New Testament Lesson 04 - “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”

Lesson 4: “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”

New Testament Class Member Study Guide, (1997), 3

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What message did John preach to prepare the people for the coming of the Savior? (See Matthew 3:1–2.) What does it mean to repent? (See 2 Corinthians 7:9–10; Luke 19:8; Mosiah 7:33; D&C 1:31–32; 58:42–43.)

As you read about the Savior’s encounter with Satan in the wilderness, what do you learn about withstanding temptation? (See Matthew 4:1–11. See also the footnotes to Matthew 4:1–2, 5–6, 8–9, and 11, which contain the Joseph Smith Translation of these verses.)

After receiving a witness that Jesus was the Messiah, how did Philip answer Nathanael’s doubts? (See John 1:43–46.) What can you do to invite others to “come and see” the Savior?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Prepare a lesson to help family members who are preparing forbaptism or to discuss ways to help converts who will soon be baptized. Discuss why Jesus needed baptism (Matthew 3:13–15;2 Nephi 31:6–9) and why we need baptism (2 Nephi 31:5, 10–12;D&C 20:71–73; 49:13–14). Invite family members who have been baptized to tell about when they were baptized and express their feelings about the blessings they have received because they were baptized.

Scripture Chain: Repentance

• Luke 15:3–10

• 2 Corinthians 7:9–10

• Alma 34:31–34

• 1 John 1:8–9

• Matthew 3:1–2

• D&C 58:42–43

 

Start Lesson

New Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 4 - “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord”
Matthew 3-4, John 1:35-51
Jesus’ baptism
Matthew 3:13-17

John baptizing Jesus
Early Christians viewed the baptism of Christ as a singular event. Many Gnostic Christians, in particular, viewed Jesus’ baptism as the specific event that denoted his becoming Christ. Some early sects used the text in Luke regarding Jesus’ baptism to demonstrate this, as some early manuscripts of Luke have God’s voice stating, “Thou art my Son. Today I have begotten/chosen you.”

Early Beliefs

Matthew 3 ¹ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

² And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

³ For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

⁴ And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

⁵ Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

⁶ And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

The mission of John the Baptist is one of the few areas where all four gospels converge. 

In comparing the accounts, it is interesting to note that two Gospel authors passed over the story of Jesus’ birth (Mark and John), only two provided a genealogical introduction (Matthew and Luke), and one (John) looked back at Jesus in premortality, but all four of them introduced Jesus’ ministry by introducing John the Baptist. (Holzapfel, Making Sense of the New Testament)

At the time of the Savior and in the centuries following, there were several “types” of Christianity.  Bart Ehrman, a biblical scholar, specifies who these Christians groups were. He indicates the Jewish-Christian gospels, included the Ebionites, the Hebrews, the Nazarenes, the Marcionites and the Gnostics.

Ebionites.  “Ebionite” means “poor” in Hebrew.  The Ebionite Christians saw Jesus as a Jewish prophet more important than Moses, perhaps even the Messiah, but they did not see him as God.  To them we owe the inclusion of the Hebrew scriptures in Christian canons.  They insisted on the necessity of Jewish law and rites.  More importantly for us, to Ebionites (and Mormons) there would be no purely spiritual Jesus.  Issues of the substance of the Savior (and God) and their personalities did not concern the Ebionites (as they largely do not concern us). 

Marcionites.  The Marcionite Christians take their name from a Christian gentile who rejected all things Jewish (except Jesus).  Their efforts were the first attempt to create a Christian canon as they tried to remove all things Jewish. They accepted Paul’s rejection of the Jewish law.  Latter-day saints would agree in general with Marcion that one need not be bound by the strictures of the Jewish law. While they were once widespread, they, like the Ebionites disappeared. 

Gnostics.  The gnostics (“gnosis” is “knowledge”, or “knowing”) shunned the material world (thus an anti-gnostic, or agnostic is one who “doesn’t know”, as opposed to an atheist who does not believe).  They believed in a spiritual Jesus, that Jesus was not flesh at all.  This belief, in a “spiritual-only” Jesus is called Docetism.  Docetism became so connected with the gnostics that they are sometimes not separated as they should be.  Gnostics/Docetists believe that since Jesus doesn’t have a body, it was not necessary to know him in the flesh.  While neither Paul nor Joseph Smith would have denied Jesus’ flesh, both knew him spiritually through revelation. 

Some Gnostics went so far as to believe that Jesus and Christ were two separate beings. The mortal Jesus was baptized, upon which the Spirit of Christ entered into him, and remained with him until the cross. When Jesus exclaims, “My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” it is because the Christ has left the mortal to suffer on the cross alone.

For his sacrifice, the dead Jesus is resurrected and given a great responsibility to teach the apostles. It would be due to such heresies that the apostle John and others would warn of anti-Christ's: those who claimed the Christ never was mortal or resurrected.

Today, modern revelation through latter-day prophets show that Christ’s work began before the world began. Nephi saw in vision the birth of Christ by the virgin Mary, and this event was one of two condescension's of God, the other being Jesus’ baptism (1 Nephi 15). Each of these events is a sign of his divinity, as Christ was fully human, but also fully divine. That even God had to receive the ordinances of the Gospel meant that he was not above men. It also meant that as he would later be lifted up on the cross, he would be able to lift up those who followed him.

It is quite impressive to see the wide-ranging beliefs about the Savior in the early years.  In reality, with the large number of sects of our day, we are not that much different. 

Matthew 3 ⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸ Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

⁹ And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

¹⁰ And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

The Christianity we have today was, at the time of Christ was one of many forms of Christianity.  It was lined up next to the Ebionite, the Marcionites, the Gnostics…etc.  How you viewed these scriptures depended on which “Christianity” you followed.  Over the first few centuries after Christ, the different schools, merged, evolved, some disappeared, until there was a victor.  It was the Universal Church.  The term ‘catholic’ means “universal” and that was the branch that took over and became “orthodox.  Their view would continue largely uncontested for over a millennia. 

