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Matthew 1:18-24; The Birth of Jesus Christ (Word Study)
By
Mike Nappa
When Mary became pregnant with Jesus, she was “betrothed” to Joseph. Betrothal (in Hebrew, kiddushin) at that time was somewhat similar to our modern-day “engagement,” with a few significant exceptions. First, girls as young as twelve and boys as young as thirteen were considered old enough for betrothal and marriage. More importantly, this kind of…
Matthew 1:18-24; The Birth of Jesus Christ (Personality and Character Study)
By
Mike Nappa
The Bible actually says very little about Jesus’ adoptive father, Joseph. Here’s what we know: Joseph was a carpenter by trade (Matthew 13:55), which meant “building and repairing in wood, stone, or metal.” He had a reputation as “a just man” (Matthew 1:19), likely referring to his devout, religious character. He was compassionate, as seen…
Matthew 1:1-17; The Genealogy of Jesus (Cultural Commentary)
By
Mike Nappa
One unexpected aspect of Matthew’s genealogy is the deliberate identification of four women (in addition to Mary) in Jesus’ family tree. In the intensely patriarchal Jewish society of Jesus’ time, it was it unusual for any woman to be heralded in this way, let alone four of them. What’s more, the women Matthew chose all…
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