Matthew 3:13-17

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. ¹⁶ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. ¹⁷ And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Commentary

Vs. 13-15 It seems most fitting that after John’s rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees and then his declaration of the Holy Spirit’s baptism that comes to each and every believer, that the Lord Jesus Christ now goes out to be baptized by John. For the Captain of our salvation, and the Author and Finisher of our faith must always go before those whom He leads unto everlasting life. And so Jesus according to the Will of God goes out to be baptized by John. Not that Jesus needed to be baptized by John as John and the Lord clearly reveals (vs. 14-15), rather as Jesus says to John when John is adamant that he needs to be baptized by Jesus, and not the other way around: “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” For that is what the Lord Jesus Christ came to do not only die on the Cross for all our sins and transgressions, but also and very importantly to fulfill all righteousness for us, so that we who believe and trust in Him can have His righteousness imputed to ourselves (consider Acts 13:38-40; 2 Cor. 5:21). 

Vs. 16-17 ¹⁶ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. ¹⁷ And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Now when the Jesus had been baptized by John, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. Now in this beautiful scene there are a couple of things we should note, first John did not bring the Holy Spirit upon Christ, God the Father did. And this He did as His Son obeyed Him (consider Acts 5:32; Heb. 5:9). Second is the Nature of the Holy Spirit Himself He descended like a dove and alighted upon Jesus. Thus in the beauty, dignity, grace, love, gentleness and purity of God’s Holy Spirit a visible sign is seen by the Lord Jesus Christ of a dove gently descending and alighting upon Him, alighting meaning God’s Holy Spirit remained upon Him, just as He now does on one and all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so in this poignant moment in history between God the Father and His Holy Son, God Himself will now openly declare His great pleasure at His Son obeying Him and fulfilling all righteousness by being baptized by John, saying: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This then begins the Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ who will go on and follow His Fathers will unto death on a Cross for us all. Similarly then when we are baptized by God by His Holy Spirit when we believe and receive Christ we too become ministers of His, being given Spirit gifts and talents at that time (though untested and unrefined they are given us to equip us to be ministers of God). The only question then is are we pursuing and doing the ministry and God given purposes God has assigned to us, just as Christ pursued and fulfilled His God given purposes here on earth, when being baptized by God’s Spirit He willingly went into God’s Service, how about us? (Consider Luke 9:57-61)

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Matthew 3:7-12

 ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Commentary

Vs. 7-9 ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

With the flood of people coming out to John’s baptism there was also many of those of the Pharisees and Sadducees (the two main religious factions of ancient Judaism at that time) who also came out to John’s baptism. Now when John the Baptist saw them coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” For John the Baptist wasn’t fooled by their outward appearances and all of the religious trappings that they wore. No John saw through all of that right to their hearts, and what he saw was a brood of vipers, snakes that slither into positions of power, privilege, and influence so that they might due and pursue their own evil desires. Therefore unlike the repentant sinners who were coming out to John, who believed his word and whom John received and baptized to prepare them for the Lord. These though looking their most “pious” when they came to him did not believe, and so they don’t submit themselves to the Will of God and get baptized with the people, instead they only question John’s legitimacy for doing so (see John 1:19-28).

Now when John said to them: “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” It’s doubtful that any of them would’ve thought themselves as objects of God’s wrath, for they sat in Moses seat, as Jesus would later say of them (see Matt. 23), and thus they wielded all of that God given authority to rule His people. However instead of using it to serve and establish God’s people in His truth, they would lay aside His Word, commandments and truth for their own when God’s Word contravened theirs. And so they were the worst of all men because though they knew and had been entrusted with God’s truth they only used it to keep people in bondage to themselves (consider Matt 16:5-12; Gal. 4:17). Therefore John the Baptist’s rebuke of them, calling them “a brood of vipers” was fully justified, for if they thought they could do so simply because they sat in the Moses seat (i.e. the seat of power), or that they being the descendants of Abraham, they were somehow entitled to an assured place with God, then they needed to seriously reconsider, for as John warned them, (and warns us all) God is able to raise up children from Abraham from stones if He so desires, and so trusting in one’s ancestry is pure folly if ones is living contrary to God’s commandments and Word (consider Matt 5:19-20). For God does not approve of people based on the positions, privileges and power they hold and wield in this life, God receives and accepts as His own each and every repentant and believing individual regardless of where they came from (see Acts 10:34).

Vs. 10 “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

The metaphor that John the Baptist invokes here to warn them (and us all) Means with the Lord Jesus Christ’s arrival on the scene (in one restricted sense) all that the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees had done to establish themselves was soon to be toppled! For men may establish for a season their own religious works, ways, and decrees, but ultimately nothing that contravenes God’s Word will remain (consider Matt 15:1-9). Now in a more encompassing and fuller sense I believe that John’s word here means that every individual and nation that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire! For the Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t uphold unjust nations, regimes, or individuals (Consider Matt 25:31-46). Therefore Johns warning is not just to them, but to us all, because all Authority, Power and Judgment has now been committed to the Son of God and so nothing at His Judgment Seat nothing that does not pass His scrutiny will remain when He sets up His everlasting Kingdom (consider Matt 5:20).