It was the universal church who decided which books to include and which to exclude.  It decided which beliefs were “orthodox” and which were heretical and needed to be purged.  Now, with the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Nag Hammadi texts we get a picture of these “other” Christianity's, the exact heresies that were stamped out by the universal church in the first few centuries after Christ and the beliefs that were allowed to go forward.

You will find a bit of Mormonism in the Ebionite beliefs, in the Marcionite beliefs, in the gnostics, etc.  Remember, they all started out with a bit of truth and then took that truth and developed it as best they could.  When the Universal Church consolidated it’s power, all (or most)  of these heresies were stamped out.  So were many of these early beliefs.  They became heresies.  The modern gospel, and living prophets, gives us a way to sort out the truth from these early belief systems that is not available to those outside the church. 

John continues to direct his comments to the Pharisees and Sadducees that have come.

Matthew 3 ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

¹² Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

And then Jesus comes for his baptism to fulfill all righteousness. 

Matthew 3 ¹³ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

¹⁴ But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

¹⁵ And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

¹⁶ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

¹⁷ And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Listen to the flow of verse 15-17 in the Complete Jewish Bible…

CJB Matthew 3 ¹⁵ However, Yeshua answered him, “Let it be this way now, because we should do everything righteousness requires.” Then Yochanan let him.¹⁶ As soon as Yeshua had been immersed, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, he saw the Spirit of God coming down upon him like a dove,¹⁷ and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him.”

In the Gospel of John it appears that John the baptist does not know the Savior when he appears, an unusual thing since they were related…

John 1 29 ¶The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

But this is clarified by modern prophets in the JST (emphasis mine)

John JST 1 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and said; Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world!

30 And John bare record of him unto the people, saying, This is he of whom I said; After me cometh a man who is preferred before me; for he was before me, and I knew him, and that he should be made manifest to Israel; therefore am I come baptizing with water. (this verse combines 30-31 above)

31 (compare v 32) And John bare record, saying; When he was baptized of me, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

32 (compare v 33) And I knew him; for he who sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me; Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

33 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

How you interpret that passage, if you live in the first few centuries after Christ, depends to which school of Christianity you subscribed.  You may have believed that Christ was already God.  Or that Christ became God at that moment.  Or that Christ was purely a spirit and the appearance of him as physical was an illusion.  Or that Christ had a spiritual form and a physical form that merged here at the baptism and then split at the crucifixion. 

In reality, how you interpret that passage, if you live NOW, depends on which school of Christianity you subscribe.  Without prophetic  assistance, we float on a sea of different beliefs, just as does the rest of the world.  Just as did the world at the time of the Savior.

We believe, that In considering Jesus’ baptism, we can see that it was a day in which he was chosen or spiritually begotten, just as all of us are spiritually begotten of God when we are baptized. It officially began his earthly mission, which culminated not on the cross, but at his resurrection.

Matthew 3:16–17 and Luke 3:21–22 record material that Matthew and Luke share but which is not found in the Gospel of Mark. It is possible that both Matthew and Luke used an external source when writing their Gospels, but it is also possible that they drew upon the Gospel of Mark as a source and then drew upon the other Gospel (Matthew drawing upon Luke, or vice versa, depending on which was written first) as a second source; three sections in the Gospel of Mark are preserved nowhere in Matthew and Luke: Mark 1:1; 3:19–21; 4:26–29; 7:31–37; 8:22–26; 14:51–52; 16:14–18. Because Luke so explicitly mentions that he used sources when writing (1:1–3), it is possible that he drew on both Matthew and Mark. (Holzapfel, Making Sense of the New Testament).

Temptation in the Wilderness

Immediately after the Savior’s mission starts with his baptism, he goes to the wilderness for the 40-day fast and confrontation with Satan.

Matthew 4 ¹ Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. ² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; righteous men do not seek out temptation. He went "to be with God." Probably he was visited by the Father; without question he received transcendent spiritual manifestations. The temptations came after he "had communed with God," "after forty days." The same was true in the case of Moses. He communed with God, saw the visions of eternity, and was then left unto himself to be tempted of the devil. After resisting temptation he again communed with Deity, gaining further light and revelation. (McConkie)

Matthew 4 ³ And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

⁵ Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

⁷ Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

⁸ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

¹¹ Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Lucifer did not transport Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple or into a high mountain. Such is not his power or prerogative. In each instance Jesus was taken to these locales by the Spirit, and then the devil came to tempt him. Nor did Lucifer show him all the kingdoms of the world; such was done by the Spirit; it was after he had seen the vision that the devil made his false offer. (McConkie)

Moses and Jesus both fasted for 40 days, prior to beginning an important mission for God. Moses’ fasting brought forth the Ten Commandments for Israel to follow, Jesus’ fasting would allow him to call his apostles and begin his preaching. While the children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness due to disobedience, and the earth was destroyed by 40 days of flooding; Jesus came to save the disobedient and rebellious. His 40 days would prepare him to take upon himself their sins, even the pains and sorrows of the whole world.

Jesus then experienced three temptations, even the three main temptations any of us face in our own lives: temptations of the flesh, pride, and the riches and power of the world. In each instance, Jesus did not discuss the temptation with Satan. Nor did he evaluate or consider all aspects of it, especially when Satan quoted scripture to him. Instead, the Savior quoted scripture to establish the right. Only in quickly and fully dismissing the temptation was Jesus triumphant, and he shows us that pattern in doing so. Had he stopped to think about it in the moment, rather than making the complete decision before and in its final form, he would have faltered and failed. If we choose ahead of time what our full decision must be, then in the moment of temptation, we will not have to think twice. The decision will already be made.

