The Gospel According to
MATTHEW
Author:
Matthew was one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ. His other name was Levi and he was a tax collector when Jesus called him into His service. See Matt 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32. He himself does not tell us that he wrote this Gospel, but that has been the firm belief of Christians from the first century onwards. When thinking of the authorship of any of the books of the Bible we should keep in mind that God Himself is the real author of them all, making use of human instruments whom He prepared in every way to write just what He wanted them to write. See 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:21. Often the human authors did not identify themselves. Their object was not to point men to themselves but to the one true God who inspired them. Each of them would have agreed with the writer of Psalm 115:1 when he said “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory” (Ps 115:1).
Date:
Some years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, about the middle of the first century A.D. The exact year is unknown.
Theme:
Matthew, writing of the birth and life, teachings and deeds, death and resurrection of Jesus, presents Him as God's Anointed One who had been promised in the Old Testament, as the great King who brings in God's kingdom. In this Gospel there are about 60 references to Old Testament prophecy, and about 40 actual quotations from the Old Testament. Some key words, used many times, are “king”, “the kingdom of God”, and “fulfilled”.
Contents:
The King's genealogy 1:1-17
The King is born of a virgin 1:18-25
The King is visited by the wise men 2:1-12
The King in Egypt and Nazareth 2:13-23
The King's coming announced by John the Baptist 3:1-12
The King is baptized and hears a voice from heaven 3:13-17
The King is tested in the wilderness 4:1-11
The King begins His public ministry 4:12-25
The King gives the Sermon on the Mount 5:1—7:29
The beatitudes 5:3-12
Instruction about various subjects 5:13—6:4
The King teaches us how to pray 6:5-13
The King tells us how to live 6:14—7:11
He gives further instruction on prayer 7:7-11
The King gives “the golden rule” 7:12
The King speaks of broad and narrow ways 7:13-27
The King proves His power and authority by miracles 8:1—9:8
He heals a leper 8:2-4
He heals a Roman officers servant 8:5-13
He heals Peter's mother-in-law 8:14-15
He drives out demons 8:16-17
He gives qualifications for discipleship 8:18-22
He causes a storm to cease 8:23-27
He heals two demon-possessed men 8:28-34
He heals a paralyzed man and forgives his sin 9:1-8
The King calls Matthew to be a disciple 9:9-13
The King speaks of Himself and of John the Baptist 9:14-17
The King raises Jairus' daughter from the dead,
and heals a woman with an issue of blood 9:18-26
The King gives sight to blind men 9:27-31
The King chooses apostles, gives them work to do
and teaches them how to behave 10:1-42
The King speaks of Himself and John the Baptist 11:2-19
The King pronounces judgment on certain cities 11:20-24
A short prayer of thanks 11:25-26
The King reveals Himself as the Son of God 11:27
The King promises rest to disciples 11:28-29
The King performs various miracles and meets
with hatred and opposition 12:1-45
The unpardonable sin 12:32
The King speaks of His mother, brothers and sisters 12:46-50
The King teaches parables about God's kingdom 13:1-54
The King meets with unbelief and rejection
in His own town of Nazareth 13:55-58
The King, King Herod, and John the Baptist 14:1-12
The King feeds five thousand 14:13-21
The King walks on water 14:22-33
The King meets further opposition from leaders 15:1-15
The King teaches what makes people unclean 15:16-20
The King heals a Canaanite woman's daughter 15:21-28
The King feeds four thousand 15:29-38
The King warns His disciples about Jewish leaders 16:1-12
The King reveals who He is and what would
happen to Him 16:13-23
The King speaks of discipleship 16:24-28
The King is transfigured 17:1-8
The King speaks of Elijah and John the Baptist 17:9-13
The King heals a boy and teaches about prayer
and driving out demons 17:14-21
The King foretells His death 17:22-23
The King teaches about taxes 17:24-27
The King and children 18:1-14
The King instructs His disciples about His Church 18:15-20
The King teaches about forgiveness and gives
the parable of the unforgiving servant 18:21-35
Transition verses leading to 19:3 19:1-2
The King teaches about marriage and divorce 19:3-12
Little children come to the King 19:13-15
The King and the rich young ruler 19:16-22
The King speaks of rewards for His disciples 19:23-30
The King gives the parable of the workers
in the vineyard 20:1-16
The King again speaks of His death and resurrection 20:17-19
The King teaches about true greatness, and tells
why He came to earth 20:20-28
The King heals blind men in Jericho 20:29-34
The King rides into Jerusalem on a donkey 21:1-11
The King drives merchants from the temple 21:12-13
The King curses the barren fig tree 21:17-22
The King meets with further opposition from leaders 21:23-27
The King gives the parable of the two sons
and the parable of the vineyard 21:28-46
The King gives the parable of the wedding feast 22:1-14
The King and the questions of the Jewish leaders 22:15-46
The King condemns the ways of the Jewish leaders 23:1-36
The King weeps over Jerusalem 23:37-39
The King reveals the future 24:1-51
Signs of the end of the age 24:3-14
The abomination of desolation 24:15-22
Possibilities of deception 24:23-28
The second coming of the King 24:29-44
Being ready for His coming 24:45-51
The King gives the parable of the ten virgins 25:1-13
The King gives the parable of the talents 25:14-30
The King speaks of His second coming
and the judgment of the nations 25:31-46
The King foretells His death and priests plot against Him 26:1-5
The King is anointed by a woman 26:6-13
Judas betrays the King for thirty pieces of silver 26:14-16
The King's last Passover 26:17-35
The New Covenant 26:26-29
The King in the Garden of Gethsemane 26:36-46
The King is arrested 26:47-56
The King before the high priest 26:57-75
The King denied by Peter 26:69-75
The King before the Roman governor Pilate 27:1-26
The King is handed over to be crucified
and is mocked by the Roman soldiers 27:27-32
The King on the cross suffers, speaks and dies 27:33-56
The King is buried 27:57-66
The King rises from the dead 28:1-7
The King appears to His believers and instructs
His disciples 28:8-20