  

Vs. 11-12 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John the Baptist now makes it clear that both his person and baptism does not bring eternal life, for the water baptism done by him (or anyone else) does not bring God’s Holy Spirit and His regeneration of everyone who repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel. Therefore John in order to make sure that no one who is baptized by him puts their faith in him now warns the people, all people everywhere, not to look to him, but rather to Christ alone, for as he says: “He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” ^{vs. 11} Therefore John is very clear that all people must not to look to him for redemption and salvation, but only to Christ! For it is only the Lord Jesus Christ whose Person and Baptism that brings eternal life to everyone who repents and believes in Him, therefore John absolutely distinguishes his own person and baptism from Christ’s, because the lesser must always give way to the greater (consider John 3:30). Now John mentions two distinct “baptisms” that the Lord Jesus Christ does. The first is the Lord Jesus Christ’s baptism by His Holy Spirit to each and every believing and repentant individual. That is the Holy Spirit baptism of our person that brings us into Spirit union with God and Christ, (Rom 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27) as well it is His Holy Spirit baptism of our persons into His Body (1 Cor. 12:13), and of course it is His Holy Spirit baptism that brings us to Spirit life (i.e. our being born-again by His Spirit) the moment we believe in Him. And so all these things, and so much more, all happen to us by the Lord Jesus Christ who baptizes us with His Holy Spirit the moment we believe in Him. Again John’s water baptism (or anyone else’s) does not bring remission of one’s sins and everlasting life, for this only comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whose Holy Spirit then “baptizes” each and every believing individual into His Body, and so it is the Holy Spirit who then seals us in His Person and for His Salvation for all eternity (Eph. 1:13-14; Titus 3:4-7).

  

Now Christ’s Holy Spirit Baptism of each and every believer which began at Pentecost (see Acts 2) will continue until the Lord Jesus Christ returns for us all who believed in Him, and thus have been baptized by His Spirit because we believe in Him; being then born-again (i.e. regenerated) by His Spirit we are now new creations In Christ and thus united with Christ forever (2 Cor. 5:17). Now the outward Spirit gifts and signs of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Holy Spirit baptism which were so prevalent during the beginnings of God pouring out His Spirit at Pentecost, and later in the early church are not so prevalent today because they were done to fulfill the Word of God and reveal the fulfillment of God’s Word and Promise to the early believers and church about this. And so as they grew in their understand of this, and thus their and now our being established in this truth and reality of remission of sins and everlasting life for everyone by God’s grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ there no longer needed to be these visible signs to reveal this to them and us all, for we all now “walk by faith, not by sight” ^{2 Cor. 5:7}

And so that is the first baptism mentioned by John that the Lord Jesus Christ does to each and every believing individual, (whether visible Spirit gifts and signs accompany this or not), because all of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have been baptized by one Spirit, one time, for all eternity into His Body (Eph. 4:4-6, 30). For Christ’s death on the cross having paid for all our sins, His resurrection from dead then paved the way for us to all have the same Holy Spirit as He. And so those who hold that one must speak in tongues as evidence of having this baptism should remember that the Lord Jesus Christ never did!

Now the second “baptism” that John mentions that the Lord Jesus Christ will do is by fire! Now that is not a “baptism” that believers will experience (or would want to experience) for that has been reserved for every unbelieving and unrepentant individual who rejects the Word of God for themselves, and thus did not receive the love of the truth for themselves so that they would be saved (2 Thess. 7-12). And so that baptism of fire will take place at the Lord Jesus Christ’s Great White Throne Judgment (see Rev. 20:11-15), after His Second coming, for it will be then that the Lord will execute His eternal judgment here described by John as a “baptism by fire” on everyone who did not repent and believe. Now there will also be a judgment of each and every believer the Lord Jesus Christ will do before He sets up His everlasting Kingdom, at which time each and every believer will be rewarded or suffer loss according to the things that they did in the body (see 2 Cor. 3:12-17; 5:9-11).

