The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  20o“teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am pwith you always, even to the end of the age.” 4Amen.

  Matthew Commentaries

  Matthew 1

  1:1 book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. This phrase is viewed by some as Matthew’s title for the entire gospel. The Gr. phrase translated “book of the genealogy” is exactly the same phrase used in Gen. 5:1 in the LXX. Jesus Christ. The Hebrew Jeshua means “the Lord is Salvation.” Christos means “anointed one” and is the exact equivalent of the Heb. word for “Messiah” (Dan. 9:25). Son of David. A messianic title used as such in only the synoptic gospels (see notes on 22:42, 45). Son of Abraham. Takes His royal lineage all the way back to the nation’s inception in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1–3).

  1:2 For a comparison of this genealogy and the one given by Luke, see note on Luke 3:23–38.

  1:3 Tamar. It is unusual for women to be named in genealogies. Matthew names 5: “Tamar” was a Canaanite woman who posed as a prostitute to seduce Judah (Gen. 38:13–30). “Rahab” (v. 5) was a Gentile and a prostitute (Josh. 2:1). “Ruth” (v. 5) was a Moabite woman (Ruth 1:3) and a worshiper of idols. “Bathsheba” (“Uriah’s wife,” v. 6) committed adultery with David (2 Sam. 11). And “Mary” (v. 16) bore the stigma of pregnancy outside of wedlock. Each of these women is an object lesson about the workings of divine grace.

  1:5, 6 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab…and Jesse begot David the king. This is not an exhaustive genealogy. Several additional generations must have elapsed between Rahab (in Joshua’s time) and David (v. 6)—nearly 4 centuries later. Matthew’s genealogy (like most of the biblical ones) sometimes skips over several generations between well known characters in order to abbreviate the listing.

  1:8 Joram begot Uzziah. Cf. 1 Chr. 3:10–12. Matthew skips over Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, going directly from Joram to Uzziah (Azariah)—using a kind of genealogical shorthand. He seems to do this intentionally in order to make a symmetrical 3-fold division in v. 17.

  1:11 Josiah begot Jeconiah. Again, Matthew skips a generation between Josiah and Jeconiah (cf. 1 Chr. 3:14–16). Jeconiah is also called Jehoiachin (2 Kin. 24:6; 2 Chr. 36:8) and sometimes Coniah (Jer. 22:24). Jeconiah’s presence in this genealogy presents an interesting dilemma. A curse on him forbade any of his descendants from the throne of David forever (Jer. 22:30). Since Jesus was heir through Joseph to the royal line of descent, but not an actual son of Joseph and thus not a physical descendant through this line, the curse bypassed him.

  1:12 Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. See 1 Chr. 3:17–19, where Zerubbabel is said to be the offspring of Pedaiah, Shealtiel’s brother. Elsewhere in the OT, Zerubbabel is always called the son of Shealtiel. (e.g., Hag. 1:1; Ezra 3:2; Neh. 12:1). Possibly Shealtiel adopted his nephew (see note on Hag. 2:23). Zerubbabel is the last character in Matthew’s list who appears in any of the OT genealogies.

  1:16 Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus. This is the only entry in the entire genealogy where the word “begot” is not used—including those where whole generations were skipped. The pronoun “whom” is sing., referring to Mary alone. The unusual way in which this final entry is phrased underscores the fact that Jesus was not Joseph’s literal offspring. The genealogy nonetheless establishes His claim to the throne of David as Joseph’s legal heir.

  1:17 fourteen generations. The significance of the number 14 is not clear, but Matthew’s attention to numbers—a distinctly Hebrew characteristic—is evident throughout the gospel. The systematic ordering may be an aid for memorization. Note that Matthew counts Jeconiah in both the third and fourth groups, representing both the last generation before the Babylonian captivity and the first generation after.

  1:18 betrothed. Jewish betrothal was as binding as modern marriage. A divorce was necessary to terminate the betrothal (v. 19) and the betrothed couple were regarded legally as husband and wife (v. 19)—although physical union had not yet taken place. See note on Luke 2:5. with child of the Holy Spirit. See vv. 20, 23; Luke 1:26–35.

