Matthew

Part One: Introduction to Matthew

The Gospel and the Gospels

The word "gospel" means "good news." The four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, each tell the good news of Jesus Christ from a different angle. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the "Synoptic Gospels" ("seeing together") because they share much of the same material and order; John adds a great deal not found in the others. A traditional way of summarising their emphases is:

Matthew stands first in the New Testament because it forms a bridge from the Old: it begins with Abraham and David and shows, page after page, that Jesus fulfils the Law and the Prophets.

The Author

The early church unanimously attributed this Gospel to Matthew, also called Levi, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14). He was a "publican," a tax collector at Capernaum (9:9), hated by his fellow Jews as a collaborator with Rome and often as a cheat. When Jesus said, "Follow me," "he arose, and followed him" (9:9), and threw a great feast for Jesus with other tax collectors and sinners (9:10; Luke 5:29). He became one of the twelve apostles (10:3, where he humbly calls himself "Matthew the publican"). As a tax collector he would have been skilled in writing and record-keeping, and his Gospel is carefully organised. The early writer Papias (around AD 125) said that Matthew compiled the sayings of Jesus in the Hebrew (or Aramaic) language.

Date

Matthew was probably written between AD 50 and 70. Jesus' prophecy of the temple's destruction (24:1-2) is presented as still future, and the book assumes that the temple and its practices are still in place (5:23-24; 17:24-27; 23:16-22). Many conservative scholars date it in the AD 50s or 60s.

Purpose and Theme

Matthew was written to show that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews, the Son of David and the Son of Abraham, who fulfils the Old Testament Scriptures and brings in the kingdom of heaven. It also calls His followers to a life of true righteousness and to make disciples of all nations.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew 1:1

Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost

Matthew 28:19

Distinctive Features

• Fulfilled prophecy. Matthew quotes or alludes to the Old Testament more than any other Gospel, about sixty times. A dozen times he uses a formula such as "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet."
• The kingdom of heaven. Matthew alone uses the phrase "kingdom of heaven," over thirty times. Jews often avoided saying the name of God out of reverence, so "heaven" stands for God; the phrase means the same as "kingdom of God" in Mark and Luke.
• Five great discourses. Matthew arranges Jesus' teaching in five major sermons, each ending with words like "when Jesus had ended these sayings" (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). Some see a parallel with the five books of Moses: Jesus is the new and greater Lawgiver.
• Jewish concerns. Matthew discusses the law, the Sabbath, ritual purity, the temple tax, the scribes and Pharisees, and the Messiah's mission first to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (10:6; 15:24).
• Gentiles included. Yet Matthew also shows God's grace to Gentiles: Gentile women in the genealogy, the wise men from the east, the Roman centurion, the Canaanite woman, and the commission to "all nations."
• The church. Matthew is the only Gospel to use the word "church" (16:18; 18:17).

The Five Discourses

Material Found Only in Matthew

Matthew records many things not found in the other Gospels, including: Joseph's dreams and the visit of the wise men (1-2); the flight into Egypt and the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem (2); Peter walking on the water (14:28-31); the coin in the fish's mouth (17:24-27); the parables of the tares, the hidden treasure, the pearl, the dragnet, the unmerciful servant, the labourers in the vineyard, the two sons, the ten virgins, and the sheep and the goats; Judas' remorse and death (27:3-10); the dream of Pilate's wife and Pilate washing his hands (27:19, 24); the raising of saints at Christ's death (27:52-53); the guard at the tomb and the bribing of the soldiers (27:62-66; 28:11-15); and the full wording of the Great Commission (28:18-20).

Outline of Matthew

Part Two: Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis

Section I: The Coming of the King (Chapters 1-4)

Chapter 1 — The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (1:1). Matthew begins by establishing Jesus' legal right to David's throne and His place as the promised Seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18; 2 Samuel 7:12-16). The genealogy is arranged in three groups of fourteen generations: from Abraham to David (the rise of the kingdom), from David to the Babylonian exile (its decline and fall), and from the exile to Christ (its restoration in the true King) (1:17).

Remarkably, the genealogy names four women besides Mary: Tamar, who sinned with her father-in-law (Genesis 38); Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute (Joshua 2); Ruth, a Moabitess (Ruth 4:13); and "her that had been the wife of Urias," Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). Gentiles and sinners are in the Messiah's family tree: a picture of the grace He came to bring. The genealogy carefully avoids saying Joseph fathered Jesus: "Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ" (1:16). (In Greek, "of whom" is feminine, referring to Mary.) Jesus received His legal right to the throne through Joseph, His legal father; Luke traces His physical descent through Mary (Luke 3).

Mary, engaged to Joseph, "was found with child of the Holy Ghost" (1:18). Joseph, "a just man," planned to divorce her quietly, but an angel told him in a dream:

Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:20-21

"Jesus" (the Greek form of Joshua) means "the LORD is salvation." Matthew then gives his first fulfillment quotation: "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (1:22-23; Isaiah 7:14). Jesus is both truly man (born of a woman) and truly God ("God with us"). Joseph obeyed, "And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son" (1:24-25), confirming the virgin birth.

Chapter 2 — The Wise Men and Herod

After Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, wise men (magi) from the east came to Jerusalem: "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him" (2:1-2). King Herod the Great "was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him" (2:3). The chief priests and scribes knew exactly where the Messiah would be born, quoting Micah 5:2: "And thou Bethlehem... out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel" (2:5-6). Yet they did not go to see Him. Gentile seekers came from afar; the religious leaders nearby were indifferent, and Herod was murderous.

The star led the wise men to the house where the young child was, "and they rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (2:10). "They saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (2:11). Many have seen meaning in these gifts: gold for a King, frankincense (used in worship) for God, and myrrh (used in burial) for One who would die. Warned in a dream, the wise men went home another way (2:12).

An angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt, and he went by night (2:13-14), fulfilling "Out of Egypt have I called my son" (2:15; Hosea 11:1): Jesus is the true Israel, God's Son, who relives and fulfils Israel's history. Herod, furious, ordered the killing of all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and under (2:16), fulfilling Jeremiah's words of Rachel weeping for her children (2:17-18; Jeremiah 31:15). After Herod's death (4 BC), the family returned, but because Herod's son Archelaus ruled Judea, they settled in Nazareth in Galilee, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene" (2:19-23). Matthew says "the prophets" (plural), probably summarising their teaching that the Messiah would be despised (Isaiah 53:3; Psalm 22:6), as Nazareth was (John 1:46), and perhaps alluding to the "Branch" (Hebrew netzer) of Isaiah 11:1.

Chapter 3 — John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus

"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (3:1-2). He fulfilled Isaiah 40:3: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord" (3:3). Dressed in camel's hair with a leather belt like Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), and eating locusts and wild honey (3:4), he called people to repent and be baptized, confessing their sins (3:5-6). To the Pharisees and Sadducees he said: "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father" (3:7-9). Physical descent from Abraham could not save them. "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees" (3:10).

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire

Matthew 3:11

Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John. John protested, "I have need to be baptized of thee," but Jesus answered, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (3:13-15). Though sinless, He identified with sinners and set an example of obedience. "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water" (3:16), indicating baptism by immersion. The heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father spoke:

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 3:17

All three persons of the Trinity are present: the Son baptized, the Spirit descending, the Father speaking.

Chapter 4 — The Temptation and the Beginning of Ministry

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil" (4:1). After fasting forty days, He was tempted three times, and each time answered with Scripture from Deuteronomy, where Israel had been tested in the wilderness and failed:

Where Adam fell in a garden and Israel failed in the wilderness, Jesus, the last Adam and true Israel, stood firm. Satan even quoted Scripture (Psalm 91:11-12), but out of context; Jesus answered with Scripture rightly understood. "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him" (4:11). He is able to help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15).

After John's arrest, Jesus moved to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, fulfilling Isaiah 9:1-2: "The people which sat in darkness saw great light" (4:12-16). "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (4:17). Walking by the sea, He called two pairs of brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John:

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Matthew 4:19

They left their nets "straightway" and followed Him (4:20, 22). Jesus went through Galilee "teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people" (4:23), and great crowds followed from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond Jordan (4:24-25).

Section II: The Teaching and Works of the King (Chapters 5-15)

Chapters 5-7 — The Sermon on the Mount

Seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up a mountain, sat down (the posture of a teacher), and taught His disciples (5:1-2). The Sermon on the Mount describes the character, conduct and priorities of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. It does not teach how to be saved by works; it shows the righteousness God requires, which drives us to Christ for mercy, and describes the life of those who have been born again.

The Beatitudes (5:3-12). Eight blessings describe the citizens of the kingdom:

Salt and light (5:13-16). "Ye are the salt of the earth... Ye are the light of the world" (5:13-14). Believers preserve and illuminate a corrupt and dark world. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (5:16).

Jesus and the law (5:17-20).

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:17

Jesus fulfils the law by perfectly obeying it, by fulfilling its prophecies and sacrifices, and by revealing its full meaning. Not one "jot" (the smallest Hebrew letter) or "tittle" (a tiny stroke) will pass away until all is fulfilled (5:18). "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (5:20). The Pharisees' righteousness was external; God requires inward righteousness, which only Christ can provide (Romans 10:3-4; Philippians 3:9).

Six contrasts: "Ye have heard... But I say unto you" (5:21-48). Jesus showed that God's law reaches the heart:

• Murder and anger (5:21-26): anger and contempt are murder in the heart. Be reconciled with your brother before offering your gift.
• Adultery and lust (5:27-30): "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Deal radically with sin.
• Divorce (5:31-32): divorce is not a casual matter; except for fornication, remarriage after divorce involves adultery (compare 19:3-9).
• Oaths (5:33-37): "let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay": be truthful always, without needing oaths.
• Retaliation (5:38-42): "Resist not evil": turn the other cheek; go the second mile; give generously. The "eye for an eye" principle was for courts, not personal revenge.
• Love for enemies (5:43-47): "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven" (5:44-45).

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (5:48). The standard is God Himself.

True religion in secret (6:1-18). Giving, praying and fasting must be done for God's eyes, not to be seen by people: "thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" (6:4, 6, 18). Don't pray with "vain repetitions, as the heathen do" (6:7). Then Jesus gave a model prayer:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

The prayer puts God's name, kingdom and will first, then our needs: provision, forgiveness and protection. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not... neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (6:14-15). An unforgiving heart shows it has not truly received God's forgiveness (18:21-35).

Treasure and trust (6:19-34). "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (6:20-21). "No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (6:24). Therefore do not be anxious about food, drink or clothing: "Behold the fowls of the air... Consider the lilies of the field" (6:25-30). Your Father knows your needs.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.

Matthew 6:33-34

Judging, asking and the Golden Rule (7:1-12). "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (7:1): don't condemn others hypocritically; first remove the beam from your own eye, then you can help with the mote in your brother's (7:3-5). Yet use discernment: don't give holy things to dogs or pearls to swine (7:6). "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (7:7). If earthly fathers give good gifts, "how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (7:11).

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12

Two ways, two trees, two claims, two builders (7:13-27).

• Two gates: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (7:13-14).
• Two trees: false prophets come in sheep's clothing; "by their fruits ye shall know them" (7:15-20).
• Two claims: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father." Many will claim to have prophesied and done miracles in His name, "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (7:21-23). Profession without relationship saves no one.
• Two builders: the wise man who hears and does Jesus' words builds on the rock; the foolish man who hears and does not, builds on sand, and great is the fall of his house (7:24-27).

"The people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes" (7:28-29). The scribes quoted authorities; Jesus spoke with His own: "But I say unto you."

