Thru the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee

The audio on this video is the property of Thru the Bible. It is offered free of charge. If you wish to make a donation, do not send it to us. Visit www.ttb.org for information. The audio is attributed to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible. Intellectual property rights are those of Thru the Bible. Please contact us if you feel our understanding of the terms of use are in error. Copyright information obtained from https://ttb.org/about/copyright-policy Dr. McGee's message in these excerpts from his study of Matthew emphasizes that the Gospel of Matthew was specifically written to the nation of Israel and aims to demonstrate how the life and ministry of Jesus Christ fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies. He highlights the visit of the wise men, correcting the common misconception of there being only three and pointing out that their journey, prompted by a star (which he believes was a supernatural event, not merely astronomical), was in response to prophecies like Balaam's prophecy of a star coming out of Jacob. The gifts they brought had symbolic significance, with gold representing his kingship, frankincense his life, and myrrh his death. Dr. McGee explains the subsequent flight into Egypt and the return to Nazareth as literal fulfillments of Hosea 11:1 and Isaiah 11:1 (as it relates to being called a Nazarene) respectively, showing how God orchestrated events to align with prophecy. He underscores that these seemingly disparate prophecies were fulfilled literally and naturally. The introduction of John the Baptist is presented as the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy of a messenger preparing the way for the Lord. John's message was one of repentancebecause the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, which Dr. McGee clarifies as the rule of heaven over the earth, present in the person of the King. The baptism of Jesus by John was not for Jesus' own repentance, as he was sinless, but rather for him to identify with sinful mankind and to fulfill all righteousness. Dr. McGee also notes that it set him aside for his office as priest, with the Holy Spirit descending upon him. The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness was a genuine test, but Dr. McGee insists that Jesus could not have fallen. This test was to prove and demonstrate his perfect character, contrasting it with the temptation of Eve. Jesus consistently used scripture to overcome Satan's temptations, highlighting the importance of knowing and using the Word of God. Dr. McGee also raises the point that the devil seemed to have the authority to offer Jesus the kingdoms of the world. Dr. McGee then discusses Jesus moving his headquarters from Nazareth to Capernaum, explaining this as another fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah, bringing light to the region of Galilee of the Gentiles. Jesus continued the message of repentance and the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven, echoing John the Baptist. He called his first disciples, promising to make them "fishers of men". Jesus' ministry in Galilee involved teaching, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and performing numerous healings, demonstrating his power and authority. Dr. McGee concludes by mentioning the Sermon on the Mount as the manifesto of the King.

The audio on this video is the property of Thru the Bible. It is offered free of charge. If you wish to make a donation, do not send it to us. Visit www.ttb.org for information. The audio is attributed to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible. Intellectual property rights are those of Thru the bible. Please contact us if you feel our understanding of the terms of use are in error. Copyright information obtained from https://ttb.org/about/copyright-policy Dr. McGee's message in this excerpt from his discourse on the Gospel of Matthew begins by underscoring the vital importance of understanding the approximately 400-year intertestamental period between the Old and New Testaments. During this time of divine silence, significant global shifts occurred, witnessing the decline of the Medo-Persian and Egyptian empires and the rise of Greece under Alexander the Great, who even visited Jerusalem. Subsequently, the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant world power by the time the New Testament opens. Internally, Judea underwent a radical transformation, with new cultural norms, institutions, and organizations developing, giving rise to the Jewish parties mentioned in the New Testament, such as the Pharisees (defenders of Jewish tradition and nationalists), the Sadducees (wealthy, liberal in theology, and opposed to tradition), the scribes (legal experts focused on the letter of the law), and the Herodians (political opportunists). Dr. McGee emphasizes that understanding this historical context is crucial for appreciating the New Testament. He then turns his attention to the Gospel of Matthew, stating that it was written primarily for the nation of Israel, a religious people, and possibly was first penned in Hebrew. He considers Matthew a key book that bridges the Old Testament and the New, gathering numerous Old Testament prophecies and showing their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. A central theme in Matthew is the Kingdom of Heaven, an expression unique to this Gospel, which Dr. McGee defines as the reign of the heavens over the Earth, clearly distinguishing it from the church. The genealogy that opens Matthew's Gospel is deemed a profoundly important document, establishing Jesus' lineage from Abraham, which places him within the chosen nation, and from avid, which gives him the legal claim to the throne. This genealogy was a matter of public record and its accuracy was not challenged in early times. Dr. McGee draws a significant parallel between the "book of the generation of Adam" in Genesis and "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ" in Matthew, highlighting that while entrance into Adam's family is by natural birth, entry into Christ's family occurs through the New Birth by faith in Christ. He also points out the remarkable inclusion of four women—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba—and Gentiles in Jesus' genealogy, which was unconventional for the time, suggesting themes of sin, faith, grace, and God's redemptive purposes. He explains the seemingly broken pattern in verse 16, where it states "Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus," clarifying that while Joseph provides the legal title to David's throne (being in the line of David through Solomon), he was not Jesus' biological father due to the curse on Jeconiah's line; Mary, also of the lineage of David (through Nathan), was the one who bore Jesus. A cornerstone of Dr. McGee's message is the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that Matthew explicitly teaches that Joseph was not Jesus' father and sees this as the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel". He strongly criticizes liberal interpretations that attempt to translate the Hebrew word *alma* and the Greek word parthenos as "young woman" instead of "virgin," arguing that the Septuagint translation by Hebrew scholars clearly understood it to mean virgin. Dr. McGee underscores the profound significance of the name Emmanuel meaning "God with us," asserting that Jesus can only be the Savior (Jesus) because he is Emmanuel through the Virgin Birth. He firmly believes that while one might initially come to Christ without fully understanding the Virgin Birth, a true child of God will not ultimately deny this foundational doctrine.