The Gospel According To Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew is written in the aim to present Jesus as Messiah who had come down from the line of Abraham, thus showing Him also to be the Son of Abraham and the Son of David so as to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies regarding the lineage of the Messiah. Also, this gospel unveils a new dimension to the law that came about through the person of Christ, His words and works while He lived on this earth.
We will approach the book of Matthew in tranches (marked by chapters), identifying and expending on nuggets of teachings and truth that may be found in the chapters as we go along.
Chapters 1 – 4
a) The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
Matthew opens with the proclamation that Jesus Christ is the “Son of David, the Son of Abraham ….”, showing Him to be the fulfillment of what was said concerning the coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament, and thereby showing Jesus’ royalty (as the Son of King David) and His lineage with the founder of the Jewish race (as the Son of Abraham).
God in Gen. 22 : 18 had promised Abraham that “in (his) seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed ……”, and twice in 2 Sam. 7 : 12 – 13 and 1 Chron. 17 : 11 – 14 it was revealed that a seed would descend from the line of David, whose Kingdom would be established forever. Then, in Gal. 3 : 16 Paul pointed out that the word “seed” was presented to us, not in the plural but in the singular of tense so that it is without doubt that such “seed” was referring to Jesus, the Christ, thus leading us beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah and Savior of the world.
b) Satan’s Strategy
Paul gives a warning against ignorance of the devil’s devices that could open us up for the devil to take unfair advantage of us. It is thus important that we be aware of the devil’s schemes and that we recognize the devil’s attacks as they come (2 Cor. 2 : 11). We can identify from chapter 2, at least 3 of Satan’s most commonly used strategies. The devil’s wickedness became evident in this chapter where we read of Satan trying to put a stopper to the materialising of the prophecies concerning the Messiah.
1) When sin entered the world through man’s disobedience, God declared that He will “….. put enmity between (Satan) and the woman, and between (his) seed and her seed ….” (Gen. 3 : 15). From that time on, Satan has resorted to several means to corrupt this “seed” that was to come. In this, getting the people of Israel engaged in cross-marriages with the inhabitants of foreign nations was clearly one of his foremost strategies employed in foiling the divine plans of God (Ezra 9 : 2). Satan tried to corrupt the “seed” through such cross-marriages and was most successful in doing so – in fact, such was the gravity of Israel’s transgression that the Lord had to command the cold killing of every man and woman in wherever foreign lands that Israel went just so that the “seed” might be kept clean from impurity and corruption.
Just as Satan tried to bring corruption upon the “seed” by the intermingling of God’s people (Israel) with the foreign races, he seeks also to corrupt us today in the same way i.e. through “cross-marriages” with the world, so to speak. In this the devil is dangerously succeeding in his schemes today just as how he succeeded in the days of old – there are many of us in church today who have gotten ourselves so entangled with the affairs of the world that we have lost the purity and sanctity that mark the vessels set apart for the Master’s use. Let us not be mistaken – the Lord is not looking for people who are merely available and willing, rather, the eyes of the Lord are searching out vessels who are ready to respond to His call. Take the thirty-two thousand who availed themselves to war alongside Gideon for example (Judges 7 : 1 – 7). Out of these thirty-two thousand available and willing men, God chose to use only three hundred of them to set them apart for warfare. Fellow beloved in God, let us set ourselves apart from the ways of the world and sanctify ourselves as it is only a pure and holy vessel that can be used to effectively demonstrate the power of God.
2) Another of the devil’s strategies is that he will attempt to kill the vision God has given, whether physically or figuratively. Whenever it is in God’s plans to birth something that will accomplish His divine purpose, Satan will always place obstacles and hindrances in the way. This is being illustrated in the time of Moses when Pharaoh gave an order to kill all newborn males in the land (Ex 1 : 16, 22), and again in Matthew chapter 2 when Satan worked through King Herod to bring about the killing of all two year-old males in Bethlehem shortly after he came to know of Jesus’ birth.
We must realize and take note that Satan did not wait too long to start destroying Moses and Jesus. In fact, he targeted at their destruction even before they could pose a threat to him. He tried to destroy them as soon as it became feasible to – at the time when they were yet infants, not giving them a chance to grow lest they reach their divine potential to deal against him. Likewise, Satan works today to cause the miscarriages of whatever visions God has given us lest we should walk in them and fulfill the plans of God in our lives. We need to ask ourselves : how many times have it happened that the vision(s) that God has given us been aborted or miscarried? It is serious matter – we need to diligently guard the visions, plans and purpose of God for our lives.
3) Finally we learn also that Satan casts doubts in our minds to draw us away from the vision and plans of God. He first used this strategy on Eve in Gen. 3 : 1 when he queried her on God’s prohibition against eating of the forbidden fruit. All it took was for the devil to drop a question in the woman’s mind, then when she entertained the devil’s prompting, it was not long before doubt began to form in her and it finally drove Eve to fall into sin. Casting doubts in a person’s mind is therefore one of the most venomous device of the evil one as it was this very thing that once brought about the fall of the human race.