Chapters 8-9 — Ten Miracles of the King

After demonstrating His authority in word, Jesus demonstrated it in deed, with ten miracles grouped in three sets, separated by teaching on discipleship.

Authority over disease (8:1-17). A leper said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." Jesus touched him: "I will; be thou clean" (8:2-3). A Roman centurion asked Him to heal his servant with only a word: "speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." Jesus marvelled: "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham... in the kingdom of heaven: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness" (8:5-12). He healed Peter's mother-in-law and many others, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" (8:14-17; Isaiah 53:4).

The cost of following (8:18-22). To an eager scribe: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (8:20). To a hesitant disciple: "Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead" (8:22).

Authority over nature and demons (8:23-34). In a great storm, while Jesus slept, the disciples cried, "Lord, save us: we perish." He rebuked their little faith, then rebuked the winds and sea, "and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" (8:23-27). In the country of the Gergesenes (Gadarenes), He delivered two fierce demon-possessed men; the demons cried, "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" He sent them into a herd of swine, which ran into the sea. The townspeople begged Him to leave (8:28-34).

Authority to forgive sins (9:1-8). To a paralysed man brought on a bed, Jesus said, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." The scribes thought He blasphemed. Jesus answered, "that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house" (9:2-6). Only God can forgive sins; Jesus proved His authority by the healing.

The call of Matthew (9:9-17). "He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him" (9:9). At dinner with many tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees objected. Jesus answered:

They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 9:12-13

Asked why His disciples did not fast, He spoke of Himself as the Bridegroom, and taught that new wine (His message) needs new bottles, not the old forms of religion (9:14-17).

Authority over death (9:18-34). A ruler (Jairus, Mark 5:22) asked Jesus to raise his dead daughter. On the way, a woman with a twelve-year haemorrhage touched the hem of His garment: "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole" (9:20-22). At the ruler's house, Jesus said, "the maid is not dead, but sleepeth," took her by the hand, and she arose (9:23-25). Two blind men cried, "Thou son of David, have mercy on us." "According to your faith be it unto you," and their eyes were opened (9:27-30). He cast a demon out of a mute man, and the crowds marvelled, but the Pharisees said, "He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils" (9:32-34).

Compassion and the harvest (9:35-38).

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:36-38

Chapter 10 — The Mission of the Twelve

Jesus called twelve disciples and gave them power over unclean spirits and diseases (10:1). They are named: Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John (sons of Zebedee), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, "Matthew the publican," James the son of Alphaeus, Lebbaeus (Thaddaeus), Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, "who also betrayed him" (10:2-4).

He sent them first "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (10:5-6), preaching "The kingdom of heaven is at hand," healing, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, casting out devils: "freely ye have received, freely give" (10:7-8). They were to travel light and depend on hospitality (10:9-15). He warned of persecution:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16

They would be brought before councils and rulers, but the Spirit of their Father would give them words (10:17-20). Families would be divided, and they would be hated for His name, "but he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (10:21-22). "The disciple is not above his master" (10:24).

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28

God cares for sparrows; "the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (10:29-31). "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny" (10:32-33). "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (10:34): the gospel divides even families (Micah 7:6).

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 10:37-39

Even a cup of cold water given to one of His disciples will be rewarded (10:40-42).

Chapter 11 — John's Question and Jesus' Invitation

From prison, John the Baptist sent disciples to ask, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" (11:3). Even great believers can struggle with doubt when circumstances are hard. Jesus answered with His works, echoing Isaiah's prophecies of the Messiah: "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them" (11:5; Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1). Then He praised John: "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (11:11). "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come" (11:14; Malachi 4:5).

That generation was like children who would neither dance nor mourn: they rejected John as too strict and Jesus as too friendly with sinners (11:16-19). Jesus pronounced woes on the cities where He had done most of His miracles, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, for they did not repent; it would be more tolerable for Tyre, Sidon and even Sodom in the day of judgment (11:20-24). Greater light brings greater responsibility. Then Jesus prayed:

I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes... All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Matthew 11:25-27

Only the Son truly knows the Father and can reveal Him. Then one of the most gracious invitations in Scripture:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

To people weighed down by sin and by the heavy rules of the Pharisees, Jesus offered rest for the soul (Jeremiah 6:16).

Chapter 12 — Lord of the Sabbath; Opposition Grows

When the Pharisees objected to the disciples picking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded them that David ate the shewbread and that the priests work in the temple on the Sabbath (12:1-5). "But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple" (12:6). He quoted Hosea 6:6, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice" (12:7). "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day" (12:8). In the synagogue He healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath: "it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days" (12:9-13). The Pharisees began plotting to destroy Him (12:14).

Jesus withdrew and healed many, fulfilling Isaiah 42:1-4: "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles... A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench... And in his name shall the Gentiles trust" (12:17-21). He is gentle with the weak.

When He healed a blind and mute demon-possessed man, the people asked, "Is not this the son of David?" But the Pharisees said He cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils (12:22-24). Jesus answered that a divided kingdom cannot stand, and "if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you" (12:25-28). He had bound the strong man (Satan) and was plundering his house (12:29). "He that is not with me is against me" (12:30). Then a solemn warning:

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Matthew 12:31

In context, this sin was the deliberate attribution of the Spirit's evident work in Christ to Satan: a settled, hardened rejection of the Spirit's testimony to Jesus. Those worried that they have committed it show by their concern that they have not. "A tree is known by his fruit... out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (12:33-34). "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (12:36).

When they asked for a sign, Jesus gave "the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (12:39-40). The men of Nineveh and the queen of the south would condemn that generation, "and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here... a greater than Solomon is here" (12:41-42). A reformed but empty life is open to worse evil (12:43-45). When His mother and brothers came, Jesus said, "whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" (12:50).

