A Brief Walk through the Books of the New Testament

By Tony Smith

The Bible is the written Word of God that reveals to us God's purpose for His Creation. In the Old Testament, God makes it clear that mankind is separated from Him by his sin nature, and He appointed one day in the year that addressed the matters for man's sin--the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement, sacrificial blood was shed and taken from the sin offering in the temple, brought by the High Priest into the Most Holy Place, and there the High Priest sprinkled it before the Lord seven times. This atoned for the sins as of that day, but did not atone for our sin nature for which the prophesied Messiah was expected to come to be our atonement. He would come, as the Old Testament prophets predicted, to deliver whoever will receive Him into their hearts the grace of complete forgiveness for our sin nature and life eternal in Christ. This is the New Testament, New Covenant offered by God, the Son of Man, meeting the human need that emanates from our souls seeking identity: "Who am I; why am I here; where am I going."

The Word of God is where we find answers to these needs, speaking to the deepest part of our being. As children of God through having receiving Christ, our old sin nature has died in Christ's shed blood on the Cross, and our new life begins in His resurrection and continues in eternity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9798892430548

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A Brief Walk through the Books of the New Testament

Tony Smith

ISBN 979-8-89243-053-1 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89243-054-8 (digital)

Copyright © 2024 by Tony Smith

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All biblical citations were taken from the New American Standard Version of the Holy Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

With blessings to my dear wife, our children, grandchildren, family and friends

Prologue

Introduction to the New Testament

Gospel of Matthew

Gospel of Mark

Gospel of Luke

Gospel of John

Book of Acts of the Apostles

Book of Romans

Book of 1 Corinthians

Book of 2 Corinthians

Book of Galatians

Book of Ephesians

Book of Philippians

Book of Colossians

Book of 1 Thessalonians

Book of 2 Thessalonians

Book of 1 Timothy

Book of 2 Timothy

Book of Titus

Book of Philemon

Book of Hebrews

Book of James

Book of 1 Peter

Book of 2 Peter

Book of 1 John

Book of 2 John

Book of 3 John

Book of Jude

Book of Revelation

Bibliography

With blessings to my dear wife, our children, grandchildren, family and friends

Prologue

The Four Hundred Years between the Old and New Testaments

After Malachi (writer of the last book in the Old Testament) had ceased prophesying in about 435 BC and the canon of the Old Testament closed—that is, the number of the books in the Old Testament were fulfilled and the inspired prophets ceased to speak—God allowed a period of time for the teachings to penetrate throughout the world. The center of world power was shifting from the east to the west. Up to this time, Babylon had been the major world power but was succeeded by the Media-Persian Empire. This shift had been predicted by the Old Testament prophet Daniel several hundred years earlier (620–538 BC), who wrote in his book of Daniel there would rise up a bear who was higher on one side than the other, signifying the division between Media and Persia, the Persians subsequently dominating (Dan. 7:5).

Daniel continued his prophetic vision, bridging the transition from Persia over to Greece and to Europe. In 331 BC, a significant battle between the Persians and the Greeks took place, the Battle of Gaugamela (aka Battle of Arbela in present-day northern Iraq) between Alexander the Great of Macedon and King Darius III of Persia, which altered the course of history. Alexander's plan to conquer Persia had directed him to march to Babylon, but when he learned of Darius's presence in Gaugamela, he turned northward to meet the waiting Persian king. He realized a victory at Gaugamela meant that all of Persia, Babylon, Persepolis, and Susa would be his. In that battle, Alexander, a young man of only twenty-five years, led his armies of Greece to victory, completely destroying the Persian army. The center of world power shifted westward, and the Grecian empire was born.

A year after that historic battle, Alexander led his armies into the Syrian front to conquer Egypt. On the way, he planned to lay siege on the city of Jerusalem. As his army approached the city, word was brought to the Jews in Jerusalem that this great army of Alexander was headed their way. The high priest at that time, who was a godly old man by the name of Jaddua, took the sacred writings of Daniel and, accompanied by a host of other priests, all dressed in white garments, went forth, and met Alexander some distance outside the city. According to the account of historian Flavius Josephus in his book written during the first century AD, Antiquities of the Jews, Alexander left his army and hurried ahead to meet this body of priests. When he met them, he told the high priest that he had had a vision the night before in which God had shown him an old man robed in a white garment, who would reveal to him something of great significance about himself. The high priest opened the prophecies of Daniel chapters 8 and 11 and read them to Alexander. In chapter 8, Daniel describes his interpretation of the dream of Belshazzar, king of Babylon: The male goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king (8:21). Daniel continued with prophetic words from a heavenly messenger in chapter 11: And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece. Then a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority, and do as he pleases.

Alexander saw in these writings that he was the goat with the horn in his forehead, coming from the west and smashing the power of Media-Persia and conquering the world—the mighty king. He was so overwhelmed by the accuracy of this prophecy and by the fact that it spoke of him, he promised to save Jerusalem from siege and sent the high priest back with gifts.

Of note, Alexander was undefeated in battle, considered one of history's most successful military commanders. He was tutored by Aristotle until age sixteen. He died while residing in the (conquered) palace of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon in 323 BC at age thirty-two. Plutarch's account of the cause of death is that Alexander had entertained Admiral Nearchus and spent the next day drinking with Medius of Larissa. He developed a fever, which worsened until he was unable to speak. His soldiers, anxious about his health, were granted the right to file past him as he silently waved at them. Fourteen days later, he was dead.

