Matthew 1 Summary in 5 Minutes

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MATTHEW 1 SUMMARY IN 5 MINUTES

• WHEN:

  • The birth of Jesus probably occurred around 4 B.C..

  • From Luke 3:23, we know Jesus began His ministry when He was about 30 years old.

  • This would place the events of Jesus’ ministry roughly between 26-31 A.D..

• CHARACTERS:

  • Jesus’ Relatives - Jesus’ family line is recorded in verses 1-17.

  • Mary - Jesus’ mother.

  • Joseph - Jesus’ adopted earthly father.

  • Jesus - A baby born to Mary when she was still a virgin, His birth was miraculous and it was prophesied He would “save His people from their sins.”

• WHERE:

  • The people mentioned in the first 17 verses lived primarily within the boundaries of the map below.

  • Mary was in Nazareth when an angel told her she would miraculously conceive Jesus (Luke 1:26).

• OUTLINE:

  • THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS (1:1-1:17):

    • The first part of this chapter is dedicated to a list of Jesus’ relatives.

    • Jesus’ linage is traced from Joseph to Abraham.

    • This list is important because the Savior/Messiah was prophesied to come from a specific Jewish family.

    • Several prominent characters from the Old Testament appear in this list:

      • Abraham - The “father” of the Jewish nation.

      • Jacob (Israel) - Father of the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.

      • Boaz and Ruth - Key characters in the book of Ruth.

      • David - The second, and most famous, king of Israel.

      • Solomon - David’s son and the last king of the united people of Israel.

      • Rehoboam - During Rehoboam’s reign the kingdom divided into Israel (north) and Judah (south).

    • Judah’s 70 year captivity in Babylon is mentioned in verse 12.

    • Following the captivity, Jesus’ ancestors returned to Judah and remained there until an angel brought news of Jesus’ birth to Joseph and Mary.

  • THE NEWS OF JESUS’ BIRTH (1:18-25):

    • A virgin named Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph.

    • An angel appeared to Mary and told her she would miraculously conceive.

    • Later, the angel informed Joseph of the news in a dream.

    • Joseph was told not to terminate his betrothal to Mary because her conception was the work of the Holy Spirit.

    • Mary was told to name her son “Jesus.”

    • Jesus’ birth fulfilled a prophecy made by an ancient Jewish prophet (Isa 7:14).

• BIG PICTURE:

  • It’s impossible to overemphasize how important Jesus’ birth is to the Bible story.

  • Jesus came to the earth as the long awaited Messiah/Savior of the Jews.

  • His arrival had been prophesied for hundreds of years.

  • His life, death, and resurrection would have an impact on, not just the Jews, but the entire world.

  • Jesus’ birth marked the beginning of the good news of how God saved the world.

• APPLICATION:

  • Jesus didn’t come out of nowhere.

  • The Old Testament was meant to prepare the Jews for His arrival.

  • But the Old Testament scriptures weren’t intended for the Jews alone.

  • God preserved them for us to help us understand why Jesus’ time on earth was necessary.

  • Make time to study the Old Testament! You’ll understand Jesus, the Gospel, and the Kingdom of Heaven more deeply when you do.