1. Why does Matthew group Jesus’ genealogy into three sections of 14 generations?
2. How are the generations in Jesus’ genealogy divided – who or what comes at the end/beginning of
each generation?
3. What are some comparisons between Jesus and Moses, as seen in the story of the Flight to Egypt?
4. What was the significance of Ramah as a location?
5. Why does Matthew quote the prophet Jeremiah?
6. How is Joseph in the Old Testament similar to Joseph in the New Testament?
7. What is the significance of John the Baptist’s baptizing near the River Jordan?
8. What was the “Book of Consolation” in Isaiah, and how does it relate to John the Baptist?
9. How is John the Baptist similar to Elijah?
10. What are Jesus’ 40 days of fasting similar to in the Old Testament?
11. What was Jesus’ first temptation, and how did it resemble Israel’s temptation in the wilderness?
12. What was Jesus’ second temptation, and how did it resemble Israel’s temptation in the wilderness?
13. What was Jesus’ third temptation, and how did it resemble Israel’s temptation in the wilderness?
14. How does Jesus inaugurate his new kingdom? (meaning – how does he begin his ministry?)
1. David’s name in Hebrew is symbolized by the number 14, and Matthew wants to illustrate how
Jesus is the new King.
2. The generations are divided from Abraham to David; from David to the Babylonian Exile; from the
Babylonian Exile to Jesus. Matthew wants us to see that it is only through Jesus that we can return from
our own “exile.”
3. There are several similarities between Jesus and Moses:
a. Both were saved from a royal edict to kill babies
b. Both were saved by family members
c. Both sought protection in Egypt
d. Both spent 40 days in the wilderness
e. Both were commissioned to promote God’s Law
4. Ramah was the place where the Assyrians first devastated northern Israel by hauling away captives
5. He quotes Jeremiah’s description of Rachel weeping for her children at Ramah when describing the
massacre of the Holy Innocents (the male children in Bethlehem)
6. Both Josephs receive messages in dreams from God that allow them to rescue family members
7. John the Baptist baptizes at the place where Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, which
shows how baptism is the way we enter the Promised Land
8. The “Book of Consolation” was where Isaiah wrote about the Restoration of the Kingdom, and
Matthew quotes this book when he says, “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
9. John the Baptist shows up at the same location where Elijah was taken up to Heaven, wearing
similar clothing and proclaiming the coming of one “greater than he.”
10. Jesus’ 40 days of fasting are similar to the 40 years Israel spent in the wilderness after being
delivered from Egypt.
11. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into loaves of bread, which resembles Israel’s complaining in the
wilderness about not having food to eat.
12. Jesus’ second temptation was to throw himself down and let the angels rescue him, which parallels
Israel’s fear that the Lord would not protect them.
13. Jesus’ third temptation was to worship Satan himself, which parallels Israel’s making the golden calf
to worship while they were in the desert.
14. Jesus inaugurates his new kingdom by calling Simon and Andrew as his disciples, telling them he
will make them “fishers of men.” He also travels throughout Galilee teaching, preaching, and healing.
Name: __________________________ Team: __________
QUIZ 1: MATTHEW 1-4
1. What is the numerical significance of Jesus’
genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew?
a. Jesus is listed as the seventh prophet of Israel, a
number which signifies wholeness
b. Matthew lists three groups of 40 generations, which
symbolizes the penance that previous generations paid for
their sinfulness.
c. Matthew lists three groups of 14 generations, and the
numeric value of David’s name in Hebrew is 14.
d. Matthew lists 14 groups of 7 generations, and the
numeric value of Jesus’ name in Hebrew is 14.
2. What is the significance of how Matthew divides up
the generations in Jesus’ genealogy?
a. He shows how the story of salvation history went
from the high point of David’s reign to the low point of
the Babylonian exile and then to the new stage with the
coming of Jesus.
b. He shows how the ancestors of Jesus were sinless
leaders in every generation.
c. He shows how the story of salvation history went
from the high point of Solomon building the Temple to
the low point of the Exile and then to the new stage with
the birth of Mary.
d. He shows how the line from Abraham to Moses is
unbroken until Gentiles married into the nation of Israel.