  1:19 Joseph…being a just man…was minded to put her away secretly. Stoning was the legal prescription for this sort of adultery (Deut. 22:23, 24). Joseph’s righteousness meant he was also merciful; thus he did not intend to make Mary “a public example.” The phrase “a just man” is a Hebraism suggesting that he was a true believer in God who had thereby been declared righteous, and who carefully obeyed the law (see Gen. 6:9). To “put her away” would be to obtain a legal divorce (19:8, 9; Deut. 24:1), which according to the Jewish custom was necessary in order to dissolve a betrothal (see note on v. 18).

  1:20 an angel of the Lord. This is one of only a few such angelic visitations in the NT, most of which are associated with Christ’s birth. For others, see 28:2; Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7–10; 27:23; Rev. 1:1. in a dream. As if to underscore the supernatural character of Christ’s advent, Matthew’s narrative of the event describes 5 such revelatory dreams: v. 20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22. Here the angel told Joseph he was to take Mary into his own home.

  1:21 JESUS. See v. 25; Luke 1:31. The name actually means “Savior” (see note on v. 1).

  1:22 that it might be fulfilled. Matthew points out fulfillments of OT prophecies no less than a dozen times (cf. 2:15, 17, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14, 35; 21:4; 26:54–56; 27:9, 35). He quotes from the OT more than 60 times, more frequently than any other NT writer, except Paul in Romans.

  1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10.

  1:24 took to him his wife. See note on Luke 2:5.

  1:25 know her. A euphemism for sexual intercourse. See Gen. 4:1, 17, 25; 38:26; Judg. 11:39.

  Matthew 2

  2:1 Bethlehem. A small village on the southern outskirts of Jerusalem. Hebrew scholars in Jesus’ day clearly expected Bethlehem to be the birthplace of the Messiah (cf. Mic. 5:2; John 7:42). in the days of Herod the king. This refers to Herod the Great, the first of several important rulers from the Herodian dynasty who are named in Scripture. This Herod, founder of the famous line, ruled from 37–4 B.C. He is thought to have been Idumean, a descendant of the Edomites, offspring of Esau. Herod was ruthless and cunning. He loved opulence and grand building projects, and many of the most magnificent ruins that can be seen in modern Israel date back to the days of Herod the Great. His most famous project was the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem (see note on 24:1). That project alone took several decades and was not completed until long after Herod’s death (cf. John 2:20). See note on v. 22. wise men from the East. The number of wise men is not given. The traditional notion that there were 3 stems from the number of gifts they brought. These were not kings, but Magi, magicians or astrologers—possibly Zoroastrian wise men from Persia whose knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures could be traced back to the time of Daniel (cf. Dan. 5:11).

  2:2 saying. This present participle conveys the idea of continuous action. It suggests they went around the city questioning everyone they met. star. This could not have been a supernova or a conjunction of planets, as some modern theories suggest, because of the way the star moved and settled over one place (cf. v. 9). It is more likely a supernatural reality similar to the Shekinah that guided the Israelites in the days of Moses (Ex. 13:21).

  2:4 chief priests. These were the temple hierarchy. They were mostly Sadducees (see note on 3:7). scribes. Primarily Pharisees, i.e., authorities on Jewish law. Sometimes they are referred to as “lawyers” (see note on Luke 10:25). They were professional scholars whose specialty was explaining the application of the law. They knew exactly where the Messiah was to be born (v. 5), but lacked the faith to accompany the Magi to the place where He was.

  2:6 This ancient prophecy from Mic. 5:2 was written in the eighth century B.
C. The original prophecy, not quoted in full by Matthew, declared the deity of Israel’s Messiah: “Out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel. This portion of Matthew’s quote actually seems to be a reference to God’s words to David when Israel’s kingdom was originally established (2 Sam. 5:2; 1 Chr. 11:2). The Gr. word for “ruler” evokes the image of strong, even stern, leadership. “Shepherd” emphasizes tender care. Christ’s rule involves both (cf. Rev. 12:5).

  2:8 that I may come and worship Him. Herod actually wanted to kill the Child (vv. 13–18), whom he saw as a potential threat to his throne.

  Matt. 2:8

  Family Tree of Herod

  2:11 into the house. By the time the wise men arrived, Mary and Joseph were situated in a house, not a stable (cf. Luke 2:7). the young Child with Mary His mother. Whenever Matthew mentions Mary in connection with her Child, Christ is always given first place (cf. vv. 13, 14, 20, 21). gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gifts suitable for a king (cf. Is. 60:6). The fact that Gentiles would offer such worship had prophetic significance as well (Ps. 72:10).

  2:12, 13 in a dream. See note on 1:20.

