Advent Series: A Look at the Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke [Ecumenical]

USCCB/Gospels of Matthew and Luke ^ | 12-01-13 | St.Matthew and St. Luke

[Salvation]

Matthew, chapter 1

 

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CHAPTER 1

The Genealogy of Jesus.^* 1^a The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.^*

2^b Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.^c 3Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar.^d Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4^e Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5^f Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, 6^g Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. 7^{* h} Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. 8Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. 9Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos,^* Amos the father of Josiah. 11Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

12ⁱ After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, 15Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

17Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.^*

 

[Salvation]

Each day will have a set of questions and possibly some additional Bible Reading.

[Salvation]

Religion Moderator's Guidelines to Caucus/Prayer/Ecumenical threads

This is meant to be a prayerful and non-argumentative preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord at Christmas.

[Salvation]

Each of the Gospels begins the story of Jesus in a different way. Which beginning most appeals to you? Why?

Matt 1-2
Mark 1
Luke 1-2
John 1

[Salvation]

My personal preference is Luke.

Anyone else?

[Salvation]

Advent Series Ping — Day1

[vladimir998]

Luke - so many fascinating details.

[Salvation]

Three questions for each day — I’ll type them altogether tomorrow.
2a Which part of the Christmas story is most memorable to you? Why?

2b From which Gospel writer does this scene come from? Matthew or Luke?

3 What features of Matthew’s Infancy narrative make it the ideal beginning of the New Testament?

[Fester Chugabrew]

Advent Series A

According to that which I’ve received, two Gospel texts are given for reading in the midst of those who are baptized into Christ Jesus: Matthew 21:1-11 and Matthew 24:36-44. My local parish will be hearing Matthew 21:1-11, how the Creator took upon Himself to serve in every way, choosing the lowly route as opposed to what the world would expect.

It does the heart good to know the coming Church Year will bring into the hearing of Christ’s Holy People that which is recorded in St. Matthew’s Gospel, if for no other reason than the Holy Spirit caused this former tax collector to tie everything into the texts received from Moses through Adam.

The LORD bless all who receive and meditate upon His Word.

[Stingray]

Each of the Gospels begins the story of Jesus in a different way. Which beginning most appeals to you? Why?

John, because he sets forth in clear, unequivocal language that Christ is God incarnate. And if Christ is God “in the flesh”, then it brings the entire apocalyptic nature of the New Testament into focus. In other words, you can only come to certain conclusions about NT prophecy when you see Christ as God. It makes sense of all prophecy.

[Salvation]

Every word in John is important. He had a lot more time to think about things. Actually his Gospel is more theology than any other Gospel.

[johngrace]

There is a Great Book called Dawn of The Messiah. Wonderful. http://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Messiah-Coming-Christ-Scripture/dp/0867167203

[IrishBrigade]

My personal preference is Luke...

...as is mine...in my opinion the most well-written of the Gospels and the most reflective of contemporary precepts...

[IrishBrigade]

2b From which Gospel writer does this scene come from? Matthew or Luke?

...Matthew...

3 What features of Matthew’s Infancy narrative make it the ideal beginning of the New Testament?...

...it establishes in the most unequivocal terms the importance of the Davidic generation of the Christ...

[Salvation]

Those were from Matthew

[Salvation]

Scripture for Day 2:

Matthew, chapter 1

 

The Birth of Jesus.^*

18Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,^* but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. 19Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,^* yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20^j Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord^* appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 21She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,^* because he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

23^{* k} “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means “God is with us.” 24When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. 25He had no relations with her until she bore a son,^* and he named him Jesus.^l

[Salvation]

Questions for Day 2:

4a What is the purpose of the lengthy genealogy at the beginning of Matthew (1: 1-17)
4b What is the significance of the women who appear in a usually male genealogical tree (1:3, 5, 6, 16)?

5 How could Joseph’s desire to “divorce her quietly” be considered a righteous way to treat Mary (1:19)?

6a What is the meaning of “Jesus” 1:21) and Emmanuel” 1:23)? (See 28:18-20; Isa7:14)
6b When has your own experience of the Lord brought one of these names to life for you?

[Salvation]

Do you want me to list the names who have posted so far and ping them to this thread for Advent?

[terycarl]

my question....unless all the stories of the birth of Jesus, the angelic choirs, the wise men, we three kings, the later circumcision of Jesus, his separation from His parents when He was preaching etc. etc. unless all these stories were passed on to the evangalists by either Mary or Joseph, how did they know that they happened....none of them were in Bethlehem when Jesus was born....how did they come to know that He was born in a stable????

[Salvation]

Good question, but I will leave it for someone else to answer.

[Salvation]

Day 3 Scripture:

Matthew, chapter 2

 

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CHAPTER 2

The Visit of the Magi.^*

1When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod,^* behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star^* at its rising and have come to do him homage.”^a 3When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.^* 5^b They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

6‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

7Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11^{* c} and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

The Flight to Egypt. 13^* When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,^* and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” 14Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15^* He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet^d might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

The Massacre of the Infants.

16When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. 17Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

18^{* e} “A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loud lamentation;

Rachel weeping for her children,

and she would not be consoled,

since they were no more.”