While Jesus was tempted with hunger (turn stone into bread), we also face the temptation of many other physical appetites: lust, desire, jealousy, anger, doubt, fear. Each of these can crush our spirit, as the physical body seeks to overthrow it, because it wants its appetites sated. But physical appetites never are satisfied. As with a fire, when you add wood, it only grows hotter and higher. Jesus understood that you starve a fever, or any other physical temptation.

In the Book of Mormon, we find that: “Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction” (Moroni 8:27). Pres Ezra Taft Benson, in warning us against pride, noted:

“Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance....Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.
The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.”

Satan was hitting Jesus below the belt. He sought to create enmity between God and God, Father and Son, by tempting Jesus to misuse his powers. The temple’s corner was very high, and below it was one of the major market places in the city. For Jesus to toss himself down and be caught by angels would mean all of Jerusalem would quickly know that Jesus had huge powers. Rather than quietly using those powers to bless others, it would have only been used to satisfy his own pride, instantly distancing himself from Heavenly Father, and invalidating his ability to save mankind.

In the third temptation, for Satan to insist Jesus worship him in exchange for great wealth and power was a sign of pure hubris. Nothing belongs to Satan, and everything already belongs to God! Satan was cast out of heaven for trying to place himself above the throne of Heavenly Father, and now sought to place himself above the Son of God, by having Jesus worship him!

Matthew 4 ¹² Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

Traditionally identified as occurring at the beginning of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, John’s imprisonment marks the transition between the rise of Jesus and the fading of John the Baptist, who had prophesied, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Fortunately, we have another source that provides information regarding John’s ministry, including his arrest. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that John the Baptist was “a good man and had urged the Jews—if inclined to exercise virtue, to practice justice toward one another and piety toward God—to join in baptism.” Additionally, he noted, “Herod [Antipas], fearing that John’s great influence over the people might result in some form of insurrection (for it seemed that they did everything by his counsel), thought it much better to put him to death. . . . So the prisoner, because of Herod’s suspicion, was sent to Machaerus, the stronghold previously mentioned” (Antiquities 18:116–19). John’s arrest and imprisonment were a warning to Jesus. Certainly, Jesus understood the implication—he too could be arrested. (Holzapfel)

Matthew 4 ¹³ And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

¹⁴ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

¹⁵ The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

¹⁶ The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Most scholars agree that Jesus was known for teaching and healing. Josephus noted, “At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of amazing deeds, a teacher of persons who receive truth with pleasure. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks” (Antiquities 18:63). (Holzapfel)

The quote in vs 15-16 is from Isaiah 9:1-2

Isaiah 9 ¹ Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

² The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Then Jesus starts calling his apostles.

Matthew 4 ¹⁸ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

¹⁹ And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

²⁰ And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

²¹ And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

²² And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

²³ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

²⁴ And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

²⁵ And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

In calling his apostles the gospels of Mark and Luke mimic Matthew pretty closely.  John gives more details (John 1:35-51). 

John 1 ³⁵ Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

³⁶ And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

³⁷ And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

He indicates that some of Jesus’ earliest disciples were closely associated with John the Baptist.  Some believed, from the outset, that Jesus was the Messiah. 

John 1 ⁴¹ He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

Jesus is also identified as Rabbi. 

John 1 ³⁸ Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

⁴⁹ Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Nathanael makes the following comment

John 1 ⁴⁵ Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

⁴⁶ And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Come and see indeed.  Nathanael then has the following discussion with the Savior

John 1 ⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

⁴⁸ Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

⁴⁹ Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

⁵⁰ Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

⁵¹ And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Greater miracles we will all see by following the Savior.

Bibliography
Bart Ehrman, Jesus Interrupted: http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Interrupted-Revealing-Hidden-Contradictions/dp/0061173932
Bart Ehrman, Lost Christianities: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Christianities-Battles-Scripture-Faiths/dp/0195182499/ref=pd_sim_b_4
Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride:http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=d8ff27cd3f37b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
Karl D’s NT lesson 4:http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2011/01/16/new-testament-lesson-3-kd-matthew-3-4/
Jim F’s NT lesson 4:
http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2011/01/16/nt-sunday-school-lesson-4-jf-matthew-3-4-john-135-51/

New Testament Lesson 03 - “Unto You Is Born … a Saviour”

Lesson 3: “Unto You Is Born … a Saviour”

New Testament Class Member Study Guide, (1997), 3

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What were the circumstances of Jesus’ birth? (See Luke 2:7.) In what ways do people today refuse to make room for the Savior in their lives? What can you do to make room for him in your life?

Why did Jesus come to earth? (See 3 Nephi 27:13–16.)

What did the “wise men from the east” do when they found the child Jesus? (See Matthew 2:11.) What gifts can you offer to the Lord?

As a youth, Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). In other words, he developed intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially. What are some specific things you can do to grow intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read lines from several hymns or Primary songs about Jesus’ birth, and invite family members to identify the hymns or songs. Sing one of the hymns or songs as a family, and discuss the importance of remembering Jesus’ birth throughout the year rather than just during the Christmas season.

Scripture Chain: Jesus’ Birth

• Isaiah 9:6

• Helaman 14:1–8

• 1 Nephi 11:13–21

• Luke 2:7–14

Start Lesson

NT Gospel Doctrine Lesson 3 - Unto you is Born a Savior -
Matthew 2, Luke 2

Luke 2 and Matthew 2 are the Christmas story as we alluded last week.  However, we aren’t going to start there.  We are going back to the beginning and will tie back in with the Christmas story.

I’m going to refer to what is now called an apocryphal book, but is found in many ancient sources.  The First Book of Adam and Eve also called “The Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan”. 

In an introduction paragraph it says the following, referring to the story of the creation in Genesis. 

