Matthew 21:33-41 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Vineyard

Matthew 21:33-41 – Parable of the Vineyard

|| Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16

MT21:33 “Listen to another parable:[1] A person was a landlord. Before traveling away, he planted a vineyard, fenced it around, dug a winepress, erected a tower and then he leased it out to cultivators. MT21:34 Now when the fruit came into season the landlord sent his slaves to the cultivators to gather in his crop. MT21:35 Having received his slaves the cultivators beat them, and one they killed and another they stoned. MT21:36 Then the landlord sent more slaves and they did the same to them. MT21:37 Finally, he sent off his own son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ MT21:38 However, when the [cultivators] saw the son they told one another, ‘This is the heir. Come and let us kill him and then we will have his inheritance.’ MT21:39 Taking the son they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. MT21:40 Now, when the lord of the vineyard arrived, what will he do to those cultivators?” MT21:41 The priests and Scribes answered, “Because they were bad people he will bring a bad destruction on them. Then he will lease the vineyard out to other cultivators who will produce the fruitage in the season.”

*

[1] Listen to another parable: Jesus is about to do something similar to the prophet Nathan: tell a story about these men and get them to condemn themselves. The landlord is Yehowah, God of the Jews. The cultivators are those Jewish men who were responsible: the priests, scribes, and elders. The “slaves” likely included John the Baptist and his disciples as well as Jesus’ own apostles. The “son” is Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus predicts an evil destruction upon those men. Jesus indicates his death will occur outside of Jerusalem.

+

Preceding

Matthew 21:1-3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sent Ahead for a Donkey

Matthew 21:4-5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Your King Is Coming upon a Donkey

Matthew 21:6-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Blessed the One Coming in God’s Name!

Matthew 21:10-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Is This?

Matthew 21:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Temple Cleansed

Matthew 21:12-14 – From a den of thieves to a house of prayer

Matthew 21:15-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Out of the Mouth of Babes

Matthew 21:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: A Cursed Fig Tree a Lesson in Faith

Matthew 21:23-27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Question of Authority

Matthew 21:28-32 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of Two Children

 

+++

Further related

1. “at evensong, one hour before the sun go down”: a Sermon on the Parable of the Vineyard
2. The Parable of the Vineyard
3. March 15
4. How to Subvert Divine Justice and Turn Everybody’s Lives Upside Down
5. Passion Week – Killing the Master’s Son: Matthew 21:33-41

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation

Chapter Four:
Three tests and Kingdom preaching

Matthew 4:1-4 – A Wilderness Temptation: ‘If you are a son’

|| Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1-4

MT4:1 Then Jesus was led[1] up into the wilderness by the Pneuma to be tempted[2] by the Devil.[3] MT4:2 After fasting for forty days[4] and forty nights he felt hungry.[5] MT4:3 And the Tempter approached Jesus and said to him, “If you are a son[6] of The God tell these stones[7] to become loaves of bread.”[8] MT4:4 But, Jesus replied and said to the Devil: “It has been written[9] [by Moses]: ‘Not on bread alone will humans live, but upon every utterance[10] coming forth through God’s Mouth.’” [Deuteronomy 8:3]

*

Temptation of Jesus in desert. Hole, William: The Life of Jesus of Nazareth. Eighty Pictures. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The sent one from God after he was baptised went into the desert to meditate. Being alone with his thoughts did not liberate him from bad thoughts coming up in his mind. Jesus was allowed into the wilderness to be tested, like all of us are allowed to be tested and to prove ourselves.

God has given mankind the freedom to think and to take decisions for him self. God is no dictator Who prohibits man to think and to decide for himself. Though we should know that already from the beginning of times man has shown to have a sort of weaknesses, doubting those who are higher placed than they. The first human beings rebelled against the Most High Maker. They took adversary against God. The adversary of God or satan is in each of us and Jesus as a man of flesh and blood had this also in him.