  2:15 the death of Herod. Recent scholarship sets this date at 4 B.C. It is probable that the stay in Egypt was very brief—perhaps no more than a few weeks. Out of Egypt. This quotation is from Hos. 11:1 (see note there), which speaks of God’s leading Israel out of Egypt in the Exodus. Matthew suggests that Israel’s sojourn in Egypt was a pictorial prophecy, rather than a specific verbal one such as v. 6; cf. 1:23. These are called “types” and all are always fulfilled in Christ, and identified clearly by the NT writers. Another example of a type is found in John 3:14. See note on v. 17.

  2:16 put to death all the male children. Herod’s act is all the more heinous in light of his full knowledge that the Lord’s Anointed One was the target of his murderous plot.

  2:17 fulfilled. See note on v. 15. Again, this prophecy is in the form of a type. Verse 18 quotes Jer. 31:15 (see note there), which speaks of all Israel’s mourning at the time of the Babylonian captivity (ca. 586 B.C.). That wailing prefigured the wailing over Herod’s massacre.

  2:19 in a dream. See note on 1:20.

  2:22 Archelaus. Herod’s kingdom was divided 3 ways and given to his sons: Archelaus ruled Judea, Samaria, and Idumea; Herod Philip II ruled the regions N of Galilee (Luke 3:1); and Herod Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea (Luke 3:1). History records that Archelaus was so brutal and ineffective that he was deposed by Rome after a short reign and replaced with a governor appointed by Rome. Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of Judea. Herod Antipas is the main Herod in the gospel accounts. He was the one who had John the Baptist put to death (14:1–12), and examined Christ on the eve of the crucifixion (Luke 23:7–12).

  2:23 “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Nazareth, an obscure town 70 mi. N of Jerusalem, was a place of lowly reputation, and nowhere mentioned in the OT. Some have suggested that “Nazarene” is a reference to the Heb. word for branch in Is. 11:1. Others point out that Matthew’s statement that “prophets” had made this prediction may be a reference to verbal prophecies nowhere recorded in the OT. A still more likely explanation is that Matthew is using “Nazarene” as a synonym for someone who is despised or detestable—for that was how people from the region were often characterized (cf. John 1:46). If that is the case, the prophecies Matthew has in mind would include Ps. 22:6–8; Is. 49:7; 53:3.

  Matthew 3

  3:1 John the Baptist. Cf. Mark 1:2–14; Luke 1:5–25, 57–80; 3:3–20; John 1:6–8, 19–39. the wilderness of Judea. The region to the immediate W of the Dead Sea—an utterly barren desert. The Jewish sect of the Essenes had significant communities in this region. But there is no biblical evidence to suggest that John was in any way connected with that sect. John seems to have preached near the northern end of this region, close by where the Jordan flows into the Dead Sea (v. 6). This was a full day’s journey from Jerusalem and seems an odd location to announce the arrival of a King. But it is perfectly in keeping with God’s ways (1 Cor. 1:26–29).

  3:2 Repent. This is no mere academic change of mind, nor mere regret or remorse. John the Baptist spoke of repentance as a radical turning from sin that inevitably became manifest in the fruit of righteousness (v. 8). Jesus’ first sermon began with the same imperative (4:17). For a discussion of the nature of repentance, see notes on 2 Cor. 7:8–11. the kingdom of heaven. This is an expression unique to Matthew’s gospel. Matthew uses the word “heaven” as a euphemism for God’s name—to accommodate his Jewish readers’ sensitivities (cf. 23:22). Throughout the rest of Scripture, the kingdom is called “the kingdom of God.” Both expressions refer to the sphere of God’s dominion over those who belong to Him. The kingdom is now manifest in heaven’s spiritual rule over the hearts of believers (Luke 17:21); and one day it will be established in a literal earthly kingdom (Rev. 20:4–6). is at hand. In one sense the kingdom is a present reality, but in its fullest sense it awaits a yet-future fulfillment.

  3:3 spoken of by the prophet Isaiah. John’s mission had long ago been described in Is. 40:3–5 (see notes there). All 4 of the gospels cite this passage as a prophecy pointing to John the Baptist (see note on Luke 3:6).

  3:4 clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt. Practical and long-wearing clothes, but far from comfortable or fashionable. John evokes the image of Elijah (2 Kin. 1:8)—and the Israelites were expecting Elijah before the Day of the Lord (Mal. 4:5). locusts. These were an allowed food (Lev. 11:22).