Following Alexander's death, his four generals divided up the empire amid warring between each other's armies that went on for over forty years. Cassander seized the Macedonian crown by having Alexander's son and heir to the throne murdered in 317 BC. Seleucid became king of the lands of Syria to northern Palestine and Western Asia in 312 BC. Lysimachus consolidated and became king of Thrace, Asia Minor, and a portion of Macedon in 306 BC, and Ptolemy I Soter assumed control over Egypt and the North African countries of the empire, becoming pharaoh in 305 BC.

Over these troubled years, Palestine was annexed by Egypt, and fighting was unending between Syria and Egypt. Control of Palestine and Jerusalem would go back and forth between these fiefdoms for decades. Daniel gives us a prophetically fulfilled detailed account of these years of conflict between the rulers of the north (Syria) and the rulers of the south (Egypt) in chapter 11 of his book.

By this time, Grecian influence was strengthening in Palestine. A party arose among the Jews, calling themselves Hellenists, who were eager to bring Grecian culture to Judea and liberalize the Jewish laws. There were also those who were strong Hebrew nationalists wanting to preserve everything according to the Mosaic order. They were known as Pharisees. Around 280 BC, the Greek ruler, King Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt, asked Jewish elders to translate the first five books of the Old Testament into the Greek language. Then around 250 BC, Ptolemy called on seventy scholars to assemble and transcribe the other books of the Old Testament. Book by book, they translated the Old Testament into Greek. When they finished, the name Septuagint was ascribed, which means seventy, as in seventy translators. Tradition says the actual number of translators was seventy-two, comprised of six from each of the twelve tribes of Jacob, and that the number 70 stood for the seventy nations of the Greek world empire at that time.

In time, the nation Israel became part of the Hellenic Greek world. Rule over Judea in the following century vacillated from the Seleucid (Greek) kings of Syria, to the Ptolemaic (Greek) kings of Egypt, and then back to the Seleucids after 201 BC. This was a period of great suffering of the people of Israel at the hands of Syria and Egypt. The orthodox Jewish religious community in Jerusalem were becoming increasingly outspoken and hostile to the Greek kings' attempts to convert Jews by conducting pagan religious practices. Matters came to a head when Antiochus Epiphanies, the Seleucid King of Syria who ruled over Judea from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC, disposed the high priest of Jerusalem, rededicated the temple to the Greek god Zeus, and installed a shrine. He then sprinkled pig blood on the sacred altar in the Holy of Holies.

Antiochus Epiphanies was one of the great persecutors of the Jews, probably the greatest in Jewish history. His policy was directed to the extermination of Judaism as a culture and religion, including ordering the burning of all the copies of the Old Testament. Led by a Jewish priest named Mattathias Hasmoneus and his son Judas Maccabeus, the Jews successfully revolted against the Seleucids and, after several years of terrible bloodshed, gained control of Jerusalem in 165 BC. This Maccabean Rebellion delivered the rededication of the temple with a famous cleansing and returned it to God's house of worship. The day the temple was cleansed was on December 25 in 165 BC. It came to be known as the Day of Dedication. It is commemorated annually to this day by the Festival of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. It recalls the miracle by which the temple candelabra was lit and then remained lit for the whole eight days of celebrations with just a single flask of oil.

Daniel had prophesied back in 600 BC the temple would be polluted for 2,300 days—six and a half years—before it would be cleansed. It was cleansed after exactly that period of time by two brothers, Judah and Mattahias Maccabee. After three years of the Jews in control of Jerusalem, in 162 BC, Maccabee sent two emissaries, Eupolemus and Jason, son of Eleazar, to Rome to meet with the Roman Senate to propose a treaty of friendship. The proposal was accepted, and a treaty was signed, making Judea a client kingdom of Rome. The Maccabees, who were of the Asmonean family, thus began a line of high priests known as the Asmonean Dynasty that lasted four generations. Jonathan Apphus, youngest son of Mattathias Maccabee, was the last Asmonean high priest, ruling Judea until his death in 143 BC. The Hasmonean dynasty, members of the Maccabee family, ruled Judea from approximately 140 BC to 37 BC.

In 63 BC, a siege of Jerusalem took place by the Roman general Pompey the Great. Pompey was a military and political leader of the Roman Republic, having led successful military campaigns throughout the Mediterranean. He had brought his Roman army eastward and turned Bithynia, Pontus, and Syria into Roman provinces. Pompey was asked by Rome to intervene in a dispute over inheritance to the throne in Jerusalem following the death of Hasmonean Queen Alexandra Salome, which had plunged Judea into a civil war between her two sons vying for the throne, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. Upon reaching Damascus, Pompey informed the opposing parties he would help resolve their issues once he arrived in Judea in person. Pompey surprised them by marching his full forces into Judea and besieged the city of Jerusalem. He reinstated Hyrcanus as the high priest but not as king, stripping him of his royal title. Judea would now be a Roman protectorate, obliged to pay tribute to Rome and subject to Roman administration headquartered in Damascus, Syria. The kingdom was dismembered; it was forced to relinquish the coastal plain (between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv), depriving it of access to the Mediterranean. Some years later, Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate appointed Antipater as the procurator of Judea, the first Roman procurator. Antipater made his two sons kings of Galilee and Judea. The son who became king of Judea was Herod the Great, in whose reign the long-expected Messiah was born.