Satan or the the ‘tempter’ brings man to question the relationship with God. He also caught Jesus to be a prey. A young man starting his public life and having to prove himself for the community. Fasting, having hunger, knowing we need our daily bread, the tempter tried to seduce Jesus with the offer of ‘bread’.

We may not forget what is the cause of the temptation  of man, they wondering if God had the right to be their ‘dominant’ or their ‘Father‘. Many do forget that is the whole key to the fall of man. Man not willing to accept God as their Father, Who may tell them what to do.

Satan wants us to believe that we’re not children of God. When the adversary of God tours around us, in our mind, temptation will come in the form to make use doubt the position of the Most High God. Man gets blinded by his own thoughts which try to mislead him.The adverser will use our relationship with God as a weapon against us. He also wants us to believe we do not need God, but that we are able to live on the material of the earth, like bread, and that those goods will keep us alive.

From this chapter we also can see that baptism is no liberator of temptation. When we are baptised it does not mean that we would not any more be tempted or would not sin any more. Be not mistaken, the adversary of God is always there to get us away from God. Even when we are sometimes doubting he will be more at work.

Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Perhaps the moments we take time to think about everything and to be just on our own, meditating, are the most dangerous moments to become tempted, doubting ourselves, our own ‘I am‘ and the Most High ‘I Am’ the ‘I Am that I Am‘ or the ‘I Am Who is‘.

Too many people do forget that Jesus could be and was tempted many times. God cannot be tempted, but Jesus as an ordinary man (though specially made by God) was like any man able to sin, but never did sin. Jesus never went against the wishes of God. He could put his own will aside for doing the Will of God.

**

[1] Was led: Mark 1:12 says the Spirit “drove” so that Jesus became “driven” into the desert.

[2] Tempted: God cannot be “tempted” (James 1:13,) though Jesus is here, three times.

[3] Devil: The Greek is DIABOLOS. Meaning “Slanderer,” or “Liar,” this name for Satan occurs 36 times, never in the Hebrew Bible and first here. Note that the Dragon is on hand when the “woman gives birth” to a spiritual Son (Revelation 12:4).

[4] Forty days: An experience shared by only two others: Moses and Elijah (Exodus 24:18; 1 Kings 19:8).

[5] Hungry: Jesus becomes hungry several times in the Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:18; Mark 11:12). May it be assumed that God cannot become hungry?

[6] If you are a son: Two things are noticed here: the word “if” is an attempt to create doubt; and, the Devil calls Jesus “a son” knowing full well he is “the Son.”

[7] Stones: These have already been mentioned when John spoke of God’s ability to make sons of Abraham from stones (Matthew 3:9).

[8] Bread: Self-denial was the law of our Lord’s mission (Philippians 2:6-8).

[9] Written: The first Bible verse quoted by Jesus (Deuteronomy 8:3).

[10] Utterance: The Greek is RHEMATI. Or, KJV: word; RHM: declaration; KNX: words.

 

+

Preceding articles

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:1-6 – A Wilderness Baptist Prepares the Way

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:7-12 – Opposition and Two Baptisms

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:13-17 – Jesus Declared God’s Son at His Baptism

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:15-17 – The Baptisms of the One Coming

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:21-23 – The Baptism of Christ

2015 the year of ISIS

Next:

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:5-7 – A Temptation to Test God

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:8-11 – A Temptation to Gain World Rule

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:12-17 – Galilee Saw A Great Light

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:18-22 – The Calling of the First Disciples

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:23-25 – Kingdom Preaching and Healing Draws Crowds

++

Additional reading

1. To mean, to think, outing your opinion, conviction, belief – Menen, mening, overtuiging, opinie, geloof
2. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
3. What we do
4. The I Am to explore
5. Just One More Minute
6. satan or devil
7. Satan the evil within
8. The Son can do nothing of his own accord
9. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God
10. Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil

