The Gospel of Matthew

Although there is no certain evidence that the book of Matthew was written by the apostle of the same name it is a popular, and not challenged assumption that it was. Jesus first meets, and calls Matthew in Matthew 9:9-13. This is a beautiful scene where Jesus is walking by a tax collector's booth, where Matthew is the tax collector, and simply says "Follow me" to which Matthew responds by simply dropping what he doing and got up and followed Christ from that day onwards. Mark and Luke call him 'Levi', which may have been his birth name, in which case Matthew would be the name Jesus gave him, as he had given Simon the name Peter. The name Matthew actually means 'God's gift' which I think is awesome. A Tax collector, one of the lowliest professions of the time, given the chance to be an apostle of Jesus and from then on is called 'God's gift'.

This is also symbolic of what becoming a Christian truly is. Being able to heed the call of Jesus and follow Him surely is by Grace alone and is a privelige which could never be earned. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Being a Levite, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah. All the subtleties of Matthew focus on Jesus fulfilling this specific role. His genealogy begins with the "first Jew," Abraham, and continues through David and the royal line to the legal father of Jesus, Joseph.

Matthew places great emphasis on Jesus' fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament.

As a Tax Collector, Matthew would have been skilled in shorthand, an essential asset in a culture that did not have the advantages of printers, computers and copiers. Matthew focuses on what Jesus said, and includes the extensive discourses, which he probably was able to record as they were spoken.

The first miracle recorded by Matthew is the cleansing of a leper, a Jewish metaphor for sin itself. Matthew concludes with the resurrection, also a distinctive Jewish preoccupation.

It has taken a long time but here is my completed walk through Matthew:

Matthew chapter 1
Matthew chapter 2
Matthew chapter 3
Matthew chapter 4
Matthew chapter 5 (the Sermon on the Mount #1)
Matthew chapter 6 (the Sermon on the Mount #2)
Matthew chapter 7 (the Sermon on the Mount #3)
Matthew 7:13-23 in more detail by Antonio da Rosa
The Sermon on the Mount (Chuck Missler)
Matthew hapter 8
Matthew chapter 9
Matthew 9:20-22 - Why touch the hem of His cloak?
Matthew chapter 10
Matthew 10:38-39
Matthew chapter 11
Matthew chapter 12
Matthew chapter 13
Matthew chapter 14
Matthew chapter 15
Matthew chapter 16
Matthew chapter 17
Matthew chapter 18
Matthew chapter 19
Matthew chapter 20
Matthew chapter 21 (part 1)
Matthew chapter 21 (part 2)
Matthew chapter 22
Matthew chapter 23
Matthew chapter 24
Matthew chapter 25
Matthew chapter 26 (part 1)
Matthew chapter 26 (part 2)
Matthew chapter 27 (part 1)
Matthew chapter 27 (part 2)
Friday or Wednesday
A foretelling of the Cross
Matthew chapter 28

Matthew 28

In this chapter there are three main sections concerning Jesus' resurrection. The women who first see the angel and then worship Jesus; The planned deceit from the chief priests; and the Great Commission.

While the climax of the Gospel is the Cross, it does not end there. The Gospel continues until the resurrection and the commissioning of the disciples. Becoming a follower of Jesus is free by Grace. In exchange for eternal life Jesus demands from us all that we are and have. This is not to say that Grace or Salvation is earned, this can never be so. Unlike working out to build new 'Christian muscles' (which does happen as we grow spiritually by feeding on His Word) becoming a Christian is like a metamorphosis, the old self no longer existing and being made new, being Born again. The Bible refers to salvation as a death to self, and also as a new birth in Christ. So the process of becoming a Christian includes a sacrifice of ones self and the birth of a new creation.

The resurrection narratives in the four Gospels differ slightly in detail, but in all four the women become the first witnesses, and Mary Magdalene is explicitly named among them. One could argue against the validity of 4 'different' accounts, although this would be specious.

One could conversely argue that a contrived deception should have produced greater synthesis. However, the differences in accounts demonstrate that the Gospel writers were aware of a variety of independent traditions, and these divergent traditions overlap significantly thus providing more evidence that the account is true.

The women are told both by the angel and by Jesus to "not be afraid." Notice the difference between bravery (which is the overcoming of fear), and the absence of fear. These women had just had their rabbi publicly executed; the leaders of their nation the Priests, were against them; and the body of their rabbi, the Messiah who was to set them free was missing. These women had much to fear. Jesus did not ask them to be brave, he conquered death and instructed them to fear no more. Then, with their fear gone, and after seeing their risen Lord they rush off to tell the rest of His followers what they have seen.

Starkly contrasted to the belief and worship of the women, the Priests deny their Lord again. Upon hearing the true testimony of the guards who saw the angel and the empty tomb they do not react as the women did and worship the Lord. Rather they devise a plan to have this 'mixup' concealed. The priests realise there will be public outcry and a loss of status if the Jews hear that Jesus actually is the Messiah. So they worship self and try to hide the truth, and active denial of Jesus, what I believe to be the greiving of the Holy Spirit, and the unforgivable sin. If one knows the truth of Christ and denies it anyway.

Finally we have Jesus appearing to the disciples and the Great Commission. The Great Commission is not only telling the Gospel, which is that Jesus dies for sin, was buried and rose again, all according to scripture. Also true disciples of Christ are to help teach and equip those who hear the Gospel how to live according to Jesus' commands as well. Love Jesus with every fiber of our being, and love others as we love ourselves.