Week One Of Studying The Book Of Matthew Using A Bible & AI

My Process, My Takeaways, & The Journey To Reconstructing My Faith

After 12 years of wandering around in the backslidden wilderness, I’ve come back with one core belief…

Jesus Christ died by crucifixion and was resurrected on the third day. He is the promised Messiah.

You can read about that journey below if you missed it…

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So that is where my story begins I guess. In many ways I feel like I’m starting all over again, despite my history as a Christian, a Biblical Studies major, a former pastor, etc.

There are three main activities I learned to do when I want to feel close to God.

• Worship

• Pray

• Read the Bible

There are more of course, but these are the foundational three. As I was thinking about what to do next, my desire to build my faith in a way that’s unshakeable (you guys, I never want to go in the wilderness again), has led me to go back to the Bible. I need to read it.

I have started with the book of Matthew. There were a few reasons why:

1. I wanted to see Jesus in his Jewish-ness. Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience. Jesus was Jewish. I want THIS perspective first because Judaism came first.
   

2. I needed to see how the Old Testament and Jesus integrated. If I am going to trust the Bible as a trusted source about God, I need to see how Jesus saw the Old Testament too.
   

3. The gospel of Matthew is considered a reliable ancient document, with accurate depictions of geography, political figures, and cultural contexts of first-century Judea.
   

4. There are non Biblical documents that corroborate details in the book of Matthew.
   

5. The goal of the writing was to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah according to the Hebrew scriptures.

I decided I would read one chapter a day. It’s not too hard to get done in a few minutes. I have the NIV, ESV, and NKJV versions of the Bible so I can read the passage from a different translation if I want to.

It also allows me to read the scripture in context of the book vs. cherry picking verses based on topics or themes. As much as I love daily devotionals, my goal right now is rebuilding my faith with a solid foundation of truth and what I believe.

I’m not looking for topical or thematic reassurance. I need to know what’s TRUE.

I have just finished week one.

I thought it might be helpful to show you what I’m doing in case it would be something you want to try too.

1. I read in a handheld Bible or Kindle.

2. I read the footnotes in the study Bible I have.

3. I then open up ChatGPT and title the chat by the chapter (i.e. Matthew 1).

4. I begin by journaling my questions.

5. Sometimes this leads us in a side quest conversation, but I always try to bring it back.

6. I specifically ask questions to make sure I’m getting historical and contextual answers. Here are just a few of the questions I pulled out of chat so you can see…

   1. Matthew 1:22 - What did it "fulfill"? What scripture is Matthew referencing?

   2. How do the Jewish people interpret Isaiah 7:14?

   3. So why did they translate it virgin instead of young woman?

   4. What would his audience think? He was writing to Greek Jewish Christians right?

   5. Why does Matthew say that "all Jerusalem with him" in reference to being disturbed? Wouldn't the Jews be excited to hear the Messiah was born?

   6. First the Beatitudes. How does it relate to the Tanakh? Because he was speaking to Jews when he gave that sermon.

   7. What does the word Blessed translate as? You can use a short answer.

   8. This struck... the Jewish people's purpose is to show humanity what a life lived with God truly looks like—rather than getting caught up in rituals and rules. They had lost their way (as we all do). Jesus was calling them to the real truth. So then, he talks about fulfilling the law vs. abolishing it. Why is that so significant?

   9. Anything unique in the writing (patterns, ideology, etc.) that I wouldn't naturally know that you know about Matthew chapter 4?

   10. So next this prophecy Matthew discusses in verse 15. Where is it originally and what was the original interpretation?

7. Then when I’m done with the chapter, I ask it to summarize a personal commentary based on what I journaled, asked, and reflected.

8. The next day I start a new chat. Here’s a picture of what my Chat looks like.

So what about the Week #1 Matthew 1-7?

Because I want to understand patterns across larger chunks of scripture, I take each of my commentaries from the chapter, and put them in a new chat to get a summarized set of takeaways.

