Daily Bible 30 Days with Jesus-NIV: The Gospels in Chronological Order (Paperback)

Day 1
BEGINNINGS

Introductions by the Gospel Writers

MARK'S ACCOUNT BEGINS SIMPLY,

Mk. 1:1

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mark introduces the reader to the good news about Jesus the Christ which is about to be told. That good news is beautifully summarized by John in a prologue to his account. It begins, as does the first book of Old Testament Scripture, with the creation of man, and shows that the Word (a designation for God as Christ) was not only the source through which all things were made, but also came into this world in human form as the man Jesus. It also shows that, through Jesus, mankind has received the grace of God unto salvation, as attested to during Christ’s ministry by John the Baptist, a special messenger of God.

Jn. 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband—s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

In his own introduction, Luke writes to a man by the name of Theophilus in order to provide a more complete narrative of the life and work of this incarnate Word, Jesus the Christ, and of the things accomplished by Jesus’ followers. Luke points out that, prior to his own account, other writers had already undertaken to record the events surrounding Jesus’ coming and the work of his disciples during his ministry. Thus the records of Christ began to be compiled soon after his death and resurrection.

Lk. 1:1-4

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Genealogies of Jesus

Matthew's account has no formal introduction, but rather begins with a genealogy tracing the descent of Jesus from his ancestor, Abraham, through the royal lineage of David the King. Matthew lists 42 of the known generations and divides these into three groups of 14 each. The genealogy is traced through Jesus' legal father, Joseph, as the husband of the virgin Mary, to whom Jesus was born.

Matthew’s genealogy contains several happy surprises. Back in Jesus’ early roots are not only such notable righteous men as Abraham and David, but also several who stand out in history as being particularly unrighteous, including wicked King Manasseh. Not only are there Jews, as would be expected, but also Gentiles, including a Canaanite and a Moabite, whose respective countrymen have been notorious enemies of God’s people. Also somewhat surprising, in view of their social status at this time, is the listing of women as well as men. Furthermore, at least two of the women are known best for sins which they had committed.

Mt. 1:1-17

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

Luke also provides a genealogy of Jesus, but his account traces the lineage directly through Jesus’ mother, Mary. This explains the difference in ancestors from Heli (assumed to be the father-in-law of Mary's husband, Joseph) to David. Luke's genealogy also goes beyond Abraham, all the way back through Noah, Enoch, Seth, and Adam to God himself, who created the human race.

Lk. 3:23b-38

He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
the son of Heli, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
the son of Neri, the son of Melki,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Simeon,
the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David, the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of Judah, the son of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel
the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of these genealogies is the connection between Jesus and his ancestor, King David. The prophets of old had repeatedly foretold that the Messiah would be of the house of David, and a branch of Jesse, David’s father. Therefore, from the Jews’ perspective, Jesus is of the royal lineage and worthy to be King of Israel. While this brings comfort to many, it brings confusion to others, who are expecting the Messiah to be the same kind of political king as those who reigned before him.

TODAY'S INSIGHTS

Beginnings

Can you remember the exact words you first spoke to a friend or loved one? Chances are those first words were less than memorable. Even if you do remember the exact words, was there nevertheless a feeling that nothing particularly special was about to happen? Sometimes in human relationships the first words are quite insignificant, hardly noteworthy. Beginnings are often inconsequential.

By contrast, however, our relationship with God is laced through and through with important beginnings. First, Christ comes to us as the Word, to assure us that the God of creation wants to communicate with us. He cares so much about us that he wants to reveal himself to us on the most intimate level possible— through a person we can know and love. A person to whom we can reveal our deepest feelings and darkest secrets. A person with whom we can share joy and triumph as well as sorrow and tragedy.

Second, Christ comes to us as a light which illuminates the darkness of our understanding. It is through his example that we gain the richest insight into how we can best live our lives. And shouldn’t we want to follow his light? Can we possibly know our universe—or even ourselves—better than the One who was with God in the beginning and the One through whom we were made? Intelligent though we may be, we’re not so bright as to know what is best for our lives on this earth. We need his guiding light.

Third, Christ comes to us as flesh and blood, just as we are flesh and blood. Christ wasn’t just some illusion of deity, or an academic concept, or a cold belief system with which we could never possibly identify. Far from it. Jesus Christ was a descendant of Adam, the same as you or I. He was not only the Son of God, but also the Son of man. And the fact of his humanity is as important as his deity, because it is only through his fleshly humanity that he can be for us an example, an intercessor, a brother, and a friend.

The universe itself began in much the same way. In the beginning there was darkness, until God said, “Let there be light.” Through his spoken word the worlds were framed, and from his word came light and life. This was his first creation, by which we have our very existence. But Jesus has come that we might become his new creation—through the written Word, which is “a lamp to my feet and a light for my path,” and through the incarnate Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Word, light, and flesh. Through these characteristics of Christ we have great beginnings in our relationship with God. Through Christ we have communication, insight, and companionship. Through Christ we have God within us.

The written Word reflects the light, but Jesus himself is the Light. Which Word do we know best?