• Part First. The Early Life of Jesus. Matt. 1:1-4:11.

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MATTHEW

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PART FIRST.

THE EARLY LIFE OF JESUS.

i. 1-iv. 11.

§ I. THE GENEALOGY AND BIRTH OF JESUS. i. 1-25.

1. The Title. i. 1.

• Of what is this the title?
• Why is it called a book? Cf. Genesis v. 1; xi. 10, 27.
• What is the purpose of the book as indicated by its title?
• Why was this important? See Second Samuel vii. 12-17, cf. Matthew xxii. 41-46.

2. First Division of the Genealogy. 2-6, cf. i. 17.

• Where did the compiler of this list find these names? Gen. xxi. 1-3; xxv. 21-26; xxix. 35; xxxviii. 29; Ruth iv. 18-21 First Chronicles i. 34-ii. 15.
• What class of men where these? Cf. Acts of Apostles ii. 29. [1]

3. Second Division. 7-11.

• Where were these names found? I. Chron. iii. 10-19; Second Chronicles passim.
• Of what class of men were these?
• What names are omitted? 8, cf. I. Chron. iii. 11, 12; II. Chron. xxii. 1-xxv. 28; also 11, cf. I. Chron. iii. 15, 16; II. Chron. xxxvi. 1-10.
• Was the omission accidental?
• Was it intended to secure an advantage in the argument?
• What good purpose could it have served?
• Show that it does not frustrate the purpose of the list.
• How is it true that Joram "begat" Uzziah (8), and that Josiah "begat" Jechoniah (11)?
• See Hebrew usage of genealogical terms, Gen. xlvi. 8-15; 26; Ezra vii. 1-3, cf. I. Chron. vi. 6-14.

4. Third Division. 12-16.

• Where were the first three of these names found? I. Chron. iii. 17-19.
• How many of them were known to Matthew?
• Where were the others found? Cf. Josephus, Life, I. 1; against Appion, Book I. 7.
• What the effect of the Mosaic law of inheritance on the keeping of genealogies? Leviticus xxv. 28; Ez. ii. 61-63.
• Of what class of men were these?
• How are the fourteen made out? 12, 11.

5. The Divisions Stated. 17.

• How is it true that there are fourteen in each?
• Why were the divisions noted?

6. The Birth of Jesus. 18-25.

• What was the law in case of a betrothed woman found with child? Deuteronomy xxii. 23, 24; xxiv. 1.
• What explanation did [2] Mary give? 18, cf. Luke i. 26-40.
• Why did not Joseph believe this?
• Why was he convinced by what occurred in a dream? 20.
• Meaning of the name Jesus? 21.
• Show that the prediction (23) was not fulfilled in a child of the prophet. Isaiah vii. 1-viii. 4.
• Bearing of 25 on the perpetual virginity of Mary?
• What was now thought of both Joseph and Mary?
• As Jesus was not a real son of Joseph, what is proved for him by the genealogy?
• What connection, then, has this paragraph with the genealogy?
• If all stated in this section is true, what does it prove for Jesus?

§ II. JESUS IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM, BUT REARED IN NAZARETH. ii. 1-23.

1. He is Born and Visited by Wise Men from the East. ii. 1-12.

• How is his birth dated?
• How long before the death of Herod? Cf. ii. 19, 20.
• Who the, "wise men"? See margin.
• Why to worship him? 2.
• How did they know the meaning of the star? 2, cf. 12.
• What kind of star? 9.
• Why were Herod and Jerusalem "troubled"? 3.
• Why ask about, "the Christ"? 4, cf. 2.
• Show that the prediction is properly applied. 6, cf. Micah v. 2.
• Purpose of the star's guidance? 9.
• Why the gifts? and what use made of them? Cf. 13.

2. The Child Sent into Egypt. 13-15.

• Why by night? and what night? 14, cf. 12.
• In what sense was the scripture fulfilled? 15, cf. Hosea xi. 1. [3]

3. Herod Slays the Infants of Bethlehem. 16-18.

• Why make two years the limit? 16.
• What was Herod's character?
• Show the original connection of the passage quoted and its application here. 18, cf. Jeremiah xl. 1-6; xxxi. 15-17.

4. Return from Egypt and Settlement in Nazareth. 19-23.

• Where did Joseph think of settling? 22.
• Why his fear, when the Herods thought that the child was dead?
• Who ruled now in Galilee? See Luke iii. 1.
• Why not equally afraid of him? 1.
• Describe the situation of Nazareth. Lands of the Bible, 313.
• State all that secured the safety of Jesus.
• Is it singular that he was called a Nazarene when he was not?
• In what sense had this been predicted? 23.
• What is proved for Jesus in this section?

§ III. THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION OF JESUS. iii. 1-iv. 11.

1. John and His Preaching. iii. 1-6.

• How, "in those days"? 1, cf. ii. 23; Luke iii. 23.
• Why called, "the Baptist"?
• Why, "in the wilderness"? and what wilderness? 1, cf. 3.
• What his chief theme? why? 2, 3.
• Propriety of his habits? 4.
• What confessing of sins? 6.
• Size of the Jordan at this place? L. of B., 469.

2. Pharisees and Sadducees Rebuked. 7-12.

• Who were these parties?
• Why styled, "offspring of vipers"? 7.
• Meaning of, "fruit worthy of repentance"? 8.
• Why [4] the reference to Abraham? 9.
• What is meant by the figure of the axe and the trees? 10.
• How, "unto repentance"? 11.
• How, "in the Holy Spirit and in fire"? 11, cf. 10, 12.
• Explain the figure from winnowing wheat. 12.

3. Jesus is Baptized by John. 13-17.

• Purpose of the journey? 13.
• Meaning of John's remark? 14.
• Meaning of the reply? 15.
• Full meaning of the oracle? 17.

4. Jesus is Tempted by Satan. iv. 1-11.

• Did he go of his own accord? 1.
• What the divine purpose in this?
• Why not hungry till after the fast? 2.
• What wrong in the first proposal? 3, cf. Deut. viii. 3.
• Show the force of this temptation. Cf. James i. 14.
• How would compliance with the second proposal be tempting to God? 6, 7.
• Would it be proper in sickness, to trust God for recovery and take no remedies?
• How could Satan show all the kingdoms? 8.
• How could he give them all? 9.
• How great was this temptation?
• What effect had it on Jesus? 10.
• Why did Satan now leave him? and why did angels come? 11, cf. 4; Jas. iv. 7, 8.
• Show the skill of the tempter, and how he was resisted.
• What is proved for Jesus in this section? [5]

[CNSH3 1-6]