Jewish Religious and Political Factions at the Time of and in Conflict with Christ

The Essenes

A majority of the Jews had remained loyal to Hasmonean authority from the rule of Jonathan Apphus, who was considered a Hellenist. The community had become as Hellenistic as the Greeks. They openly flaunted the despised pagan practices and fought bitterly with those who followed the Torah. Strict Jewish sects grew out of this, not only despising Hellenism, but also despising Jonathan and his descendants because they were of the family of Judah, not of the line of Zedok, Solomon's high priest. The Hasidim (Hasidic Jewish movement), a pious group of Jews, became major opponents of Judean Temple authorities. Out of the Hasidim (meaning pious ones) came two movements: the Pharisees and the Zealots. The view of the Hasidim was that upon the appointment of Jonathan as high priest, the Temple was defiled, and the true worship of God had ended. They formed a separatist movement called the Essenes. They declared the religious establishment invalid and established a religious movement dedicated to the restoration of the true worship of God.

While there were small Essene communities scattered throughout Galilee and Judea and in Jerusalem, the majority of this separatist movement consolidated in the community of Qumran near the Dead Sea. Here, in obedience to the prophet Isaiah, they had settled in the desert to prepare the way for the Lord (Isa. 40:1–5, Matt. 3:3). Though small in number (estimate four thousand), they exerted significant influence in their day, continuing in our day through the Dead Sea Scrolls, the writings attributed to their authorship.

The Essenes were ascetic, believed by most scholars to be celibate, and were dedicated to waiting for the day of the Lord. They believed themselves to be the sons of light preparing for a great battle with the sons of darkness (John 12:35–36). They wore white as a symbol of purity, grew their own food (food prepared by others was forbidden), and spent significant time in study and carefully copying the sacred texts. The Dead Sea Scrolls were probably hidden when the Romans destroyed Qumran and Jerusalem and finally the Temple in AD 70. It is likely the Essenes joined in the Roman revolt, thinking it to be the final battle between light and darkness. This would account for why they placed their sacred scrolls in jars and hid them in caves nearby to become a gift from God to our generation.

Scholars believe the Essene community included Christians. This makes sense because many of them were priests and concerned about Temple authority. It has been suggested they may be the converts referred to in Acts 6:7. There is a notable similarity between Essene theology and the practices of John the Baptist. He may have been a member, or at least would have had contact with them.

The Pharisees

They were formed in 167 BC as a strict religious group of Judeans claiming Mosaic authority for the interpretation of the Jewish laws. Their number was estimated at as many as six thousand at its height, the inductees entering into the brotherhood by taking a pledge in front of three witnesses that they would spend all their lives observing every detail of the Mosaic law. The Pharisees recognized and lived by authority of not only the written 613 laws of the Torah, but also the spoken word handed down from traditions, the prophets, and their Old Testament writings. Known as Oral Laws or Hedge Laws, the Jewish leaders by the time of Christ claimed several thousand laws had been given by God orally to Joshua and others after Moses died. They had over fifteen hundred Oral Laws concerning just the Sabbath. Jesus resisted these oral laws and sought to break them at every turn because they were not of God.

Between 76 BC and 67 BC, during the rule of Judean Queen Alexandra (Salome in Hebrew), a pact was made with leaders of the Pharisaic movement, which gave them administrative rule over all public affairs in Judea. During this time, the Pharisees increased the army and fortified the city of Jerusalem, effectively running the nation's business. Notable Pharisees include the apostle Paul, Joseph of Arimathea (who recovered Jesus's body from the Cross and buried Him in His tomb), and Nicodemus, who was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He famously confronted Jesus about the miracles He performed, that Jesus must be the Son of God. Jesus tells him in John 3:4, Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Then in John 3:5–8 Jesus explains to him that we must be born again, of the Spirit, in order to enter into the kingdom of God. After His death in approximately AD 33, followed by the destruction of the temple in AD 70, the Pharisees continued as the liturgical and ritualistic base for Rabbinic Judaism.

The Zealots

They were a political movement out of the Hasidim, which sought to incite the people of Judea to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force. This led to the Jewish-Roman War of AD 66–70.

The Sadducees

According to Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews, this was a religious sect also formed around 167 BC of upper-class Jews headquartered in Jerusalem, comprised of high priests, aristocratic families, and merchants. They were the social and economic echelon of Judean society. The sect fulfilled various political, social, and religious roles, including maintaining the temple. They collected taxes and equipped and led the Judean army. They had good relations with the Roman rulers of Palestine and generally represented the conservative view within Judaism. Unlike the Pharisees, they recognized only the written Torah, rejecting the oral tradition of Laws, the writings of the prophets, and the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees represented that their authority of priestly privileges went back to the days of Solomon. They evidently dissolved in AD 73, three years after the destruction of the temple.

The Sanhedrin

This means in Hebrew and Aramaic sitting together; this group was an assembly of Sadducee and Pharisee elders appointed to serve as a council of sages, governing the affairs of the Jewish community. There were two classes of Jewish courts called Sanhedrin, the Great Sanhedrin and the Lesser Sanhedrin. A body of Lesser Sanhedrin were appointed to each city in Israel, and they comprised twenty-three judges for each city. There was only one Great Sanhedrin, located in Jerusalem, made up of seventy-one judges and acted as the Supreme Court. They heard cases on appeal from decisions handed down by the lesser courts. They traditionally met at the temple in Jerusalem. After the destruction of the temple in AD 70, they moved their headquarters to Galilee, becoming part of the Roman province of Syria-Palaestina. The last known formal meeting of the Great Sanhedrin was in AD 358, when the Hebrew calendar was abandoned. They were formally disbanded in AD 425 following continued persecution by the Eastern Roman Empire.

