NT Survey - Matthew

The Book of Matthew is a bridge between the Old Testament & New Testament

1.     Title - “The Book of the King
“Kingdom” in Matthew’s Gospel
v. 3:2; 4:23; 5-8; 6:9-10; 13; 16:19; 21:43; 24:14

a.     Jesus is portrayed as a king

b.     The theme of kingdom runs throughout he entire Bible

                                               i.      Adam & Eve were created to rule

                                              ii.     Promise of a coming king

                                            iii.     Jesus returns as a king in the book of Revelations

                                            iv.     The kings of Israel were meant to represent God

c.      “Kingdom” is used 55 times in Matthew (in Mark 25 times; in Luke about 40 times; and in John 5 times)

d.     Most common name in Matthew = Jesus is called “son of David”

e.     Royal genealogy (Matthew 1)

f.      Magi are looking for a king

                                               i.     High Political & religious office

                                              ii.     Astronomers and diviners

                                            iii.     Following a star

                                            iv.     The Jews were afraid of them

                                              v.     Called “King Makers” in Persia

                                            vi.     Daniel ruled over them

g.     Presents Jesus as king

                                               i.     His crime was that we was “King of the Jews”

                                              ii.     They did not want His kingdom

2.     Author - Matthew

a.     One of the twelve

b.     Also called Levi

c.      Tax collector/publicans

                                               i.     Educated

                                              ii.     Permitted to collect more than Rome required

                                            iii.     Were considered worse than gentiles

d.     “Called” alongside Simon the zealot

                                               i.     Simon was a very anti tax collector

e.     Writes more about taxes than other Gospels

f.      Uses “Publican” in the same breath as “sinner”

g.     Writes to the people who hat him the most

3.     Date – about 66AD

a.     Written prior to 70AD because of the references to the temple (The Temple was destroyed in 70AD)

4.     Special Circumstances

a.     The tax revolt is starting to escalate

b.     “Jewish Wars” leading up to 70AD

c.      A warning concerning the destruction of Jerusalem

d.     Jewish leadership is deceiving them

5.     Message

a.     Jesus is the Christ

                                               i.     The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah

                                              ii.     Matthew attempts to prove that He is the Messiah

b.     The true Kingdom of God

                                               i.     He re-educates His people

c.      Jesus is King

                                               i.     Jesus’ temptation is the temptation of a king

                                              ii.     Satan wanted Jesus to disqualify Himself as a king

1.     Abuse of power for self gratification

2.     Be careless with your life believing God will bail you out

3.     Focus on earthly acquisitions

6.     Importance of the Book

a.     To link the message of Jesus to the Old Testament

                                               i.     Many of the Old Testament prophetic words are stated to be “fulfilled”

                                              ii.     Compared to Moses

Matthew 3:17