And so John’s dire warning is given not just to the scribes and Pharisees, but to us all, to do the Will of God for as John says, the Lord Jesus Christ’s winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (also consider Matt. 13:24-30, 31-32, 36-43, 47-50). Therefore I urge you to be reconciled to God while you can, for God Himself in the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and by His Holy Spirit has made the way possible for you to be redeemed from every sin and transgression and be reconciled back to God, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” ^{2 Cor. 5:21} For the Work of God and the Will of God is that you and I believe in His Son (John 6:29) and then follow Him in discipleship (Matt. 28:19-20). Therefore if you believe, please receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life asking Him to be your Lord and Savior (John 1:12), for anyone who comes to Him will not be turned away by Him (John 6:37). Therefore don’t wait any longer according to His Word and Promise be reconciled to God today! (John 3:16). 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Matthew 3:1–6

¹ In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ” ⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 

Commentary

Vs. 1-3 ¹ In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ” 

Mathews Gospel having revealed to us the origins, purpose, and the birth place of the Lord Jesus Christ, and how as an infant and young child Jesus was moved about by Joseph and Mary in fulfillment of the Word of God before they settled in Nazareth (again according to the Word of God) where He grew up until His Manifestation (see Luke 2:21-52 for Christ’s circumcision and early years). Now moves forward to the time when John the Baptist as Christ’s forerunner came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!” Now John the Baptists going out into the Wilderness and preaching such was done in fulfillment of the Word of God which foretold that before the Christ God would send His Messenger before His face to prepare the way for Him, as the prophet Isaiah foretold (vs. 3 see Isaiah 40:3). And so Johns preaching to one and to all to “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!” was so that people would set their hearts and lives right and prepare themselves to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s King and the Savior of the world who will rule on throne of David forever, for it is through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone that the King and the Kingdom of God comes into each and every repented and believing persons heart and life (consider Luke 17:21). Bringing to us who believe in Him through His Word, Holy Spirit regeneration, and thus eternal salvation and Spirit union with God through Christ, transferring us then out of the realm of sin and darkness and into the Kingdom of God the moment we believe! And thus the Kingdom of God is both a literal realm, the realm where God rules and reigns, as well as a state which one enters into when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to dwell in them, and ultimately live through them by His Spirit, manifesting the Person of Christ and Kingdom of God through us all who believe in Him. That is what Jesus means when He says that we are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16). 

Vs. 4-6 ⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 

Now unlike the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees whose apparel and appearances made their position and stature within the Jews religion and community readily apparent to all who observed them (consider Matt 23:1-11, vs. 5). John the Baptists appearance hearkened back to the days of Elijah the prophet of whom the Lord Jesus Christ said He was (see Matt. 11:13-15). Now John the Baptist was not Elijah incarnate, just as he himself said (John 1:21-23), rather as Jesus meant John came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), in the fulfillment of God’s prophecy about him, therefore John the Baptist was: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight”. And so John the Baptist came in the fulfillment of the Word of God before the Christ so as to turn people back to God through Christ (see Malachi 4:5-6; Luke 1:16-17). Now the effect of John preaching in the Wilderness was that multitudes of people from Jerusalem, Judea and the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan confessing their sins. For though they were all steeped in religion, they were all hungry not for more religion, (i.e. the aimless traditions of their fathers that could never bring them near to God or God near to them) but God Himself through the Word of God Himself! For religion (like everything else in this life) can never satisfy the soul. Only when one comes know God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ whom He sent to save us, lead us, and guide us into an everlasting relationship with God our Father does ones whole person find true peace and rest, when they believe and rather than striving through “religion” receive the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves (Matt. 11:28-30). And so just as John’s preaching in the Wilderness was a move of God to prepare the way for His Son, so too was the multitudes of people who came to hear His Word for them through His messenger John the Baptist, who was preparing the way for the Lord Jesus Christ to come not only to them, but to us all, so that we all would receive Him for ourselves and have Him, God’s Son, Savior and King who brings us remission of all our sins and into the Kingdom of God forever.

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Matthew 2:19-23

¹⁹ Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰ saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” ²¹ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. ²³ And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Commentary

Now with Herod’s death an angel of the Lord again appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” ^{Vs. 20} Joseph then arises and takes the Child and His mother and returns to the land of Israel (vs. 21). However upon arriving there Joseph hears that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, and he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee (vs. 22). And so with Joseph’s fears God again directs Joseph, this time into the region of Galilee, to what was then an obscure city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (vs. 23)
Now unlike Judea which was located in the south, which was considered the epicenter of the Jews religion and national life; Jerusalem and the Temple being there; Galilee was a land in the northern most territory in Israel, historically being a land of Jews and Gentiles, with Nazareth itself being a rather obscure “frontier town” with a certain “reputation”. And so Jews from Galilee not only bore their own easily recognizable accent (consider Mark 14:70), but also the “reputation” that came with being from that place (1 Kings 9:10-14; John 1:46). Thus Galilee was a land generally not thought of as being “clean” by the “devout” Jews of Judea in the south, and yet it would serve as the Childhood home of our Lord and Savior. Now it should be stated that both the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples whom He called would be from that very region, and in spite of its “reputation” they were in fact very devout men, the Apostle Peters own testimony reveals that (see Acts 10:9-15). And so in spite of its “reputation” it would be in Nazareth of Galilee that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself would not only choose to grow up in; far away from the institutionalized religion of the Jews with all of its traditions and trappings; but also He would call all of His disciples from Galilee, *the sole exception being Judas Iscariot, Nazareth being then a perfect local to not only fulfill the Word of God, but also keep the Lord Jesus Christ in a low profile until the time of His Manifestation.