Chapter 13 — The Parables of the Kingdom

Jesus taught by the sea in parables, stories from everyday life that reveal spiritual truth to those willing to hear and conceal it from those who refuse (13:10-17; Isaiah 6:9-10). "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear" (13:16). These parables describe "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (13:11) during the present age, between Christ's first and second comings.

In explaining the tares, Jesus said, "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels" (13:38-39). "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (13:43; Daniel 12:3). Matthew notes that speaking in parables fulfilled Psalm 78:2: "I will open my mouth in parables" (13:35).

Returning to Nazareth, Jesus taught in the synagogue, but the townspeople were offended: "Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?" (13:55). "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country... And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (13:57-58).

Chapter 14 — John's Death; Feeding Five Thousand; Walking on the Water

Herod Antipas feared that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead (14:1-2). He had beheaded John at the request of Herodias, whose marriage to Herod John had condemned, after her daughter danced at Herod's birthday (14:3-12).

Jesus withdrew to a desert place, but the crowds followed, and "Jesus... was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick" (14:14). With five loaves and two fishes, He blessed, broke and gave, and about five thousand men, besides women and children, ate and were filled, with twelve baskets left over (14:15-21). It is the only miracle, apart from the resurrection, recorded in all four Gospels.

That night, the disciples were rowing against a contrary wind when Jesus came to them walking on the sea. They cried out in fear, but He said, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (14:25-27). Peter said, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." Jesus said, "Come." Peter walked on the water toward Jesus, "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (14:28-31). When they got into the boat, the wind ceased, "Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God" (14:32-33). At Gennesaret, all who touched the hem of His garment were healed (14:34-36).

Chapter 15 — Tradition, the Heart and a Canaanite Woman

Pharisees from Jerusalem accused the disciples of breaking "the tradition of the elders" by not washing hands ceremonially before eating (15:1-2). Jesus replied that they broke God's commandment by their tradition: by declaring their possessions "a gift" to God, they avoided supporting their parents, "Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition" (15:3-6). He quoted Isaiah 29:13: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth... but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (15:7-9). "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth" (15:11). The Pharisees were "blind leaders of the blind" (15:14).

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man

Matthew 15:19-20

In the region of Tyre and Sidon, a Canaanite woman cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil" (15:22). Jesus at first did not answer, then said He was sent "unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" and that it was not right to give the children's bread to dogs. She replied, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Jesus answered, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt," and her daughter was healed (15:24-28). Her humble, persistent faith was richly rewarded. Jesus then healed many by the Sea of Galilee and fed four thousand men, besides women and children, with seven loaves and a few fish (15:29-39).

Section III: The King Prepares His Disciples (Chapters 16-20)

Chapter 16 — Peter's Confession and the Way of the Cross

The Pharisees and Sadducees demanded a sign from heaven. Jesus said they could read the sky but not "the signs of the times," and gave them only the sign of Jonah (16:1-4). He warned the disciples to beware of "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees," that is, their doctrine (16:6-12).

At Caesarea Philippi, He asked, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" Some said John the Baptist, others Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. "But whom say ye that I am?"

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:16-18

This is the first use of "church" (ekklesia, "called-out assembly") in the New Testament. There is a wordplay: "Peter" is petros (a stone), and "rock" is petra (a mass of rock). Baptists and many other Christians understand the rock to be Christ Himself and the truth Peter confessed about Him, not Peter as a person or a line of popes. Scripture elsewhere says, "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11), and Peter himself calls Christ "a living stone" and "the chief corner stone," and believers "lively stones" built on Him (1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20). Christ builds His church, it belongs to Him ("my church"), and it will never be defeated. The "keys of the kingdom of heaven" given to Peter (16:19) refer to the authority to declare the terms of entry into the kingdom through the gospel, which Peter exercised in opening the door to Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2) and to Gentiles at Cornelius' house (Acts 10). Similar authority to "bind" and "loose" is later given to the church as a whole (18:18).

"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things... and be killed, and be raised again the third day" (16:21). Peter rebuked Him: "Be it far from thee, Lord." Jesus answered, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (16:22-23). The same Peter who spoke by revelation from the Father now spoke Satan's temptation to avoid the cross.

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

The Son of man will come in glory and reward every man according to his works (16:27). "There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (16:28), fulfilled six days later when three of them saw His glory on the mount of transfiguration.

Chapter 17 — The Transfiguration

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain "and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (17:1-2). Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets) appeared, talking with Him (17:3); Luke says they spoke of His coming death in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). Peter offered to build three tabernacles (17:4), but a bright cloud overshadowed them, and the Father spoke:

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Matthew 17:5

Jesus is not equal with Moses and Elijah; He is the Son to whom they pointed. When the disciples looked up, "they saw no man, save Jesus only" (17:8). Peter later wrote of this as eyewitness evidence of Christ's majesty (2 Peter 1:16-18). Coming down, Jesus explained that "Elias is come already, and they knew him not," and the disciples understood He meant John the Baptist (17:10-13).

At the foot of the mountain, the disciples had failed to cure a boy with seizures caused by a demon. Jesus healed him and told them it was because of their unbelief: "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove... Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" (17:14-21). Jesus again foretold His betrayal, death and resurrection (17:22-23). When asked whether He paid the temple tax, He explained that as the Son He was exempt, but to avoid offence He told Peter to catch a fish, in whose mouth he would find a coin to pay for them both (17:24-27).

Chapter 18 — Life in the Community of the King

The disciples asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus set a little child among them:

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3-4

Causing one of these little ones to stumble is so serious that it would be better to be drowned with a millstone (18:6). Deal ruthlessly with sin (18:8-9). God cares for each one, like a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep: "it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish" (18:12-14).

Church discipline (18:15-20). If a brother sins against you, go to him privately; if he will not listen, take one or two witnesses; if he still refuses, "tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican" (18:15-17). The goal is restoration ("thou hast gained thy brother"). The church's decisions in line with God's Word are bound in heaven (18:18). "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (18:20).