Joseph of Arimathea was a high counselor and working member of the Great Sanhedrin and a disciple of Jesus Christ. He certainly would not have agreed to the Sanhedrin push for Pontius Pilot to impose the death penalty on Jesus. According to the Gospel of John (19:38), the relationship and loyalty of Joseph to Jesus was largely kept secret. According to the Gospel of Luke, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both voting members of the Sanhedrin, dissented from the decision to condemn Jesus to death. Jesus and John the Baptist were notably in conflict with these purveyors of Mosaic laws and customs during their respective ministries.

Introduction to the New Testament

The Bible, the Word of God, is the basis of all truth and the foundation of all life. It is our story. Throughout its pages, we see ourselves in the lives of the men and women, experiencing the same fears and doubts, joys and sorrows, as they do. It is God's love letter to His children. The entirety of the Bible centers on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the New Testament.

The New Testament or New Covenant brings to the reader God's provision for man's sin once and for all, fulfilling the promises of the Old Testament. It is God's new covenant with man, the coming of His Son into humanity to offer redemption to us by paying the penalty for our sin by His death on the Cross.

As we study the books of the New Testament, we learn that Jesus Christ served as both king and high priest. There was the House of David, the king, and the House of Aaron, the high priest. The Old Testament prophesied that Messiah would be king and high priest. True to prophecy, Jesus was born of the House of David, but the priesthood required He receive the blessing from the House of Aaron since no one could be born of both houses. Jesus went to the Jordan River, and received the blessing from John the Baptist, who was of the House of Aaron. This signified the transfer of the priesthood to Jesus. Jesus would now be king and priest; the Messiah had come.

Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, assembled twelve disciples and ministered for three years, teaching and living and walking with God in total dependence and faith in Him. The Lamb was slain on the cross, redeeming sinful man by taking our sin upon Himself, delivering us cleansed and purified to God our Father so we can live in sinless fellowship with God for eternity. Based on the death of Christ and His resurrection, the church was born, and Christianity would spread throughout the world.

The New Testament comprises twenty-seven books, written in the space of fifty years during the second half of the first century. There are eight authors, six of whom are numbered among the Apostles: Matthew, John, James, Peter, Jude, and Paul. The other two were Gospel writers Mark and Luke (Luke also the writer of Acts). The first four books are the Gospels, and each approaches the life of Jesus from a different angle. Matthew presents Him to a Jewish readership as Israel's Messiah-King. Mark presents Him to a Roman readership as the servant-redeemer. Luke presents Him to a Greek readership as the perfect man. John presents Christ to a universal readership as the Son of God.

Following the Gospels, the remaining books, primarily Paul's writings, are of Christ's disciples nurturing the early church, the body of Christ. Now the body of Christ is looking forward to the glorified Lamb's return.

In the last book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John, the church is brought before us, and the whole history of the church—past, present, and future—is given. The church is taken up to heaven, and the Lamb returns to the earth to establish His kingdom for a one-thousand-year reign. Satan is bound during this time. At the end of the millennium, Satan is released and drives a final rebellion. He is put down by Christ in a final judgment. The way is established for eternity for those who are the church, the bride of Christ, which begins in the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, bound in the Holy Spirit.

The following is an introductory paragraph on each of the four books comprising the Gospels and the original twelve disciples Jesus chose to walk with.

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew, also called Matthew the Evangelist, was born in Galilee. Matthew wrote his Gospel during his years preaching to the Jews at Capernaum, around AD 65. His Gospel was written in Hebrew primarily directed to the Jews of the nation of Israel. Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans, so his fellow Jews would have despised him. The Lord Jesus put His hand upon Matthew to follow Him. He became an apostle and a disciple and a devout follower. Jesus is presented in Matthew's Gospel as Messiah, King, and Redeemer. Matthew stresses the lordship of Jesus and His perfect fulfillment of many Old Testament Messianic passages. His book opens with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, motivated by his writing to prove to the Jewish readers that Jesus was the rightful heir to David's throne. Matthew was one of the witnesses of the Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1). His ministry after the resurrection was primarily preaching to the Jews; however, according to tradition, he traveled to Syria and Ethiopia, spreading the message of Christ to the Gentiles. There are two accounts of his death in AD 74. One is that he was killed with a spear in Ethiopia for questioning the morals of the king. The other that he was put to death by fire by the infidels in Syria, crying out in the midst of the fire, Jesus, you also saved tax collectors, grace belongs to you… By the grace of your apostle, God have mercy upon us, amen.

Matthew is buried at Salerno Cathedral in Salerno, Italy, where his relics were discovered in 1080.

Gospel of Mark

Mark, also known as John Mark and Mark the Evangelist, was born in Cyrene, a city in the North African country of Libya. Mark wrote the earliest of the four Gospels, around AD 60. This Gospel was primarily for the Romans, the dominant world rulers who believed that government, law, and order best controlled the world. Mark was not one of the twelve apostles but was a follower of Jesus. Jesus is presented in this book as God's Servant, and to the Romans who ruled the world as the one true Ruler of the world. Mark stresses the power of servanthood and the reality of finding our life by losing it for Christ's sake as He had given His life for our sake.

After the resurrection, Mark traveled with Barnabas and Paul on missionary trips in Egypt, founding the Church of Alexandria and becoming its first bishop. He was a companion of Simon Peter as well, carefully recording the words of Peter's preaching when they were together in Rome. The key verse in this Gospel is found in chapter 10:45: For even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Tradition tells us when Mark returned to Alexandria in AD 68, he was martyred by the local gods worshippers who placed a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets until he was dead. His relics were kept in Egypt until they were transferred to Venice where they are presently venerated.

