The Gospel of Matthew

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptic gospels. Synoptic means taking a common or similar view. There is a great deal of overlap in these three Gospels; but each tells the story from a particular point of view and for a particular audience.

The Jewish Gospel

The name Matthew means 'gift of God'. Matthew was one of the disciples who traveled with Jesus. Before his call to follow Jesus, Matthew was a tax collector. His tax booth was located at Capernaum on the main north-south highway from Damascus to Egypt. Matthew's duty was to collect 'toll' or 'transport' taxes from locals carrying their goods to market as well as from long-distance caravans. Matthew's training as a tax collector would serve him well as one of the writers of Scripture. First, by training he would have been a meticulous record keeper. Secondly, he traveled with Jesus and was an eye-witness to Jesus ministry.

The Jewish People

Matthew writes his Gospel mainly to a Jewish audience. The Jewish people were interested in the Old Testament predictions concerning the Messiah. In Matthew's writings Jesus declared that twenty-one prophecies had been fulfilled. Matthew himself pointed out another twenty-one predictions fulfilled in the events of the life of Christ.

Second, Jews held the Law of Moses in great respect. They were concerned about the attitude of Jesus toward the Law. Matthew's Gospel contains many positive statements that Jesus made regarding the Law of Moses.

Third, every religious Jew knew that the Messiah had to come from the line of David. Matthew takes pains to trace the legal ancestry of Jesus (through Joseph his legal father) back to David.

Fourth, Jews were expecting God to establish a glorious kingdom on earth. Matthew mentioned the kingdom fifty-six times, more than any of the other three Gospels.

Eternal Purpose

The immediate purpose of the Gospel of Matthew is to provide a topical account of the life of Christ for the Jewish Christian community. The ultimate purpose of the book is to demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah promised throughout the Old Testament.

Special Features

From the earliest days the Gospel of Matthew has been the most widely read and in some respects the most influential of the four Gospels.

Matthew contains the most complete record of what Jesus taught. Sixty percent of the Gospel of Matthew contain the spoken words of Jesus.

More than any of the other Gospels, Matthew quotes the Old Testament - at least fifty-seven times.

Matthew records ten parables not recorded in the other Gospels.

Matthew records three miracles not recorded elsewhere: the two blind men (9:27-31); the dumb demoniac (9:32-33); the coin in the fish's mouth (17:24-27).

Outline of Matthew's Gospel

* Preparation for the King (1:1-4:11)

* Principles of the King (4:12-7:29)

* Power of the King (8:1-10:42)

* Program of the King (11:1-13:52)

* Purpose of the King (13:53-18:35)

* Problems of the King (19:1-25:46)

* Passion of the King (26:1-28:20)

Luke 19: Jesus clears the temple

Part of the festival of Passover includes sacrificing animals to God. There were strict laws that explained what to sacrifice and how perfect the animal must be. Now, imagine you are coming from Capernaum which is up near the Sea of Galilee...are you going to bring an animal with you or are you going to wait and buy one in Jerusalem?

If you bring one with you, it's important to make sure it's perfect, no blemishes, so it will be accepted by the priests for the sacrifice. If it's not perfect you will have to buy one in Jerusalem and it will cost more. I've heard stories that some of the priests were corrupt at the temple. Poor Joseph from Capernaum would bring what he believes to be a perfect lamb for his sacrifice only to have the priest tell him it's not perfect. The priest would then allow him to trade in his lamb with some cash and get a new lamb that has been deemed acceptable. After Joseph leaves with his new lamb, the next guy brings his lamb in and the priests tell him the same thing they told Joseph. Then the priests turn around and sell this guy Joseph's lamb, saying it's acceptable for sacrifice, and the cycle goes on and on with the priests scamming people out of lambs and money.

All of that to say, Jesus wasn't happy with this practice (and some other wicked practices) so he drove these men out of the temple courts.

Luke 19: Entering Jerusalem on a donkey

Here is a picture taken from the Mount of Olives. This road leads down the Mount of Olives through the Kidron Valley and up to the Temple Mount. The golden Dome of the Rock stands in the place where the temple would have been in Jesus' time. This isn't necessarily the road Jesus road into town on...but it gives you an idea of his view as He came into town on a donkey with the streets lined with people shouting "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" and "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

Luke 19: Zacchaeus was a wee little man...

Today we read one of my favorite stories from childhood! I can see my Sunday School teacher telling the story with the flannelgraph board as I read. A few things stick out to me as I read this passage.

1) Zacchaeus had a deep desire to see Jesus. He was a short man and couldn't see Jesus because of the crowd so he ran ahead and climbed a tree so he could have the opportunity to see Jesus. How often do I "climb a tree" or do something crazy just so I can catch a glimpse of Jesus. Too many times I only experience Jesus when it's easy and convenient for me.

2) There was something in Jesus that brought out the best in people. Here we have a tax collector that the people hated (probably because he was a crooked tax collector) yet this "sinner" wanted to be around Jesus. I need the same attitude Jesus had toward these people on the fringe of society and those that the world called sinners. He must have in some way loved them and embraced them and at the same time pointed out their wrong doings. How did He balance these two things? Many times I find myself being judgemental and condemning. I need to be more like Christ as I relate to "the lost".

3) Here Jesus says, "the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." I need to be more about the mission of Jesus in this way!

Coming Soon!