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted
*Gleaned from Nelsons Bible Dictionary

Matthew 2:16-18

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”

Commentary
When the wise men failed to return to Herod he realized that he had been deceived by them, and so the Child was not going to be betrayed to him by them. Therefore in a fit of rage Herod now orders the execution of every male child born in Bethlehem and its surrounding districts that were two years old and under, according to the time which he determined from the wise men when they had seen His star. Thus Herod by doing so in a very cold and calculating way sought to destroy any and all possible rivals to himself. Now the number of children put to death by him is not known, but what is known in doing so Herod was unwittingly fulfilling what the prophet Jeremiah foresaw and spoke of when he said; “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” (Jer. 31:15). Now Ramah was located outside of Bethlehem and so it was there where the massacre took place, a location which was also the ancient burial place of Rachel, Jacob’s (i.e. Israel’s) wife, and thus she is seen in Jeremiah’s prophecy mourning and weeping over the loss of their children. This prophecy then being fulfilled by Herod’s heinous act will begin the journeys of the Lord Jesus Christ's Childhood and what will be the long awaited journey for Israel’s restoration to God through their King and Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ, the bulk of which is yet to be fulfilled, and won’t be fulfilled until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in (Rom. 11:25-27).

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Matthew 2:13-15

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” ¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Commentary

Vs. 13 With the departure of the wise men, (and provisions now made for Joseph, Mary and the Child) the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” And so though Joseph and Marry were ignorant of Herod and his plans to destroy the Child, God wasn’t. For God sees all, knows all, and is always one step ahead of His enemies, moving and guiding His people into His Will so that His will is accomplished and fulfilled for them and through them.

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

 Joseph then believing the Word of God spoken to him by the angel of the Lord departs by night with the Child Jesus and His mother and begins what to them must have seemed like a very perilous journey, but to the Lord of heaven and earth, it was just a matter of fulfilling His destiny according to the Word of God. Now how long the Child Jesus was there in Egypt with Joseph and Marry may be speculated on (but is of little relevance) for what is relevant is that God kept them there in His care until the death of Herod. And so it would be from there that Word of God spoken through the prophet Hosea centuries before which declared, “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (see Num 24:8; Hosea 11:1) would be fulfilled. And so like the Israelites whom God brought up in and then delivered out of Egypt, so too would the Lord Jesus Christ have a time in Egypt before God would call Him out of there and into His plans and purposes for Him. And so with Christ’s being born in Bethlehem, and then sent into Egypt (until the death of Herod) before being called out of Egypt, and finally going too and growing up in Nazareth, there is a very direct and purpose filled plan that God was doing in fulfilling His Word regarding His Son, the most important of which was yet to be fulfilled, and so God was not reacting to the circumstances of Mary and Joseph and specifically the Child Jesus that they were facing at any given time, for God new and already foretold all the steps that His Son would take (and have to take) in fulfilling His Word.


Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Matthew 2:1–12

¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” ⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” ⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Jesus Christ’s birth in Bethlehem of Judea was no accident, but was the fulfillment of God’s prophecy spoken through Micah the prophet (see Matt 2:6 quoting Micah 5:2). While the location of Bethlehem itself is historically significant since Bethlehem was also the birth place of David, God’s chosen king upon which the Lord Jesus Christ’s throne would be established forever. Even the name Bethlehem means: *“house of bread” a house then which would be the birthplace of the Bread of Life! (John 6:35). Now Jesus Christ’s birth takes place during the days of Herod the then “king”; who is also referred to as Herod the great; the cunning and ruthless governor of Judea who by his posturing amongst the Romans who instilled him there as ruler had himself proclaimed “king” of the territory of Judea. Now it was this Herod whose father the Romans also instilled before him to keep the Jews in subjection to them. Now Herod himself was not a Jew by birth, but an Edomite, (or Idumean); and thus he was a descendent of Esau, whose people the Edomites became the enemies of the Jews whom the Lord Himself will destroy forever (Isaiah 63:1-6). And so though Herod was a convert to Judaism, and at times he showed much interest in their religion (consider Mark 6:20), this Herod like his father before him, was no ally of God, nor of His plans and purposes in the earth. But he was first and foremost an ambitious and unscrupulous man, who by his own craft and cunning not only advanced himself to the Romans, but also through the same ruled the Jews whom he did much to placate during his tenure with his building programs and his beautifying and expanding their Temple by which he brought himself into “favor” with the religious leadership of the Jews. That said the Jews as a whole never accepted Herod as their king, and so Herod though ruling Judea as their “king” maintained his position there not through the loyalty of ordinary Jews to himself, but rather only by Rome’s ongoing might and support of himself by which he ruled and crushed any and all dissension and dissenters with an iron fist. Yet in spite of all Herod’s attempts to control and subjugate the Jews, there were always potential rivals and uprisings that were an ever present threat to his tenure and reign. And so when the wise men (magi) having seen Jesus’ star in the east (consider Num. 24:17) follow it into the land of Judea, and they come to Herod to inquire of as to where the King of the Jews had been born so that they could worship Him (vs. 2), Herod must have been shaken to his very core at this news that the true King of the Jews had been born in his territory. 

