Some of the other structural relationships that I looked at in Matthew 1:18-2:23 are cause and effect relationships. They may seem obvious, but if you dig into them and think about the whys and the implications, it actually gets pretty exciting.
Mary's pregnancy led to Joseph's decision to dismiss her quietly (1:19)
Herod's fears of a new king led to the decision to bring the Wise Men to see him (2:3, 7)
Herod's fury led to the murder of children around Bethlehem (2:16)
The angelic messages via dreams led Joseph and the Wise Men to make plans and to change plans (1:24, 2:12, 2:14, 2:21)
What would you identify as key - significant verses? These were mine:
Matthew 1:18 - Jesus is identified as being conceived by the Holy Spirit
Matthew 1:22-23; 2:5-6; 2:15; 2:17-18; 2:23 - Use of fulfilled OT prophecy to identify Jesus as Messiah
Matthew 2:3, 12, 16 - Herod identified as evil and unfit king afraid of the coming Messiah
Matthew 1:24; 2:14, 21, 22 - Joseph, though not the father, was obedient to God
Finally, I am asked to come away with some major impressions from the passage. I made three.
From the genealogy, Joseph is identified as the patriarch of Jesus’ family. All decisions regarding these early years are seen through his eyes and his relationship with the angel. This all occurs even as it is made clear that he is not the natural father of the Messiah.
The coming of the wise men created chaos in King Herod’s court as he gathered those that might be knowledgeable about the Messiah around him in reaction to his fear. From that point on, he made decisions based on that fear.
Not only is the author clear about making certain the reader recognizes the Old Testament prophetic fulfillment, but he also brings Gentiles in to worship the Messiah, ensuring that the knowledge of God’s son will be spread to all nations.
There are plenty of ways to dig into Scripture ... I'll keep showing you what I do as I progress and hopefully you will begin looking at it with new and fresh eyes!
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