  3:6 baptized. The symbolism of John’s baptism likely had its roots in OT purification rituals (cf. Lev. 15:13). Baptism had also long been administered to Gentile proselytes coming into Judaism. The baptism of John thus powerfully and dramatically symbolized repentance. Jews accepting John’s baptism were admitting they had been as Gentiles and needed to become the people of God genuinely, inwardly (an amazing admission, given their hatred of Gentiles). The people were repenting in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival. The meaning of John’s baptism differs somewhat from Christian baptism (cf. Acts 18:25). Actually, Christian baptism altered the significance of the ritual, symbolizing the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3–5; Col. 2:12).

  3:7 Pharisees and Sadducees. See note on John 3:1. The Pharisees were a small (about 6,000), legalistic sect of the Jews who were known for their rigid adherence to the ceremonial fine points of the law. Their name means “separated ones.” Jesus’ interaction with the Pharisees was usually adversarial. He rebuked them for using human tradition to nullify Scripture (15:3–9), and especially for rank hypocrisy (15:7, 8; 22:18; 23:13, 23, 25, 29; Luke 12:1). The Sadducees were known for their denial of things supernatural. They denied the resurrection of the dead (22:23) and the existence of angels (Acts 23:8). Unlike the Pharisees, they rejected human tradition and scorned legalism. They accepted only the Pentateuch as authoritative. They tended to be wealthy, aristocratic members of the priestly tribe, and in the days of Herod their sect controlled the temple (see note on 2:4), though they were fewer in number than the Pharisees. Pharisees and Sadducees had little in common. Pharisees were ritualists; Sadducees were rationalists. Pharisees were legalists; Sadducees were liberals. Pharisees were separatists; Sadducees were compromisers and political opportunists. Yet they united together in their opposition to Christ (22:15, 16, 23, 34, 35). John publicly addressed them as deadly snakes. the wrath to come. See note on Luke 3:7. John’s preaching echoed the familiar OT theme of promised wrath in the Day of the Lord (e.g., Ezek. 7:19; Zeph. 1:18; see Introduction to Joel: Historical and Theological Themes). This must have been a particularly stinging rebuke to the Jewish leaders, who imagined that divine wrath was reserved only for non-Jews.

  3:8 fruits worthy of repentance. See note on v. 2. Repentance itself is not a work, but works are its inevitable fruit. Repentance and faith are inextricably linked in Scripture. Repentance mea
ns turning from one’s sin, and faith is turning to God (cf. 1 Thess. 1:9). They are like opposite sides of the same coin. That is why both are linked to conversion (Mark 1:15; Acts 3:19; 20:21). Note that the works John demanded to see were “fruits” of repentance. But repentance itself is no more a “work” than faith is (see note on 2 Tim. 2:25).

  3:9 Abraham as our father. See John 8:39–44. They believed that merely being descendants of Abraham, members of God’s chosen race, made them spiritually secure. But Abraham’s real descendants are those who share his faith (cf. Rom. 4:16). And “only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7, 29). See note on Luke 3:8.

  3:10 the ax is laid to the root. Irreversible judgment was imminent (see note on 11:3).

  3:11 Three types of baptism are referred to here: 1) with water unto repentance. John’s baptism symbolized cleansing (see note on v. 6); 2) with the Holy Spirit. All believers in Christ are Spirit-baptized (1 Cor. 12:13); and 3) with…fire. Because fire is used throughout this context as a means of judgment (vv. 10, 12), this must speak of a baptism of judgment upon the unrepentant.

  3:12 winnowing fan. A tool for tossing grain into the wind so that the chaff is blown away.

  3:14 John tried to prevent Him. John’s baptism symbolized repentance, and John saw this as inappropriate for the One he knew was the spotless Lamb of God (cf. John 1:29).

  3:15 it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Christ was here identifying Himself with sinners. He will ultimately bear their sins; His perfect righteousness will be imputed to them (2 Cor. 5:21). This act of baptism was a necessary part of the righteousness He secured for sinners. This first public event of His ministry is also rich in meaning: 1) it pictured His death and resurrection (cf. Luke 12:50); 2) it therefore prefigured the significance of Christian baptism (see note on v. 6); 3) it marked His first public identification with those whose sins He would bear (Is. 53:11; 1 Pet. 3:18); and 4) it was a public affirmation of His messiahship by testimony directly from heaven (see note on v. 17).