+++

Further reading

1. Jesus is tested – In the wilderness
2. Temptation in the Desert
3. The Temptation of Jesus
4. Dealing With Temptation
5. But Deliver Us from the Evil One
6. Watch Over Us
7. Does God Love Satan? (1 of 2)
8. The Devil Made Me Do it…
9. Getting Testy
10. When we stumble
11. Love Came Down in Obedience/L’amour est descendu dans l’obéissance
12. 40 days
13. 40 days and 40 nights
14. SMS 144 Matthew 4:2-3
15. Stones Into Bread
16. My Life As An Itchy Man
17. The Camera

+++

Related articles

• Beware of Making Jesus Your Password
• God Hates Pride
• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
• Your Word for This Day: “I’m Safe in His Hands”
• Blessed are the peacemakers (or how to spot God’s kids)
• First or Last?
• ‘Look to him and be radiant.’
• For those who believe Jesus is God
• What I believe about the Bible

Save

Save

You Are The Truth

The truth is in a way always to be looked at in the Self. In case a person does not love him or herself that person can not love others, but also can not develop properly and will have doubts about lots of matters, hindering to come to see clearly.

Inseparable from who you are, you as a person shall receive or receive not insight. Depending how much you want to open your heart, you shall be able to receive a clear mind of what goes on outside you.

Too many christians do forget that Jesus is the way to God and not God himself, but they want to be caught in human doctrines which gives enough space to hold on on all those many pagan activities and festivities mankind has had for centuries.

To come to the truth we all have to take Jesus his words at heart and make place and time for the Word of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

Not only the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that they are the only real truth bringers and only right denomination in Christendom or in Christianity. It may bring their heart at ease when the JWs are so sure that they are the only correct ones in a world of complete and utter wrongness. The religion being referred to, within their ranks, simply as “The Truth,”, but we can find the same saying in many denominations of Christendom as well.

Man must be very careful and shall have to remember always that we all are fallible men and women. No one of us is perfect and no one of us can have all knowledge or all truth. That is just impossible.
When part of a community we also should know that all those speaking in that community may be under their human faults able to have things wrong as well. We always should have to check that what is said by who so ever. Nobody is perfect. (Also not elders, ministers, priests, bishops, nor even the pope or a governing body.)

The ” ‘we-are-right-they-are-all-wrong-and-they’ll-die-for-it’ attitude” is unacceptable and yes perhaps we may go so far as calling it shameful.

It is all inconsistent with God’s Word to think that one person or organisation can have all the knowledge and all the truth. It were just such ideas which brought lots of people away from the truth and from the Only One True God.  Look for example at the many religions where many gods are praised or where Jesus is also worshipped as god.

If there is a man than it is only Jesus, who should be the one who we may accept as all the truth. He alone is the one with such a pure heart and with all knowledge about his heavenly Father. In him we should trust. In this son of God we should put our faith and believe he is the only one from God who can liberate us from the chains of this world.

All who want to find God have to be Truth seekers, working on themselves and on others.

+

Preceding articles:

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

Random Observations From My Most Recent JW Convention Experience

True God giving His Word for getting wisdom

Daily portion of heavenly food

++

Additional reading

1. He who knows himself, is kind to others
2. Blindness in the Christian world
3. Souls and Religions with Nirvana and light
4. Necessary to be known all over the earth
5. The Right One to follow and to worship
6. No other god besides Jehovah who gives all explanation
7. The God of hope filling us with all joy and peace
8. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
9. Background to look at things
10. Hearing words to accept
11. The Metaphorical language of the Bible
12. Atonement And Fellowship 3/8
13. Necessity of a revelation of creation 2 Organisation of a system of things
14. Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures
15. Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
16. Necessity of a revelation of creation 12 Words assembled for wisdom and instruction
17. Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
18. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
19. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
20. At the end of your life

+++

Further related articles

1. God Is Who?
2. GOD
3. The wrath of God
4. Wisdom that matters
5. Which countries still outlaw apostasy and blasphemy?
6. Problems of life Today (Remedies to the Solution of Problems)
7. What About Other Religions?
8. The family of religions in China
9. A Longstanding Heated Debate That Can Be Easily Resolved
10. A paraphrase-evidence of the Revealed Book of Muslims. Chapter: The Cow. Verse 66.
11. Is there complete truth in single Religious Scripture
12. The Pursuit of Unhappiness: Part 2
13. Pawlpi sungah Politics ( Politics within the Church)
14. Siampi leh Tuucing ( Priest and Pastor)