“The familiar version in Genesis (of Adam and Eve) is not the source of this fundamental legend, it is not a spontaneous, Heaven-born account that sprang into place in the Old Testament. It is simply a version, unexcelled perhaps, but a version of a myth or belief or account handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation of mankind-through the incoherent, unrecorded ages of man it came--like an inextinguishable ray of light that ties the time when human life began, with the time when the human mind could express itself and the human hand could write.” (The First Book of Adam and Eve, modern introduction)

“That the Adam and Eve story pervaded the thoughts of ancient writers is seen in the large number of versions that exist, or whose existence may be traced, through the writings of Greeks, Syrians, Egyptians, Abyssinians, Hebrews, and other ancient peoples.” 

There are parts of this particular story in the Talmud, the Koran and elsewhere showing the vital role it played.  This version is the work of unknown Egyptians and has been impossible to date.  This English version was translated by a Dr. Malan, Vicar of Broadwindsor who was translating from an Ethiopic edition in the 1920’s.

In the early text of Conflict of Adam and Eve Against Satan, the couple have been cast out of the Garden, and spend much of the 2 books mourning the loss of the beauty and glory of the Garden. After a series of events, where Satan tempts and tries Adam and Eve, he appears to them and tries them again.

In this instance, he appears with his demonic host as angels of light. Satan tells them that God has sent him to take them near the Garden, to be bathed or baptized in water, in order to be cleansed so they can re-enter the Garden. Adam and Eve follow Satan, who takes them to the top of a mountain, where he intends to push them off and kill them.  Chapter 28…

⁴ Then Satan, the hater of all good, said unto Adam, "O Adam, I am an angel of the great God; and, behold the hosts that surround me.
⁵ "God has sent me and them to take thee and bring thee to the border of the garden northwards; to the shore of the clear sea, and bathe thee and Eve in it, and raise you to your former gladness, that ye return again to the garden." …

¹⁰ But when they came to the mountain to the north of the garden, a very high mountain, without any steps to the top of it, the Devil drew near to Adam and Eve, and made them go up to the top in reality, and not in a vision; wishing, as he did, to throw them down and kill them, and to wipe off their name from the earth; so that this earth should remain to him and his hosts alone. (1st Book of Adam and Eve, chapter 28).

Satan pretended to be the chief of the host of heaven, Yahweh the Angel of the Lord’s Presence, and the Captain of the army or host of heaven. In this precarious position, God calls to Adam and warns him of the deception. Adam weeps and begs for some boon or blessing from the Garden. God calls forth his three main arch-angels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Chapter 29

¹ BUT when the merciful God saw that Satan wished to kill Adam with his manifold devices, and saw that Adam was meek and without guile, God spake unto Satan in a loud voice, and cursed him.
² Then he and his hosts fled, and Adam and Eve remained standing on the top of the mountain, whence they saw below them the wide world, high above which they were. But they saw none of the host which anon were by them.
³ They wept, both Adam and Eve, before God, and begged for forgiveness of Him.
⁴ Then came the Word from God to Adam, and said unto him, "Know thou and understand concerning this Satan, that he seeks to deceive thee and thy seed after thee."
⁵ And Adam wept before the Lord God, and begged and entreated Him to give him something from the garden, as a token to him, wherein to be comforted.
⁶ And God looked upon Adam's thought, and sent the angel Michael as far as the sea that reaches unto India, to take from thence golden rods and bring them to Adam.
⁷ This did God in His wisdom, in order that these golden rods, being with Adam in the cave, should shine forth with light in the night around him, and put an end to his fear of the darkness.
⁸ Then the angel Michael went down by God's order, took golden rods, as God had commanded him, and brought them to God. (chapter 29).

The Lord then called forth Gabriel, the angel of the Annunciation (Chapter 30):

¹ AFTER these things, God commanded the angel Gabriel to go down to the garden, and say to the cherub who kept it, "Behold, God has commanded me to come into the garden, and to take thence sweet smelling incense, and give it to Adam."
² Then the angel Gabriel went down by God's order to the garden, and told the cherub as God had commanded him.
³ The cherub then said, "Well." And Gabriel went in and took the incense.
⁴ Then God commanded His angel Raphael to go down to the garden, and speak to the cherub about some myrrh, to give to Adam.
⁵ And the angel Raphael went down and told the cherub as God had commanded him, and the cherub said, "Well." Then Raphael went in and took the myrrh.
⁶ The golden rods were from the Indian sea, where there are precious stones. The incense was from the eastern border of the garden; and the myrrh from the western border, whence bitterness came upon Adam.
⁷ And the angels brought these three things to God, by the Tree of Life, in the garden.
⁸ Then God said to the angels, "Dip them in the spring of water; then take them and sprinkle their water over Adam and Eve, that they be a little comforted in their sorrow, and give them to Adam and Eve.
⁹ And the angels did as God had commanded them, and they gave all those things to Adam and Eve on the top of the mountain upon which Satan had placed them, when he sought to make an end of them.
¹⁰ And when Adam saw the golden rods, the incense and the myrrh, he was rejoiced and wept because he thought that the gold was a token of the kingdom whence he had come, that the incense was a token of the bright light which had been taken from him, and that the myrrh was a token of the sorrow in which he was. (chapter 30, emphasis mine)

The Three Archangels with their Gifts

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
So the three arch-angels brought to Adam gifts or tokens from the Garden of Eden, to remind him of his former life in glory and paradise.

The Lord then explained to Adam and Eve (chapter 31):

¹ AFTER these things God said unto Adam, "Thou didst ask of Me something from the garden, to be comforted therewith, and I have given thee these three tokens as a consolation to thee; that thou trust in Me and in My covenant with thee.
² "For I will come and save thee; and kings shall bring me when in the flesh, gold, incense and myrrh; gold as a token of My kingdom; incense as a token of My divinity; and myrrh as a token of My suffering and of My death.
³ "But, O Adam, put these by thee in the Cave; the gold that it may shed light over thee by night; the incense, that thou smell its sweet savour; and the myrrh, to comfort thee in thy sorrow." (chapter 31)

Adam placed the tokens of the Garden in the Cave of Treasures and was comforted. The Cave of Treasures was the place where Adam and Eve dwelt after being cast out of the Garden and God's presence. It was a holy place, and would also become the tomb for Adam and many of his righteous descendants.

