Twentieth Century New Testament - 04 - Matthew, Introduction and Chapters 1-4

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Gospel of Matthew Introduction and Chapters one through four
from the twentieth century New Testament. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording

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by Ja Carter www dot authentic light dot org. The
twentieth century New Testament by a company of about twenty scholars.
The Gospel of Matthew Introduction and Chapters one through four
Introduction the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, compiled at an

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uncertain date later than sixty a d. This gospel, in
common with the Gospel according to Saint Luke, incorporates the
greater part of the record of the ministry of Jesus
given in the Gospel according to Saint Mark. It is
probable that the compiler was able to make use of
the same sources as Saint Mark had at his disposal,
and perhaps even of Saint Mark's Gospel itself. Beyond this,

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he was able to add to that record a very
important collection of the sayings of Jesus, from some source
of which the compiler of the Gospel, according to Saint Luke,
was also able to avail himself. The Gospel in its
present form begins with a preface giving an account of
the birth of Jesus, and concludes with an appendix giving
an account of his resurrection. These are evidently from sources

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other than those from which the body of the work
was derived. The standpoint of the compiler of this gospel
is clearly that of a Jew, writing primarily for converts
from Judaism, one marked feature being the prominence given to
the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy. Chapter one, a Genealogy of
Jesus Christ, a descendant of David and Abraham. Abraham was

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the father of Isaac, Isaac of Jacob, Jacob of Judah,
and his Brothersda of Peas and Zara, whose mother was
Tamar Pees of Hesron, Hezron of Ram, Ram of A
Menidab a Menidab of Nashon, Nashon of Salmon, Salmon of Boaz,
whose mother was Raehab Boaz of Obed, whose mother was

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Ruth Obed of Jesse, Jesse of David the King. David
was the father of Solomon, whose mother was Uriah's widow,
Solomon of Rayeboam Rayebaham of Abijah, Abijah of Asa Asa
of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat of Jehoram, Jehoram of Usiah, Usiah of Jotham,

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Jotham of ahaz Ahaz of Hezekiah, Hezekiah of Manassa, Manassa
of Ammon, Ammon of Josiah, Josiah of Jekoniah and his
brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After
the exile to Babylon, Jekoniah was the father of Shialtia,
Schialtiel of zerubabl Zerubebel of Abiud, Abiyud of Eliakim, Eliakim

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of Atzor, Atzor of Zadok, Zadok of Akim, Akim of Eliud,
Eliud of Eliezar, Eliezar of Methan, Methan of Jacob, Jacob
of Joseph, the husband of Mary, who was the mother
of Jesus, who is called Christ. So the whole number

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of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen, from David
to the exile to Babylon fourteen, and from the exile
to Babylon to the Christ fourteen. The birth of Jesus
Christ took place as follows his mother Mary was betrothed
to Joseph, but before the marriage took place, she found
herself to be with child by the power of the

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Holy Spirit. Her husband, Joseph, was a religious man, and
being unwilling to expose her to contempt, resolved to put
an end to their betrothal. Privately, he had been dwelt
upon this when an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, Joseph son of David. The angel said,
do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife,

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for her child has been conceived by the power of
the Holy Spirit. She shall give birth to a son,
and you shall give him the name Jesus, for it
is he who shall save his people from their sins.
All this happened in fulfillment of these words of the
Lord in the Prophet, where he says, behold, the Virgin
shall be with child and shall give birth to a son,

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and they will give him the name Emmanuel, a word
which means God is with us. When Joseph awoke from
his sleep, he did as the Angel the Lord had
directed him. He made marry his wife, but did not
live with her as her husband until after the birth
of her son. And to this son he gave the
name Jesus. Chapter two. After the birth of Jesus at

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Bethlehem and Judae, in the reign of King Herod, some
astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking where is
the new born King of the Jews? For we saw
his star in the east and have come to do
homage to him. When King Herod heard of this, he
was much troubled, and so too was all Jerusalem. He
called together all the chief priests and teachers of the

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law in the nation and questioned them as to where
the Christ was to be born? At Bethlehem and Judea
was their answer, For it is said in the Prophet,
and thou Bethlehem and Judah's land art in no way
least among the chief cities of Judah. For out of
thee will come a chieftain, one who will shepherd my
people Israel. Then Herod secretly sent for the astrologers and

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ascertained from them the date of the appearance of the star,
and sending them to Bethlehem, he said, go and make
careful inquiries about the child, and as soon as you
have found him, bring me word that I too may
go and do homage to him. The astrologer just heard
what the king had to say, and then continued their journey,
and the star, which they had seen in the east,

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led them on until it reached and stood over the
place where the child was. At the sight of the star,
they were filled with joy. Entering the house, they saw
the child with his mother Mary, and fell at his
feet and did homage to him. Then they unpacked their
treasures and offered to the child presents of gold, frankencense,
and Mrhr. But afterwards, having been warned in a dream