Forgiveness (18:21-35). Peter asked if he should forgive seven times. "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" (18:22): without limit. Jesus told of a servant forgiven a debt of ten thousand talents (an unpayable fortune) who then refused to forgive a fellow servant a hundred pence (a few months' wages) and threw him into prison. His master, angry, delivered him to the tormentors. "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses" (18:23-35). Those who have been forgiven an infinite debt must forgive others (Ephesians 4:32).

Chapter 19 — Marriage, Children, Riches and Rewards

Marriage and divorce (19:1-12). The Pharisees asked, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" Jesus went back to creation:

Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matthew 19:4-6

Moses permitted divorce "because of the hardness of your hearts: but from the beginning it was not so" (19:8). "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery" (19:9). Some are given the gift of singleness for the kingdom's sake (19:10-12; 1 Corinthians 7:7).

Little children (19:13-15). "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (19:14).

The rich young ruler (19:16-26). A young man asked, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Jesus pointed him to the commandments; he claimed to have kept them all. "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." He went away sorrowful, "for he had great possessions" (19:16-22). His wealth was his god. "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." The astonished disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (19:24-26). Salvation is God's work.

Rewards (19:27-30). Peter said, "We have forsaken all." Jesus promised the twelve would sit on twelve thrones judging Israel "in the regeneration," and everyone who has left anything for His sake "shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (19:28-30).

Chapter 20 — Grace, the Cross and Servanthood

The labourers in the vineyard (20:1-16). A householder hired workers at different hours of the day, from early morning to the eleventh hour, and paid them all a penny (a day's wage). Those who worked all day complained. He answered, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?" (20:15). God's grace is not earned by length of service; He gives freely as He chooses. "So the last shall be first, and the first last" (20:16).

The third passion prediction (20:17-19). For the third time Jesus foretold His suffering, this time with specific detail: He would be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, condemned to death, handed to the Gentiles "to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again."

Greatness through service (20:20-28). The mother of James and John asked that her sons sit at His right and left hand in His kingdom. Jesus asked, "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?" (20:22). The other ten were indignant. Jesus taught that in the world rulers lord it over others, "But it shall not be so among you":

But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:26-28

His death would be a "ransom," the price paid to free captives, in place of many (Isaiah 53:11-12; 1 Timothy 2:6).

Two blind men at Jericho (20:29-34). As Jesus left Jericho, two blind men cried, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David." The crowd rebuked them, but they cried louder. "So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him" (20:30-34).

Section IV: The King Presents Himself and Is Rejected (Chapters 21-25)

Chapter 21 — The Triumphal Entry and the Temple

Near Jerusalem, Jesus sent two disciples to bring a donkey and her colt, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass" (21:1-5; Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 62:11). The crowds spread their garments and branches on the road and cried:

Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Matthew 21:9

"Hosanna" means "Save now" (Psalm 118:25-26). All Jerusalem was stirred, asking, "Who is this?" (21:10-11). Jesus was publicly presenting Himself as the promised King, but in humility.

He entered the temple and drove out the money changers and merchants: "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (21:12-13; Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). He healed the blind and lame in the temple, and children cried, "Hosanna to the son of David." When the chief priests objected, Jesus quoted Psalm 8:2: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise" (21:14-16).

The next morning He cursed a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit, and it withered (21:18-20), an acted parable of Israel's religious leaders: outward show, no fruit. "All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (21:22).

When the chief priests and elders challenged His authority, He asked them whether John's baptism was from heaven or of men; afraid of either answer, they said, "We cannot tell," and He refused to answer them (21:23-27). Then He told three parables of judgment against the leaders:

• The two sons (21:28-32): one said he would not work but later did; the other said he would but did not. "The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you," because they repented at John's preaching and the leaders did not.
• The wicked husbandmen (21:33-41): tenants of a vineyard beat and killed the owner's servants, and finally his son. "This is the heir; come, let us kill him." Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23: "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner" (21:42). "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (21:43). "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (21:44; Isaiah 8:14-15; Daniel 2:34-35).

The leaders knew He spoke of them, but feared the crowds (21:45-46).

Chapter 22 — The Wedding Feast and the Great Questions

The marriage of the king's son (22:1-14). A king invited guests to his son's wedding, but they refused, made light of it, and even killed his servants. The king destroyed them and burned their city, then invited everyone from the highways, both bad and good. One guest came without a wedding garment and was cast into outer darkness. "For many are called, but few are chosen" (22:14). The gospel invitation goes to all, but those who come must be clothed in the righteousness God provides (Isaiah 61:10; Revelation 19:8), not their own.

Tribute to Caesar (22:15-22). The Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Him: "Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" Looking at a coin bearing Caesar's image, He said:

Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

Matthew 22:21

Believers owe obedience to government in its proper sphere (Romans 13:1-7), but their ultimate allegiance belongs to God, whose image they bear (Genesis 1:27).

The resurrection (22:23-33). The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, posed a riddle about a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus answered, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (22:29). In the resurrection there is no marriage. And God said, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," not "I was": "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (22:32; Exodus 3:6).

The great commandment (22:34-40). A lawyer asked which is the great commandment.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Matthew 22:37-40

(Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18.)

David's Son and Lord (22:41-46). Jesus asked the Pharisees, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?" "The Son of David." Then how does David by the Spirit call Him "Lord" in Psalm 110:1, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand"? "If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?" (22:42-45). No one could answer. The Messiah is both David's descendant and David's divine Lord. "Neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions" (22:46).

Chapter 23 — Woes on the Scribes and Pharisees

Jesus warned the crowds and His disciples about the religious leaders. "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not" (23:2-3). They loaded heavy burdens on others, did everything to be seen, loved the best seats and titles (23:4-7). "But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren" (23:8). "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (23:11-12).