I ask it to reflect back what patterns were coming up in my questions, as well as my fears and confusion. I also ask for summaries of the contextual and historical details, and the intent of whatever the scripture was written for.

How do I feel after one week of this?

Thirsty.

I want more time to read more. Even just one week of this and it’s like drinking from a firehose after being dehydrated for 12 years.

In Tune.

I’ve had several dreams and symbolic moments since beginning Matthew that I can’t tell if it’s just I’m more attentive or what, but God seems near.

Sad.

The weight of my sin is heavy. I’m so grateful that it’s not the end of the story but the awareness of how far I’ve strayed is heavy.

Hopeful.

Jesus’ words are powerful in like a “Oh crap” and “Thank God” sort of way.

Grounded.

Dipping my toes into no faith, progressive Christianity, Judaism, etc. it’s been very uncomfortable trying to figure out what’s true. Starting with that one sentence “Jesus died and rose again” is making everything clearer.

I am actively resisting trying to get myself into theological entanglements because they are everywhere and many.

But I did have one revelation if you will about the debate on the “one true” religion.

Judaism is typically recognized as the earliest clearly defined, continuously practiced monotheistic tradition. In other words, the first religion to acknowledge the one true God. His name is YHWH (יהוה).

Jesus was Jewish, studied the Law, and fulfilled the Law. He deepened its meaning, revealed the heart of God, and came not to abolish “one stroke” of the Law.

Christianity rose out of this because His coming fractured the Jewish community between those who believed Him, and those who didn’t.

Those who didn’t carried on with Judaism.

Those who did, along with the Gentiles now welcome into the promise, became what we call Christians - followers of Christ.

Every monotheistic religion or sect that came after this — if they suggested that parts of the Old Testament or the ministry of Jesus was incomplete or wrong or in error — they formed new religions. For example, Islam, Mormonism.

• Islam (7th century CE): Islam claims that while Judaism and Christianity were initially correct revelations from God, their scriptures and teachings became incomplete or corrupted over time. Therefore, Islam positions the Quran as the final, unaltered revelation from God, with Muhammad as the final prophet. By asserting corrections to the Bible, Islam separated itself from Judaism and Christianity, thus forming an entirely new religion.
  

• Mormonism (19th century CE): Similarly, Mormonism claims that mainstream Christianity became incomplete or deviated from God's true message after the ministry of Jesus and his apostles. Joseph Smith presented the Book of Mormon as a new and corrected revelation. Thus, Mormonism established itself as distinct from traditional Christianity, becoming a completely separate religious group.

I know that many people would simply argue that Christianity did the same thing to Judaism, but there is a small but SIGNIFICANT difference as I read the book of Matthew.

Despite what theologies or modern ideas you might hear floating around… if we come back to JESUS (again, remember we’re working off of one sentence)….

JESUS said He came to fulfill the law. It was what Judaism has promised all along. And when the Bible was canonized, the LAW, the Tanakh, was canonized along with the New Testament.

In other words, it was AS holy and righteous as what Jesus preached.

Early Christian believers continued many Jewish traditions initially and saw themselves as an authentic expression of Judaism rather than a replacement. The separation between Judaism and Christianity evolved gradually due to theological, social, and historical factors rather than a rejection of the validity of Jewish scriptures.

Whereas with Islam and Mormonism, these religions introduce significant discontinuities by adding entirely new revelations and prophets that explicitly claim earlier revelations were either distorted or misunderstood.

This was an important revelation for me because while I’m not currently comparing Jesus to other non-monotheistic religions, this necessary thought process was needed for me to trust that the New Testament was an outgrowth of the ancient Law, not a re-interpretation or correction of it.

Here’s what ChatGPT summarized about my first week in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 1–2:

• Matthew 2:1-12 (The Magi):

  • Faith often requires risk, courage, and sacrifice without fully seeing the outcome.

  • God uses unexpected people, even outsiders, to recognize His work.

  • My assumptions about how God "should" act can blind me to His actual movements.