¹⁰ These remained by Adam in the House of Treasures; therefore was it called "of concealment." But other interpreters say it was called the "Cave of Treasures," by reason of the bodies of righteous men that were in it.
¹¹ These three things did God give to Adam, on the third day after he had come out of the garden, in token of the three days the Lord should remain in the heart of the earth.

¹² And these three things, as they continued with Adam in the cave, gave him light by night; and by day they gave him a little relief from his sorrow. (chapter 31)

Matthew 2

Matthew 2 ¹ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

² Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

³ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

⁵ And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

⁶ And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Herod questions the wise men and asks them to return and tell him when they have found the Christ. 

Matthew 2 ⁹ When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

¹¹ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

With the early story of Adam and Eve, God foreshadowed and foretold the birth of Christ, with the Magi bringing the sacred gifts to the holy child. Just as great beings brought the gifts from the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve, so the wise men brought the same gifts to Christ, recognizing his royalty, his life, and his death.

Now, as we read the Christmas Story in Matthew 2, we get this amazing tie-in or association with this earlier story.  This book, The First Book of Adam and Eve is not in our canon, but was highly regarded anciently.  As with all apocryphal sources, it should be read with some caution.  But this brings new and great meaning to the gifts that were brought by the wise man.  God sends his three archangels with gifts to Adam and Eve, then a representation of this to the Savior with the three wise men.

The gifts to Adam and Eve:

Gold: Represents the Kingdom of God

Frankincense: Represents God’s divinity

Myrrh: Represents the Suffering of God

We are not told the meaning of the gifts in the New Testament.  But knowing these earlier meanings…

Christ is now born – His kingdom has come – the gold

Christ is the Son of God – Divine in fact – the frankincense

Christ’s mission is set before him – he will suffer in life and with his death – the Myrrh

In attending the temple, we, as with Adam and Eve, receive the gifts of the Garden, that tie us to the birth of the Savior of all mankind. And in coming to Christ and giving him our hearts and souls, the Savior cleanses us that we may return to the Garden of Eden, even back into the presence of God.

The wise men depart

Matthew 2 ¹² And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Another angel appears, this time to Joseph

Matthew 2 ¹³ And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

Herod kills all the children under 2 years of age.  In verse 19, an angel appears again…

Matthew 2 ¹⁹ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

²⁰ Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

²¹ And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

In verse 22 they hear that Archelaus reigned in Judea.  Archelaus was one of the sons of Herod (he is often called Herod Archelaus).  He was given the title of Ethnarc, not King like his father.  He ruled so poorly and caused such misery to the people, the Jews and Samaritans jointly appealed to Rome for his dismissal. 

Herod Archelaus placed a Golden Eagle over the Temple entrance that was perceived as blasphemous.  It was eventually chopped down with axes.  Archelaus ruled from 4 BCE until 6 CE.  His mention in the New Testament is one of the events that gives us dating on the birth of the Savior and puts it before the traditional 0 or 1 CE. He was ultimately killed in 18 CE at age 41. 

Joseph travels with his family past Judea, on to Nazareth.  Archelaus area did not extend north to the Galilee area.  This was ruled by another son, Herod Antipas (or Antipater).  Though Herod Antipas could at times be savagely cruel, he allowed his subjects a certain amount of indepence.  He was much more acceptable than Herod Archelaus.  This is the Herod we will hear about through much of the rest of the gospels. 

The Savior calls Herod Antipas “that Fox” in Luke 13:32.  In Mark 6 and Matthew 14 and Luke 3 John the Baptist reproaches Herod Antipas and is imprisoned and ultimately beheaded.  In Luke 23 Pilate first sends Jesus to Herod Antipas who was visiting Jerusalem from the Galilee for Passover, attempting to get Antipas to pass judgement as Jesus was from the Galilee area.  Antipas was eager to see Jesus as he was hoping to see some miracles that he had heard about.  When this did not happen Jesus was sent back to Pilate. 

Luke 2

This is the classic Christmas story that is quite familiar to us all. 

As in chapter 1, Luke goes out of his way to tell the story of Jesus’ birth as a parallel to the story of John the Baptist’s birth: the joy at the birth of the child, the circumcision and naming, prophecies of expectation by someone closely associated with the temple, and a concluding remark about the growth and development of the child.

Just as there are the parallel events linking Adam and Eve to the Savior, in this instance John the Baptist is linked to the Savior. 

Luke 2 ¹ And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

In verse 6 the Greek word for “accomplished” could also be translated as “fulfilled”. 

Luke 2 ⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

Luke used the word accomplished, or fulfilled 8 times in Luke 1 and 2.  He is clearly declaring that many prophecies are fulfilled here.

Luke 2 ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Swaddling clothes were strips of cloth 4-5 inches wide used to bind children when they were born.  They were wrapped with the arms by the sides and would appear almost like a small mummy.  In the Jerome Biblical commentary it indicates that the belief was, if the baby’s arms were bound tightly to it’s sides, they would grow straight and firm.

Then the Shepherds

Luke 2 ⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

After the shepherds Luke 2 moves through Jesus life clear up to the point that he is found teaching in the temple. 

Luke gives no mention of the magi. Only Luke and Matthew mention the nativity at all. 

Many scholars believe that Mathew tells the story from the perspective of Joseph and that Luke tells it from the perspective of Mary. 

The Magi or wise men are not even mentioned to be of royal birth.  This is implied from their ability to gain audience with Herod.  It is speculated that they could have been Persian, or Zoroastrian priests, or even Jews visiting from Babylon.