Then eight solemn woes:

"Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (23:33). The guilt for all the righteous blood shed "from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias" would come on that generation (23:35). Then His heart broke over the city:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Matthew 23:37-39

Jesus' words of judgment are spoken with tears. Israel will see Him again when they welcome Him as Messiah at His return (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26).

Chapters 24-25 — The Olivet Discourse

As Jesus left the temple, the disciples admired its magnificent buildings. He said, "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (24:2). This was fulfilled in AD 70, when the Romans destroyed the temple. On the Mount of Olives the disciples asked: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (24:3).

Jesus' answer covers both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. Christians understand the details differently: some see much of it fulfilled in AD 70; many Baptist and dispensational interpreters see the core of the discourse describing the future great tribulation and Christ's second coming, with AD 70 as a foreshadowing.

The course of the age (24:4-14). Deceivers claiming to be Christ, wars and rumours of wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes are "the beginning of sorrows" (24:5-8). Believers will be persecuted and hated; many will be offended, betray one another and follow false prophets; "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (24:9-13).

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew 24:14

The great tribulation (24:15-28). "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place... Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains" (24:15-16; Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be" (24:21; Daniel 12:1). False Christs will show great signs, but believers must not be deceived: "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (24:24-27). His coming will be unmistakable and public.

The coming of the Son of man (24:29-31). "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened... And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (24:29-30; Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12:10). He will send His angels "with a great sound of a trumpet," to gather His elect from the four winds (24:31).

Readiness (24:32-51). Learn from the fig tree: when its branches are tender, summer is near (24:32-33). "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (24:34): either the generation that sees these signs, or the Jewish people as a race, will not pass away before the end. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (24:35).

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 24:36

It will be like the days of Noah: people eating, drinking and marrying, unaware until the flood came (24:37-39). "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (24:40-41). "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (24:42). Be like the faithful and wise servant whom the master finds working when he returns, not the evil servant who says, "My lord delayeth his coming," and abuses others (24:45-51).

Three parables of readiness and judgment (25).

• The ten virgins (25:1-13): five wise virgins took oil for their lamps; five foolish ones did not. When the bridegroom came at midnight, the foolish had to go and buy oil, and the door was shut. "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (25:13). Outward profession without inner reality (the oil, often seen as a picture of the Holy Spirit and true salvation) will not be enough.
• The talents (25:14-30): a man entrusted his servants with five, two and one talents. The first two doubled theirs and heard, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (25:21, 23). The third hid his talent out of fear and was cast "into outer darkness" (25:24-30). Believers must use faithfully what God has entrusted to them.
• The sheep and the goats (25:31-46): "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats" (25:31-32). The King commends the righteous for feeding, welcoming, clothing and visiting "the least of these my brethren":

Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:40

Those who neglected them are condemned. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (25:46). The same word "everlasting" describes both the punishment and the life: both are eternal. Good works do not earn salvation, but they are the evidence of a genuine relationship with Christ (James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:8-10).

Section V: The Death and Resurrection of the King (Chapters 26-28)

Chapter 26 — Betrayal, the Last Supper and Gethsemane

"Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified" (26:2). The chief priests and elders plotted at the palace of Caiaphas to take Him by subtlety (26:3-5). At Bethany, a woman poured very precious ointment on His head. The disciples called it waste, but Jesus said she had prepared Him for burial: "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her" (26:6-13).

Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests: "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver" (26:14-15; Zechariah 11:12).

The Last Supper (26:17-30). At the Passover meal, Jesus said, "one of you shall betray me." Each asked, "Lord, is it I?" Jesus said the betrayer was the one who dipped with Him in the dish, and "woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born." To Judas' question He replied, "Thou hast said" (26:21-25). Then He instituted the Lord's Supper:

Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Matthew 26:26-29

At the Passover, which remembered Israel's deliverance from Egypt by the blood of the lamb, Jesus revealed Himself as the true Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). The bread and cup are memorials of His body given and His blood shed to establish the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Baptists understand the Lord's Supper as a memorial ordinance, observed "in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26), in which the elements represent His body and blood, proclaiming His death until He comes. "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives" (26:30).

Predictions on the way (26:31-35). "All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad" (26:31; Zechariah 13:7). Peter insisted he would never deny Him; Jesus said, "this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice" (26:34).

Gethsemane (26:36-46). Jesus took Peter, James and John further and said, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (26:38). He fell on His face and prayed:

O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Matthew 26:39

The "cup" was the cup of God's wrath against sin (Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15), which He would drink for sinners. Three times He prayed; three times He found the disciples sleeping: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (26:41). He submitted fully: "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done" (26:42).

The arrest (26:47-56). Judas arrived with an armed crowd and identified Jesus with a kiss. "Friend, wherefore art thou come?" (26:50). When Peter (John 18:10) struck the high priest's servant with a sword, Jesus said, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (26:52-54). He went willingly. "Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled" (26:56).

Before Caiaphas (26:57-68). The council sought false witnesses but found none that agreed, until two twisted His words about destroying and rebuilding the temple (26:59-61; John 2:19-21). Jesus was silent (26:63; Isaiah 53:7). Then the high priest said:

I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Matthew 26:63-64

Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God, the One who would sit at God's right hand (Psalm 110:1) and come in the clouds (Daniel 7:13). The high priest tore his clothes and declared it blasphemy; the council said, "He is guilty of death." They spat in His face, struck Him, and mocked Him (26:65-68; Isaiah 50:6).

Peter's denial (26:69-75). In the courtyard, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, the last with cursing and swearing. "And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus... And he went out, and wept bitterly" (26:74-75). His tears of repentance would lead to restoration (John 21:15-19), unlike Judas.

Chapter 27 — The Crucifixion

In the morning the council delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor (27:1-2).