Vs. 3-6 ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 

And so with the magi news of the birth of Christ the King of the Jews (and all of all who believe in Him) both Herod and all Jerusalem were troubled; a seemingly strange parallel to joy of the wise men and shepherds who diligently sought out and rejoiced at the revelation and their discovery of the Christ infant Child until one considers that this is exactly how those of this world will react when Christ returns for the judgment of it, before setting up His everlasting Kingdom (Rev. 1:7). Therefore if Herod and those of Jerusalem were the people of God their response would’ve been like the magi who proclaimed Jesus’ arrival to them. Instead they were only troubled, because their “service” and “religion” was not about living for and in anticipation of God’s Promised Redemption; theirs was only about maintaining the status quo, and thus their own privileged positions within it. Contrast them then with Anna and Simon in Luke 2:25-38.  

Vs. 4-6 ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Therefore with the news of the birth of Christ the King, Herod gathers all of the chief priests and scribes together, for these were the authorities in the law of God, (not that they believed the Word of God, but they were the “scholars” of it, consider John 5:39-46). And so having assembled the religious authorities of the Jews, Herod inquires of them where the Christ was to be born. Now Herod’s inquiry of them was not that of a seeker, of someone whose heart and soul God has stirred so that they might in hope seek and find the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves. No Herod’s inquiry of them was purely sinister in nature, so that in finding out the birth place of the Christ he could as we will soon see seek to destroy the Child Christ before He could become a Man, and thus become God’s people’s Ruler and King. Now the spiritual reality of this is seen in (Rev. 12:13-17). For just as there is a physical realm where the battles for men and woman’s souls and lives takes place, there is also an invisible spiritual realm where these realities are also playing out, where all the players are seen as they truly are. Herod then having inquired of them then is informed by them that God’s prophecy declares that Christ’s birth was to take place in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2) where Joseph and Marry were now staying with the Child Jesus, Marry having given birth to Him there.

Vs. 7-12 ⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” ⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

When Herod was informed as to the birth place of the Christ by the chief priests and scribes he sets out a plot to destroy the Christ. Now in order to do this he first secretly calls the wise men to himself; so as not to alert anyone as to his scheme; and so he will further inquire of them when they had seen His Star in the east. And having determined the location and time of the birth of the Christ, Herod under the guise of wanting to also seek and worship Him, now tells the wise men: “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” ^{vs. 9}

The wise men then being ignorant of Herod’s evil intentions set out for Bethlehem. Now as they are travelling the Star which the wise men had originally seen in the east, and thus brought them to Jerusalem, again goes before them. This was no natural phenomenon then; this was the Hand of God guiding them so as to bring them to the birth place of His Son. For they (unknown to themselves) had been chosen by God to be the first ones to honor His Son’s Presence and Arrival here on earth, something which neither Herod nor all of the Satanic powers of darkness working through his own evil will could ever destroy, and keep God from fulfilling His Word and Purposes through His own Son. Thus the Star guided the wise men to the house and stood over it where the infant Christ was now staying in the care of Joseph and Mary. And with their discovery of the Child’s exact location, even before entering the house, the wise men rejoiced with exceedingly great joy, for having traveled many miles in a perilous journey in search of God’s King, they in finding Him rejoice with an exceedingly great joy!, Something which you yourself may also do if you have been on your own life’s journeys and pursuits, and yet unknowingly seeking for what only God can give you that will fully satisfy you! And having found Christ the King, the Savior of the world, they enter the house and find the young Child with Mary His mother, (a poignant scheme indeed God in flesh being nurtured and cared for by His own creation), and having come into Christ’s Presence they fall down and worship Him, and Him alone, presenting their gifts not to Mary, but to the Christ alone, honoring Him alone, as the Scripture states; …“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” ^{vs. 12} Now in the Believers Bible Commentary there is a wonderful exposition on the gifts they presented and their significance, there it states: “The treasures they brought spoke volumes. Gold is a symbol of deity and glory; it speaks of the shining perfection of His divine Person. Frankincense is an ointment or perfume; it suggests the fragrance of the life of sinless perfection. Myrrh is a bitter herb; it presages the sufferings He would endure in bearing the sins of the world. The bringing of gifts by Gentiles is reminiscent of the language of Isaiah 60:6. Isaiah predicted that Gentiles would come to the Messiah with gifts, but mentioned only gold and frankincense: “… they shall bring gold and incense. And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.” Why was myrrh omitted? Because Isaiah was speaking of Christ’s second advent—His coming in power and great glory. There will be no myrrh then because He will not suffer then. But in Matthew the myrrh is included because His first coming is in view. In Matthew we have the sufferings of Christ; in this passage of Isaiah, the glories that shall follow.”

