Podcast
Matthew continues with a brief account of the healing of a paralytic, who is brought to Jesus by his friends. Jesus, touched by their faith, forgives the man’s sins. The Pharisees took issue with this, since only God can forgive sins, but Jesus does not back down, instead claiming the messianic title Son of Man and healing the paralyzed man.
Jesus then calls 12 disciples whom he gives the authority to drive out spirits and heal sickness. These apostles are given instructions about how to perform their mission, and told to expect that many will treat them harshly. The same is true for all who proclaim the Gospel, even to this day.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (36:49; 21 MB)
Shortly after Jesus begins His ministry, John the Baptist is arrested
and Jesus begins to ramp up His ministry, proclaiming a message of
repentance, and in fact manifesting His power with the very intimate
healing of a leper and the healing of a Gentile centurion’s servant.
Jesus has some very strong teaching on mission, telling men that they
must leave behind all earthly things if they wish to become His
disciples. The mission is difficult work, and involves relying on the
hospitality of towns to allow Jesus and His disciples to enter and work
miracles there. Even after He heals a demoniac, the Gadarenes beg Him
to leave the area because His healing disturbs them.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (44:19; 25 MB)
Matthew and the other synoptic gospels emphasize Jesus’ mission in
Galilee, where most of the Gospel was spread. Jesus sought to keep this
ministry moving slowly so that the ministry would not be derailed. In
this part of the ministry, He healed people of physical and spiritual
illnesses and preached a compassionate message to the poor, including
the Beatitudes. This compassion is not simply being nice to each other,
but requires action on our part. We must be pure-minded in seeking out
God, we must forgive people and not hold grudges, and we must not make
a show of our faith.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (38:09; 21 MB)
The Gospel that Jesus preaches is recounted as being preceded by John
the Baptist, who came in the mode of Elijah and preaching a baptism of repentance. John was a fairly ascetic man, and his coming as a voice
crying in the wilderness heralds the time of the Christ. John’s message
is quite stark, warning that the God will soon make a harvest of souls.
Jesus comes to John to be baptized, but John objects, declaring that he
needs to be baptized by Jesus. Jesus allows Himself to be baptized to
”fulfill all righteousness,” and in doing so, blesses the waters and
transforms them into the waters of the sacrament. At this point, the
Spirit of God descends like a dove and a voice declares, ”This is my
beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Jesus then leaves for the wilderness to be tempted or tested for forty
days and forty nights. Satan tests Jesus, but He beats the devil back
on all counts. When John is imprisoned, Jesus begins to proclaim the
Gospel and seeking out apostles.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (43:02; 24 MB)
According to the Targums, we know that the prophecy that a ”young
woman” or ”virgin” would bear a son was translated by the
Alexandrian scholars as meaning ”virgin,” and that there was an
implication that this was an unusual sign, as high as Heaven or as low
as Sheol. A young woman having a son would not be such a significant
sign.
The fact that the sign appears as a star to pagans tells us that God
wants to give his message to those who are seeking Him out. The fact
that the Christ comes from Bethlehem is a fulfillment of the prophecy
of Micah that Bethlehem is ‘not the least, for from you shall come a
ruler who will govern my people.’ There is similarly a notion in John
that the Christ must come from Bethlehem.
Mary was going into labor and so the Holy Family sought out any shelter
they could. Finding a stable in which she could give birth, shortly
thereafter they sought out family in Bethlehem and stayed in that
house. This is where the Magi find Christ. This event surely must have
come after the Presentation in the Temple, since it would have been
difficult to journey to Egypt and back in secrecy within the short span
of 40 days.
Like Pharaoh of old, Herod sought to kill the entire male population,
and the similarities to Pharaoh are very strong. There is a prophecy
about Rachel, who died looking to Bethlehem, and Jeremiah delivered a
prophecy about a cry going up from Ramah, Rachel weeping for her
children, which is fulfilled by Herod’s slaughter of children in that
same city. The prophecy that ”He shall be called a Nazarene” seems to
be a fulfillment of Isaiah 11:1, as there is a similarity between the
root of the words ”branch” and ”Nazareth.”
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (38:34; 22 MB)
St. Jerome tells us that the Gospel of Matthew was originally written
in Aramaic, and that it was reworked into a Greek version later, which
is supported by some evidence. Jerome also tells us that Matthew was
the first gospel, but the actual order of composition is not clear.
Matthew is also associated with a winged human in ecclesiastical
symbolism, though this is not part of the inspired text.
The initial genealogy is abbreviated and separated into 3 sets of 14
generations beginning with Abraham, which provide a synopsis of Jewish
history. Three women are mentioned in this genealogy, which is unusual
for Jewish genealogies: Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth.
Matthew then begins the infancy narrative. Mary is a virgin who is
betrothed to Joseph, which was more like marriage than a modern-day
engagement. When Mary is found with child, Joseph resolves to divorce
her privately, but an angel tells Joseph to remain with Mary and the
child, who is to be called Emmanuel, which is translated for the
benefit of Greeks as ‘God with us.’
