Matthew

What do you see in this book that tells you about the Original Reader?

      This book was written to the Jews. We can clearly see that Matthew tries to convince his readers that Jesus is in fact the Messiah. He sites old testament prophesies about the Messiah and shows how Jesus is the fulfillment of those in order to get his readers to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Matthew uses the statement “This fulfilled” in the following passages; 4:14-16, 8:17, 12:17-21, 13:35. Matthew doesn't bother explaining the different rituals and customs in this book, because they original readers would have already have known them. They were under Roman rule at the time as Matthew wrote those only a few decades after Jesus.

What do you see in this book that tells you about the author?

     It is believed that Matthew wrote the book of Matthew. We know that he was a tax collector and a disciple of Jesus (9:9). He would have been not very well liked by his fellow Jews because of his role as a tax collector. They were known for cheating people out of their money. He was probably pretty well off as a tax collector. His political views would have fallen under the pro-Hellenistic side as he worked for the Roman government.

What are the main themes, and repeated ideas in this book, and what is a one sentence summary of the main idea?

      The phrase “Kingdom of God/Heaven” is used 37 times in the book of Matthew. I think he just may have been trying to bring a new understanding to the idea of the Kingdom of God/Heaven. Matthew simply writes Jesus' teaching about the subject and it almost always goes completely against what the Jews were expecting the Kingdom of God/Heaven to be like. Jesus calls for higher standards from the people. Not in what they do and how they obey the law, but where their heart is (23:23). Serving and suffering are some main themes that Jesus lives out and he tells his disciples that they will face their own suffering (10:23). Matthew uses many prophesies to show that Jesus is the Messiah.

Summary: The Kingdom of Heaven completely turns upside down the thoughts and views of the Jews as Jesus teaches the gospel being the fulfillment of the Messianic prophesies.

What is the primary reason this book is written?

      The primary reason this book was written was to show the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah that they were waiting for. He looked very different and brought the Kingdom of God in a very different way than they were expecting. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies and Matthew gives clear examples in this book that show this ( 4:14-16, 8:17, 12:17-21, 13:35). This book shows that their idea of the Kingdom of God/Heaven is not what the Messiah was coming to bring. But he was coming to serve and to love.

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

      With the New Testament we know longer have to only observe things about God's character and nature, but now we can see it lived out practically through Jesus. The Son of Man has come and is the living word, the fulfillment of the law and the perfect example for us. He came to serve the least of these, to be a lowly servant to us. He taught that the Kingdom of God was about going low and not about raising up yourself or conquering your enemies (12:8, 20:7, 23:11). We see Jesus as the redeemer of man and the savior of mankind. He died on the cross willingly for the souls of men (26:28). Many times Jesus offends the religious leaders of the time and is not even afraid to offend the Roman rulers when they question him. He doesn't answer their questions and doesn't defend himself. He does miracles on the Sabbath so that the Pharisees would be offended so that Jesus could show what the Kingdom of God is like (12:2).

What does this book show about God's redemptive plan for mankind?

      “The hope of all the world” (12:21). This is the prophecy from Isaiah that Matthew is saying Jesus has fulfilled. He is the hope of the entire world. Jesus says that He will be three days in the ground just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days,(12:40) but on the third day he will rise from the dead (17:22). Though he came to die, he came to do more than that. He came to overcome the world, death, and hell. Nothing can keep him from redeeming his beloved creation. Jesus came to complete his covenant with man. His blood would be poured out as the perfect lamb to take away the sins of the world. (26:28). And finally Jesus died after living a perfect life to complete his covenant with man. To remove their sin, to free them from the covenant of the law and to walk intimately with us as he sends his Holy Spirit.

Personal Application

      What challenged me was Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom of God. It was about loving people, caring for the poor, and living a life of humility. He didn't come to conquer the nations and bring immediate justice, but he told us to walk out justice. He told us to be justice to the poor and the weak by loving them and caring for them. The simple application I got was to be the answer to some of my prayers. That I can be the one God uses to bring the gospel, or to show love and kindness to those around me. I can be the encouragement to those I am praying encouragement over. The Kingdom of God is not complicated or difficult to understand. It is simply loving my neighbor and caring for those in need around me. It means putting others ahead and Jesus first of all. It's good to get away with God and to simply meet with him.

Point of Passion (Bronx, NYC)

      Hear the words of Jesus and put them into practice. The culture you are in is not the truth. It is not the thing to base your life in and to seek fulfillment in. When God says that it is better to be humble and unseen than to be proud and praised by those around you know that he has what is best for you in mind. He isn't out to make life horrible or so full of rules that we can't enjoy life. His law is life, his law is freedom. When you live the was Jesus taught us to live you will have fulfillment, life will be a joy. You can't escape the goodness of God especially when you are walking humbly. Jesus didn't have crowds follow him because he was arrogant and loud and confident. He had crowds because of the power of God in him. He loved, and served, and healed. Everything he did was for others. He lived a life of radical sacrifice and I don't think he regretted it for a second. When you begin to live more for those around you, you will begin to learn what it means to live.