Having then found and honored the Christ greatly, and thus fulfilled God’s purposes for them, God warns them in a dream not to return to Herod, and with that they depart and return to their own country by another way so as not to be found by Herod or any of his agents (vs. 12). And so like the wise men each and every individual will have an opportunity to enter into Christ's legacy, and unlike Herod, be on the right side of history and eternity, which side shall you be on?  

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.

---

Matthew 1:17

Commentary

In Matthews Gospel there are 42 generations that divide up into three fourteen generation segments, each one then to represent a perfect arrangement, for our God and Father who is the Author of the Holy Scriptures had a very deliberate plan in just how and when He would bring forth His Son into the world. And so from Abraham to David there are listed fourteen generations which cover the establishment of God’s Covenant, Nation, and Christ’s Future Throne. The next fourteen generations then cover Israel as a divided nation, whose kings largely led them into apostasy (consider Ezekiel 43:6-9), and ultimately into their 70 year captivity in Babylon (historically recorded for us in the Books of I and II Kings/Chronicles. Now in spite of this God’s timing and redemption plans for both His people and all of believing humanity was neither subverted nor thwarted. For the Sovereign God of all things in all places and at all times is never taken by surprise by what we do or don’t do. The final phase then tracts the Israelites who came up from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple (according to the Word of the Lord; historically recorded for us in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah), who unknown to them at that time were preparing the way for Christ’s arrival, which as the prophet Daniel also foretold would take place after several nations had first risen and fallen. And so Matthew in this last section of the genealogical record of the birth of Christ brings us to what would have been their present day, and thus to God fulfilling His Word about His Son the Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world according to it. Joseph and Marry then being the last listed as the humble and obscure family chosen by God through whom the Lord Jesus Christ would come into the world (Vs. 16). And so Matthew in the first seventeen verses of his Gospel has recorded for us the principal genealogical lineage that the Lord Jesus Christ chose in becoming a Man, the Son of Man; whose right and privilege as the Heir of all that God has prepared and established for Him to inherit through His own Word has become through His own obedience to the Word of God not only our Savior, Judge and King, but also He is the Lord God Almighty from Everlasting to Everlasting.

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Matthew 1:1-16

 ¹ The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: ² Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. ³ Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. ⁴ Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. ⁵ Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, ⁶ and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷ Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. ⁸ Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. ⁹ Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. ¹⁰ Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. ¹¹ Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. ¹² And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. ¹³ Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. ¹⁴ Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. ¹⁵ Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. ¹⁶ And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. ¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

Commentary

Vs. 1 Now Matthews Gospel opens up with a profound declaration about the Author and Finisher of our salvation: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham”… And so two things are readily apparent in Matthews Gospel’s opening; first is that the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth as a Man, following a very specific lineage according to the Word of God that said He would do just that. Second is that He was not going to be just any man but the Man whom God had for generations foretold and ordained that through Him He would bring salvation not only to His own chosen people, but also through the Christ He would bring salvation to the ends of the earth. And so Matthew’s Gospel opens with establishing the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth right as the Messiah through the linage of David (as the promised Root or Branch that would descend through David (see Isaiah 11:1, 10, 53:2; Rom 15:12 etc.) so as to reveal to us all that the Lord Jesus Christ has come in fulfillment of God’s Word. Immediately following or linked with that then is the tracing of the Lord Jesus Christ’s descendency from David right back to Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel, and more importantly the father of our Faith, because it was with Abraham that God made the covenant promise of justification by faith in His Person. And so right from the beginning verse one establishes Jesus Christ as the promised “Son” (i.e. descendant) of David in accord with the lineage of Abraham, through whom God’s Salvation and thus His New Covenant and Promises come to be enacted in our own lives the moment we repent and believe in Him.  

