Tag: New Testament Survey

Bible Basics

Acts

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Author

The book was written by Luke, who was an associate of the Apostle Paul, traveling with him often. Luke was a Gentile (non-Jew), and a physician by trade. The book of Acts is Luke’s sequel to the gospel which bears his name (Acts 1:1).

Date

It is impossible to get an exact date for the writing of Luke and Acts, however, if we look at the content of Luke’s writings, he does not include any references to major events which took place after 64A.D., including Nero’s persecution of Christians, the fall of Jerusalem (70A.D.), or even to Paul’s letters, many of which were written from prison in Rome. Even the book of Acts ends without resolving what happened to Paul, leading to speculation that at the time of Luke’s writing, Paul was still alive in prison. For these reasons, the early 60s seems likely.

Other scholars, however, based on the idea that Mark’s gospel had already been widely distributed and read by the time Luke was writing, put the date later; possibly into the early 80s.

Audience and Purpose

As is the book of Luke, Acts is addressed to “Theophilus” (Acts 1:1), whom most historians believe to be Luke’s patron (meaning he funded Luke’s work and published his writings.) Some, however, have speculated that Theophilus was not a real person. Instead, as the Green name means “God-lover,” they believe it was a sneaky way for Luke to write the book for any believer who would read the book.

The book of Acts is Luke’s continued account of the ministry of Jesus, after His ascension, through Spirit-empowered men and women. The goal is to show that not only did Jesus rise from the dead, but His work did not stop (Acts 1:1-5). Containing the stories that followed Jesus’ ascension, including the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, through the gospel’s spread throughout the Roman empire, the book of Acts is the first book of church history ever written.

Major Themes

  • The Activity of the Holy Spirit, especially regarding His filling men and women with gifts for ministry.
  • The Church. 
  • Global Missions/Evangelism. The book of Acts shows that the gospel did not remain among the Jews. Once the Holy Spirit launched the church at Pentecost, the door to grace was open to the gentiles and God sent missionaries throughout the Roman empire.
  • Prophecy Fulfilled. See for example Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:16.

Key Scriptures

  • Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
  • Acts 2:2-4 — “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
  • Acts 28:28 — “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

Outline

  • Acts 1:1-3 — Luke’s Introduction
  • Acts 1:4-6:7 — The Acts of the Holy Spirit in the Church at Jerusalem
  • Acts 6:8-9:31 — The Acts of the Holy Spirit through Religious Persecution and Dispersion
  • Acts 9:32–12:25 — The Acts of the Holy Spirit through Peter
  • Acts 13:1–28:31 — The Acts of the Holy Spirit through Paul
    • Acts 13:1-14:28 — Paul’s First Missionary Journey
    • Acts 15:1-35 — Apostolic Council in Jerusalem
    • Acts 15:36-18:22 — Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
    • Acts 18:23-21:16 — Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
    • Acts 21:17-28:31 — Paul’s Arrest, Trials, and Imprisonment at Rome

Gospel Summary

Whereas the four gospels show the price that Jesus paid to establish the gospel and His Kingdom, the book of Acts shows us how, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God began to flood the world with the good news of salvation. Everywhere Jesus’ disciples went the gospel was proclaimed, people were saved, the church was established, and the Holy Spirit testified with signs, wonders, and miracles. 

It is through the book of Acts that we get our first glimpse of the power of the gospel at work in the world. This is because the preaching of the gospel is central to the book of Acts. In fact, the Greek word “euangelizo,” where we get the term “evangelize,” is used more in the book of Acts than any other book of the New Testament. The book records sermons preached by Peter, Paul, and others, as the good news was shared.

It is also in the book of Acts where we see that the Kingdom of God would not be limited to the nation of Israel; nor would earthly powers be able to withstand its spread. Throughout the book, we see the church established as an embassy of God’s eternal Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

John Big

John

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Author

Clarity on who, exactly, wrote the book of John is quite limited. The first and most common view leans toward John, the son of Zebedee, who is attested to be the author by most ancient church writers, beginning with Ireneus (circa 180A.D.). This would make the author one of the 12 apostles and one of the three in Jesus’ inner circle.

More recently, however, some scholars have said a different John is more likely. A second possibility is another disciple of Jesus who was not one of the 12 apostles, identified as “John the Elder” by Papias. 