• Matthew 2:3-6 (Herod & Religious Leaders):

  • Fear, pride, and preconceived notions can make me spiritually blind or resistant.

  • Proximity to religious knowledge doesn’t guarantee genuine spiritual insight.

Matthew 3:

• Matthew 3:1-6 (John’s Baptism):

  • True repentance involves deep heart-change rather than mere ritual or surface actions.

  • Wilderness seasons aren't just testing grounds; they're transformative spaces.

• Matthew 3:16-17 (Jesus’ Baptism & Divine Affirmation):

  • God’s love and affirmation come before performance, miracles, or public ministry.

  • Grace reshapes my expectations of judgment into a comforting embrace of mercy.

Matthew 4:

• Matthew 4:1-11 (Temptation in the Wilderness):

  • Wilderness experiences reveal my true character and need for dependence on God.

  • My failures don't disqualify me; instead, they highlight Christ's faithfulness and victory.

• Matthew 4:15-17 (Ministry in Galilee of the Gentiles):

  • God’s grace and message extend far beyond my perceived boundaries or comfort zones.

  • God intentionally reaches the overlooked, marginalized, and distant—including me.

Matthew 5:

• Matthew 5:3-10 (The Beatitudes):

  • True blessing and godliness often appear opposite to worldly values.

  • God's standards for inner righteousness profoundly challenge superficial spirituality.

• Matthew 5:48 ("Be perfect..."):

  • Recognizing my inability to attain perfection drives me toward reliance on grace.

  • Perfection isn't about achieving but receiving and reflecting God's heart through transformation.

Matthew 6:

• Matthew 6:1-4 (Giving in Secret):

  • Genuine generosity seeks God’s approval, not human applause.

  • Regular heart-checks on my motives ensure sincerity over external validation.

• Matthew 6:5-13 (Prayer & Authenticity):

  • God invites honest, messy prayers; He knows my needs before I ask.

  • Prayer is intimacy and relationship, not performance or spiritual impressiveness.

• Matthew 6:14-15 (Forgiveness):

  • Genuine forgiveness flows naturally from experiencing God's mercy toward my flaws.

  • Forgiveness frees me from bitterness and leaves justice in God’s capable hands.

• Matthew 6:25-34 (Do Not Worry):

  • Anxiety reveals my struggle to trust fully; Jesus invites gentle reliance on God's care.

  • My worries matter deeply to God, and He compassionately meets me in my anxious moments.

Matthew 7:

• Matthew 7:1-5 (Judge Not):

  • I need constant self-awareness to address my flaws before criticizing others.

  • Humility in judgment protects my relationships and fosters grace-filled interactions.

• Matthew 7:7-11 (Ask, Seek, Knock):

  • Persistent pursuit of God reveals His eager generosity, not reluctant provision.

  • Trusting God’s goodness means believing He won't trick or harm me.

• Matthew 7:15-20 (Good Fruit vs. Bad Fruit):

  • True spiritual health is demonstrated through internal character transformation, not external achievements.

  • My life produces fruit reflective of my true heart condition, challenging superficial spirituality.

• Matthew 7:21-23 ("I never knew you"):

  • Real relationship with God matters infinitely more than religious performance or public acclaim.

  • Consistent heart-checks guard against spiritual self-deception and ensure authenticity.

• Matthew 7:24-27 (Building on the Rock):

  • Genuine faith is about actively applying Jesus' teachings, not passively appreciating them.

  • Stability through life's storms depends on obedience and authentic faith rather than surface spirituality.

Knowing myself, I don’t know that I will be able to write consistently about my Bible study (like everything I do, I try to show up but there’s a lot of showing up everywhere so I go in spits and spurts).

This writing is actually in a section on The Dandelion Report called Bible Study. I’m pretty sure you have to subscribe to this section SEPARATE from the Dandelion Report if you want to get email notifications that I’ve published. I think. I don’t actually know. 🤣 🤷‍♀️

Thanks for reading!

xx Julie