Vs. 2-16 ² Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. ³ Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. ⁴ Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. ⁵ Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, ⁶ and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷ Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. ⁸ Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. ⁹ Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. ¹⁰ Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. ¹¹ Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. ¹² And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. ¹³ Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. ¹⁴ Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. ¹⁵ Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. ¹⁶ And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

Verses two through sixteen then record and establish the exact linage that Jesus Christ followed in becoming a Man, beginning with Abraham and then moving forward from there to David; the two most prominent men in that list; prominent because God through them not only established the means of our salvation, by faith alone, but also it is through David that God established the Throne for His own Son to reign on. And so the point of tracing Jesus’ lineage back to Abraham is that Abraham is the one through whom God made the Covenant Promise with, and thus it is through him that the Covenant Nation was born (see Gen. 17:14). And so it is through the nation of Israel that God has brought forth His own Son, so as to bring forth His Redemption and Salvation and thus His Everlasting Covenant to each and everyone who likewise believes in Him (Gen 15:6). As well then (and of equal importance) through Abraham God’s Promise of eternal salvation by faith alone comes (Rom 4:9-23). And so having true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ trusting in Him and Him alone is the only way to have God’s salvation. And thus Abraham is rightly called in the Scriptures the father of every believing Jew and Gentile who simply and unconditionally believes in the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 4:16).

Now following Jesus’ linage to David and onto Joseph and Marry is also very significant and critically important, since it was through David that God has established the Lord Jesus Christ’s Kingship and Throne. And so knowing these things, that these two pivotal men in God’s redemption plans for us all who believe in Him, were themselves not the fulfillment of God’s Promises and Prophecies but were the men whom God brought forth and established, so that He could set up His Holy Nation and Throne of His own Son in the fulfillment of time of His Word for us all (holy nation beginnings Exodus 19:6, fulfillment 1 Peter 2:9). Now most of the persons and names listed in Matthew’s genealogical list would have been understood by Matthew and the Jews of his generation, but will be obscure to most of us unless we are avid Bible students. Nonetheless the names listed there do give some real insights into the Scriptures and God’s redemption plans that did not follow a nice clean path, but quite knowingly and deliberately God included in His own Sons mortal genealogy those who were less then blameless in the sight of God, opening then the door for the redemption and salvation of everyone who is likewise less than blameless in the sight of God. 

For the Lord Jesus Christ in following a specific lineage in becoming a Man has not only fulfilled God’s Promises about Himself, but by doing so He has opened the door for the redemption of every believing Jew and Gentile through Himself (John 14:6), something that was not so freely available to one and to all before His own life and then death on the Cross (John 3:16). And so in becoming a Man, Jesus did not follow a “blameless” or “perfect” linage, because no one this side of eternity is sinless in the sight of God. And so though Sinless and Blameless, as both the Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus’ path into humanity took a very direct and certain path through the linage of Abraham and then David that the Word of God foretold that the Christ would come that would make Him to be a descendant of both righteous men and women, and not so righteous men and women, all which becomes readily apparent when one examines the names and persons on that registry. For though Jesus was numbered with transgressors on the Cross, according to and in fulfillment of the Word of God’s prophecies about His doing so for our redemption from sin and death (Isaiah 53). Jesus in choosing that path of ancestry was also quite intentionally and deliberately aligning Himself with all of us who were once far off from God, who were not even of the covenant people of God, and thus who could claim no rights to God’s covenant or God’s promises until the Lord Jesus Christ came in fulfillment of them all, for us all. Something which the Apostle Paul makes abundantly clear when he states in the Book of Ephesians: “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called ^uthe Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” ^{Eph. 2:11-13}

And that is where Matthews Gospel and every Biblical Gospel written about the Lord Jesus Christ leads us too, to an exclusive faith In the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became the Son of Man for our Everlasting Redemption from sin and death, which becomes enacted in our own lives by the Spirit of God the moment we repent and believe in Him. Something that I now urge you to do so that you may have remission of all your sins and new and everlasting the moment you believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself. For only in Christ Jesus do you have all of God’s Promises enacted in your own person and life, therefore don’t delay be reconciled to God today!

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

 

Jephthah (Judges 11:1-12:7)

Jephthah was a man of unfortunate life circumstances. Born the son of a harlot he was considered an outsider by the community even though his father Gilead the son of Machir was the founder of the Gileadites and was the grandson of Manasseh. Nonetheless Jephthah’s father instead of covering up his liaison will bring Jephthah into his home and raise him as his own son. Which speaks to his integrity and love for Jephthah. In time Gilead’s wife also bore him sons but Jephthah being the son of a “strange women” never held their favor. And when Gilead dies Jephthah’s brothers along with the community elders unceremoniously disinherit him and drive him away even though Jephthah is the first-born son and rightful heir (Judges 11:2, 7). In other words Jephthah’s genealogy should’ve put him in line to inherit his father’s position as tribal head of the Gileadites. But having no means of appeal Jephthah to save his life flees to the land of Tob. (Now Japheth’s being disinherited and driven away reminds of the Lord Jesus’ parable to Israel’s elders when in it Jesus says to them that they too seek to kill the rightful heir and steal his inheritance for themselves). Now Tob was a land whose name meant bountiful but in reality was a frontier town beyond the eastern boundaries of Gilead before the Syrian Desert. Once there the disenfranchised Jephthah will assemble a “band of raiders” (What the New King James Version calls worthless men); and will go out raiding the surrounding region. Now unlike Abimelech Gideon’s illegitimate son who likewise assembled men to himself and then murdered all but one of Gideon’s legitimate sons in a power grab. Jephthah’s return will not come by his own designs. But by the Sovereign hand of God when in a move of desperation the elders of Gilead because of a looming Ammonite invasion seek out Jephthah whose reputation, as a man of valor had become well known throughout the territory. Ironically then it will be the same elders that drove Jephthah away that will now seek his help in their time of need. On this point the Believers Bible Commentary notes: “In some ways Jephthah reminds us of the Lord Jesus: There was a shadow over his birth and he was rejected by his brethren. When they got into bondage they remembered him and called upon him as their savior; and in agreeing to help the Gileadites, Jephthah agreed to be their savior but insisted on being their lord as well.”^[i]