Whoever wrote the gospel of John is likely the author of First, Second, and Third John. Since that writer calls himself “the Elder,” then this later John is a possibility.

Within the book itself, John, the son of Zebedee is called “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” If he was not the writer of the book, it is clear that he was an influence on the person who was (see John 21:24) and earned this title after his death. 

Still, since tradition records that both John the son of Zebedee and the man known as John the Elder are buried in Ephesus, some have concluded they were likely the same man.

Date

Dating the book is troublesome, but most scholars agree that late in the first century (between 70A.D. and 100A.D.) is likely. Some of the book’s references, such as Christians being excluded from Jewish synagogues (John 9:22), would lead to a date in the 90s when tensions between Jews and Christians were high.

Audience and Purpose

Though John writes in such a way to be accessible by the Greek culture, his gospel is almost undisputedly written with those from a Jewish background in mind. We can safely assume that John’s primary audience was the Jewish-Christian community, especially those living in and around Ephesus.

Near the end of the gospel, John states that his purpose in writing was to offer proof that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior, “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).

Major Themes

  • Gospel.
  • Jesus as Savior.
  • The Activity of the Holy Spirit.
  • Eternal Life. See John 1:34, 49; 3:18; 5:25; 10:36; 11:4, 27; 19:7; 20:31.

Key Scriptures

  • John 1:1 — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”
  • John 1:14 — “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
  • John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
  • John 14:6 — “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Outline

  • John 1:1-18 — Prologue: Opening Hymn
  • John 1:19-11:57 — The Signs of the Messiah
  • John 12:1-17:26 — The Final Teachings of Jesus
  • John 18:1-21:23 — The Arrest, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus

Gospel Summary

As with the other gospels, it is difficult to give a gospel summary of John since the book itself is a “gospel” and a summary of the life of Jesus Christ. 

However, the focus and style of John’s gospel set it apart from the other three (called the synoptic gospels). Clement of Alexandria called it “the spiritual gospel,” and John definitely shows a deeper understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life and ministry than the synoptic writers (John 3:3-9; 4:10–15, 21–24; 7:37–39; 14:16–17, 26; 15:26; 16:7–11, 13–15; 20:22).

John’s larger focus seems to be on the various proofs of the gospel, including four witnesses, listed in John 5:31-40), as well as the miracle “signs” which Jesus performed (John 20:30-31). In fact, the narrative of John’s gospel flows through 7 distinct miracle “signs” that point fo Jesus as the promised Messiah. This has earned the book the title of “The Book of Signs” by some Christian scholars. These signs are: 

  • John 2:1-11 — Changing Water into Wine
  • John 4:46-54 — Healing the Official’s Son
  • John 5:1-15 — Healing the Paralytic
  • John 6:5-14 — Feeding the 5000
  • John 6:16-24 — Walking on Water
  • John 9:1-7 — Healing the Blind Man
  • John 11:1-45 — Raising Lazarus from the Dead

Some scholars add that Jesus’ resurrection should be considered the 8th miracle sign, to which all the others point.

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Luke

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Author

The book was written by Luke, who was an associate of the Apostle Paul, traveling with him often. Luke was a Gentile (non-Jew), and a physician by trade. Luke is also the author of the book of Acts.

Date

It is impossible to get an exact date for the writing of Luke and Acts, however, if we look at the content of Luke’s writings, he does not include any references to major events which took place after 64A.D., including Nero’s persecution of Christians, the fall of Jerusalem (70A.D.), or even to Paul’s letters, many of which were written from prison in Rome. Even the book of Acts ends without resolving what happened to Paul, leading to speculation that at the time of Luke’s writing, Paul was still alive in prison. For these reasons, the early 60s seems likely.

Other scholars, however, based on the idea that Mark’s gospel had already been widely distributed and read by the time Luke was writing, put the date later; possibly into the early 80s.

Audience and Purpose

The book is addressed to “Theophilus” (Luke 1:3), whom most historians believe to be Luke’s patron (meaning he funded Luke’s work and published his writings.) Some, however, have speculated that Theophilus was not a real person. Instead, as the Greek name means “God-lover,” they believe it was a sneaky way for Luke to address the writing to any believer who would read the book.