In Matt. 3 : 17 upon His baptism, Jesus was declared as the Son of God, “in whom (the Father) is well-pleased …..”, then in the very next chapter, Satan viciously challenged the Father’s Word spoken to the Son. Two times the devil said to Jesus “If you are the Son of God …..”, each time evilly tempting the Lord Jesus to undertake some unnecessary commitments just to prove that He is indeed who the Father had declared to be.
Has Satan ever challenged the word of God in your life? Have you ever believed the devil’s lies and doubted God’s truth? For if we have believed and accepted John 3 : 16 as the word sealing the promise of our salvation, shall we also not accept every other word in the Bible as God’s word for our lives too? For “all scripture is given by the inspiration of God ….” Paul declares in 2 Tim 3 : 16. Let us be quick and diligent to heed the word of God in our hearts so that under the fierce pressures of testings and doubts, we may speak against the devil as our Lord did : “It is written …..”
Therefore, let us keep up in spiritual vigilance that we might be alert always and not fall prey to the devices of the devil.
C) The Baptism of Jesus
Immediately following the baptism of Jesus, a voice came from heaven saying “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased …..” (Matt. 3 : 17). Until then, the Lord Jesus had not yet preached a single sermon not performed a single miracle since Lk. 3 : 23 records that the Lord did not begin His ministry until He was around thirty years of age. This means that before His baptism, Jesus has done nothing that could constitute a great spiritual significance or influence to the kingdom of God. What then, is the thing that pleased the Father so much that He had to declare such delight in the Son through an open heaven?
Obedience. It takes the same degree of obedience, if not more, to abide in quietness, as it does to carry out great and mighty exploits for God. Jesus walked obediently before God for thirty silent years before the time came for Him to begin the Father’s work.
Enoch was an equal testimony. He was the man in Jude 14 who had prophesied about an event that would take place only generations after him, the second coming of Christ. Besides this, there was no other mention of him except that he was one who had walked with God, and whose walk had so pleased the Lord (Heb.11 : 5) that he was taken up to heaven before his death (Gen. 5 : 24). We cannot help but wonder how this man can be said to have pleased the Lord, when as far as we are concerned here today, there has been no record of his contribution to the kingdom of God, if any at all. No mighty exploits like those performed by the other heroes of faith; nevertheless, God took delight in Enoch.
Have we made a mistake with our lives? Are we more concerned about being a conscientious servant over being an obedient child of God? Let us not digress – the greatest commandment for us is still to love God and be very obedient to Him, for this in the Father’s eyes, is better than any sacrifice we can bring before Him(1 Sam. 15 : 22).
Chapter 5 – 7
Teaching of Jesus
Jesus taught differently from the other teachers of the law as the people reckoned (Matt. 7 : 29; see also Matt. 5 : 18 – 44). Jesus commonly used phrases like “You have heard that it was said …..But I say to you …..” If I may commend a paraphrase of these words, Jesus was really saying to the people : whatever you have heard so far are mere doctrine, but let me tell you, the principle behind the law is this ….. . Jesus showed them the intentions of God behind every given law – He brought their understanding of the law to a fresh dimension by revealing to them the heart of the Father and the way of God’s mind in regard to giving the Law.
Jesus did not merely concern Himself with the outward actions of the people but He dealt also with the inward attitudes of their hearts. He taught them the acceptable way of praying, fasting and giving and showed them the way to living a life free from hypocrisy, warning that what is highly esteemed among men can be abominable in the sight of God (Lk. 16 : 15). We are judged according to the intents of our heart. In Gen. 6 : 5 – 7, God executed His judgment (the great flood) on earth because “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Let us guard our hearts with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life (Prov. 4 : 23). We will be judged, not by our external qualities, but our hearts shall one day be laid bare before God and these He will judge accordingly. The day will come, and no man will escape the day when “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ …..” (Rom. 2 : 16).
Chapters 8 – 10
Works of Jesus
In Mk. 5 : 30, we read that the multitude thronged about Jesus. But our of this multitude of people, only one woman with an infirmity pressed in to touch Jesus, saying to herself “If I touch His garment, I shall be made whole”. She exercised faith and so had the benefit of experiencing the healing of God in her body. She approached the Lord Jesus with a heart full of faith, and was instantly changed. Many others were gathered around the Lord, but no other person but this woman experienced a transformation. Do we see the point here? Merely being around Jesus does not do much for us – we need to press in to Him with a heart of faith and with a hand of faith reach out for a touch of His glory before we see our problems work out for us.
Faith can also transcend the boundaries of space. In Matt. 8 : 5 – 13, Jesus healed the Centurion’s servant by merely speaking a word from where He stood. The Centurion had perceived correctly that Jesus did not need to visit his servant at home just to bring the healing virtue of God to him – he did not see the boundary of space as a limitation to the power of God, and because he exercised the right faith that could transcend even space and distance, his request was granted him.
