LHIM Weekly Bible Teaching

Matthew 2:1-2

“After” Jesus was born…magi from the east arrived. How long after? In the account recorded in Luke chapter two, at the birth of Jesus, shepherds came to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph with a newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (Luke 2:16). In this record in Matthew, the magi found a young child with his mother in the house (Matthew 2:11). The arrival of the magi could have occurred as much as two years after the event in Luke chapter two (Matthew 2:16).

“Magi from the east” – The word “magi” is the from the Greek word “magos”. They were not Hebrew; they were from the East. Most likely, they were men from the area of Babylon and Persia, men skilled in the science of astronomy and astrology. How did these men from an Eastern religion come to understand that a “king of the Jews” had been born? Perhaps the book of Daniel provides insight (Daniel 1:20-21; 2:47-48).

“His Star” – a phenomenon – a super bright star in the sky, or an astronomical occurrence that these magi interpreted to signify a king of the Jews was born? There is no indication that anyone else saw this star, nor is the brightness of the star ever mentioned, only its significance.

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews” – This is what “His” star signified to the magi.

Matthew 2:3

King Herod and all Jerusalem were troubled. Herod and rulers in Jerusalem had a respect for these magi from the East.

Matthew 2:4-6

Herod inquired as to where “the Messiah” was to be born. There was an understanding that the Messiah, the Christ, was to be king of Jews. The birth place of the one who was to rule God’s people was prophetically declared by the prophet Micah (4:2) – Bethlehem.

Matthew 2:7

Herod inquired as to when the star appeared. The magi could have been observing this star for as much as two years (Matthew 2:11).

Matthew 2:8-11

They came to Bethlehem and found a young child with his mother, Mary, in a house. They presented gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They worshipped him. The Greek word for worship is proskuneo. It means to kneel or prostrate, to do homage, or make obeisance. Among Orientals, esp. the Persians, it meant to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence. The son of David, the king of the Jews, was to receive such reverence (Psalm 72).

Matthew 2:12-15 – God warned the magi and Joseph in a dream to depart. Joseph and Mary went to Egypt.

Matthew 2:16-18 – Herod slaughtered all the male children in Bethlehem... To read the rest of the notes visit lhim.org/sermons

Luke 1:26 - Gabriel and Mary

1. Gabriel is mentioned in Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19; and 1:26.

2. Gabriel stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19). The Greek word for “stands” means to wait before a superior.

3. Gabriel is one of only two angels named in the Bible. The other is Michael.

4. The Bible doesn’t call Gabriel the “archangel.” The Book of Tobit (of Catholic and Orthodox canon) identifies the angels as archangels, by tradition not the Bible.

5. Gabriel looks like a man. The name Gabriel means “man of God” or “strength of God.”

6. Gabriel scares people.

7. He anticipates Jesus. Gabriel relays prophecy concerning “Messiah the Prince” to Daniel. He tells Zacharias that John the Baptist will be a forerunner before the Lord, and he tells Mary that her son will be called “the Son of the Most High.”

Matthew 1:18-25 Angel and Joseph

Mark 6:3 – Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters.

23 – Isaiah 7:14 - Immanuel means “with us is God.”

Luke 1:41-45 – Elizabeth and Mary

46-56 – This section is called the Song of Mary or the Magnificat (from its opening word in the Latin translation).

1 Samuel 2:1-10 – It may be that Mary on her four days’ journey to Elizabeth brooded over the story of Hannah and then uttered her own inspired praise.

2 Samuel 7:26

Luke 1:39-45 – Elizabeth, moved by spirit; 67-79 – Zacharias, filled with spirit; 2:25-32 – Simeon had the spirit upon him; Mary is not said to have the spirit’s influence.

The young woman, Mary, must have understood the Scriptures well.

46 – Psalm 34:3

47 – Hab. 3:18; Isaiah 61:10; and Psalm 35:9

48 – Psalms 136:23; 138:6

49 – Psalm 111:9; Isaiah 57:15

50 – Psalm 103:17; Exodus 20:6

51 – Psalms 98:1; 89:10

52– Psalms 75:7; 147:6; 107:40

53 – Psalms 107:9; 34:10

54 – Psalm 98:3

55 – Psalm 105:42

Luke 2:1-7 Birth of Jesus

8-20 - Shepherds

Acts 2:1-4 Pentecost is a Jewish festival (Feast of Weeks) celebrating the first fruits of the wheat harvest (Exodus 34:22). Jewish men from all over the Middle East would make pilgrimage to Jerusalem to participate. This would be an ideal time to reach a maximally diverse group of Jews in one sermon! The fire that came probably symbolized God’s presence as it did at many other key moments in Israel’s history (Exodus 3:2-5; 14:24; 19:18 cp. Deuteronomy 4:24; Exodus 40:33-38; Leviticus 9:22-24; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). Although being filled with the holy spirit was not new (see Exodus 31:1 and Micah 3:8), speaking in tongues was unique.

Acts 2:5-13 Pentecost momentarily reversed the confusion injected into humanity at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). We know that in the end, God “will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord” (Zephaniah 3:9). When interpreted by those who understood the languages, they summarized the tongues as “telling…the mighty works of God” (v11). People responded with confusion and incredulity.

Acts 2:14-21 Peter begins by answering the absurd claim of some that new wine was involved. Then he moves on to explain to the seekers what, in fact, speaking in tongues signified. He did this by drawing attention to a prophecy from Joel 2:28-32, which predicted the outpouring of the holy spirit. Several other end-times prophecies also mentioned God pouring out His spirit (Isaiah 32:14-18; 44:2-5; Ezekiel 36:24-28; 37:12-14). This outpouring of the spirit is happening right in their midst, and it’s available to everyone: men and women, young and old, slave and free.

Acts 2:22-24 Now Peter starts into the substance of his message to his fellow Israelites. He asserts four claims: two of them accepted and two of them controversial. They already knew that Jesus was a miracle worker whom the Romans had crucified. However, Peter also wanted them to know that this crucifixion was planned by God and that later God had raised him from the dead.

Acts 2:25-32 In order to make the case for Jesus’ resurrection, Peter points to two reasons: (1) In Psalm 16:8-11, David prophesied about a descendant whom God would rescue from the grave, and (2) Peter and the other apostles were eye-witnesses of the resurrected Jesus.

Acts 2:33-35 Now Peter goes on to make his case that Jesus is now exalted to God’s right hand by pointing to two major pieces of evidence: (1) the prophecy of Psalm 110:1 and (2) what they had seen and heard.

Acts 2:36 This now is where everything had been driving the whole time. This is the conclusion, the denouement. God has made Jesus Lord and Messiah! What’s more, they had participated in his crucifixion.

Acts 2:37-40 The message sliced through the people like a hot knife through butter. They were overwhelmed with conviction and cried out for help. Peter told them they needed to (1) repent and (2) be baptized so that they could have forgiveness and receive the holy spirit for themselves.

Acts 2:41-47 Peter and the apostles didn’t ditch the people but welcomed them into their lives and did community together. They continued in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. Furthermore, those who had surplus possessions voluntarily... To read the rest of the notes visit lhim.org/sermons