Who

The Apostle Matthew to Jewish Christians in the early Church

Where & When

The Gospel of Matthew was most likely written early in the development of the Church, perhaps from Jerusalem (or from some other location nearby), probably around AD 49 or AD 50. The only book that may have been written earlier is the Letter of James, which was also written to Jewish Christians. In the historical context, Saul of Tarsus and many other Jews among the Pharisees had persecuted Christians causing them to flee Jerusalem. Given the fact that it was becoming abundantly clear that the Kingdom of God was not yet to be quickly restored to Israel due to her hostility to Jesus Christ and His followers, it became imperative that the first account of Jesus’ life and ministry be composed to establish the Christian faith for the Jews who had scattered from Jerusalem. This began the work of God among the apostles to codify the truth from oral tradition to written form so that the Church would rely upon the unchanging nature of written documentation for their faith.

Why

To encourage Jewish Christians scattered from Jerusalem that Jesus is the fulfillment of God dwelling with man, and that because His life, death, and resurrection perfectly modeled what Israel (and all God’s people) should have been and should have done, He has been given all authority to rule as King over Israel and the world, and He will do so when He returns to the earth at His second coming.

How

Be paying attention to these important terms that occur in this book:

  • Titles of Jesus (e.g., Son of God, Son of Man, Son David, Son of Abraham, the Messiah)
  • Kingdom (or King, Dominion, Rule, Reign)
  • Authority (or Dominion)
  • Fulfillment

Specifically, note the several instances in which Matthew indicates that the Scriptures are fulfilled (i.e. Matt. 1:22; 2:17, 23; 3:1; 3:15; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 13:14, 35; 21:4; 26:54; 27:10) These act as milestone moments in the book to indicate that Jesus’ life and ministry has fulfilled a certain role in Israel’s footsteps, proving that He is fit to be their true King and Messiah.

Also, track the instances in which news spreads about Jesus among the crowds, and other instances in which Jesus takes initiative to prevent news spreading about Him, or to remain distant from the crowds as an indication that the Kingdom for Israel is not in fact going to arrive during His first coming.

Literary Outline

Jesus’ ministry in Matthew is neatly divided by key phrases at the end of each of the 6 discourses in the book. These discourses are often marked by something like, “And when Jesus finished saying these things ….” (I.e. Matt. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:11), The final discourse occurs in the last couple of verses in Matthew and therefore has no concluding statement that says, “And when Jesus finished saying these things.” Preceding each discourse section are often narrative accounts of the works and miracles of Jesus as He represents Israel by His life and power. His teachings, then, instruct the reader how to understand the miraculous deeds of Jesus with respect to the coming Kingdom, especially clarifying why the Kingdom did not fully arrive in His first coming.

  • Matt. 1:1 – 7:29 The Kingdom Standards Stipulated (concluding with Discourse 1)
  • Matt. 8:1 – 11:1 The Kingdom Power Displayed (concluding with Discourse 2)
  • Matt. 11:2 – 13:53 The Kingdom Advent Delayed—Parables (concluding with Discourse 3)
  • Matt. 13:54 – 19:1 The Kingdom Character Redefined (concluding with Discourse 4)
  • Matt. 19:2 – 26:1 The Kingdom Future Revealed (concluding with Discourse 5)
  • Matt. 26:2 – 28:20 The Kingdom Authority Bestowed (concluding with Discourse 6)