Matthew 1:1–17
Jesus Is the Promised Messiah
Matthew, also known as Levi, is the author of the first Gospel of the New Testament. One of his purposes in writing was to show that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. During this lesson, you will be able to learn about Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah and feel a greater appreciation for Him.
Prepare for class. When students come to class prepared, they invite the Holy Ghost to teach them and are in a better position to help other students learn. You can help students come prepared for class in a variety of ways. Seek to extend invitations to students that will help prepare their minds and hearts to learn by the Holy Ghost.
Student preparation: Invite students to come to class having thought about why Jesus Christ is important to them. They could also ask family or friends how they feel about the Savior.
Possible Learning Activities
Why Jesus Christ is important to you
Display an image of Jesus Christ, such as the one at the beginning of the lesson.
In our day, “there are many on the earth who know very little of Jesus Christ” (Neil L. Andersen, “We Talk of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 88).
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Why do you think there are many on the earth who know very little of Jesus Christ?
Imagine you have one minute to tell someone who is unfamiliar with Jesus Christ about who the Savior is and why He is important to you. Write “Jesus Christ” in the center of a sheet of paper or in your study journal. Surround His name with important details you would want to share in those 60 seconds. Consider adding other details to your paper throughout the lesson.
Invite a few volunteers to share something they put on their paper. If students completed the preparation activity, consider also having them report on what they learned about why Jesus Christ is important to their friends or family.
You may want to watch the video “Who Is Jesus Christ? A 60-Second Overview” (1:22), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. As you watch, think about why Jesus Christ is still important to the world today, even for those who don’t know about Him.
Matthew testified that Jesus Christ was the Messiah
Help introduce the Gospel of Matthew to the students by sharing the following information.
Just as there are many in the world today who do not yet understand the significance of Jesus Christ, many who lived in the Savior’s time also did not recognize His importance.
Matthew was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 10:2–4) and was an eyewitness to many of the events he described from the Savior’s life. He wrote the Gospel of Matthew to help people, especially the Jews who did not believe in the Savior, recognize Jesus Christ for who He was. Matthew specifically emphasized the truth that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah by frequently referring to ancient prophecies about the Messiah that Jesus Christ fulfilled.
Matthew began his account by recording Jesus’s family history. He included important people and details (see Matthew 1:1–17). Read Matthew 1:16, looking for the phrase “Jesus, who is called Christ.” Consider underlining that phrase in your scriptures.
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What do you know about the meaning of the title “Christ”?
The Hebrew word for “Christ” is “Messiah.” Read the Bible Dictionary entry “Messiah ” to learn more about the meaning of this title and why many Jews did not accept Jesus as the Christ.
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What do you learn about the Savior’s mission by understanding His titles “Christ” and “Messiah”?
Anciently, people were anointed in preparation to perform special duties. The Gospel of Matthew is full of examples of Jesus Christ fulfilling ancient prophecies of what He was anointed to do. Look up two or three of these examples in your scriptures (see the following table). Think about why Heavenly Father revealed details about what Christ would do many years before Christ came.
Display the following table so students can look up the prophecies and their fulfillment.
|
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah |
Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
|---|---|
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham and of David (see Jeremiah 23:5–6; Genesis 22:18). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would be born of a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14; Alma 7:10). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would come from Nazareth (see 1 Nephi 11:13). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would heal the sick (see Isaiah 53:4; Mosiah 3:5). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would teach using parables (see Psalm 78:2). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah The Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey (see Zechariah 9:9). | Fulfillment through Jesus Christ |
Jesus Christ testified that He was the Messiah
Another fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy is recorded in Luke 4:16–21. When Jesus visited His hometown of Nazareth, He attended the synagogue (church) and read from the book of Isaiah a prophecy about the divine mission of the Messiah. After reading, Jesus proclaimed that He was the Messiah by stating that Isaiah’s prophecy was now fulfilled.
Read Isaiah 61:1–2, looking for what Isaiah prophesied the Messiah was anointed to do. Mark words or phrases that you feel show that Jesus Christ fits the descriptions Isaiah recorded.
You may also want to watch the video “Jesus Declares He Is the Messiah” from time code 0:00 to 2:05. This video is available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
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What words or phrases from Isaiah 61:1–2 are evidence to you that Jesus Christ is the prophesied Messiah?
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How has the Savior fulfilled any of these prophecies in your life or in the life of someone you know?
Add details about Jesus Christ to the sheet of paper you started working on at the beginning of the lesson. Answer the following questions to help you think of details to add.
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What do you learn about Jesus Christ from these prophecies about the Messiah and their fulfillment?
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What did Jesus Christ come to earth to do? Why is it important to understand His mission?
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Why is Jesus Christ important to you?
Give students an opportunity to share what they learned about the Messiah. They could take a minute or two to share some of the details they added to their papers and bear testimony of Jesus Christ.
Commentary and Background Information
Why is Jesus Christ still important today?
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following testimony of Jesus Christ:
Like a guiding star in a clear, dark sky, Jesus Christ lights our way. He came to earth in a humble stable. He lived a perfect life. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He was a friend to the forgotten. He taught us to do good, to obey, and to love one another. He was crucified on a cross, rising majestically three days later, allowing us and those we love to live beyond the grave. With His incomparable mercy and grace, He took upon Himself our sins and our suffering, bringing forgiveness as we repent and peace in the storms of life. We love Him. We worship Him. We follow Him. He is the anchor of our souls.
(Neil L. Andersen, “We Talk of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 88)
Why is it significant that Jesus Christ was a descendant of David?
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
No single concept was more firmly lodged in the minds of the Jews in Jesus’ day than the universal belief that their Messiah would be the Son of David. … They looked for a temporal deliverer who would throw off the yoke of Roman bondage and make Israel free again. They sought a ruler who would restore that glory and worldwide influence and prestige which was enjoyed when the Son of Jesse sat on Israel’s throne.
(Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah [1978], 188)
Who are the women Matthew included in Christ’s genealogy?
“Tamar was from Adullam in Canaanite territory (see Genesis 38); Rahab was a Canaanite of Jericho (see Joshua 2:1–7); Ruth was a Moabitess before converting to Judaism (see Ruth 1:4); and Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, a Hittite (see 2 Samuel 11:3). Thus, all four [women] were either non-Israelites or associated with non-Israelites” (New Testament Student Manual [2018], 13). The inclusion of these women in the genealogy of Jesus Christ can teach us that God works with all people and through unexpected ways.
It is also proof that “personal righteousness is not dependent on possessing the ‘perfect’ lineage, since Jesus Christ’s lineage was not perfect. [And] the inclusion of women in the Savior’s [family history] reflects the important truth that men and women are equal in the eyes of God” (New Testament Student Manual, 13).
Supplemental Learning Activity
Understanding the importance of Jesus Christ
Give students the following scenario and questions:
You are having a conversation with a friend, who tells you: “I don’t understand why some people think so highly of Jesus Christ. There are so many great people in the world; I don’t see the point in elevating Jesus above others.”
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What might be your initial response to your friend’s statement?
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What do you think your friend might not understand about Jesus Christ?