Gospel of Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew was written sometime between A.D. 37 -A.D. 50.

Matthew was a Jewish tax collector for the Roman Empire until he was called by the Lord Jesus. (Matt.9:9; Lk.5:27). He is believed to have preached in Judea for about 15yrs after the resurrection, going to Ethiopia and other places before being martyred.

Matthews Gospel is Jewish in nature and context, written to the Jewish people. Some phrases in Matthew are different than the other Gospels. The story is the same, the perspective is different. Matthew sets the stage for the King. It is the bridge between the Old and New Covenant. Matthew presents Jesus as King and Savior of the world. Jesus is presented as the long-awaited King of Israel.

Throughout the Book of Matthew you will notice at least 61 references to the Old Covenant. The Holy Spirit through Matthew is revealing Gods plan of redemption unfolding.

The Royal Genealogy of Jesus:

Matthew 1:1 NKJV

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

The book of Matthew introduces us to Jesus as the Messiah of Israel.

Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). Christ is not his last name. He is the Christ. Christ and Messiah is one and the same. Christ is the English translation of the Greek word Christos . Messiah is the English translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach

Both words mean anointed or anointed one.

The Jewish people understood by the Scriptures that the Messiah was to come from the lineage of King David. That is the reason He was called the Son of David.

2 Samuel 7:11–17 NKJV

11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house. 12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” 17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

Isaiah 11:1–7 NKJV

1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. 6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Jesus is revealed as the Son of Abraham.

Genesis 12:1–3 NKJV

1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

He is the Blessing God promised to Abraham.

Matthew calls attention to two of great covenants of Scripture: The Abrahamic and the Davidic Covenants.

The Abrahamic covenant is the covenant that Abraham would be the father of many nations and through him all the families of the earth would be blessed. (Gen.12;15)

The Davidic Covenant is the promise God made with David concerning the throne. As we have just read David’s throne would be established forever. Meaning his kingdom and kingship would be established through his descendant after him who would be Jesus.

The promise God gave to Abraham that Nations would come from him and that all nations would be blessed through him meaning the Messiah would come from his descendants. God promised David that his throne would be established forever. God had a King yet to come that would fulfill this promise (King Jesus).

Matthews gospel introduces us to the King of Israel, the Anointed One of God. What we will discover in this great book of the Bible is the culture of the time. We will look at Jesus in His original setting, the nation of Israel. A nation under a Roman occupation. There was political unrest and tension A religious system corrupted by hypocrisy, greed, and strong traditions. A country in conflict between Jew and Gentile. Jesus set an example for us in midst of all of this turmoil. His teaching and preaching with demonstration of the Word will show us the life that Jesus brought to us.

Journey of The Wise Men

Matthew 2:1–2 NKJV

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The promised king of Israel was to come out of Bethlehem

Bethlehem is pronounced in Hebrew Beit-Lechem;

Beit: house

Lechem: bread

Beit-Lechem means: House of Bread

This is why Jesus can say I’m the bread that came down from heaven.

John 6:51 NKJV

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

Wise men: Magi. Magi were astrologers that came from region of the Medo-Persian Empire which was formerly Babylon. Modern day Iraq.

The Magi were men of prominence. They held high ranking positions in the nation they were from. They studied the stars and had the ability to read them. Magi had understanding of the constellations in the heavens.

There is a theory that i hold as to how they knew of a star that would represent a king that would come out of Israel.

Matthew hints at it in chapter 1, referring to the captivity in Babylon. When Israel went into Babylonian captivity during the time of Daniel. In chapter 1 of the book of Daniel the king of Babylon sent to bring the young, wise, and intelligent men of the captive Israelites to serve in kings chambers and learn the culture and language of the Babylonians. In which one of them was Daniel.

Daniel served the king of Babylon until the Medes and the Persians defeated the Babylonians. And Daniel served the Medes and Persians also in the same capacity. Of necessity the occupying Empire would have to know the culture and the laws of their captives. In which Daniel and the Jewish people would have told them of the prophecies concerning the Messiah and the future of the nation of Israel.