+++

Related articles

• Focussing on the man Jesus and the relationship with God
• Forgiveness
• Child of my Father
• Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
• InfoWars Says Christian Street Preachers Are ‘Radical Extremists’ Who Make Christianity Look Bad
• CESNUR 2016 Conference in Korea, with presentations by Introvigne, Kim (UTS’91), and Fefferman (UTS’86)
• Christian group vandalizes ancient Mexican archeological site claiming it’s linked to ‘Devil worship’
• Ukraine: Information on military conscription and exemption from service, including alternative military service for conscientious objectors; whether members of the Orthodox Church can perform alternative military service (2014-November 2015)
• Don Reed’s East 14th

El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live

 

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; {Hebrew El-Shaddai} walk before me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1 NIV)

“2 God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, {Hebrew El-Shaddai} but by my name the LORD {See note at Exodus 3:15.} I did not make myself known to them. {Or Almighty, and by my name the LORD did I not let myself be known to them?}” (Exodus 6:2-3 NIV)

“”Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11 NIV)

“Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”” (Exodus 18:11 NIV)

“But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no-one may see me and live.”” (Exodus 33:20 NIV)

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. {Or The LORD our God is one LORD; or The LORD is our God, the LORD is one; or The LORD is our God, the LORD alone}” (Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV)

“I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!” (Deuteronomy 32:3 NIV)

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11 NIV)

“”The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods.” (2 Chronicles 2:5 NIV)

“How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.” (Job 36:26 NIV)

“”Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”” (Psalms 46:10 NIV)

“[A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.] Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.” (Psalms 48:1 NIV)

“Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?” (Psalms 71:19 NIV)

“Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvellous deeds.” (Psalms 72:18 NIV)

“Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD—that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalms 83:18 NIV)

“Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” (Psalms 86:8 NIV)

“For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?” (Psalms 89:6 NIV)

“How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!” (Psalms 92:5 NIV)

“3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7  for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, {Meribah means quarrelling.} as you did that day at Massah {Massah means testing.} in the desert, 9 where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.” (Psalms 95:3-9 NIV)

“For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” (Psalms 97:9 NIV)

“He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant for ever—holy and awesome is his name.” (Psalms 111:9 NIV)

“I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.” (Psalms 135:5 NIV)

“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no-one can fathom.” (Psalms 145:3 NIV)

“But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness.” (Isaiah 5:16 NIV)

“And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”” (Isaiah 6:3 NIV)

“The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread,” (Isaiah 8:13 NIV)

“To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?” (Isaiah 40:18 NIV)

“I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no saviour.” (Isaiah 43:11 NIV)

“Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”” (Isaiah 44:8 NIV)

“For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives for ever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15 NIV)

“Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no-one like you.” (Jeremiah 10:7 NIV)

“I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will show myself holy among you in the sight of the nations.” (Ezekiel 20:41 NIV)

“I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 36:23 NIV)

“And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’” (Ezekiel 38:23 NIV)

“The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”” (Daniel 2:47 NIV)

“And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls.” (Joel 2:32 NIV)

“”Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.” (Zephaniah 3:9 NIV)

“”This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” (Matthew 6:9 NIV)

“”Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No-one is good— except God alone.” (Mark 10:18 NIV)

“for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49 NIV)

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.”” (John 4:24 NIV)

“1  After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:1-3 NIV)

“”I have revealed you {Greek your name; also in verse 26} to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.” (John 17:6 NIV)

“25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”” (John 17:25-26 NIV)

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ {Joel 2:28-32}” (Acts 2:21 NIV)

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 NIV)

“for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” {Joel 2:32}” (Romans 10:13 NIV)

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and {Or riches and the wisdom and the} knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33 NIV)

