Matthew Introduction

This evening we are going to start a series through the gospel of Matthew. Almost ten years ago I preached through the gospel of Mark. I’m not sure how long this is going to take, but I can assure you it will be take a while. With twenty-eight chapters if I only preached two sermons from each chapter it would take fifty-six weeks. And since there are several long chapters in Matthew I figure some chapters are going to get more than two sermons, so this will definitely take more than a year.

Have you ever wondered why there are four gospels? Why do we need four different books telling us about the life of Jesus? Personally, I think it would have been helpful if God had just given us one book that was the length of the four books. John wrote in the verse last verse of his gospel:

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25)

That means that one longer gospel still couldn’t contain everything that Jesus did, but it would have at least given room for more. Surely it could have told us more about what Jesus did in those years growing up.

But that’s not what God chose to do. And even if he had, what more do we really need? So we are left with four gospels, but each gospel tells the story of Jesus a little different. Each has a different perspective and each has a different point they’re trying to make.

Think about this way; let’s say there was an accident at the front door of Walmart at 4:00 in the afternoon. There are plenty of eyewitnesses. There are the drivers of the cars behind the two cars in the accident, there’s the driver of the car waiting to pull out from the parking area, and then there are a dozen people walking to the front doors or out of the store. When the police arrive they go around interviewing the drivers (both of which claim innocence) and each of the eyewitnesses. Just like the drivers, each of the eyewitnesses has a slightly different take on what happened because each saw the accident from a different vantage point. As the policemen put each of the accounts together they are able to get a more accurate description of what really happened.

In the same way each of the gospels gives a slightly different picture of Jesus. When we put them together we a fuller picture of who Jesus is and what he did. However, as John said, we still don’t know everything Jesus did. And as I mentioned last week, whatever we know about Jesus he is more and greater.

What you may not have realized is that John is very different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In fact, those first three gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are often referred to as the synoptic gospel. That’s just a technical term meaning a similar view. Other than the story of the passion story (the death and resurrection of Jesus), John only has two stories that are found in the synoptic gospels: the feeding of the five thousand, and Jesus walking on water. Additionally, John doesn’t include a single parable.

Of the four gospels, how many of the authors were apostles of Jesus? Only Matthew and John, were a part of the twelve specifically called by Jesus to follow him.

Something else we need to know when studying any gospel is that they aren’t concerned with the entire life of Jesus. Only Matthew and Luke include anything about the birth of Jesus, and even then very little overlaps. And only Luke includes anything about Jesus’ childhood. Luke tells us about his trip to the temple when he was twelve. Mark and John start out with the ministry of John when Jesus was an adult. The focus of all four gospels then is on the three years of Jesus’ ministry and really on the last few weeks.

But each of gospels has a different focus.

Matthew presents Jesus as King. Matthew shows us how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament.

Mark presents Jesus as a Servant. Mark gives us the Reader’s Digest version of the gospel. He uses one verse for what takes Matthew a dozen.

Luke presents Jesus as the Son of Man. We learn more about the humanity of Jesus from Luke who was a doctor. So he gives us the most description of his human birth.

John presents Jesus as the Son of God. John, the closest of the apostles, defends the divinity of Jesus and focus on eight miracles of Jesus.

We need all four gospels to give us a fuller picture of Jesus from their four different angles.

As I said, we’re going to start a l-o-n-g series through the gospel of Matthew.

What I didn’t mention earlier is the meaning of the word gospel. The word comes from the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion) which means good news. In the Greek it referred to any good news. But in relation to Jesus it refers to his death on the cross for our sins. Paul wrote,

1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

In that sense there is only one gospel, one “good news” about Jesus, but in the New Testament there are four books telling us the story of Jesus.

What I want to do this evening is give you an overview of the book. I want us to look at the big picture. I’ve already mentioned that Matthew shows how Jesus is the Messiah, the promised Anointed One the Jews had been waiting for. But now I want to show you how the book is organized.

As the title states, this gospel was written by Matthew, also known as Levi. Matthew was a tax collector specifically called by Jesus to follow him and become one of his disciples. Jesus didn't wait for Matthew to turn his life around and clean up his act, Jesus called him right where he was and transformed him into an apostle who eventually wrote this gospel.

With the exception of Peter, John, and Judas who hung himself, we don't know what happened to any of the other apostles after the resurrection of Jesus. All we have is tradition and tradition tells us that Matthew lived and taught in Palestine for fifteen years before traveling as a missionary to Ethiopia, Macedonia, Syria, and Persia. Some reports say that Matthew died a natural death, but most say he was stabbed in the back after criticising the Kong's morals.

There are several divisions in Matthew's book with three major divisions. Those divisions are marked with the repetition of the phrase "from that time."

The first occurrence is in chapter 4. After an introductory section we read in verse 17:

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17)

This statement marks a major turning point in the book. The second time we find it, and the beginning of the third major section of the book is in chapter 16.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matthew 16:21)

That is the first mention of the crucifixion in Matthew. From here on it becomes the central focus the book.

So we have three major divisions:

Chapters 1-4 which cover his birth and beginning of his ministry

Chapters 5-16 that cover his ministry

Chapters 17-28 which lead the reader to the death and resurrection of Jesus

Now, there are also five subdivisions which are marked by the phrase "when Jesus (he) had finished."

We find it first in chapter 7 at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:28-29)

We find the beginning of the third sub-division in chapter 11.

