Key Idea Far from giving a “new law” or making the Gospel into just another moralistic religion—and Jesus a Jewish Socrates—the Sermon on the Mount describes the character of those already redeemed, how the world will respond to them, and they to the world Read more

Key Idea When Jesus called his first disciples to follow him, 12 of whom became apostles, he instituted a pattern and a message that continues to this day Read more

Key Idea Jesus’ message of the arrival of His Kingdom came to just the right people, at the right time, in the right place; and that place was Galilee at the beginning of what was his second year of ministry. Read more

Key Idea The inaugural act of the Messiah was to join battle with our ancient foe. Read more

Key Idea The baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan testifies to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, that he is fully God and fully man united in one person and uniquely qualified to redeem fallen humanity. Read more

Key Idea The herald of the King arrives in the person of the last Old Testament prophet, John the Baptizer. Read more

Key Idea Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi and the Flight to Egypt give four prophecies that point to Jesus being the messianic King of Israel, They also illustrates two varieties of fulfillment: (1) Prophecy is verbal prediction of a future event and (2) a type is a non-verbal prediction. Read more

Key Idea One of the great ironies of the Incarnation is that a pagan prophet unknowingly predicted it, Gentile astrologers sought it, a half-breed Jew knowingly hated it, and a “star”, far from its normal sphere of operation, pointed to it. Read more

Key Idea Matthew’s narrative of the Virgin Birth is not mythology added by a hack author for a superstitious generation of readers. It is in fact the continuation of his genealogy and teaches the divine genesis of Jesus, that He is truly God and truly man. Read more

Key Idea Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus Christ is not a throwaway half-chapter to be greeted with a yawn. It is the first, and an essential step, is showing that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah, rightful heir to David’s throne, the promises of Abraham, and it implies his divinity. Read more