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (42:33; 24 MB)
After the death of Antipater, Antigonus became high priest after mutilating the high priest Hyrcanus. Herod had been quickly rising to prominence, marrying into the house of Hasmon, sending his wife into exile, and Herod sought to have the Romans proclaim him leader of the Jews. Rome did declare him King of the Jews, a title never before declared for someone who was not of nobility. To ensure that the Hasmonean dynasty never returned to challenge his position, the remaining heirs to the Hasmonean dynasty suspiciously died.
Alexandra, the mother of one of these heirs, sent to Rome to request an inquiry, and Marc Antony requested that Herod defend himself. Herod went to Rome, but left instructions that if Antony killed him, his wife must die as well. His wife discovered this plan and this caused much intrigue and eventually his wife’s death when Herod returned alive.
Herod built a new temple in Jerusalem and also several temples to Roman gods. It is against this backdrop that the magi arrived in Jerusalem and ask Herod ”where is the king born of the Jews?” Herod, who was not born king, was outraged at this and sought to eliminate this threat. After he died, Herod was buried near the cave where Jesus was born.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (33:24; 19 MB)
The Romans came to rule Judea in 63 BC. Leading up to that, the high
priests of the Hasmonean Dynasty were the de facto kings in Israel,
though their official title was Ethnarch. This dynasty began from the
Maccabees, and lasted roughly eighty years. They did not want to be
seen as usurping the rightful place of the line of David, since they
were dependent on the pious Jews. The line of David was still known
through this period, but it had fallen into obscurity. In this sense,
the Hasmonean state is a biblical anomaly, lacking any leaders truly
chosen by God. These rulers tended to be despots of a sort similar to
Oriental and Hellenistic despots. These rulers were also expansionist,
reacting to the rising birth rates of the neighboring countries. These
circumstances give rise to a large upsurge in Messianic hope.
Salome Alexandra instituted a number of changes that pleased the
Pharisees, and was fondly remembered by them for this. Her sons,
Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus, fought for the high priesthood. At this
point, Pompey comes to Israel and seeks an alliance with Hyrcanus,
since Israel had sought such an alliance before. Hyrcanus was confirmed
as high priest, but the position of king was saved for Rome, with local
political authority resting in Hyrcanus’ minister, Antipater the
Idumean. Antipater made his son Phasael governor of Jerusalem and his
other son Herod, who would be called the Great, was made governor of
Galilee. Then, in 43 BC, Antipater was poisoned and the two sons
battled for control of Judea.Messianic hope in the days of the Maccabees; the rise of the Pharisees and Salome Alexandra; Roman History.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (47:42; 27 MB)
Out of the Maccabean revolt, three rulers rise successively, Judah
Maccabee, Jonathan, and then Simon. Simon and two of his his sons were
murdered, and only John Hyrcanus was left to rule. Various other rulers
rise and fall, but Salome Alexandra is the only woman in antiquity to
rule Judea and be praised for it.
During this time, Israel was consolidating power and various cities
were breaking from Seleucid empire. John Hyrcanus rules as high priest
and ethnarch, annexing Samaria and the remnants of Edom (now the
Idumeans), forcing the people to become Jewish and be circumcised. The
leading families of the Idumeans would become important, including the
family of Herod.
During the later times leading up to Roman rule, the Jewish rulers
start calling themselves kings, and their courts populated by
Hellenized Jews. Several factions emerge, including the Pharisees and
Essenes who react against these rulers. The Pharisees have a number of
beliefs, such as belief in the resurrection and in oral tradition, that
mark them as very different from the beliefs of the ruling class, which
would include the Sadducees.
The Pharisees also had leaders who were not priests, but rather what
would become the modern-day rabbi. The tension between the Pharisees
and the Sadducees reached a head when the Pharisees demanded that the
king choose between being a king or being high priest. The king sided
with the Sadducees, which led to a civil war and suppression of the
Pharisees.
Be sure to look at the image embedded in the MP3, which will make it much easier to follow.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (31:25; 17 MB)
The period between the Maccabean Revolt and Roman rule of Judea is not
represented by any writings in the Scriptures, but like all things that
touch the history of Israel and Christ, it is worth studying. The
Hasmoneans, named after the house of Hasmon, are not related to David,
but are a priestly family from the tribe of Levi.
The Maccabean Revolt started when Mattathias, a Hasmonean, refused to
offer sacrifice to pagan gods, with the eventual result that the Temple
was purged and rededicated an event the Jews celebrate at Hanukkah for
eight days.
After the fighting had ended and Roman and Spartan rulers had expressed
their support for Simon Maccabeus as high priest, and King Demetrius
confirmed Simon as high priest and afforded him most of the traditional
effects of a king, though Simon was not granted that title.
The closing theme is Gerard Satamian’s Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Download MP3 (49:42; 28 MB)