“4  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:4-6 NIV)

“that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.” (1 Timothy 1:11 NIV)

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5 NIV)

“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” (Hebrews 9:24 NIV)

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16 NIV)

“Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”” (Revelation 4:8 NIV)

“saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” (Revelation 11:17 NIV)

“And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”” (Revelation 16:7 NIV)

*

 

The Aleppo Codex is a medieval manuscript of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), associated with Rabbi Aaron Ben Asher. The Masoretic scholars wrote it in the early 10th century, probably in Tiberias, Israel. It is in book form and contains the vowel points and grammar points (nikkudot) that specify the pronunciation of the ancient Hebrew letters to preserve the chanting tradition. It is perhaps the most historically important Hebrew manuscript in existence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God die Almagtige ’n Gees Wie geen mens kan sien en nogtans lewe nie

God die Almachtige Geest die geen mens kan zien

Allmächtige Gott denn kein Mensch wird leben, der Dich sieht

Dieu Tout-puissant Qui ont peut pas voir et vivre

+++

Related articles

• Paul’s Prayer for Us
• Rescued
• Ascension Day
• Bible Daily Devotional – 1 Chronicles 29 – It all comes from God
• Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 May 2015 Psalm 46:1
• The Seventh Sunday of Easter – Hopes and wishes for all believers (The Epistles Passage)
• Scripture of the Day, 5/19

Hosea Say What?

To remember:

• The Holy Family goes to Egypt = Matthew connects the prophetic dots Hosea 11:1-4:
• Hosea = speaking for God = harkening back to the Exodus =remembering Israel little toddler of a nation > God delivered them out of bondage in Egypt.
• God called His son Israel out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery = Hosea 11 is about.
• Matthew uses the Old Testament in his Gospel => goes to great lengths to show that Jesus’ birth, life, and death = rooted firmly in the Old Testament
• Jesus born of a virgin = fulfilling Isaiah 7:14
• born in Bethlehem = fulfilling Micah 5:1-2
• Jesus sought out to be killed by Herod = fulfilling Jeremiah 31:15
• Jesus preceded by John preparing the way = fulfilling Isaiah 40:3
• Jesus healed diseases = fulfilling Isaiah 53:4
• Jesus spoke through parables = fulfilling Psalm 78:2
• Jesus came to Jerusalem riding on a donkey = fulfilling Zechariah 9:9
• “fulfill.” = Greek plēroō = to fill up +=> Jesus brings Scriptures to their intended goal => incomplete revelation to and through Israel has been brought to completion.
• ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” = “time has been filled up and the kingdom is here”
• Jesus’ flight to and return from Egypt was filling up Hosea 11:1.
• filling up the redemptive historical purposes of the nation
• Jesus is the embodiment of Israel => the true and faithful Israel
• Jesus = new Genesis (New World) => life embodies the new Exodus
• Jesus fulfilling Israel’s history + bringing it to a climax
• Jesus = faithful Son called out of Egypt, filling up what was lacking in the first faithless son, Israel.
• first Israel, God’s son, broke the covenant and deserved God’s wrath =>  God his only begotten Son Jesus Christ == Matthew 3:17, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
• Jesus Christ = the one who came to complete all that Israel was designed to perform.

+

Preceding articles:

Matthew 2:1-6 – Astrologers and Priests in a Satanic Plot

Matthew 2:7-12 – Pawns of Herod, the Magi Find the ‘Child’

Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:8-14 – Angels and Shepherds in the Night

Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:15-20 – Shepherds Find the Infant Christ

