Matthew INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
The Gospel according to Matthew tells the good news that Jesus is the promised Saviour, the one through whom God fulfilled the promises he made to his people in the Old Testament. This good news is not only for the Jewish people, among whom Jesus was born and lived, but for the whole world.
Matthew is carefully arranged. It begins with the birth of Jesus, describes his baptism and temptation, and then takes up his ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing in Galilee. After this the Gospel records Jesus' journey from Galilee to Jerusalem and the events of Jesus' last week, culminating in his crucifixion and resurrection.
This Gospel presents Jesus as the great Teacher, who has the authority to interpret the Law of God, and who teaches about God's kingdom. Much of his teaching is gathered by subject matter into five collections: (1) The Sermon on the Mount, which concerns the character, duties, privileges, and destiny of the citizens of the Kingdom of heaven (chapters 5—7); (2) Instructions to the twelve disciples for their mission (chapter 10); (3) Parables about the Kingdom of heaven (chapter 13); (4) Teaching on the meaning of discipleship (chapter 18); and (5) Teaching about the end of the present age and the coming of the Kingdom of heaven (chapters 24—25).
Outline of Contents
Genealogy and birth of Jesus Christ 1.1—2.23
The ministry of John the Baptist 3.1–12
The baptism and temptation of Jesus 3.13—4.11
Jesus' public ministry in Galilee 4.12—18.35
From Galilee to Jerusalem 19.1—20.34
The last week in and near Jerusalem 21.1—27.66
The resurrection and appearances of the Lord 28.1–20
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Matthew INTRODUCTION: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Matthew Introduction
Introduction
Matthew’s purpose is to show that God has kept his ancient promises to Israel through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. The long-expected reign of heaven is now coming to earth, bringing the Jewish story to its climax. Matthew begins by highlighting that Jesus was the son of David, Israel’s most famous king, and the son of Abraham, Israel’s founding patriarch. Jesus is the true Israelite and God’s promised Messiah.
The Messiah is shown as reliving the story of Israel – going down into the River Jordan, facing temptation in the wilderness, gathering twelve disciples as twelve new tribes, ascending a mountain to deliver a new Torah, etc. The author highlights the idea of Jesus as a new Moses by collecting his teachings into five long speeches. These are marked off by some variation of the phrase When Jesus had finished saying these things. Just as the Torah had five books, Matthew presents five major sections.
The book concludes by telling how Jesus brought about the great new act of redemption for his people. As in the story of Israel’s Exodus, a Passover meal is celebrated and then deliverance comes. Jesus gives his life for the sake of the world and is then raised from the dead. At the beginning of the book, Jesus is given the name Immanuel, meaning ‘God with us.’ At the end, Jesus sends his followers into the world with the promise that surely I am with you always.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®
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