August 18, 2024 – A Study of Matthew – Abundant Grace

Abundant Grace

Genesis 38:12-30 - New International Version (NIV)

¹² After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.

¹³ When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” ¹⁴ she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. ¹⁶ Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.”

“And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.

¹⁷ “I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” he said.

“Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?” she asked.

¹⁸ He said, “What pledge should I give you?”

“Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. ¹⁹ After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again.

²⁰ Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. ²¹ He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?”

“There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.

²² So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’”

²³ Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”

²⁴ About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”

Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”

²⁵ As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”

²⁶ Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.

²⁷ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. ²⁸ As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez. ³⁰ Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah.

When did Judah go “up to Timnah” (verse 12)?

What did Tamar do when she found out that her father-in-law was “on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep” (verses 13 and 14)?

Why did Judah not recognize Tamar (verses 15 and 16)?

What pledge did Tamar want (verse 18)?

Why could the Adullamite not deliver the young goat (verse 22)?

How did Judah react when he found out that Tamar was pregnant (verse 24)?

What message did Tamar send to Judah (verse 25)?

Why did Judah say that Tamar was “more righteous” than he was (verse 26)?

Why was the firstborn of Tamar’s twins named Perez (verse 29)?

What was Perez’s brother named (verse 30)”

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the need for abundant grace?

Leviticus 18:15, 24-30 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.

²⁴ “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. ²⁵ Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. ²⁶ But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷ for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸ And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹ “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰ Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.’”

What is forbidden with “your daughter-in-law” (verse 15)?

Who had become defiled (verse 24)?

Why was the land “punished” (verse 25)?

What were the Israelites to keep (verse 26)?

What had the “people who lived in the land before you” done (verses 26 and 27)?

How will the land react if the Israelites defile it (verse 28)?

Who should be “cut off from their people” (verse 29)?

What are the Israelites to keep (verse 30)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the need for abundant grace?

In your opinion, what does Leviticus 18:15, 24-30 help us understand about the interaction between Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38:12-30?

Matthew 1:3-4 – New International Version (NIV)

³ Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

⁴ Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Who was the father of Perez (verse 3)?

Who was the mother of Perez (verse 3)?

Who was Perez the father of (verse 3)?

In your opinion, who is out of place in the genealogy presented here (verse 13)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the need for abundant grace?

In your opinion, how does Genesis 38:12-30 effect our understanding of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:3-4?

In your opinion, how does Leviticus 18:15, 24-30 calling the relationship between Judah and Tamar detestable impact our understanding of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:3-4? 

1 Timothy 1:8-17 – New International Version (NIV)

⁸ We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. ⁹ We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹ that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. ¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What is “good if one uses it properly” (verse 8)?

Who was the law made for (verse 9)?

What had God entrusted to Paul (verses 10 and 11)?

Why does Paul “thank Christ Jesus” (verse 12)?

What had Paul once been (verse 13)?

What was Paul shown (verse 13)?

How was “the grace of our Lord” poured on to Paul (verse 14)?

Who did Christ Jesus come “into the world to save” (verse 15)?

What did Paul consider himself (verse 15)?

Why did Paul say he was shown mercy (verse 16)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about the need for abundant grace?

In your opinion, using 1 Timothy 1:8-17 who in Genesis 38:12-30 would the law have been made for?  Who would be eligible for God’s abundant mercy?

In your opinion, how does Leviticus 18:15, 24-30 talking about the way detestable things defile the people and the land help us understand why 1 Timothy 1:8-17 says that the law is for the lawbreakers and the rebels?

In your opinion, how does the fact that Judah and Tamar are included in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:3-4 testify to the abundant grace that 1 Timothy 1:8-17 proclaims?

In your opinion, what do these passages from Genesis, Leviticus, Matthew, and 1 Timothy teach us about the ability of grace to redeem the detestable?

In your opinion, how can we thank the One who has blessed us with abundant grace today?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)