Matthew 2:13-15 – Escaping the Slaughter by a Flight to Egypt

+++

Related articles

• Wednesday, December 17, 2014 (heartfixxer.wordpress.com)
  Throughout the Old Testament we see Jesus Christ foretold of. It speaks to our all-knowing God and his love for mankind. Jesus wasn’t a second thought, he was in God’s plan the whole time. God’s gift to us is His overwhelming love.
• Keeping Promises: The Virgin Birth (pointtolife.wordpress.com)
  The virgin birth, the fact that Jesus Christ was born to a woman who was a virgin, (meaning she never had relations with a man (Luke 1:34)), is a fundamental doctrine of true Christianity for a number of reasons. First, the Old Testament not only foretells the virgin birth, the New Testament proclaims it. Secondly, it is the fulfilled prophecy in scripture that is used to validate the Bible as the Word of God. Third, the virgin birth is fundamental to the sinless nature of Christ. (Had Jesus been born of the union of  a man and a woman, He would have been a sinner like the rest of us, and thus incapable of paying for our sins on the cross.)
• Christmas Mystery – The Virgin Birth! Part 1 (insideprocess.wordpress.com)
  the most important aspect of the Virgin birth is this: God gave us an absolute favour – a favour you can freely reenact or walk into this season…
• Wonder Unto Others! (upwordsms.wordpress.com)
• His Birth and Our New Birth (mississippipep.wordpress.com)
  I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me. And once “Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.
• Is God with us? (quotesthoughtsrandom.wordpress.com)
  God sent Jesus and God is with us.
• Isaiah prophesied the birth of Jesus (disciplesofhope.wordpress.com)
  As you read through the prophecies of Isaiah about the birth of Jesus you will realize that Jesus was born with a mission. Jesus Christ came on earth born of a woman, not for his own pleasure but to do the will of His Father in Heaven. Happy are those who believe that God sent Jesus to take away the sins of the world.

  Isaiah under the influence of the Spirit of God could so confidently speak about the Messiah. Yes, it needed confidence as Isaiah was speaking about Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus could be born and manifest as a man on earth though he is the Son of God.

• The Old Testament Promise Of Christ (1) (thechristiangazette.wordpress.com)
  You might wonder why faith is so important as we study these prophecies and their fulfillments.   Well, as we progress, we are going to see that this study is based upon an assumption that God’s Word is absolutely truthful…  How do we know that these prophecies were actually received years before their fulfillment?  It is based upon our belief that the authors of the Old Testament are the genuine authors and the time of their writings is as described in the Word.  How do we know that the fulfillments of these prophecies actually took place? It is based upon the trustworthiness of the Word’s historical accounts of the birth of Christ and physical lineage of Christ.
• Long To Look (biblicalnotes.com)
  Peter wrote, “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12, ESV). Amazing, that angels “long to look” into God’s work regarding human salvation. In that verse, “long” is translated from a Greek word (epithumeo) which means to desire passionately. And, “look” is translated from a Greek word (parakupto) which conveys the image of someone stooping down to look at something. Thus, the “good news” of the gospel is so intriguing that angels have a keen desire to stoop down and see what God is doing for you and me as he offers salvation through Jesus’ blood.
• The Bible And Cosmology by Dr. R. Laird Harris (creationconcept.wordpress.com)
  The world-view of the Scripture is mythological and is therefore
  unacceptable to modern man whose thinking has been shape
  d by science and is therefore no longer mythological. Modern
  man always makes use of technical means which are the result
  of science. In case of illness modern man has recourse
  to physicians, to medical science. In case of economic and
  political affairs, he makes use of the results of psychological,
  social, economic and political sciences, and so on. Nobody
  reckons with direct intervention by transcendent powers… man
  acknowledges as reality only such phenomena or events as are
  comprehensible within the framework of the rational order of the
  universe. He does not acknowledge miracles because they do
  not fit into this lawful order. When a strange or marvellous accident
  occurs, he does not rest until he has found a rational
  cause. The contrast between the ancient world-view of the Bible
  and the modern worldview is the contrast between two ways of
  thinking, the mythological and the scientific.

Christian Reformed Ink Archives

By. Kevin DeYoung

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

That last verse has caused plenty of consternation over the years.  The Holy Family goes to Egypt, and this somehow fulfills Hosea’s reference to Israel’s exodus? It looks like Matthew is connecting the prophetic dots by the slimmest of connections.

View original post 1,641 more words