Luke’s goal in writing was to gather a complete account of Jesus’ life and ministry by interviewing as many living witnesses as possible (Luke 1:1-2). 

The book is one of the synoptic gospels (with Matthew and Mark), in that the three books have a very similar structure and recount many of the same stories. It is likely that Luke had read Mark’s gospel and used it as one of the witnesses for his own writing. In fact, St. Augustine wrote that Luke was the last of the synoptic gospels and that he used both, Matthew and Mark, in his writings.

Major Themes

  • Gospel
  • Jesus as Savior. See Luke 19:10.
  • God’s Sovereignty. See Luke 1:14–17, 31–35, 46–55, 68–79; 2:9–14, 30–32, 34–35; 4:16–30; 13:31–35; 24:25–27, 44–49.
  • The Activity of the Holy Spirit. Luke points out, many times, that the Holy Spirit was at work in the life of Jesus (Luke 1:32-35, 41-45; 2:25-32, 36-38; 3:21-22; 4:1, 14, 18). This theme sets the foundation for Acts, when the Holy Spirit would become prominent in the life of the church, as well.
  • Discipleship and Heart Transformation.

Key Scriptures

  • Luke 4:18 —“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
  • Luke 9:23 — “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”
  • Luke 19:10 — “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Outline

  • Luke 1:1-4 — Luke’s Introduction
  • Luke 1:5-2:52 — Jesus’ Birth
  • Luke 3:1-4:15 — Jesus’ Preparation for Ministry
  • Luke 4:16-9:50 — Jesus’ Ministry Around Galilee
  • Luke 9:51-19:27 — Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem
  • Luke 19:28-21:38 — Jesus’ Ministry in Jerusalem
  • Luke 22:1-23:56 — Jesus’ Trial and Crucifixion
  • Luke 24:1-53 — Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension

Gospel Summary

As with Matthew and Mark, it is difficult to give a gospel summary of Luke, as the book itself is a “gospel” and a summary of the life of Jesus Christ. 

A key difference is that Luke’s style of writing imitated other Greek writing of the day, and seems to target even those who may not have a Jewish understanding of the Old Testament. Whereas Matthew goes in-depth to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament, Jewish prophecy, Luke focuses instead on the inward heart change that comes to anyone who choose to follow Jesus as Lord.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Mark

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Author

John Mark, a fellow missionary with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 12:25), is generally considered to be the writer based on a very strong early Christian tradition. He is seen throughout the book of Acts, using this combined name (Acts 12:12, 25 and Acts 15:37) or either of the individual names (Acts 13:5, 13 and Acts 15:39). 

We do not know much about his life before ministry, except that he was likely from Jerusalem and that his mother was well known within the Christian community, and also a close friend of Peter and the Apostles (Acts 12:12). In 1 Peter 5:13, the Apostle Peter claims that Mark was his spiritual son. Although Mark traveled with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary voyage, it was this relationship with the Apostle Peter that seems to have had the greatest impact on his gospel.

Though it was already widely known that Mark penned the book, some early church fathers, such as Justin, Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Jerome desired to demonstrate a clear Apostolic authority in the book, and therefore presented it as being the gospel of Peter, with Mark simply acting as a scribe. Eusebius, also, points to the writings of Papius, “a hearer of John and companion of Polycarp,” as saying that Mark was “the interpreter of Peter.” 

Other scholars point to Mark’s use of Aramaic in his writings as likely a direct influence from his time with Peter, since Paul would have used proper Hebrew and Greek as a highly educated Jew and a Roman citizen.

Little is known regarding Mark’s life and ministry after his departure from Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:13 and 15:38).  However, it is clear that he remained a faithful minister to the gospel as Paul requests his help during his imprisonment in Rome (2 Timothy 4:11 and Colossians 4:10). Eusebius later writes that “Mark was the first that was sent to Egypt, and that he proclaimed the Gospel which he had written, and first established churches in Alexandria.”

Date

Mark likely wrote sometime between 55-65AD, and evidence suggests that Mark was the earliest of the gospel writers. The gospel would have been written sometime after Mark’s missionary travels with Paul. Some church historians, such as Eusebius, put the writing after Peter’s death, around 64AD, others simply suggest Mark was inspired to write after Peter’s arrest by the Romans. 