Thus Jephthah’s initial reply to them when they seek him in the land of Tob, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” ^{Judges 11:7} Reveals the less then cordial manner in which he was exiled.

Yet Jephthah’s further reply “if you take me home to fight against the Ammonites and the Lord delivers them to me will I be your head?” Reveals that Jephthah believed Gilead was his home and they were his brethren though initially he doubts their sincerity when they seek him out to help them. And it’s easy to see why. It’s hard to trust people who are so unscrupulous. Yet they’re acting no differently towards Jephthah then they acted towards the Lord God of Israel when they first sought Him out in their distress (See Judges 10:10-14).

Nonetheless Jephthah was no saint (nor were the people he will rescue). Jephthah like us all was a sinful man who like us all needed to repent of his own sins and that he will do at Mizpah where with Gilead’s elders and all the people assembled Jephthah will repeat his words before the Lord God of Israel (Judges 11:10-11). Meaning he will enter into a solemn covenant with God, in essence it is there where Jephthah experiences conversion. Now the name Mizpah is also important for it means watchtower, and it implies God’s watching over the affairs of the nation or an individual. Therefore it will be there that Jephthah defines himself as a man of God (not just by the great deliverance that God later works through him on the battlefield, 1 Sam. 12:11) but right there when Jephthah is reconciled back to his brethren and places his and the peoples fate in the Lord’s hand. Therefore it will be God who will lead His beleaguered people on to victory over the encroaching Ammonites. Still that God would anoint with His Spirit a man utterly disqualified according to some people’s interpretations of the Law (Deut. 23:1-3) speaks volumes of God’s redemptive prowess even in the Old Covenant era. Therefore God does not disqualify anyone from Himself based on their lives circumstances. Individuals are often born into circumstances that they cannot change and frequently do things in their lives they cannot undo. That is why we all need a Savior and not merely Law. Jephthah’s story then reminds us all that no one is excluded from the heavenly congregation who likewise repents and puts their faith in God.

Jephthah’s first move then will be to dispatch envoys to the Ammonite king to inquire as to why the aggression. The Ammonite kings response though is short and unapologetic. And with that Jephthah redispatches them to make his case clear and indisputable (Judges 11:14-28), and seeing that God honors Jephthah’s diplomacy efforts and anoints him with the Holy Spirit for battle. With that Jephthah moves his forces decisively towards the Ammonites.

Now Jephthah will make a vow before going into battle that if the Lord will grant him victory over Ammonites he will offer Him whoever comes out of his house first as a burnt offering. Meaning their life would be non-redeemable, and would have to be wholly sacrificed to the Lord. Similarly on the battlefields of life men and women often utter their own solemn promises to the Lord before facing their own battles. What sets Jephthah apart will not be that he avoids this, but that he will keep his word even if it costs him whom he loves most; his only child. In so doing Scripture will record Jephthah’s name amongst the great men of the era: Gideon, Barak, Samson, David and Samuel not for his skill on the battlefield but rather for his faithfulness to God. Jephthah then upon his victorious arrival home and seeing his daughter coming out of his house rejoicing is devastated. Yet it is his daughter who will affirm the solemn oath of her father and encourage him to keep his vow to the Lord. She only requests a few months to mourn her virginity with her friends on the mountains of Gilead, which Jephthah will grant her and upon her return they will mutually fulfill his vow to the Lord. Jephthah’s daughter will not marry and Scripture records that Jephthah himself will have no other children; Jephthah’s name and legacy will be left in the Lord’s care.

Thus in a strange twist of irony two illegitimate children (Jephthah and his daughter) will show themselves faithful to the Lord God of Israel by keeping their word to the Lord amidst a generation that frequently would not. Jephthah then stands for us all as a lesson that anyone regardless of their background or past lives can likewise hold high esteem in the eyes of Lord who measures all people not by their pedigree or by their mistakes rather by their commitment and faith to Him (1 Sam. 12:11; Heb. 11:32-40). 

Scripture Quotations:

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Additional Resources Cited

---

^[i]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville