Women in the Word

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3/01/2015 10:11 pm  #1


Matthew Discussion

Going to do something a little different and have one thread for each book. For the really long books if they get too long, I will create a new thread for them.

I will post the weekly readings and discussion questions in the Weekly Reading Plan Section.
You can find this weeks readings and discussion questions under the Weekly Reading Plan Section in the Week of March 2 post.

Good Morning Girls has a good intro post to our reading in Matthew.

For the entire book of Matthew there are 3-minute devotional videos for each chapter from a pastor. Scroll to the bottom for Matthew. You can also subscribe to these videos if you would like.

Happy discussions!

Last edited by TBG (3/01/2015 10:40 pm)

 

3/02/2015 12:30 am  #2


Re: Matthew Discussion

I really struggled in the last few weeks to find something to comment on, but I am still with you ladies daily.

S Mat 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.
O All those who are called are His people.
A How greatful I am to be have been called by Him and saved from my filthy sins. Never worthy but                                              forever grateful.
P Thankyou sweet Lord for the greatest gift. In Jesus name Amen.

 

3/02/2015 11:17 pm  #3


Re: Matthew Discussion

Matthew 1

Scripture
1:3: and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
1:5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
1:6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
 
Observation
Note that 4 women are listed in this genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba.
 
Women were not usually given prominence in this society and Matthew was writing to a Jewish society that at the time did not even value a woman’s testimony in court to the same extent as a man’s. So, this is a big deal that the Holy Spirit would lead Matthew to list women. And, look at the women he (or the Holy Spirit led him) to list.
 
– Tamar: played the part of a prostitute to get her father-in-law to give her children since he denied her the right to have a child by marrying his son (Genesis 38)
– Rahab: was a paid prostitute (Joshua 2)
– Ruth: was a Moabite who were enemies of Israel and descendants of Lot’s from his incestuous relationship with his daughters while drunk (Gen 19:37), Moabites were
   enemies of Israel (Num 22-25)
– Bathsheba: had an adulterous affair with King David, it is unclear whether she was complicit or impelled
 
Application
It is as if God intentionally wants to show us His grace and redemption. To show that these ladies been restored to a right relationship with Him, forgiven, and accepted,  but to go on to elevate them to a place of honor to be in the line of the Messiah, the God incarnate and the savior of the world.
 
I have always loved this genealogy and gotten such encouragement from it. Sometimes when we fail we think we are not good enough for God. And it shows us that nothing, nothing we do can ever mean that we are too far to return to God and find His favor, His love, His acceptance, His restoration.

Scripture
1:19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
 
Observation
Establishes Jesus’ legal inheritance of David’s throne as king of Israel.
 
Interesting that in Deuteronomy God commands that anyone engaging in adultery be stoned (Deuteronomy 22:24). Yet, here it is said that Joseph was just and so he was not going to stone her.
 
Looking up the word for “just” in the Greek showed that the word means:
Righteous, observing divine laws
              1) In a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God
                       a) Innocent, faultless, guiltless
                       b) Used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life 1a

              2) In a narrower sense, rendering to each his due and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the
                manner of dealing with them
 
Application
So the question is, how can Joseph be considered just (conformed to the will of God) if he is not following the law? Remember, Israel was still under the law at this point.
 
I don’t know the answer to that unless you look at Deut 22:24.
Deuteronomy 22:24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst
 
So maybe that law was given to make sure immorality did not take a foothold in Israel as a nation so that God could preserve a holy line to give birth to the Messiah. Israel at this point was no longer a nation and so was not under the national, civil laws. And the other definition of just is “passing just judgment on others.” So I suppose he felt it was merciful judgment to put her away quietly.

Last edited by TBG (3/02/2015 11:35 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

3/03/2015 2:37 am  #4


Re: Matthew Discussion

This is fascinating! Thanks for sharing about these ladies. It just shows we are never too far away from God's love.

TBG wrote:

Matthew 1

Scripture
1:3: and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
1:5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
1:6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
 
Observation
Note that 4 women are listed in this genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba.
 
Women were not usually given prominence in this society and Matthew was writing to a Jewish society that at the time did not even value a woman’s testimony in court to the same extent as a man’s. So, this is a big deal that the Holy Spirit would lead Matthew to list women. And, look at the women he (or the Holy Spirit led him) to list.
 
– Tamar: played the part of a prostitute to get her father-in-law to give her children since he denied her the right to have a child by marrying his son (Genesis 38)
– Rahab: was a paid prostitute (Joshua 2)
– Ruth: was a Moabite who were enemies of Israel and descendants of Lot’s from his incestuous relationship with his daughters while drunk (Gen 19:37), Moabites were
   enemies of Israel (Num 22-25)
– Bathsheba: had an adulterous affair with King David, it is unclear whether she was complicit or impelled
 
Application
It is as if God intentionally wants to show us His grace and redemption. To show that these ladies been restored to a right relationship with Him, forgiven, and accepted,  but to go on to elevate them to a place of honor to be in the line of the Messiah, the God incarnate and the savior of the world.
 
I have always loved this genealogy and gotten such encouragement from it. Sometimes when we fail we think we are not good enough for God. And it shows us that nothing, nothing we do can ever mean that we are too far to return to God and find His favor, His love, His acceptance, His restoration.

Scripture
1:19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
 
Observation
Establishes Jesus’ legal inheritance of David’s throne as king of Israel.
 
Interesting that in Deuteronomy God commands that anyone engaging in adultery be stoned (Deuteronomy 22:24). Yet, here it is said that Joseph was just and so he was not going to stone her.
 