The book was certainly written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD, as Mark 13:2 records Jesus’ prediction of the soon-coming destruction of the Temple, without the author noting that the fulfillment of the prophecy had taken place.

Audience and Purpose

Mark’s primary audience was Roman believers. He translates Hebrew/Aramaic words into Greek and takes time to explain Jewish customs which would only be necessary for those unfamiliar with the Old Testament.

It seems that Mark’s primary purpose was to affirm Jesus’ role as the promised Messiah and then to encourage the Roman believers to be transformed according to Jesus’ image, rather than conforming to Jewish customs and traditions.

Papius’ writings (again quoted by Eusebius), tell us that Mark’s primary goal, having not walked with nor heard Jesus speaking for himself, became the interpreter for Peter and “wrote down accurately everything that he remembered, without, however recording in order what was either said or done by Christ” The point being that although Mark attempted to recall all the stories and teachings of Jesus he had learned from Peter, the chronological order was not always clear, and it leaves gaps that would be filled by other gospel writers (see Luke 1:1-4).

Major Themes

  • Gospel.
  • Jesus as Messiah. (See Mark 1:1)
  • Prophecy Fulfilled.

Key Scriptures

  • Mark 8:29 — “And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.’”
  • Mark 15:39 — “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’”

Outline

  • Mark 1:1-15 — Introduction
  • Mark 1:16-8:26 — The Presentation of Jesus as the Messiah
    • Mark 1:14-3:25 — Jesus’ Announcement of God’s Kingdom
    • Mark 4:1-34 — Jesus’ Teachings (Parables) of God’s Kingdom
    • Mark 5:1-8:26 — Jesus’ Demonstrations of God’s Kingdom (Miracles)
  • Mark 8:27-16:20 — The Testing of Jesus as the Messiah
    • Mark 8:27-10:52 — Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem
    • Mark 11:1-15:20 — Jesus’ “Passion Week”
    • Mark 15:21-47 — Jesus’ Death and Burial
    • Mark 16:1-20 — Jesus’ Resurrection and Commission of the Church

Gospel Summary

As with our look at Matthew, it is difficult to write a “gospel summary” of a book, which itself is a summarization of the gospel. As Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer writes, “Like all the canonical Gospels, [Mark’s] also has the destined purpose of historically proving the Messiahship of Jesus: it seeks to accomplish this especially by setting forth the deeds of Jesus, but in doing so does not bear any special dogmatic colour.”1 The implication is that Mark’s goal was to show that Jesus was the Messiah through the sharing of the testimonies and teachings he had learned from the Apostle Peter. He does not go out of his way to make his own opinions known. 

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Endnotes

1Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospels of Mark and Luke, ed. William P. Dickson, trans. Robert Ernest Wallis, vol. 1, Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1883), 8.

Bible Basics

Matthew

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Author

Matthew the Apostle is unanimously considered to be the author of the book, although the book itself does not contain any author attribution. Matthew was a tax collector prior to his coming to Jesus (see Matthew 9:9-13), and is a great, personal example of how the grace he writes about truly contains the power to change lives.

In the gospels of Mark and Luke, Matthew is called Levi (see Mark 2:13-17 and Luke 5:27-32).

Date

Some believe that Matthew wrote his gospel sometime after the destruction of the Temple in 70AD, but many other scholars contest this view. It is possible that he wrote as early as 55AD

Audience and Purpose

It is believed that Matthew was writing specifically to the Jewish nation, as a connecting point between the promise of the Old Testament and its fulfillment in Christ. It is traditionally believed that Matthew originally wrote his gospel in the Hebrew language, which was later translated into Greek (though some modern scholars disagree with this assessment due to Matthew’s Greek usage lacking some of the common difficulties and clarity issues caused by a Hebrew to Greek translation). The earliest evidence of this comes from Eusebius who quoted Irenaeus as saying, “Matthew published his gospel among the Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and Paul in Rome were preaching and founding the church” (Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica III. 24.5–6 and V. 8, 2.)

In writing to the Jewish audience, Matthew quotes from the Old Testament more than any other New Testament book, in order to demonstrate that Jesus was the fulfillment of all Messianic prophecies and is the Christ.

