Let us pray
Matthew 2:13-23
~After his birth, due to severe persecution by Herod the king, Joseph moves his family from Israel to Egypt. Just as Israel had to go down into Egypt as a youth, so does Jesus, and just as God Almighty needed to call the Israelis out of Egypt in the days of the Exodus, so does Jesus and his family need to be called out (Joseph is told in a dream to both leave Israel and leave Egypt).
~When it comes to killing all the young boys in Bethlehem under 2- it was a small village and would not have been a high number killed, but this was still tragic nonetheless
~Calling someone a Nazarene was to literally call someone “despised”. The city of Nazareth did not exist in the Old Testament, but the prophecy still makes sense if one looks at Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (ESV)
~When it comes to killing all the young boys in Bethlehem under 2- it was a small village and would not have been a high number killed, but this was still tragic nonetheless
~Calling someone a Nazarene was to literally call someone “despised”. The city of Nazareth did not exist in the Old Testament, but the prophecy still makes sense if one looks at Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (ESV)
Luke 2:41-52
~Jewish males were responsible to attend the Temple 3 times a year and the Passover was one such occasion. When Jesus was 12 years old (notice the silence about the time between the return from Egypt and age 12) his family attended the Passover and Jesus was left behind when the family went to return to Nazareth.
~Luke 2:51 tells us, “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” (ESV) We can assume that during that time Jesus went and learned the family trade. (NOTE: this is the last time we hear directly from or about Joseph)
~Luke 2:51 tells us, “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” (ESV) We can assume that during that time Jesus went and learned the family trade. (NOTE: this is the last time we hear directly from or about Joseph)
John the baptizer
~Foretold of in Isaiah 40:3-5, “A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (ESV)
~Matthew 3:1-12; *MARK 1:1-8*; & Luke 3:1-20 all give an account of John the Baptist and his mission. For brevity's sake, just read through Mark's account.
~Questions:
~1) According to verse 4 why was John baptizing people?
~2) What were John’s clothes made of?
~3) What did John eat?
~4) What does this say about John’s character?
~Answers:
~1) Baptism of repentance
~2) Camel Hair
~3) Locusts and wild honey
~4) A man of the wilderness/ not a city goer
~Matthew 3:1-12; *MARK 1:1-8*; & Luke 3:1-20 all give an account of John the Baptist and his mission. For brevity's sake, just read through Mark's account.
~Questions:
~1) According to verse 4 why was John baptizing people?
~2) What were John’s clothes made of?
~3) What did John eat?
~4) What does this say about John’s character?
~Answers:
~1) Baptism of repentance
~2) Camel Hair
~3) Locusts and wild honey
~4) A man of the wilderness/ not a city goer