Wherever they came from, the wise men and their gifts continue a tradition that has been around since the beginning with Adam and Eve.  They give gifts to the Savior that symbolically bring to mind the Kingdom of God, the Divinity of God, and the Suffering of God. 

We are also given many gifts symbolically bringing these things to mind, many of them in the temple. Luke 2:49 summarizes the entire life of the Savior…

Luke 2 ⁴⁹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

And is something we should continually try to emuulate. 

Bibliography
First Book of Adam and Eve: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/fbe/index.htm
Also, check out Jim F’s lesson:http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2011/01/nt-sunday-school-lesson-3-luke-2-matthew-2/

New Testament Lesson 02 - “My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord”

Lesson 2: “My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord”

New Testament Class Member Study Guide, (1997), 2

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• What do you learn about Mary from her conversations with the angel Gabriel and with Elisabeth? (See Luke 1:26–38, 45–49; see also Alma 7:10.) What can you do to follow her example?

• How do the examples of Elisabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph help you see the Savior’s greatness and increase your faith in him? How can you help others increase their faith in Jesus Christ?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read Luke 1:16, and discuss the importance of helping people “turn to the Lord” by sharing the gospel with them. Make a list of family members or friends who are not members of the Church or who are less-active members of the Church. Pray as a family for guidance in deciding whom you can share the gospel with and how to go about it.

Scripture Chain: Prophecies about John the Baptist

• Isaiah 40:3

• 1 Nephi 10:7–10

• Luke 1:13–17

• Luke 1:67, 76–79

Start lesson – The Gospels

There is not just one Gospel, but four. Each of the four has a distinctive emphasis. If you conflate the four into one, you destroy the distinctive meaning of each.

An illustration is seen in the two accounts of Jesus’ death provided in Mark and Luke. In Mark, Jesus is portrayed as distraught, abandoned, forsaken, but in Luke, he is portrayed as calm and in complete control. Combining the two into a solitary account disrupts the emphasis of each and creates only a confused account

In this regard, consider the “seven last words of Jesus,” drawn from the different accounts.  If you conflate them together into “7 things” Jesus said, they lose their distinctive, individual meanings from the individual gospels.

Mark—Jesus the Suffering Son of God

Mark begins his account by calling his book a “Gospel” (1:1). The term Gospel means “good news.” Thus, by using this title, Mark doesn’t claim to be writing a historically accurate biography in the modern sense, but an account of Jesus that reveals how his life and death brings “good news” to those willing to receive it.

In the opening verse Mark describes Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1)  Mark begins his gospel with the birth of Jesus and the mission of John the Baptist. 

Matthew—Jesus the Jewish Messiah

This gospel is widely thought to be the most Jewish in its understanding of Jesus. In many ways, both Matthew and Luke are similar to Mark. There are entire passages that the three Gospels share, sometimes telling the same stories with the same words. For that reason, scholars have long called these three books the “Synoptic” Gospels. The word synoptic comes from two Greek words that mean “seen together.”

These gospels are easy to compare.  In fact, in the LDS version of our scriptures, there are tables that do just that. 

Matthew’s Gospel offers a distinctive portrayal of Jesus. On the one hand, as you might expect, Matthew has a similar view to Mark. Here, too, Jesus is the messiah, the Son of God, whose entire life looked forward to his death, which was necessary to bring salvation. But there are different emphases in places, as becomes apparent at the very outset of the Gospel. This Gospel is distinguished by its stress both on the Jewish-ness of Jesus and on his opposition to Judaism as he found it.

This gospel, more than Mark, focuses on Jesus being the JEWISH messiah, sent from the JEWISH god, to the JEWISH people, in fulfillment of JEWISH scripture. 

How does this gospel start?  With a long list indicating genealogy to trace this Jewishness.  The first 16 verses of Matthew 1 are an ongoing genealogy to show lineage. Remember Matthew’s focus is on the Jewish Messiah. 

Luke—Jesus the Savior of the World

Luke has a distinctive emphasis of his own. On the one hand, like Mark, Luke portrays Jesus as the Son of God whose death fulfilled the Scriptures. He doesn’t stress the failure of everyone to recognize Jesus—in fact, Jesus is worshipped even as an infant. Thus we have the famous Christmas story in Luke 2.

Like Matthew, Luke maintains that Jesus is the Messiah. But Luke does not stress that Jesus was the new Moses who demanded that his followers adhere to the Jewish Law, like Matthew. Instead, Luke stresses that Jesus’ salvation comes not just to the Jews, but to all people.

There is “Jewishness” in Luke but that’s not the emphasis. Instead, in Luke Jesus is rejected and because of this the gospel is sent to the world.  Thus the emphasis is more on taking the gospel worldwide than to just the Jews. 

John—Jesus the Man from Heaven

John is much different than the other gospels.  It is not “synoptic” with the first three.  It is alike in that it gives an account of Jesus’ ministry, his teaching, healing and the events leading to his death and resurrection. 

John lacks most of the stories that occur in the Synoptic gospels. Absent from John are Jesus birth, baptism, temptation in the wilderness, his proclamation of the coming kingdom of God,  his telling of parables, casting out evil spirits, the transfiguration, the last supper, the prayer in Gethsemane and his trial. 

John has numerous stories of his own, not found in the synoptic gospels.  Miracles in John include turning water into wine, raising Lazarus from the dead.  John also gives us the discussion with Nicodemus the Rabbi where Jesus teaches “ye must be born again (3:3), and also the famous “I am” statements (“I am the light of the world”). 

While John shares many miracles with the synoptics, the reason for his miracles are quite different.  In the synoptics, Jesus does miracles to help people.  He does not reveal his identity (for example, the blind man in Matthew).  In John miracles are done specifically to PROVE his identity. 

John 20 ³⁰ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

³¹ But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

In the synoptics miracles are done in response to faith.  In John they are meant to generate faith. 

