Matthew: Jesus The King Of The Jews Part 3

The generation of Jesus Christ

In Matthew 1:1 the book of Matthew is declared to be the book of the generation of Jesus Christ.

“ The son of David, the son of Abraham” is not his Generation.

*Generation is often seen as those who came after. But it also identifies a group of people of the same period, or living at the same time. It can also be used as a family or specific group.

·       Generation is seen in 13 verses in Matthew. (1:1; 3:7; 11:6; 12:34,39,41,42,45; 16:4;17:17; 23:33,36; 24:34) This book of the generation of Jesus Christ tells of the viperous, evil, adulterous, wicked, faithless, perverse, hypocritical, condemned generation of Jews to whom Jesus Christ came as their king. This same generation is spoken of 4 times in Mark, 13 times in Luke.

·       The generation of Jesus Christ, according to the flesh, is the time in which Jesus lived. It started with his birth and ended with his death. The generation of Jews seen above was His generation spoken of in Mat 1:1.

·       Jesus, born king of the poorest sort of Jews. 2Kn 24:17, 14

In Mat 3:2, 4:11 the of kingdom of heaven is not offered

·       The Kingdom of heaven was at hand because King of the Jews was at hand. His closeness should bring repentance.

·       He did not offer a kingdom

In Acts 1:6-7 The apostles asked the risen Lord, “wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”

·       They knew Dan 7:27 promised a everlasting kingdom would be given to Israel where the “most High” will rule over all the nations of the earth..

·       Mat 25:31 the Son of Man will judge all nations

·       This is the kingdom the Jews looked for and expected their Messiah to usher in at that time. (1Kings 11:39)

·       Mat 24:36; 13:32, Acts 1:7 Only the Father knows the time this eternal kingdom will come. Jesus did not know the time.

·       He did know the Jews of His generation would have no part in the kingdom of Heaven.

·       Mat 23:13 His generation of Jews chose the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees over the king of the Jews.

·       Mat 16:15-19 V19 Will give the keys

Their rejection was foreknown by the Lord before He came. The church age and tribulation have to precede this kingdom.

**If Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews, did not come the first time to offer the Jews the Kingdom of heaven, what kingdom did He come to offer?

Matthew 6:33 is one of the most important verses in the New Testament. For that “generation of Jesus Christ” to receive anything offered by God through Jesus Christ they must first have the kingdom of God within them. This applies everyone today!

·       He did not come to sit on the throne as king of Israel or king of Judah. He will be king of Israel during the 1000 year reign of Christ and beyond as the Lamb.

·       He did not come the first time to usher in the kingdom of Heaven. He came to usher in the kingdom of God. This kingdom was first offered to the Jews by their King.

·       Romans 14:17 .  .  the kingdom of God is  .  .  .  righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Ø    John 16:7; 14:17 The kingdom of God came through His death, burial, resurrection and His ascension.

Ø    Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Ø    Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Ø    2Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Ø    Abraham believed God and had righteousness accounted unto him. Through Christ’s work upon the cross we are made the righteousness of God – in him. (Kingdom of God.)

·       (John 16:7; 20:22 with 1Cor 4:20) In John 20:22 they received the comfort; the power did not come until after He ascended to the Father.

·       16:19 What must be sought before the kingdom of heaven? (6:33) The kingdom of God.

The generation of Jesus Christ rejected Him as King of the Jews. They rejected the kingdom of God offered to them in 6:23. They did not believe the report of the prophets (Isa 53:1) as did the wise men from the east.

*Jesus Christ is seen in Matthew as the king rejected by His generation of evil Jews.

* Jesus Christ came to offer salvation to His generation, the individual Jews who rejected Him.

*Matthew is an indictment against His generation of perverse Jews.