Do you see a ‘mountain’ in your way today? Be not cowed by the threatening size of your ‘mountain’ Turn to God, call out to Him in faith – the power of God knows no boundaries; He can reach you wherever you are.
Chapters 11 – 15
These six chapters show us the people’s reaction towards our Lord and towards His ministry that has taken place among them. They accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath commandment (Mt. 12 : 2), reproached Him for transgressing the Jewish tradition (Mt. 15 : 1 – 2), blatantly suggested that He worked deliverance by the evil spirit of Beelzebub (Mt. 12 : 24), and even challenged Him for a sign to prove His authority (12 : 38). In all these instances, the people have clearly hardened their hearts in the face of truth. And because of this rejection of the truth, Jesus began to speak to them in parables. However, instead of meaning it to be a penalty for the people, it might well be that the Lord was showing great mercy to the multitude, for at least it spared His unreceptive hearers from the heavier judgment they deserved for spurning plainly stated truth!
Nevertheless the spiritual law is still at work among them that “whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Mt. 13 : 12)
Jesus might also have spoken in parables so that he could sift out sincere and hungry hearts. The parables that were spoken to the people had their truth explained and revealed to the disciples, for “whoever had, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance ...” (Mt. 13 : 12). Here, you might want to accept that the subject Jesus meant when He said “For whoever has, …” Is a spiritual hunger for the things of God. In another words, Jesus was saying that whoever hungers for the things of God shall be filled with abundance with these things.
It may go well with us to take some time to examine our hearts here : what is our attitude towards receiving the truth. Do we model ourselves after the Bereans who received the Word with all readiness that which Paul preached and diligently searched the Scriptures after that to verify the truth of what was being preached, or do we live in the same hardening of hearts of the multitude who either rejected the truth out – rightly or dismissed them as some hard teachings too onerous to bear?
Chapters 16 – 23
The Church Is Built By Revelation
Matt. 23 : 37 – 39 shows Jesus lamenting over the nation of Jerusalem, expressing His regret over how the people have rejected the spiritual nurturing He so often wanted to provide. Let us draw a parallel here to us as the body of Christ today. Jerusalem was referred to as the House of God, and so are we today – the Church has been referred to as the House of God too. And like how Jesus wanted so much to gather the children of Jerusalem together, His desire for us today is the same. It is now our turn to respond. Are we willing to come under His wings and remain, or is Jesus weeping over us today because we have like the children of Jerusalem turned from the Lord and rejected His lordship and fatherhood over our lives? Let us not take this too lightly. Our response to the Lord will determine our destiny in Him. Chapter 21 shows how Israel’s rejection of Christ cost them the divine privilege of being the chosen vessels to bring God’s kingdom to the nations of the world. Jesus said in Mt. 21 : 43 “The Kingdom of God will be taken from you (Israel) and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” Because of their continual rejection, the privilege has now been conferred upon the Christian community (the Church) to do the work which God had in mind for them to walk in.
We cannot afford to be flippant or careless in responding to the call of God upon our life. If it happened to Israel before, that the call of God upon their nation is being taken away because of their rejection, it can also happen to us if we are not careful in our guarding. Now that we have been entrusted with the gospel, let us be diligent to give of our best to the Master’s work, serving God in our generation with an excellent spirit, acceptable, with reverence and godly fear (Heb.12 : 28).
Chapter 24 - 25
The words spoken by the Lord regarding the last days and the warning He’s given us are not to be taken lightly. It has been warned over and over again that the day of the Lord’s coming will come unexpectedly, like in the days of Noah when the floods came upon the earth and its inhabitants. In this regard, let us not take after the ways of the five foolish virgins (see the parable of the ten virgins in chapter 28) who were found with no oil in their lamps when the bridegroom arrived for them. This “oil” spoken of here refers to readiness, for verse 10 states that “those who were ready (those who had oil in their lamps) went in with Him to the wedding.” Take heed, that we “watch therefore, for (we) know neither the day nor the hour I which the Son of Man is coming ….” (Mt. 25 : 13)
Chapter 26 – 28
Jesus began to speak of His crucifixion and resurrection, preparing His disciples for the time when He would be delivered up to be crucified (26 : 2). Jesus explained Himself to be the new Passover Sacrifice whose blood would be used to save the people. In the days of Moses, when God was working to deliver Israel out of Egypt, the Passover was a prominent event that happened. Blood from the Passover sacrifice was applied to the door-posts of the people’s houses so that the angel of death might spare those in the houses whose door-posts have been smeared with this blood. However, let us not forget that it was warned that whoever steps out of his/her house, that person would be killed with the others who did not have the blood applied to their door-posts. Similarly, we as partakers of the new covenant today find safety under the covering of Jesus’ blood that was shed for us. Along our walk, we may stumble occasionally, but we are under saving grace like it was written in 1 John 1 : 9. However, let us not be careless here, for if we “walk out of our house”, we will end up perishing with the others.