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not to go back to Herod, they returned to their
own country by another road. After they had left, an
angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
and said, awake, take the child and his mother and
seek refuge in Egypt. Stay there until I bid you return,
for Herod is about to search for the child to
put him to death. Joseph awoke, and, taking the child

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and his mother by night, went into Egypt, and there
he stayed until Herod's death. In fulfillment of these words
of the Lord in the prophet where he says, out
of Egypt, I called my son. When Herod found that
he had been trifled with by the astrologers. He was
very angry. He sent and put to death all the

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boys in Bethlehem and the whole of that neighborhood who
were two years old or under guided by the date
which he had ascertained from the astrologers. Then were fulfilled
these words spoken in the prophet Jeremiah, where he says
a voice was heard in Ramah weeping and much lamentation. Rachel,
weeping for her children, refused all comfort because they were

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not But on the death of Herod, an angel of
the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
and said, awake, take the child and his mother, and
go into the land of Israel, for those who sought
to take the child's life are dead. And he awoke,
and taking the child and his mother, went into the
land of Israel. But here that Archelaus had succeeded his

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father Herod as king of Judea, he was afraid to
go back there, and having been warned in a dream,
he went into the part of the country called Galilee,
and there he settled in the town of Nazareth. In
fulfillment of these words in the prophets, he will be
called a Nazarene chapter three. About that time, John the

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Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea, repent
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. This is
he who was spoken of in the prophet Isaiah, where
he says, the voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness,
make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a belt

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of leather around his waist, and his food was locusts
and wild honey. At that time, Jerusalem and all Judea,
as well as the whole district of the Jordan, went
out to him and were baptized by him in the
River Jordan, confessing their sins. When, however, John saw many
of the Pharisees and Saddescees coming to receive his baptism,
he said to them, you brood of vipers, who has

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prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment. Let
your life then prove your repentance. And do not think
that you can say among yourselves, Abraham is our ancestor.
For I tell you that out of these very stones
God is able to raise descendants. For Abraham already the
axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore,
every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be

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cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize
you with water to teach repentance. But he who is
coming after me is more powerful than I, and I
am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His
winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will clear
his threshing floor and store his grain in the barn.

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But the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire. Then
Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to
be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent him.
It is I, he said, who need to be baptized
by you. Why then do you come to me? Let
it be so for the present, Jesus answered, since it

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is fitting for us thus to satisfy every claim of religion.
Upon this, John consented. After the baptism of Jesus, and
just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove and alighting upon him. And from the heavens there
came a voice which said, this is my son, the

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beloved in whom I delight Chapter four. Then Jesus was
led up into the wilderness by the spirit to be
tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted for
forty days and forty nights, he became hungry. And the
tempter came to him and said, if you are God's son,

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tell these stones to become loaves of bread. But Jesus
answered Scripture said, it is not on bread alone that
man is to live, but on every word that comes
from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him
to the Holy City, and, placing him on the parapet
of the temple, said to him, if you are God's son,

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throw yourself down. For Scripture says he will give his
angels commands about thee, and on their hands they will
upbear thee. Lest ever thou shouldst strike thy foot against
a stone. Scripture also says answered Jesus, thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God. The third time, the devil

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took Jesus to a very high mountain, and, showing him
all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, said
to him, all these I will give you if you
will fall at my feet and do homage to me,
then Jesus said to him, begone, Satan, for scripture says
thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God and

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worship him. Only then the devil left him alone and
came and ministered to him. When Jesus heard that John
had been committed to prison, he retired to Galilee. Afterwards,
leaving Nazareth, he went and settled at Capernaum, which is
by the side of the sea, within the borders of
Zebulun and Naphthalai. In fulfillment of these words in the

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prophet Isaiah, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthalaie,
the land of the road by the sea, and beyond
the Jordan with Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who
were dwelling in darkness have seen a great light. And
for those who were dwelling in the shadow land of death,
a light has risen. At that time Jesus began to

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proclaim repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea
of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon also known as Peter,
and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea,
for they were fishermen. Come and follow me, Jesus said,
and I will you to fish for men. The two

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men left their nets at once and followed him. Going
further on, he saw two other men who were also brothers,
James Zebediah's son and his brother John, in their boat
with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them, and
at once they left their boat and their father and
followed him. And Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in

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their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and
curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness
among the people, and his fame spread all through Syria.
They brought to him all who were ill with any
form of disease, or who were suffering pain, any who
were either possessed by demons, or were lunatic or paralyzed,
and he cured them. And he was followed by large

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crowds from Galilee, the district of the ten towns, Jerusalem, Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan. End of Chapters one through
four