Judas' end (27:3-10). When Judas saw Jesus condemned, he "repented himself" (felt remorse), returned the money and said, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." The priests replied, "What is that to us? see thou to that." Judas threw the silver into the temple and hanged himself. The priests, unwilling to put blood money in the treasury, bought the potter's field to bury strangers, fulfilling the prophecy of the thirty pieces and the potter (27:9-10; Zechariah 11:12-13; Jeremiah 18-19; 32). Remorse without repentance toward God led to despair.

Before Pilate (27:11-26). "Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest" (27:11). To the chief priests' accusations He answered nothing, "insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly" (27:12-14). Pilate offered to release a prisoner at the feast, either Barabbas, a notorious criminal, or Jesus, knowing the leaders had delivered Him out of envy (27:15-18). Pilate's wife sent word: "Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him" (27:19). But the priests persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas. "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified" (27:20-23). Pilate "took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children" (27:24-25). Barabbas, guilty, went free; Jesus, innocent, was condemned in his place: a picture of substitution. Pilate scourged Jesus and delivered Him to be crucified (27:26).

The mocking (27:27-31). The soldiers stripped Him, put on Him a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns, put a reed in His hand, knelt and mocked, "Hail, King of the Jews!", spat on Him and struck Him on the head.

The crucifixion (27:32-50). Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry His cross (27:32). At Golgotha, "the place of a skull," they offered Him vinegar mixed with gall; He tasted it and refused (27:33-34; Psalm 69:21). They crucified Him and divided His garments by casting lots, fulfilling Psalm 22:18 (27:35). Above His head they set the accusation: "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS" (27:37). Two thieves were crucified with Him (27:38; Isaiah 53:12). Passers-by wagged their heads and mocked; the chief priests said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save... He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God" (27:39-43; Psalm 22:7-8). He could have saved Himself, but then He could not have saved others.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 27:45-46

From noon to three, darkness covered the land (Amos 8:9). Jesus cried the opening words of Psalm 22. In those hours He bore the full weight of God's wrath against sin and experienced separation from the Father, being "made... sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13). "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost" (27:50): He gave up His life voluntarily (John 10:18).

The signs at His death (27:51-56). "The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom" (27:51): God Himself opened the way into His presence through Christ's death (Hebrews 10:19-22). The earth quaked, rocks split, graves opened, and many saints who had died "arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many" (27:52-53). The centurion and the soldiers, terrified, said, "Truly this was the Son of God" (27:54). Many women who had followed Him watched from a distance (27:55-56).

The burial (27:57-66). Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and a disciple, asked Pilate for the body, wrapped it in clean linen, and laid it in his own new tomb hewn in the rock, rolling a great stone across the entrance (27:57-60), fulfilling Isaiah 53:9: "with the rich in his death." The next day the chief priests and Pharisees remembered that Jesus had said, "After three days I will rise again," and asked Pilate to secure the tomb. Pilate said, "Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can." They sealed the stone and set a guard (27:62-66). Their precautions only made the evidence for the resurrection stronger.

Chapter 28 — The Resurrection and the Great Commission

"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre" (28:1). There was a great earthquake; an angel of the Lord descended, rolled back the stone and sat on it; his appearance was like lightning, and the guards shook and "became as dead men" (28:2-4). The stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out but to let the witnesses in. The angel said:

Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead

Matthew 28:5-7

As the women ran with fear and great joy, Jesus met them: "All hail." "And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him" (28:8-9). He was not a ghost but bodily risen, and He accepted their worship. "Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me" (28:10).

Meanwhile some of the guards reported to the chief priests, who bribed them to say, "His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept," promising to protect them from the governor. "And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day" (28:11-15). The story was self-defeating: sleeping guards could not know what happened, and the disciples later died for their testimony that He rose.

The eleven went to the mountain in Galilee, "And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted" (28:16-17). Then Jesus gave the Great Commission:

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

The commission rests on Christ's universal authority. Its central command is to "teach" (make disciples of) all nations, by going, by baptizing believers in the one name of the triune God, and by teaching them to obey all that Christ commanded. It ends with His promise of continual presence. The Gospel that began with "Emmanuel, God with us" (1:23) ends with "I am with you alway."

Part Three: Christ in Matthew

Jesus the King

Matthew presents Jesus above all as the Messiah-King.

Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Matthew

Part Four: Jesus' Own Prophecies Fulfilled

Part Five: Key Passages in Depth

Matthew 1:21-23 — Jesus, Emmanuel

His name declares His mission: to save His people from their sins. His title declares His nature: God with us. Salvation is not merely improvement but deliverance from sin, accomplished by God Himself in human flesh.

Matthew 5:3-12 — The Beatitudes

The kingdom belongs not to the proud, self-sufficient and powerful, but to the poor in spirit, the mourners over sin, the meek, the hungry for righteousness. The Beatitudes describe the character the Holy Spirit produces in those who belong to Christ, and they turn the world's values upside down.

Matthew 5:17-20 — Jesus Fulfils the Law

Jesus did not abolish the Old Testament; He fulfilled it, keeping it perfectly, fulfilling its types and prophecies, and revealing its deepest meaning. The righteousness God requires exceeds the best external religion; it is found only in Christ, and is then lived out from a changed heart.

Matthew 6:9-13 — The Lord's Prayer

A pattern for prayer: approaching God as Father, putting His glory, kingdom and will first, then asking for daily provision, forgiveness and protection. Forgiveness received must lead to forgiveness given.

Matthew 11:28-30 — Rest for the Weary

Jesus invites all who are weary and burdened, whether by sin, guilt or empty religion, to come to Him. His yoke is easy because He carries the load with us, and His rest is for the soul.

Matthew 16:13-19 — Who Is Jesus?

The most important question anyone can answer is, "Whom say ye that I am?" Peter's confession, revealed by the Father, is the foundation on which Christ builds His church: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The church belongs to Christ, is built on Christ, and cannot be overcome.

Matthew 16:24-26 — The Cost of Discipleship

Following Jesus means denying self, taking up the cross and following Him. Nothing in the world is worth the loss of one's soul.