After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. (Matthew 11:1)

The fourth sub-division begins at the end of chapter 13.

When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. (Matthew 13:53)

And the fifth sub-division starts with chapter 19.

1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. (Matthew 19:1-2)

Because Matthew is presenting Jesus as a king he begins the book with a genealogy and not just any genealogy, this is one that links him to David and shows his kingly lineage.

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)

The first chapter also recounts his birth. The second chapter describes events which ensued, including the flight into Egypt. In the third chapter we read of the baptism of our Lord. The first two chapters thus relate him to earth. His genealogy gives us his earthly credentials while his baptism in chapter 3 give his heavenly credentials.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

In the fourth chapter Jesus is tempted. Just as we have three divisions – body, soul, and spirit – Jesus faced three temptations that attacked his body, soul, and spirit.

The first temptation – turning bread to wine – tempted the physical body which was hungry anddesired to be fed. The second temptation – to jump from the top of the temple – tempted his soul which desires to make known and be known. Anthe third temptation – bowing to Satan in order to receive the kingdom's of the world – tempted his spirit. The dominant desire of the spirit is to worship.

The next three chapters (5-7) contain Jesus first block of teaching known as the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon Jesus announces and describes the kingdom of heaven. Jesus assures us that he did not come to set aside the commands of the Old Testament, but rather he came to fulfill them. He came to transform the hearts of his people that they can truly love God and love their neighbors.

After introducing the kingdom Jesus then introduces the kingdom in chapters 8-10. There we find nine stories – three groups of three – in which Jesus bring healing. The groups of stories are separated by Jesus’ invitation to come and follow him.

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”20Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:19-20)

And we see it again in chapter 9 with the calling of Matthew.

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)

The point being made is that we can only enjoy the grace and peace of the kingdom when we chose to follow Jesus – when we allow him to be our Master and King.

We then find a second large block of teaching in chapter 10 when Jesus prepares his disciples to go out and do what he’s been doing: healing the sick and preaching about the coming kingdom. Jesus warns them that not everyone will accept the message.

In chapter 11-13 Matthew gives us stories about how people responded to Jesus. Some people, believing that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament, responded positively. Others, like his family, were not so sure. And then there were those, such as the religious leaders, that flatly denied that Jesus could be the Messiah.

This section also ends with a block of Jesus’ teachings in chapter 13. There we find several parables Jesus told about the nature of the kingdom. In them Jesus explained that some people would receive him, but others would not. However, there is nothing that can stop the kingdom from coming and growing.

In chapters 14-20 Matthew explains the different expectations people had about the Messiah. Twice in this section Jesus feeds a multitude of people with seemingly little or no food. As more and more people begin to believe that Jesus may actually be the Messiah, Matthew shows how opposition from the Pharisees increases as they plot about how to get rid of him. Jesus then withdraws from the crowds with the disciples as he teaches them what it means for him to be the Messiah. Jesus then asks the disciples who they think he is chapter 16.

13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16)

Peter gets the right answer, but wrong idea. Peter, like most of the Jews, believed the Messiah would come bring a military victory and become king. But Jesus, in his fourth teaching block, explains the upside down nature of the kingdom and how that he will indeed be a king but it will come only after he become the suffering servant described in Isaiah 53.

3He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-5)

In chapter 21-25 we see how the kingdom Jesus is bringing clashes with the earthly kingdom of Israel’s leaders. After his triumphal entry Jesus proceeds to the temple where he overturns the tables of those doing business there. Jesus is asserting his authority as king over the goings on at the temple. The religious leaders try to trap Jesus in public debates and when they fail they make plans to kill him.

We then find the final block of Jesus’ teachings where he critiques the religious leaders and then weeps over Jerusalem. Jesus then takes the disciple out of Jerusalem to Bethany where Jesus warns them of the difficult days that lie ahead. Because they leaders are going to reject Jesus and have him crucified, Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed. However, all is not lost. Jesus will rise from the dead and one day he will return with a New Jerusalem.

Chapters 26-28 describe the passion and resurrection of Jesus. Beginning with a final Passover meal with the disciples, Jesus is arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin who find Jesus guilty of blasphemy. Jesus is taken before Pilate who believes Jesus to be innocent, but gives way to the demands of the people and has Jesus crucified.

The book then ends with the resurrection of Jesus and concludes with Jesus last teaching in chapter 28.

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

Jesus is sending the disciples out once again to make more disciples and share the good news – the gospel. Jesus is Lord and King and anyone can join his kingdom simply by believing, being baptized, and obeying his teaching. And in his last words Jesus promises to be with his people till he returns.

The great message of the gospel, then, is that God is not way up in the sky on some throne; nor is he not waiting in some distant judgment hall to pass judgment upon us. Instead, God is ready and waiting to pass into the center of a hungry, thirsting person’s heart, and there to minister the blessing of his own life, his own character, his own being, pouring them out for us. When the King is enthroned in the life, the kingdom of God is present. That is the message of Matthew and we find it in chapter 4 at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry when he returns from the wilderness.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17)

The kingdom is not some place out in space; it is where God reigns in the spirit. That kingdom is at hand in the presentation of the King.

Just as Jesus sent out the twelve he sends us out as well to make disciples. To be a disciple of Jesus is to allow Jesus to be King over our lives. We have a command to now go and share the good news – the gospel – with those we come in contact with.