Looking up the word for “just” in the Greek showed that the word means:
Righteous, observing divine laws
              1) In a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God
                       a) Innocent, faultless, guiltless
                       b) Used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life 1a

              2) In a narrower sense, rendering to each his due and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the
                manner of dealing with them
 
Application
So the question is, how can Joseph be considered just (conformed to the will of God) if he is not following the law? Remember, Israel was still under the law at this point.
 
I don’t know the answer to that unless you look at Deut 22:24.
Deuteronomy 22:24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst
 
So maybe that law was given to make sure immorality did not take a foothold in Israel as a nation so that God could preserve a holy line to give birth to the Messiah. Israel at this point was no longer a nation and so was not under the national, civil laws. And the other definition of just is “passing just judgment on others.” So I suppose he felt it was merciful judgment to put her away quietly.

 

 

3/03/2015 9:15 am  #5


Re: Matthew Discussion

Matthew 2, Part 1

Wow, what another good chapter so full of powerful messages. I am so excited to see new truths that I glossed over before.

Scripture
2:4-6 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:  "'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'"
 
Observation
They knew this was the prophesy for the Messiah, the savior of the world, the long awaited promised one, yet they did not seem to care. They did not even want to go and find Him and worship Him. They were so religious and experts in Hebrew law and the Old Testament teachings, yet they had no heart yearning to truly see God work, they had not faith in what they knew and did not really believe a Messiah would be born, they had no heart for the things of God and did not care that a Messiah had come to usher in a New Covenant. They were not even anticipating, waiting or expecting a Messiah.
 
Application
We can be religious but do we have a heart for the things of God, a yearning to do and see His work accomplished? Do we sincerely have faith and believe the Word of God. Are we looking for God’s plans or are we just consumed in our own?
 
The 3 Minute Tops podcast also brought up an interesting idea. All these people were seeking Jesus for different reasons – to worship Him, to kill Him. In the rest of Matthew we see people seek Jesus for miracles, out of curiosity, for healing, to be fed. But, why do we seek Jesus? Why do we read His Word? What are our motives for seeking Jesus, to gain approval of others, to look holy, to become experts on the Bible? I hope our heart is to intimately know and love God and to worship Him with our lives and to cooperate with Him in fulfilling His purposes.
 
Also of interest is that Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he did not want Jesus to take his own place on the throne, he wanted to remain king. We see that in our society also, our society wants to attack, destroy and stamp out Christ so that they can remain king and they can rule their own lives.
 

     Thread Starter
 

3/03/2015 9:16 am  #6


Re: Matthew Discussion

Matthew 2, Part 2

Scripture
2:10-11 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down , and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
 
Observation
When they encountered Jesus they (1) rejoiced (2) worship (3) gave Him there treasures.
 
Looking up the root word for exceeding great joy I see that this means:
 they rejoiced to an exceptional degree in intensity in a way to powerfully affecting the senses.
 
Application
Is that how I react when I encounter Christ, when I think about the promise of salvation? Do I have such joy in the Gospel that I rejoice in intensity to powerfully affect the senses? Do I really respond in worship? It is easy to just read through our daily reading, but do we really worship God as we read His truth? Do we give Him our treasures, those things that we value, and sometimes we value even more than we value Him?
 
Kneel in Prayer
Lord give me a heart after you, give me a heart for things of God. Take out all sell will, and self-seeking and give me a desire to seek you, to know you, and to love you more fully and deeply. May I respond with exceedingly great joy in treasuring the gift of the gospel and your salvation. Give me the grace to worship you in spirit and truth and sincerity of heart.

This reminded me of a song by Twila Paris: Alleluia, Christ is born

Shepherds adore Him, kneeling before Him
Alleluia, Christ is born
With holy voices, Heaven rejoices
Alleluia, Christ is born

This humble station bringing salvation
To every nation forever
Carol the story, singing His glory
Alleluia, Christ is born

Lift up your eyes and follow the wise men
Alleluia, Christ is born
Offer your treasure, seeking His pleasure
Alleluia, Christ is born



 

Last edited by TBG (3/03/2015 9:28 am)

     Thread Starter
 

3/05/2015 2:00 am  #7


Re: Matthew Discussion

matthew 3

But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” (‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ )

Both and John and Jesus are so humble here and it's all in honor of God. Help us to be humble in our everyday walk with others.

 

3/07/2015 10:47 pm  #8


Re: Matthew Discussion

Mat 5:11-12 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely of My name sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This makes me think and pray for those around the world today suffering for the name of our Lord. Continue to be their encouragement and hope sweet Lord I pray in Jesus Name Amen.

 

3/08/2015 2:51 pm  #9


Re: Matthew Discussion

Matthew 5

This is a loaed chapter, but I find it interesting what Jesus says about Anger. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around that even if I'm angry with someone, I'm subject to judgement. Anger is a natural emotion and if it isn't relased can get be very ugly.  I understand acting on Anger being subject to judegment.  But the former is a hard pill to swallow. 

 

 

3/09/2015 8:21 am  #10


Re: Matthew Discussion

Matthew 3

8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

Observation
The Pharisees and Sadducees were basing their acceptance to God on following laws and being Jewish but they did not have hearts that were sincere towards following God. John tells them that wrath is coming on them and they need to show genuine repentance.
 
Application
We cannot rely on religion, going to church, or even intellectual assent to think we will escape the wrath.  We should have fruit in our lives, evidence in how we live and in our heart attitudes, that show we are sincerely repentant and have turned from our sins. The Bible repeatedly says there are people who claim His name that are not truly the redeemed and here again it says He will ultimately cut down those who claim His name and are not really submitted to His lordship. He will ultimately gather those that truly belong to Him.

 

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