Gospel of Luke

Luke was from Antioch, Syria. Luke wrote his Gospel before the Jewish revolt, completed sometime between early AD 60s and AD 70. He wrote primarily to the Greeks, the thinkers. His Gospel was the most historically detailed of the four Gospels. According to the apostle Paul, Luke was a Gentile and a physician. He traveled with Paul during his initial missionary trip into Greece and to Philippi in Macedonia, and then accompanied Paul on his final return to Jerusalem around AD 58. He wrote in poetic Greek style, recording wonderful songs of Christmas. The four hymns in chapters 1 and 2 have added immensely to Christian worship (these are the Magnificat of Mary in 1:46–55, the Benedictus of Zechariah in 1:68–79, the Gloria in Excelsis of the heavenly host in 2:14, and the Nunc Dimittis of Simeon in 2:29–32.

Jesus was presented in Luke as the perfect divine Son of God and as our great High Priest, extending help, mercy, and love to us. By emphasizing Christ's humanity, his Greek readers would identify with the perfect child who grew up to be the perfect Man; the One who was without sin, pure in heart, and pure in compassion for all of mankind. In Luke's Gospel, from the first announcement of Jesus's coming to His ascension into heaven, Jesus is at the center of everything: the songs of praise, His miracles, His teachings, the conflict over His claims, and the cross. Luke begins and ends the story of Jesus's ministry at the temple, and he follows the progress of the disciples as they learn the cost of discipleship.

Authorship of the book of Acts is attributed to Dr. Luke. He is believed to have been martyred by being hanged from an olive tree in Thebes, Boethia, Greece. Tradition holds that he died at the age of eighty-four and was buried there. The transfer of Luke's remains in the year 357 to Constantinople during the reign of Emperor Constantius is well-documented. In 1313, the remains were placed in a marble sarcophagus, and in the year 1562, the sepulcher was put on permanent exhibition in the just-completed Basilica of St. Justina, where it continues to reside today.

Gospel of John

John, son of Zebedee, also called John the Evangelist, was born in Galilee. John was the youngest of the twelve apostles (his brother James also one of the twelve). He authored this most profound Gospel, written primarily for those who already have faith in Christ, some sixty-five years after Christ's crucifixion, around AD 90–95 at Ephesus.

John's Gospel begins with a statement about eternity, his objective in this book to prove to the world that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The subject of his Gospel is the deity of Christ who became man; the object is for readers to believe in Jesus and receive the gift of eternal life. John owned a home in Jerusalem. Shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, John moved to Ephesus and pastored a church there. His mother was Salome, also identified as Mary Salome, a follower of Jesus. According to the Gospel of Mark, she was present at the crucifixion and was one of the women who found Jesus's tomb empty. In medieval tradition, Mary Salome was counted as one of the three Marys who were daughters of Anne, making her a sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

By order of the Roman Emperor Domitian, John was exiled to the island of Patmos because of his threatening popularity. He wrote the book of Revelation during his time in exile. He founded and built churches throughout Asia. John also wrote three epistles, and although tradition placed their writings before the Revelation, many believe they were written after his imprisonment at Patmos, around the year AD 100, from Ephesus. He died peacefully in Ephesus at the approximate age of ninety-four, the only apostle to die of natural causes. The Basilica of St. John in Ephesus, constructed by Justinian I in the sixth century, stands over the believed burial site of John.

The Original Twelve Disciples of Christ

With the exception of Peter, these young men were probably teenagers when they were led to follow Jesus in his three-year ministry. Among the Gospel writers, Matthew and John were of the twelve, and Mark and Luke were not; however, Luke seemed to be one of the seventy disciples appointed by Jesus (Luke 10). The others include Andrew, Peter, James, Thomas, Nathaniel, Philip, Thaddaeus, and Judas Iscariot. Andrew, Peter, James, and John were sons of Zebedee and worked as fishermen. Thomas, Nathaniel, and Philip may have also worked as fishermen since they were all together preparing to go fishing when Jesus reappeared to them following His resurrection (John 21:2–8). Thaddaeus, also known as Jude, is identified as a brother of Jesus in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3, and if so, he is also the author of the second to the last book in the New Testament, the Epistle of Jude. Judas Iscariot is believed to be from the town of Kerioth in Judea based on the last name Iscariot. Little is known about this disciple other than his betrayal of Jesus. Tradition says he was a follower of John the Baptist and was responsible for handling the finances for Jesus and the twelve. With the exception of Judas Iscariot, all the disciples were from Galilee.

The following is an introductory paragraph on each of the books following the Gospels of the New Testament.

Book of Acts of the Apostles

The book of Acts was written by Dr. Luke and is a continuation of his Gospel. It was written between AD 80 and 90. After introducing us to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost as promised by Jesus, we see the Holy Spirit descend upon Christ's faithful. The book describes the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman Empire. It tells of the Apostle Peter spreading the message of Christ to the Gentiles and of Paul's conversion. It records three missionary journeys that took Paul throughout the Roman Empire in one of the greatest evangelistic endeavors in church history.

(The last recorded fact about Jesus in the Gospels: in Matthew, the Resurrection; in Mark, the Ascension; in Luke, the promise of the Holy Spirit; and in John, the second coming of Jesus Christ. All four of these final acts of Jesus are also recorded in the book of Acts.)

Epistle of Paul to the Romans

Authored by the apostle Paul in approximately AD 55–57 during his time in Corinth, it is the great Gospel manifesto for the world. Paul made it clear in Romans that while Peter was the Apostle to the nation Israel, he was the Apostle to the Gentiles of the world. (John Bunyan said of his famous book, Pilgrim's Progress, that he based it on his Christian walk through the book of Romans.)

