love to have some discussion break out!
Here are questions for study and discussion that I came up with.
1) Who is Abraham in Matthew 1:1? Why is he important?
2) Who is David in Matthew 1:1? Why is he important?
3) What is the Babylonian captivity? Why is it an important marker in Matthew's genealogy?
4) What is Matthew trying to show us through the genealogy?
5) In Matthew 1:18-25 what do we learn about Joseph and about Mary?
6) Notice that Matthew rarely tells us what someone thinks, but he does tell us what people do. What could Matthew be trying to accomplish by this?
7) "Jesus" means "God saves." "Immanuel" (Isaiah 7) means "God with us." How is it that Joseph and Mary chose the name "Jesus" instead of "Immanuel"?
8) Why does it matter that Jesus is both the son of God and the son of Abraham/David/a blameless woman?
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