1. Symbols of the Gospel Writers
Traditionally, the four Gospel writers have been represented by the following symbols:
St. Matthew = a divine man
St. Mark = a rising eagle
St. Luke = a winged ox or calf
St. John = a winged lion

2. In the Book of Revelation (4:6-8), we find a similar description.
(These symbols are taken first from Ezekiel 1:1-21).
In the Book of Revelation (4:6-8), we find a similar description.
St. Irenaeus ( ) likened the symbols to the four Gospel writers because of the content of their Gospels and their particular focus on Christ.
(The following photos are from the exterior of The Cathedral of Siena in Italy).

3. Saint Irenaeus saw Matthew as corresponding to the man’s face because he opened with a human genealogy of Jesus and Jesus’ humanity was emphasized throughout his book.

4. St. Irenaeus linked the Holy Spirit in Mark with an eagle pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with his wings over the Church.

5. St. Irenaeus presented Luke as a calf or ox (sacrificial animals), signifying his sacrificial order. Luke opened with a narrative involving priestly duties and temple services.

6. St. Irenaeus stated the first living creature was a lion symbolizing Johns’ effectual working, his leadership, and royal power.

7. The wings on all the symbols of the gospels are to symbolize their connection to the divine, like eagle wings or angels (who were the messengers of God) they deliver this story and good news.

8. Early Christian Author
Human/Angel
Lion Ox
Eagle
St. Irenaeus of Lyons
Matthew
John
Luke
Mark
St. Augustine of Hippo
Pseudo-Athanasius
St. Jerome

9. The Book of Matthew Themes: “Cost of Discipleship” “Deep Discipleship”
“Walk the Path of Christ”
“We all Head to a Cross”

10. Joseph Smith said:
“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation” (Lectures on Faith 6:7).

11. The sacrifice required of Jesus and His Apostles was enormous.
Someone said that religion that costs nothing is worth just that---nothing.
The sacrifice required of Jesus and His Apostles was enormous.
They gave everything!

12. Materials exclusive to Matthew:
Visit of the wise men; a star in the east.
Flight into Egypt
Sermon on the Mount
The Ten Parables
It was written to Jewish Christians who were returning to the Law of Moses.

13. Matthew 1 His Gospel was probably written in Aramaic.
Matthew was a publican (a tax gatherer at Capernaum). He was wealthy, he was one of the “twelve,” he spoke Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.
His Gospel was probably written in Aramaic.
Publicans were practically ostracized from the community.
“Publicans and Sinners” became a common phrase! (They were hated by the Jews).

14. Matthew’s name means “gift of the Lord.”
In the minds of ancient Israel there was no greater miracle than their mighty deliverance from Egypt.
A tradition asserts that he died a martyr’s death.
Matthew was probably a thorough Jew with a wide knowledge of the Old Testament.

15. Matthew is the only one of the four Gospels that begins with the Old Testament literary genre of genealogy.
This underlined a major message of the whole book, echoed often in the fulfillment formulas:
The prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in the life of Jesus.

16. Matthew 1:1
For Matthew, it is paramount that his reader understands that Christ is the son of David, for according to the prophecy the Messiah would come from the loins of David. But it is equally important that the reader understand that Christ descended from Abraham for according to the covenant God made with Abraham all the gentile nations would be blessed with the opportunity for gospel blessings through Abraham’s posterity.

17. He divided the genealogy of Christ into three sets of fourteen.
Matthew 1:17
He divided the genealogy of Christ into three sets of fourteen.
Fourteen is the sum total of the numerical value of David’s name.
In Hebrew each letter is also a number.
David’s name is: = 14
Historically, if Judah had been a free nation at the time when Christ was born, Joseph would have been the rightful king and his lawful successor to the throne would have been Jesus of Nazareth.

18. Matthew 1 = “Royal lineage” Luke 3 = “Literal” (from Joseph back to Adam) The accounts seemingly do not agree, though in fact the two of them taken together give a perfect picture of what is involved. Luke said he was the son of Heli. It appears, however, that Jacob and Heli were brothers and that Heli was the father of Joseph and Jacob, the father of Mary, making Joseph and Mary first cousins with the same ancestral lines. How fitting it is that the New Testament should preserve both a royal and a personal pedigree of these two, so that there could be no question, either by blood or by kingly right, as to the noble and exalted status of the Son of David. Similarities between Joseph sold into Egypt and Joseph, husband of Mary, are obvious: both received divine guidance through the mediums of dreams.

19. Four women are mentioned in the genealogy (this is rare).
Tamar Canaanite, (poised as a harlot and slept with her Father-in-law Judah, Genesis 38)
Rahab A converted harlot in Jericho
Ruth A Moabite
Bathsheba Wife of Urias the Hittite
All four were gentile women!
All nations will be blessed, all gentiles will have the opportunity to receive the Gospel!

20. Matthew 1:18-25–Jewish Weddings
The Engagement:
This was often arranged by the parents or by a professional matchmaker while the couple were still children.
The Betrothal:
A legally binding relationship lasting for one year. The couple lived apart and had no sexual relations. Should either party not wish to go ahead with the marriage, a divorce was required.
The Actual Marriage:
NOTE: It was during the second stage that Mary was found to be pregnant.

21. Joseph’s Dilemma 1. Put her to death.
2. Divorce her publicly and embarrass her (Keep in mind divorce was no great problem for an Israelite man: he simply had to give the lady a “bill of divorce” before two witnesses and send her away).
3. Private annulment (Joseph probably had known for three months that Mary was pregnant).
4. Marry her anyway.

22. Matthew 1:21 “Jesus” Hebrew = Yeshua Greek = Joshua, meaning salvation
To us there is only one Messiah. (One who is anointed, consecrated; a prophet, king, and a priest. To the Jews there are many anointed.)

23. Mary-The Greatest Female Spirit
“Can we speak too highly of her whom the Lord has blessed above all women? There was only one Christ, and there is only one Mary. Each was noble and great in pre-existence, and each foreordained to the ministry he or she performed. We cannot but think that the Father would chose His greatest female spirit to be the mother of His Son, even as He chose the male spirit unto Him to be the Savior” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mortal Messiah, 1:326-27).

24. Condescension of Heavenly Father
“Without overstepping the bounds of propriety by saying more than is appropriate, let us say this: God the Almighty; the Maker and Preserver and Upholder of all things; the Omnipotent One; He by whom the sidereal (stars) heavens came into being, who made the universe and all that therein is; God the Almighty, who is infinite and eternal, elects, in His fathomless wisdom, to beget a Son, and Only Son, the Only Begotten in the flesh…God, who is infinite and immortal, condescends to step down from his throne, to join with one who is finite and mortal in bringing forth, “after the manner of flesh,” the Mortal Messiah” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mortal Messiah, 1:314-15).

25. The Conception of Jesus
“Mary told the story most beautifully… Referring to the event, said, ‘God hath done wonderful things unto me.’ And the Holy Ghost came upon her, is the story, and she came into the presence of the Highest. No man or woman can live in mortality and survive the presence of the Highest except by the sustaining power of the Holy Ghost. So it came upon her to prepare her for admittance unto the divine presence, and the power of the Highest, who is the Father, was present, and overshadowed her, and that holy child
that was born of her was the called the Son of God…The power of creation...It is the most sacred and holy and divine function, he did not debase himself, nor debauch (seduce or lead away) his daughter. Thus Christ became the literal Son of a divine Father, and no one else was worthy to be His Father” (Melvin J. Ballard, The Deseret News, Dec. 23, 1923).