Compare the raising from the dead of Jairus daughter (Mark 5) and Lazarus (John 11).

In both accounts a family member requests Jesus come and in both cases arrives too late.  In both accounts he is mocked by people who do not believe he can do anything. 

As Jairus brings Jesus to his daughter he is informed she has died.  

Mark 5 ³⁵ While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Jesus goes to the house.  The people mock him. 

Mark 5 ³⁹ And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

⁴⁰ And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

⁴¹ And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

Mark has Jesus conceal his identity

Mark 5  ⁴² And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

⁴³ And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

John 11 has the Savior delaying going to Lazarus before he dies.  Remember, miracles in John are largely to prove the Savior’s identity.

John 11 ⁶ When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Down to verse 11

John 11 ¹¹ These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

¹² Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

¹³ Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

In John he is quite open about the miracle.

John 11  ⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

⁴² And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

⁴³ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

The miracles are done openly in John.  In fact the pharisees have discussions about this. 

John 11 ⁴⁷ Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

In Mark Jesus never instructs his disciples on his identity or divinity.

In John, that’s virtually the ENTIRE message.  Who he is, from where he came, how he relates to the Father. 

In summary,

Matthew—Jesus the Jewish Messiah

Mark—Jesus the Suffering Son of God

Luke—Jesus the Savior of the World

John—Jesus the Man from Heaven

 

Gospel Doctrine New Testament Lesson 2 - My Soul Doth Magnify My Lord
Matthew 1, Luke 1

Luke starts out as a letter to Theophilus

Luke 1 ¹ Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

² Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

³ It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

⁴ That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Some version of the bible will start this as a letter that says “Theophilus, …” then go on to say the rest of the phrase.

Then we start the story…remember Luke 2 is the Christmas story. 

This is the prelude…

Luke 1 ⁵ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ⁷ And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

And then we get to the annunciation, where the angel Gabriel (or Noah) comes to announce the births…

⁸ And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,  ⁹ According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

¹¹ And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

The Annunciation (means announcement)
The previous lesson discussed the mission of the Messiah, as foreseen by Isaiah. It also discussed Christ as the pre-mortal Word, the Son of God. the annunciation refers to the angel Gabriel foretelling births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ to Zechariah and Mary, respectively.

In Roman Catholic theology, the Virgin Mary is a saint with incredible reserves of holiness to share with believers.

However, for many modern Christians, the role of the Virgin Mary is downplayed, as the role of Christ is focused upon.

For the average Latter-day Saint, we should find our view of Mary in between that of Catholic and Protestant. We do not worship nor pray to her, yet we should see her in a very important real and symbolic role. We also see in LDS teaching a similar position for John the Baptist.

Luke 1 ¹² And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

¹³ But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

¹⁴ And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵ For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

¹⁶ And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

¹⁷ And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

You can hear Malachi in that last verse.  Luke 1 is a long 80 verse chapter. 

What is the first thing Zaharias says?  He questioned Gabriel.  His response from Gabriel is much different than Mary’s. 

Luke 1 ¹⁸ And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

Gabriel’s response is quite telling.  When you have this sort of experience the first words you utter should not be doubt…It doesn’t sound like a lot of doubt, but it’s enough…

Luke 1 ¹⁹ And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

²⁰ And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

The people then wondered why Zacharias was in the temple so long.  When he finally came out he could not speak.  He did not explain it to anyone.  Is simply says that he stayed at the temple…

Luke 1 ²² And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

²³ And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

The Vision of the Tree of Life
John the Baptist
Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life (1 Nephi 8-10) and previous visions (see 1 Nephi 1) emphasize the coming Messiah. For Lehi, the concept of Messiah was an idea that still needed fleshing out, and the visions provide much of the details. Lehi sees the Tree of Life, after which he sees the Messiah come down to earth to save mankind.

1 Nephi 10 “⁷ And he (Lehi) spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—
^“8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.
^“9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.
“10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world”

In all of LDS scripture, very few people’s missions are foreseen. John the Baptist, Mary, Moses, Joseph Smith, the Three Witnesses, and Jesus Christ are pretty much the whole extent of it. Clearly, their missions were so important as to be foreseen in scripture.

The mortal Savior would say this of John:

Matthew 11 ⁷ And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

⁸ But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

⁹ But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

¹⁰ For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

¹¹ Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

¹⁴ And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

John was not an ever-bending reed blowing in the wind. He was a solid oak that stood firm and unbending. The only way to change him would be pull him up from his roots, or behead him.

John the Baptist is Elias, or rather AN Elias.

Elias is a title for a messenger who is to prepare the way for a great work. Noah was the first Elias as he warned the people of the Flood to come. Later, as the archangel Gabriel, Noah as Elias would announce Jesus’ birth to Mary. (We learn this in the History of the Church 3:386 at the above link, also quoted by Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:138-141).

John not only would announce the mortal Christ as the Messiah, but would also baptize him. No other prophet or man would have that opportunity. Even Joseph Smith, as the Elias of the Restoration, would not do as John did in preparing the way for the Savior’s work of redemption.

Mary, The Virgin
Nephi sought to understand his father Lehi’s vision. His version is more detailed and gives us interesting concepts regarding ancient Israel and of the virgin birth.

Lehi saw the religious reforms done in King Josiah’s reign. These included the “finding” of the book of Deuteronomy in the temple. Most scholars today believe that some ancient Deuteronomy fragments were found and amplified into the book we now have by the temple priests. This was in order to establish their power. With the reforms came the loss of certain things in the temple, including the Tree of Life, God’s wife (known as Wisdom or also Asherah), and even the idea of angelic visitations.

Nephi saw in his Vision of the Tree of Life. His spiritual guide explained to him that what he would then see would be the things Nephi would have to bear witness of, as these would explain the Tree and the white fruit of the tree.

