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Matthew
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Summary
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Matthew
gives a very full account of the life of Christ from
birth until the time of ascension. The record covers
the narrative aspects of his life as well as the matters
of great spiritual significance.
A number of themes run throughout this gospel record.
The most obvious is the theme that is most central to
the whole of Scripture - God has provided the saviour
that He promised in Genesis 3:15 (q.v. Genesis) who
will "save his people from their sins" (1:21).
Associated with this salvation is repentance and baptism
taught first by John the Baptist (3:1 - 2) and endorsed
by Jesus (3:13 - 17; 28:19 - 20).
The people to be saved were not only to be Jews but
also Gentiles. Jesus' acceptance of both Jews (the disciples)
and Gentiles (12:18,21; 15:24) demonstrated the availability
of God's saving grace to all.
He made constant reference to the Kingdom of God through
his many parables (20:1 - 15; 22:1 - 1) and his miracles
were performed to show the glory of his Father as well
as to alleviate the suffering or difficulties of those
benefiting from the miracle (5:16; 15:22,31).
Matthew also presents Jesus as the Son of man as well
as the Son of God, the reason for the genealogy being
given in Chapter 1, and he gives a full account of Jesus'
temptation (4:1 - 11) showing that he was "tempted
as we are, yet without sinning" (Hebrews 4:15).
Judgment for sin is another theme evident through the
parables (18:23 - 35) and other addresses (25:31 - 46)
and Jesus was particularly severe on the hypocrisy of
the Pharisees who made a pretence of religion but who
were inwardly base (23:13 - 33).
Perhaps the most famous of Scriptural discourses is
found in Chapters 5 through 7, the "Sermon on the
Mount". In this Jesus, apart from giving a foundation
for Christian living, endorses the Old Testament scriptures
by either putting them in a new light (5:21, 27 etc)
or simply accepting their teaching (5:17 - 20).
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Outline
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1:1
- 2:23 Jesus' birth and childhood
3:1 - 17 John the Baptist
4:1 - 25 Temptation and early ministry
5:1 - 7:29 The Sermon on the Mount
8:1 - 11:30 Miracles and preaching
12:1 - 50 The Pharisees
13:1 - 53 Seven parables of the Kingdom
13:54 - 17:27 Further preaching and conflict
with the Pharisees
18:1 -20:34 For the disciples
21:1 - 22:46 Towards Jerusalem
23:1 - 24:51 Warning - prophecy
25:1 - 46 On the Kingdom
26:1 - 27:66 The crucifixion
28:1 - 20 The resurrection
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Matthew
Author
– Matthew
Time – 4 B.C. to 30 A.D.
Summary
– Matthew’s Gospel is aimed at a Jewish audience. Its purpose
is to witness that Jesus was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament.
Matthew emphasises the words of the Lord regarding the Kingdom of
Heaven. This was done to counterbalance the popular Jewish belief
of the day that the Messiah would be a militant leader who would
overthrow the current Roman occupation and re–establish the
throne of David.
Key
Verse – "Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of
Abraham" Matthew 1 v 1
Unique
Features – Matthew makes no less than sixty references
to the Old Testament writings as fulfilled in Christ, so that the
word " fulfilled" becomes characteristic of the book.
The word "Kingdom" occurs fifty–five times; "Kingdom
of Heaven" thirty–two times; "Son of David"
seven times. The Jews laid great store on Scripture, and this Gospel,
written particularly for them, abounds in such references.
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Preparation
– Chapter 1 v 1 to 4 v 11
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Passage
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Subject
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1
v 2 to 2 v 23
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Jesus’
birth
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3
v 1 to 17
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His
baptism
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4
v 1 to 11
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His
temptations
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Preaching
– Chapter 4 v 12 to 7 v 29
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Passage
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Subject
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4
v 12 to 25
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Proclaiming
the Kingdom
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5
v 1 to 7 v 29
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What
Jesus taught
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Eleven
works showing Christ’s ability to rule – Chapter 8 v
1 to 10 v 42
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Passage
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Subject
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8
v 1 to 4
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The
cleansing of the leper
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8
v 5 to 13
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Centurion’s
servant healed of palsy
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8
v 14 to 15
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Peter’s
wife’s mother’s fever
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8
v 16 to 27
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The
stilling of the storm
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8
v 28 to 34
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Gergesene
demoniacs healed
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9
v 1 to 17
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The
man cured of the palsy
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9
v 18 to 22
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The
woman with haemorrhage
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9
v 23 to 26
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The
ruler’s daughter raised
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9
v 27 to 31
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Two
blind men given sight
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9
v 32 to 38
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The
dumb demoniac healed
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10
v 1 to 42
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The
Apostles empowered to preach
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There
are a couple of digressions – see Chapter 8 v 18 to 22,
9
v 9 to 17 – but they are related to the miracles performed;
the
miracles revealed physically what the Gospel can do spiritually.
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What
people thought: Reactions to his call – Chapter 11 v
1 to 18 v 35
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Passage
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Subject
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11
v 1 to 15
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John
the Baptist – in doubt
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11
v 16 to 19
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"This
generation" – unresponsive
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11
v 20 to 30
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Galilean
cities – unrepentant
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12
v 1 to 45
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The
Pharisees – unreasonable
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12
v 46 to 50
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His
family – misunderstanding
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13
v 1 to 58
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The
multitudes – undiscerning
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14
v 1 to 13
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Herod
the king – unintelligent
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14
v 14 to 36
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The
disciples – of little faith
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15
v 1 to 20
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Jerusalem
scribe – unimpressionable
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15
v 21 to 39
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Gentile
multitudes – seeking
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16
v 1 to 12
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Pharisees,
Sadducees – unrelenting
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16
v 13 to 18 v 35
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The
Apostles – needing education
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Passover
– Chapter 19 v 1 to 28 v 20
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Passage
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Subject
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19
v 1 to 25 v 46
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Parables
and entry into Jerusalem
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26
v 1 to 27 v 66
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Arrest,
trial and crucifixion
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28
v 1 to 20
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Resurrection
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