Matthews’s purpose in writing was to give a biographical history of Jesus’ life and ministry, as well as to recall all the teachings and commandments Jesus gave, clearly intending to fulfill the commission he records from Jesus in Matthew 28:20. This book contains more of Jesus’ teachings than any other gospel, as well as containing historical accounts not present in other gospels. For examples, see the visit of the wise men from the East at Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:1-12) or the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:24-30).

Major Themes

  • Gospel. Matthew is the first book in the New Testament, and shows that Jesus is the promised prophet, priest, and King who would bring God’s Kingdom into the world.
  • Jesus as Messiah.
  • The Kingdom of God.
  • Prophecy Fulfilled.

Key Scriptures

  • Matthew 4:17 — “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
  • Matthew 28:18-20 — “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Outline

  • Matthew 1:1-2:23 — Jesus’ Early Life
    • Matthew 1:1-17 — Jesus’ Genealogy
    • Matthew 1:18-25 — Jesus’ Birth
    • Matthew 2:1-12 — Visit of the Wise Men
    • Matthew 2:12-23 — Escape to Egypt and Move to Nazareth
  • Matthew 3:1-4:12 — Jesus’ Preparation for Public Ministry
    • Matthew 3:1-17 — Jesus’ Baptism
    • Matthew 4:1-12 — Jesus’ Temptation in the Wilderness
  • Matthew 4:13-8:38 — Jesus Reveals the Kingdom of God
    • Matthew 4:13-25 — Jesus Begins Ministry and Calls First Disciples
    • Matthew 5:1-7:29 — Jesus Teaches about Life in God’s Kingdom
    • Matthew 8:1-9:38 — Jesus Demonstrates the Power of God’s Kingdom
  • Matthew 10:1-13:58 — Jesus Commissions Others for Kingdom Ministry
    • Matthew 10:1-42 — Commissioning of the 12 Apostles
    • Matthew 11:1-19 — Recognition of John the Baptizer’s Ministry
    • Matthew 11:20-30 — Prophetic Call on Cities to Repent and Follow Him
    • Matthew 12:1-50 — Jesus Again Demonstrations the Power of God’s Kingdom
    • Matthew 13:1-58 — Jesus Teaches Parables Concerning Access to God’s Kingdom
  • Matthew 14:1-16:12 — Jesus’ Ministry Gains Widespread Recognition
    • Matthew 14:1-12 — Herod Hears About Jesus
    • Matthew 14:12-16:12 — Jesus Ministers to Massive Crowds While Defending Against Religious Opposition
  • Matthew 16:13-25:46 — Jesus Revealed as the Christ (Messiah)
    • Matthew 16:13-28 — Jesus Proclaimed as Christ (Messiah) among the Disciples
    • Matthew 17:1-13 — Transfiguration: Jesus Recognized as Christ (Messiah) by Moses, Elijah, and the Voice of God
    • Matthew 17:14-20:34 — Jesus Defines the Life of a Christ-Follower
    • Matthew 21:1-25:46 — Jesus Asserts His Authority as the Christ
  • Matthew 26:1-28:20 — Jesus’ Final Days on Earth
    • Matthew 26:1-25 — The Plot to Kill Jesus
    • Matthew 26:26-30 — The Last Supper
    • Matthew 26:31-46 — Final Time with the Disciples
    • Matthew 26:47-27:23 — Jesus’ Arrest and Trial
    • Matthew 27:24-66 — Jesus’ Crucifixion
    • Matthew 28:1-15 — Jesus’ Resurrection
    • Matthew 28:16-20 — Jesus’ Great Commission on His Disciples Then and Now.

Gospel Summary

It is difficult to give a gospel summary of Matthew, as the book itself is a “gospel” and a summary of the life of Jesus Christ.

The book begins with His supernatural birth and follows through as His life fulfills all Old Testament predictions of who the Messiah would be and how He would live. Although Jesus was rejected by the religious elite at the time, due to the preconceived notions they had as to how the Messiah would free them from pagan (Roman) occupation and rule, when compared to the scriptural prophecies Matthew shares, it becomes clear that Jesus did fulfill both the biblical expectations of the Messiah, as well as proving Himself to be the Son of God by the power and supernatural events occurring throughout His life.

To those “with ears to hear” what the Spirit says through the gospel writer, there will be little doubt that Old Testament prophecy points to Jesus.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!