1 Nephi 11 ⁸ And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea,exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.
⁹ And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all....

¹² And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.
¹³ And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
¹⁴ And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?
¹⁵ And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
¹⁶ And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
¹⁷ And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
¹⁸ And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
¹⁹ And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
²⁰ And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

Jesus is the fruit of the tree. He is the love shed forth for all mankind. But the tree itself is Mary. Anciently, the Tree of Life was a symbol for the wife of God, known as Wisdom and as Asherah. She symbolized both wisdom and fertility, and was honored as such (see Proverbs 8 for an example).

Mary is the “mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.” She symbolizes the Heavenly Mother, wife of Heavenly Father, who is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the spirit.

So important is the work of Mary and what she symbolized that early Christians wrote stories about her life, including the “Gospel of the Birth of Mary”, wherein is described her miraculous birth and childhood. While the stories are probably fictitious, they do show that many ancient Christians did revere her for her important role as the mother of the Son of God.

The Tree of Life is only as important as the fruit it gives to mankind in order to give them life. While the fruit of an apple tree can sustain us here in mortality, the exceedingly white fruit of the Tree of Life can give us eternal life. The fruit fills us with the love of God, as only Christ can bring us back into the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and Mother.

Imagine then the great resolve of the young teenage girl, when Gabriel spoke to her and told her she would bear God’s child! Knowing she would be ostracized and perhaps even killed for being pregnant outside of wedlock, she told the angel, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1). She would stand by her sacred calling and her sacred son, even when grown men fled while Jesus hung on the cross.

Now back to Matthew.

Matthew 1

Matthew starts out with genealogy then our first mention of the Christmas story re-told in Luke 2.  Why genealogy?  He is establishing the Savior’s lineage, his Jewishness, so verse 2-17 is all about lineage, Abraham down to Joseph. 

Matthew 1 ¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

¹⁹ Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

²⁰ But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And we finish out the Matthew 1 version of the Christmas Story. 

Matthew 1 ²¹ And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

²² Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Notice Matthew quotes a prophet..Isaiah from 7:14…again remember, Matthew wants to establish the Savior’s Jewishness, so his appeal to the ancient prophet Isaiah. 

Matthew 1 ²³ Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

²⁴ Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

²⁵ And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

(If time…back to Luke 1) Luke’s version of the annunciation

Luke 1 ²⁴ And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, ²⁵ Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

When Gabriel comes to Elisabeth she is confused by the greeting

Luke 1 ²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

Why is she concerned about the greeting?  Gill’s Exposition of the Bible say that “it was not common for a man to use any type of salutation to a woman. It was not lawful to be done in any shape or form, not by a messenger, nor even by her own husband”.  But other commenter's disagree.

The Greek word that described Zechariah’s reaction was “tarasso”.  Elisabeth’s words is “diatarasso”, a stronger version of the verb.  It can also be translated “greatly confused”.  She did not doubt nor was fearful as was Zechariah.

She was confused at being given such exalted status.  This is how greetings occurred in the OT with prophets. “Blessed art thou among women” is quite an exalted opening. 

Luke 1 ³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Mary also questions Gabriel but only as to how this was to occur. 

Luke 1 ³⁴ Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

³⁶ And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

³⁷ For with God nothing shall be impossible .³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Mary then travels to spend time with Elizabeth.  Zechariah does not appear to be there when Mary arrives, but even if he was, he couldn’t speak.  Mary greets Elisabeth, the babe leaps in her womb and they are filled with the Holy Ghost. 

We can tell Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost based on her next words.

Luke 1 ⁴² And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

She used the exact same phrase as Gabriel.  She either heard it from Gabriel, or was filled with the spirit to utter it. 

Luke 1 ⁴³ And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Then Mary praises the Lord for 10 verses, from verse 46 to 55.

Mary returns home in verse 56.  Elisabeth gives birth to John in verse 57.  At 8 days old they brought John to be circumcised and the name to be given was Zacharias to be called after his mother.  Zechariah doesn’t speak up, Elisabeth does…

Luke 1 ⁶⁰ And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

⁶¹ And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

⁶² And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

⁶³ And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

Remember back in verse 20…

Luke 1 ²⁰ And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Zechariah cannot speak after John’s birth, not even when they go for the circumcision.  But only when he agrees that his name shall be John.

⁶⁴ And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

Luke 1 ⁶⁵ And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

Fear could likely be noted as “religious reverence” in this case. 

And then we get a soliloquy from Zechariah…from verse 67 to the end of the chapter in vs 80.  (Read part if time permits)

Luke 1 ⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

⁶⁹ And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

⁷⁰ As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

⁷¹ That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

⁷² To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

⁷³ The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

⁷⁴ That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

⁷⁵ In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

⁷⁸ Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

⁷⁹ To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

⁸⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

and then we are on to the familiar Luke 2 that we read each Christmas

Luke 2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

Bibliography

Teaching Company, New Testament, Bart Ehrman   http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/new-testament.html
Great New Testament Introduction by Kevin Barney:http://bycommonconsent.com/2011/01/01/nt-intro/
Jim F’s Lesson 2: http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2011/01/02/nt-sunday-school-lesson-2-jf-luke-1-matthew-1/
Karl D’s Lesson 2: http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2011/01/02/new-testament-lesson-kd-matthew-1-luke-1/
Old Testament lessons containing info on Deuteronomists, The Tree of Life, the Virgin Mary and Asherah/Wisdom:
http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/08/ot-gospel-doctrine-lesson-31-happy-is.html
http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/08/ot-gospel-doctrine-lesson-30-come-to.html
http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/02/lds-gospel-doctrine-class-old-testament_22.html
Margaret Barker on the Josian Reforms, the changes to the Temple, Asherah, and the Deuteronomists:
http://www.margaretbarker.com/Publications/GreatAngel.htm
“The Gospel of the Birth of Mary”: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/lbob/lbob05.htm