Matthew 22:37-40 — The Great Commandment

All of God's law is summed up in love for God with the whole being and love for neighbour as oneself. No one keeps these perfectly; Christ did, and through Him believers are enabled to love (Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 4:19).

Matthew 24-25 — Watch and Be Ready

Christ will return visibly, gloriously and unexpectedly. The proper response is not date-setting, but watchfulness, faithfulness with what He has entrusted, genuine faith (oil in the lamps), and love shown to His people.

Matthew 26:26-29 — The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper remembers Christ's body given and blood shed for the remission of sins, proclaims the new covenant, and looks forward to drinking anew with Him in His Father's kingdom.

Matthew 27:45-54 — The Death of the King

In the darkness, Jesus bore the wrath of God and the abandonment our sins deserved. The torn veil shows that His death opened the way to God. The centurion's confession shows that even at the cross, the truth of who He is shone through.

Matthew 28:18-20 — The Great Commission

Every believer shares in the commission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey Christ, resting on His authority and His promised presence.

Part Six: The Major Teachings of Matthew

1. Jesus Is the Messiah-King

He is the Son of David, the King of the Jews, and the fulfillment of Israel's hopes (1:1; 2:2; 21:5; 27:37).

2. Jesus Is God with Us

He is Emmanuel, the Son of God, worthy of worship (1:23; 14:33; 16:16; 28:9, 17).

3. Jesus Fulfils the Scriptures

His birth, life, death and resurrection fulfil the Old Testament (5:17; 26:54).

4. The Kingdom of Heaven

God's reign, present now in Christ and in the hearts of believers, growing through the world, and to be fully established at His return (4:17; 13; 25:31-34).

5. True Righteousness Comes from the Heart

God looks at the heart, not mere external religion (5:20-48; 6:1-18; 15:18-20; 23).

6. Discipleship Is Costly

Following Christ requires self-denial, the cross and loyalty above family and possessions (10:37-39; 16:24-26; 19:21).

7. The Church

Christ builds His church, gives it authority, and is present in its midst (16:18; 18:15-20).

8. Grace to Sinners and Gentiles

Jesus calls sinners, welcomes outcasts, and includes the nations (9:9-13; 15:21-28; 20:1-16; 28:19).

9. Forgiveness

Those forgiven by God must forgive others (6:12-15; 18:21-35).

10. Judgment and Eternal Destiny

There will be a final separation: everlasting punishment or life eternal (13:40-43; 25:31-46).

11. The Death and Resurrection of Christ

He gave His life a ransom for many, shed His blood for the remission of sins, and rose from the dead (20:28; 26:28; 28:6).

12. The Second Coming

The Son of man will return in power and glory; believers must watch and be ready (24:30, 42-44; 25:13).

13. The Great Commission

Christ's followers must make disciples of all nations (24:14; 28:18-20).

Part Seven: Connections — How Matthew Links to the Rest of the Bible

Matthew and the Old Testament

Matthew and the Rest of the New Testament

Themes That Run from Matthew Through Scripture

Part Eight: Practical Lessons

• Trust that God works through imperfect people and families (1:3-6).
• Obey God's guidance promptly, like Joseph (1:24; 2:14, 21).
• Seek Christ and worship Him, like the wise men (2:1-11).
• Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (3:8).
• Answer temptation with Scripture (4:4, 7, 10).
• Follow Christ immediately when He calls (4:20, 22; 9:9).
• Let your light shine (5:16).
• Deal with sin at the level of the heart (5:21-30).
• Love your enemies and pray for them (5:44).
• Give, pray and fast for God's eyes only (6:1-18).
• Lay up treasure in heaven; seek God's kingdom first (6:19-33).
• Don't worry; your Father knows your needs (6:25-34).
• Judge yourself before others (7:1-5).
• Ask, seek and knock (7:7).
• Treat others as you want to be treated (7:12).
• Build your life on Christ's words (7:24-27).
• Pray for labourers in the harvest (9:38).
• Fear God, not people (10:28).
• Come to Jesus for rest (11:28).
• Receive God's Word into good ground (13:23).
• Keep your eyes on Jesus, not the storm (14:30-31).
• Confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God (16:16).
• Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him (16:24).
• Become humble like a child (18:3-4).
• Restore an offending brother lovingly (18:15).
• Forgive without limit (18:22).
• Honour marriage as God's lifelong design (19:6).
• Serve rather than seek to be served (20:26-28).
• Love God and your neighbour (22:37-39).
• Avoid religious hypocrisy (23).
• Watch and be ready for Christ's return (24:42-44).
• Use your gifts faithfully (25:14-30).
• Serve Christ by serving the least of His brethren (25:40).
• Remember the Lord's death until He comes (26:26-29).
• Pray "thy will be done" (26:39).
• Watch and pray against temptation (26:41).
• Repent like Peter, not despair like Judas (26:75; 27:3-5).
• Make disciples of all nations (28:19-20).
• Remember He is with you always (28:20).

Part Nine: Key Verses to Memorize

Conclusion

Matthew, the tax collector who left everything to follow Jesus, wrote to show that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-promised Messiah, the Son of David and Son of Abraham, Emmanuel, God with us. Page after page, he shows the Old Testament fulfilled: born of a virgin in Bethlehem, called out of Egypt, proclaimed by the forerunner, teaching with unmatched authority in the Sermon on the Mount, healing every disease, calming the storm, forgiving sins, and revealing the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven in parables. He records the great confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," and the promise that Christ will build His church. He shows the King entering Jerusalem humbly on a donkey, rejected by the leaders, betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, condemned, mocked, crucified under a sign that read "THE KING OF THE JEWS," crying "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" as He gave His life a ransom for many. And he shows the empty tomb, the risen King receiving worship, and the commission to make disciples of all nations, sealed with the promise that the One called Emmanuel at the beginning will be with His people "alway, even unto the end of the world."

And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:20