3. Why does it matter that Matthew lists women in
Jesus’ genealogy?
a. To show that Jesus would be born of a Gentile
woman, just as other prophets were.
b. To show that there were previous births in unusual
circumstances leading up to Jesus
c. To show that Gentiles were previously members of
the Covenant but will no longer be welcomed.
d. To show that Jesus has human ancestry of Canaanite
origin.
4. Which of the following is NOT a similarity between
Jesus and Moses?
a. Both were saved from a royal edict to kill babies
b. Both had prophetic dreams that warned them to leave
their homeland
c. Both sought protection in Egypt
d. Both spent 40 days in the wilderness
5. What is the name for the infants killed under Herod’s
reign?
a. The invisible children
b. The Holy Innocents
c. The first disciples
d. The motherless souls
Date: ____________
Period: _______
6. Why does Matthew want us to see Jesus as the “New
Moses?”
a. To show how he is of royal heritage – the new king
of Israel
b. To show how he would build a new Temple – his
own body
c. To show how he would bring a new Law and liberate
us from sin
d. To show how he would bring a new covenant that
excluded the Gentiles.
7. What happened at Ramah?
a. Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice to the Lord
b. Moses gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments
c. The Assyrians hauled away captives to put them in
exile
d. The Babylonians destroyed the Temple.
8. Where does Matthew quote Jeremiah?
a. He quotes Jeremiah’s description of Rachel weeping
for her children at Ramah when describing the massacre
of the Holy Innocents
b. He quotes Jeremiah’s prophecy that Elijah will return
to announce the coming of the Messiah
c. He quotes Jeremiah’s prophecy that a child will be
born who will be called “Emmanuel”
d. He quotes Jeremiah’s warning that the coming of the
Messiah would be preceded by the reign of the Antichrist
9. Which figure from the Old Testament does Joseph
resemble as he saves his family during the Flight to
Egypt?
a. Moses
b. Elijah
c. Joseph
d. Abraham
10.
a.
b.
c.
d.
John the Baptist baptizes Jesus at:
The Jordan River
The Temple
The Red Sea
The Sea of Galilee
11. What is Matthew telling us by pointing out the
location where John was performing baptisms?
a. John is the new Moses leading people to freedom
from sin
b. Baptism is a public proclamation of the end of the
world
c. Baptisms are only valid if the person is fully
immersed in the baptismal waters
d. Baptism is the new gateway to the “Promised Land”
of salvation
12. What was the “Book of Consolation?”
a. The scroll on which the Psalms were written, which
was read in the Temple as part of worship on the Sabbath
b. The story of Jesus’ being saved from Herod’s
persecution of the infants
c. A section of the book of Isaiah in which he describes
the restoration of the kingdom
d. A prophecy that Elijah would return to announce the
coming of the Messiah.
13. What is the significance of Matthew quoting from the
“Book of Consolation?”
a. It shows that John the Baptist is announcing the
coming of the kingdom when he says, “Prepare the way
of the Lord”
b. It shows that Jeremiah foretold the coming of the
Messiah when he wrote, “For unto us a child is born”
c. It shows that John the Baptist proclaimed a false
doctrine when he claimed to be the Messiah
d. It shows that Matthew believed John the Baptist was
the reincarnation of Elijah
14. Whom does John the Baptist resemble, and why is
that significant?
a. Elijah, and he is announcing the coming of the Lord
b. Joshua, and he is leading the people to freedom
c. David, and he is proclaiming his royal heritage
d. Solomon, and he is rebuilding the Temple
15. How does Jesus begin his public ministry after facing
the temptation in the desert?
a. By raising Lazarus from the dead
b. By making Peter the first pope
c. By choosing disciples and performing miracles
d. By retreating for 40 days to Mount Sinai
SHORT ANSWER: Describe Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and how it resembled Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the
desert.