First and Second Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians

Authored by Paul around AD 56, these are two letters written to the church at Corinth that he founded during eighteen months teaching there in AD 51–52. Corinth was a major city of commerce in Paul's day. He addresses a variety of problems in the church: factions, quarreling, lawsuits, immorality, and other bad behavior.

Epistle of Paul to the Galatians

Authored by Paul around AD 57, this letter is to the Galatian churches after his third missionary journey there. Galatia was a Roman province situated in Asia Minor between the Aegean and the Mediterranean coasts. It had been settled by a Celtic tribe known as Gauls, the same people who inhabited present-day France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerland, and Germany. They sacked Rome in the fourth century BC, later capturing Delphi and Greece in 280 BC, but in the second and first centuries, Gaul fell under Roman rule. Gallia continues as the name of France in modern Greek.

Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians

Authored by Paul from prison in Rome in approximately AD 60, this letter is to the church at Ephesus, the principal city of Asia Minor and comprising a substantial portion of the eastern Roman Empire. It was second in size only to Rome. Paul ministered in Ephesus for two years at the school of Tyrannus. Paul had his letter delivered to Tychicus, the pastor of the church at Ephesus, to present to his congregation in Ephesus. This was one of four letters Paul wrote from prison; the others were to the Colossians, the Philippians, and to Philemon.

Epistle of Paul to the Philippians

This was written by Paul from prison to the believers in Europe following his missionary journey there, to the church in the city of Philippi. Philippi was a major city northwest of the nearby Greek island Thasos. Its original name was Crenides (Greek for fountains), later renamed by Philip II of Macedon in 356 BC. It is currently the Greek city of Filippoi in eastern Macedonia and Thrace. This letter was carried from Rome to Philippi by Epaphroditus, the head pastor of the church at Philippi.

Epistle of Paul to the Colossians

Written by Paul from prison in Rome around 62 AD, this epistle was directed to the body of believers of the church at Colossae, emphasizing Christ being the head of the church. The letter was carried to Colossae from Rome by the pastor of the Colossian church, Epaphras. Colossae was a Roman city in Phrygia in Asia Minor in southern Anatolia (modern Turkey).

First and Second Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians

First Thessalonians was the first epistle Paul wrote, dating to AD 51, during his second missionary journey. Thessalonica was located fifty miles west of Philippi, about one hundred miles north of Athens. It was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. The church had a sizable Jewish membership, a great testimony to the whole area of Asia Minor and Macedonia, the countries of Turkey and Greece today.

Second Thessalonians was probably written several months after 1 Thessalonians while Paul was still in Corinth with Silas and Timothy. This second letter was prompted by an update Paul received after delivery of his first letter.

First and Second Epistles of Paul to Timothy

Paul wrote the first letter to Timothy around AD 62–63 while Timothy was serving as his representative in Ephesus, pastoring the church in Ephesus. The second letter, Paul's last in his life, was written around AD 65 from prison in Rome, his imprisonment for the second time. Half of Rome had burned in AD 64, and Nero blamed the Christians. Paul knew at this writing his death was near. The two letters to Timothy focused on the church of the body of believers, including the church at Lystra in central Anatolia, now part of Turkey, where Paul had been stoned. Many scholars believe he was actually stoned to death and raised from the dead at that time. Timothy along with Titus were young preachers Paul had led to faith in Jesus Christ, and they traveled with him at times on his missionary journeys. Paul referred to Timothy and Titus as his sons. Timothy was martyred in Ephesus around AD 93 for opposing the worship of Diana.

Epistle of Paul to Titus

Written by Paul from Corinth around AD 63, this letter focuses on Titus and his church on the island of Crete. Paul and Titus had preached the Gospel in Crete, and Paul left him there to establish local churches and to appoint elders. Crete was a difficult place, and Paul found the people difficult, but they were successful in turning many people of Crete to the Lord. Titus spread the Gospel throughout Crete and surrounding regions over many years, dying peacefully at the age of ninety-seven. Tradition holds that at the time of death, his face shone like the sun.

Epistle of Paul to Philemon

This was written by Paul from Rome just after he had been imprisoned in AD 60–61. Philemon was a Christian man living in Colossae who owned slaves, one of whom, Onesimus, had escaped and had been converted and was assisting Paul in the ministry. This letter is a petition of Paul to Philemon for forgiveness of Onesimus as he had been forgiven by Christ.

Epistle to the Hebrews

The authorship of this book is not certain, but most scholars attribute it to having been written by Paul. It is written to the Jews, proclaiming that the law is good, but grace offered through Christ is better, and His grace is perfect. It was evidently written sometime before the destruction of the temple in AD 70.

Epistle of James

Written by James, the Lord Jesus Christ's half brother, this dates to AD 45–50. It is a general presentation on the importance of faith that delivers good works and the practical ethics of Christianity.

History tells us James never left Jerusalem after the crucifixion. He was the only one allowed to enter the temple alone, and there he prayed for forgiveness for the Jews. Historian Clement of Alexandria wrote, Alone was permitted to enter into the holy place, and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel. He was known as bulwark of the people. He served as the leader of the Jerusalem church, proclaiming Jesus as Savior until his death around AD 62.

According to the records of historians Eusebius, Clement, and Flavius Josephus, James was martyred by being taken to the top of the temple by the Pharisees and thrown off. This didn't kill him, however, and he rose to his knees and began to pray for them. I beg of you, Lord God our Father, forgive them! They do not know what they are doing. The Pharisees rushed down to the ground and began stoning him, and finally a fuller (launderer) took out a club he used to beat clothes and smashed James on the head, killing him. He is reportedly buried in Talpiot, Israel, in a box inscribed James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.