The star they possibly are referring to can be found in Num.24: 17

Numbers 24:17 NKJV

17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.

The star is a prophecy about a King who was to come out of the people of Israel. Who is Jesus (Yeshua).

Matthew 2:5–6 NKJV

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Matthew calls attention to the prophet Micah 5: 2- 5 which details the deity of the Messiah to come. He reiterates the Messiah is from Bethlehem. Common amongst Jewish writers of the time. It was understood that if a part of scripture was quoted, the whole context of the verse was implied. What Matthew is doing is letting readers know that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Eternal Son of God.

The Young Child

Young child not babe in swaddling clothes.

Matthew doesn’t go into detail about His birth as much as Luke does. Remember Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience, therefore the details Matthew gives is proving that He is the promised King of Israel. The points given are key to Jewish ears.

The gifts that were brought by the wise men are gifts that would have been brought to a reigning king.

The Trip To Egypt

Out of Egypt I called My Son

From verses 15 to 17 there is a parallel of the Messiah with the nation of Israel. Jesus is the embodiment of what Israel was supposed to be to the nations. Israel was to be Gods light to the nations. They were to reveal the glory of God to all people and cause all nations to come to Him through them.

Exodus 19:4–6 NKJV

4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Numbers 6:22–27 NKJV

22 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: 24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’ 27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Deuteronomy 7:6–8 NKJV

6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Israel, because of unbelief and disobedience, fell short of revealing that glory. Yeshua, through His obedience and sacrifice brought God’s glory to the nations.

Israel is the apple of God’s eye

Israel is also called God’s son

Israel is called God’s wife

God’s affection is set on Israel

The Parallel of Israel and Jesus

Jacob had to go Egypt in a time of distress

Joseph had to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt in a time of distress

Jacob (Israel) stayed there for 400yrs before coming out as a nation. God brought them out.

God called Joseph out after a period of time, when king Herod died

During the time of Moses birth as God was setting up to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt Pharaoh order the death of all the male children born.

Herod ordered the death of all the children from 2yrs old and under during the time Jesus was a child.

Matthew is telling his readers that Jesus is the prophet like unto Moses who was to be born.

Deuteronomy 18:15–19 NKJV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ 17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.

Acts 7:37 NKJV

37 “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’

The Branch

Chapter 2 closes out with the town Jesus, Joseph, and Mary settled in to live. the town of Nazareth.

Matthew says that it was fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene”

Notice that he said prophets and not prophet.

Starting with Isaiah we begin to see a Messianic personification of the Branch. You will notice the characteristics of the Messiah in this person of the Branch.

Isaiah 4:2 NKJV

2 In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.

Jeremiah 23:5 NKJV

5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Jeremiah 33:15 NKJV

15 ‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Zechariah 3:8 NKJV

8 ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.

Zechariah 6:12 NKJV

12 Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord;

There is a development of this person called the Branch who is to come.

The Hebrew word for Branch in these passages is:

tzemach: sprouting, something beginning to spring up

There is another passage that this word branch is used

Isaiah 11:1 NKJV

1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

The word for branch here is:

netzer: branch; a sprout, an offshoot, descendant

I believe Matthew further illustrates the validity of Jesus’s kingship to the throne of David with a play on words with the town Nazareth, Jesus’s home town.

The word Nazarene has it’s root in netzer meaning branch.

This is like a small tree that has little shoots growing out of its side. This is much like the olive trees in Israel. The olive trees have small sprouts grow out from the bottom part the tree.

Conclusion

Chapter of Matthews Gospel tells us that Jesus according to the scriptures is the true King of Israel, not only that, but the Eternal King of Israel that has been promise by God. We are shown the parallel between Israel and Jesus. Just like the wise men followed the star to Bethlehem in search of the King.

We spend our lives in search of something to fulfill us. We try to find fulfillment in many different things. It is only in the King of Kings Jesus Christ of Nazareth that we will find our fulfillment.