Epistles of 1 and 2 Peter

This was written by the apostle Simon Peter around AD 64–66, after Nero had come to the throne and persecution was taking place in Jerusalem. The theme of these epistles is Christian hope in the time of trial. Second Peter is his swan song. As he was facing the prospect of death, he wrote on the importance of the church being anchored on the Word of God as the only defense against the coming storm of apostasy.

Peter was presumed martyred about the same time as Paul, around AD 65. According to historian Eusebius, Peter appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and in Asia to the Jews of the dispersion. At last, having come to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way.

Tradition tells us Peter was crucified at Vatican Hill, and his burial place is where the Basilica of St. Peter was later built, directly underneath the Basilica's high altar.

Epistles of 1, 2, and 3 John

These letters written by the apostle John were evidently written after his exile on the island of Patmos, placing his writing in Ephesus and the date around AD 100, shortly before his death there. John wrote these letters to address the heresies of the church at Ephesus, particularly Gnosticism, which had crept in through the philosophies of the Stoics and the Epicureans. The Stoics were pantheists who held that the wise man should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submissive to natural law. The Epicureans were fashioned from the Athenian teacher Epicurus, accepting of the Greek gods on Mount Olympus, and whose view was that pleasure of bodily desires in the pursuit of life was more important than anything else. These people denied the deity of Christ.

John's first letter emphasized that God's family is held together by love. His second letter is focused on the truth of the Word of God and the deity of Christ. His third letter readdresses the blessings of love and truth and its philosophical attributes and the importance of dedicating one's life to walking and working in the truth, in Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit.

Epistle of Jude

As was James, Jude or Judas, the writer of this epistle, was a half brother of Jesus Christ. It was written around AD 66–69, and its theme is assurance during the days of apostasy. He describes in vivid terms the frightful conditions that are to come in the future. It is a fitting introduction to the book of Revelation, which follows.

Tradition holds that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Libya. He was martyred in Beirut, Lebanon, in the Roman province of Syria. Some reports say that he was beheaded and then sawed in half. He is buried at the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City.

Revelation

The Revelation to John was written by the apostle John around AD 75–85 in exile by conviction of the Roman Emperor Nero on the island of Patmos. Revelation presents to us the only prophetic book in the New Testament. It is foremost a revelation of the person of Jesus Christ and takes us through all of Scripture: Christ in the past, Son of Man in Heaven; the present, the Seven Churches; the future, the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the Millennium; and the kingdom of God on earth, the New Jerusalem of heaven.

(Account of the death of Paul: The most commonly accepted tradition of Paul's death was from early church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, bishop of Caesarea in AD 314, in his book History of the Church. He claimed in his book that Paul was beheaded at the order of Roman Emperor Nero or one of his subordinates. Being a Roman citizen, by law he was exempt from crucifixion. His martyrdom occurred shortly after the great fire in Rome in AD 64. Reportedly, in AD 65 Paul of Tarsus was imprisoned, beheaded and then buried in the family tomb of a devout Roman noblewoman Natrona Lucilla. Around AD 320, Emperor Constantine built a small basilica to receive pilgrims visiting Paul's tomb. In AD 390, Emperor Theodosius enlarged the building and encased Paul's remains in a stone sarcophagus located in view in the middle of the basilica. In AD 433, part of the building collapsed during an earthquake and buried the tomb. The altar remained, and visitors over the centuries until 1823 entered the basilica, but the sarcophagus was not visible. In 1823 a fire completely destroyed the ancient basilica, and the modern basilica, the second largest called St. Paul's Outside the Walls, was built on the site. It was always known that the tomb was buried there, and after years of asking the Vatican to locate the tomb, in 2002, an excavation began. The marble tomb was discovered by Vatican archaeologists having been buried beneath the main altar, beneath a marble tombstone bearing the words Paulo Apostolo Mart, meaning Apostle Paul Martyr, in 2006. The Vatican has not yet decided on opening the tomb, but visitors can now view it. In 2009, the pope announced that radiocarbon dating confirmed that the bones in the tomb date from the first or second century, suggesting that they are indeed Paul's.)

Gospel of Matthew

Introduction

Matthew's Gospel is the bridge that leads us out of the Old Testament and into the New. His purpose was to show that Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah. His birth fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, and His birthplace of Bethlehem fulfilled Micah's prophecy in Micah 5:1–2. Jesus was taken to Egypt for safety (Matt. 2:14–15), and this fulfilled Hosea's prophecy in Hosea 11:1. When Joseph and the family returned and decided to settle in the nondescript small town of Nazareth, Matthew referred this to fulfillment of what was said through the prophets (Matt. 2:22–23), likely Psalm 22:6–7 and Isaiah 11:1.

Matthew is the first of the five historical books (the Gospels and Acts) that make up 60 percent of the New Testament. These books lay the foundation upon which the epistles are built, describing the life of Christ and the acts of the apostles in a historical context. More than the other Gospels, Matthew emphasizes the Jewish background of the life of Christ and assumes its readers have a detailed knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and Jewish customs and traditions. He stresses the teachings of Jesus, and 60 percent of the text contains His spoken words.

Matthew was a native of Capernaum, the town Jesus made His ministry headquarters. Matthew was a well-known wealthy tax collector in the community, and in spite of the negative popular opinion about tax collectors for Rome, he opened his home to Jesus, and Jesus invited him into His ministry. We will read that Matthew opened his heart to Jesus, and he became a new person, a devout follower and worker for Jesus. According to the records, after Jesus's death on the cross, Matthew ministered in Palestine for several years and then made missionary journeys to Jewish communities dispersed among the Gentile countries. Records show that his ministry took him to Persia, Ethiopia, and Syria, and some traditions say he preached in Greece. We will find in this book of Matthew that we have before us a revelation that penetrates our hearts.

The kingdom of heaven is the theme of the Gospel of Matthew. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to establish that kingdom on the earth. The Gospel contains three major discourses concerning the kingdom of God: the Sermon on the Mount (God's law concerning His kingdom), the Mystery Parables (the kingdom of heaven and kingdom on earth), and the Olivet Discourse (a look forward to the establishment of the heavenly kingdom here on earth).

Genealogy of Jesus Christ

Matthew starts the New Testament with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. The Messiah had to be a Jew (son of Abraham) and a descendant of King David (son of David). The Gospel opens with the lineage of Jesus Christ the Messiah. It presents a detailed account of the events that accompanied His birth. It begins with the genealogy of Joseph showing his family line of the House of David, from Abraham to David, Solomon to the Babylonian captivity, and from the Babylonian captivity to Joseph. The entire Bible rests upon the accuracy of these genealogies. Matthew presents the genealogy of Jesus on Joseph's side. Mary's side will be detailed in the Gospel of Luke. Mary's line comes from David through his son Nathan. Joseph's comes from David through his son Solomon.

In satisfaction of the imperial command of Rome that all individuals return to their ancestral towns to be enrolled for taxation, Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem for their enrollment because they were both from the House of David. The Gospel of Matthew begins,

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. To Abraham was born Isaac; and to Isaac, Jacob; and to Jacob, Judah and his brothers; and to Judah were born Perez and Zerah by Tamar; and to Perez was born Hezron; and to Hezron, Ram; and to Ram was born Amminadab; and to Amminadab, Nahshon; and to Nahshon, Salmon; and to Salmon was born Boaz was born Obed by Ruth; and to Obed, Jesse; and to Jesse was born David the king. And to David was born Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah; and to Solomon was born Rehoboam; and to Rehoboam, Abijah; and to Abijah Asa; and to Asa was born Jehoshaphat; and to Jehoshaphat, Joram; and to Joram, Uzziah; and to Uzziah was born Jotham; and to Jotham, Ahaz; and to Ahaz, Hezekiah; and to Hezekiah was born Manasseh; and to Manasseh, Amon; and to Amon, Josiah; and to Josiah were born Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon, to Jeconiah was born Shealtiel; and to Shealtiel, Zerubbabel; and to Zerubbabel, was born Abiud; and to Abiud, Eliakim; and to Eliakim, Azor; and to Azor was born Zadok; and to Zadok, Achim; and to Achim, Eliud; and to Eliud was born Eleazar; and to Eleazar, Matthan; and to Matthan, Jacob; and to Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (1:1–16)

Birth of Jesus Christ

Therefore, all of the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ, fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. (1:17–18)

Joseph was engaged to marry Mary, and they had had no sexual relationship. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman guilty of being unfaithful was to be stoned to death. In order to prevent a very tragic situation, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph to describe what was taking place and that Mary's son would be named Jesus, which means savior.

And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins. (1:9–21)

Matthew goes on, tying the historic event of the virgin birth to the prophecy given seven hundred years earlier in Isaiah 7:14.

Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Behold, the Virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, ‘God with us.'" And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (1:22–25)

Visit of the Wise Men after the Birth of Jesus

Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means house of bread, and here is the bread of life, which has come to the earth. Herod the king was called historically Herod the Great.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him. (2:1–2)

In Numbers 24:17, a prophecy was given to Balaam concerning the nation Israel, the coming of a Star and Scepter together: I shall see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth.

These wise men in the east had this prophecy. Sheth is defined as a tumult, sons of tumult. The Moabites were descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot, who had fathered a son named Moab from an incestuous relationship with his daughter. The kingdom of Moab was located east of Israel and represented sin and idolatry, and their people had fought with Israel for many years. David destroyed their nation in battle after he conquered the Philistines through providence of God's blessings upon his leadership (refer to 2 Samuel 8:12).

Christmas tradition presents three wise men from the east, but because these mysterious Gentiles (interesting they were Gentiles) arriving en masse in Jerusalem seeking the Christ-child caused such a stir, Herod feared for his throne. This tells us there were likely many more than three converging on the city.

And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where Christ was to be born. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet, ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.' (2:3–6)

This prophecy is from Micah 5:2, and Micah's last sentence was left out. It went on to describe Messiah from Bethlehem who is from eternity—God. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.

Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him. And having heard the king, they went their way, and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures; they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way. (2:7–12)

On the subject of the gifts, at this first coming, these are the three gifts brought to Jesus. Gold, which speaks of Christ's birth (He was born a king); frankincense, which speaks of the fragrance of His life; and myrrh, which speaks of His death. Myrrh was used as embalming material for dead bodies in that day. In Isaiah's prophecy of Christ's second coming, only two gifts are brought to Him, gold and incense (see Isaiah 60:6). Christ won't be coming to die for the sins of the world next time.

The Flight into Egypt

An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to get his family out of Bethlehem because Herod was determined to kill the child. Joseph complied, taking his family to Egypt where they stayed until Herod's death.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him. And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Out of Egypt did I call My Son. (2:13–15)

This prophetic quote is from Hosea 11:1: When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

Herod Kills the Children

Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi. (2:16)

Joseph and Mary Return to Nazareth with Jesus Following Herod's Death

When Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead. And he arose and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazarene. (2:16–23)

This prophetic quote bears resemblance to Samson's birth from Judges 13:5: