Gospel of Matthew

1. Gospel of Matthew The Gospel of the King and His Kingdom

2. Matthew: Date, Author, Setting • Author: Matthew (Levi), by early consensus • Date: ca. 65 – 85 AD. Is ch. 24 prophetic or explanatory? • Audience: Jewish believers and their unbelieving countrymen.

3. Characteristics of Matthew • Structure: Built around five sermons of Christ – chs 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 23-25. Are these the new “Pentateuch?” • Theme: The King and his Kingdom. Jesus is the “Son of David” only in Matthew. • Other unique features: “Fulfillment,” The prominence of Peter, the true intent of the Law, the corruption of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the prominent role of the Jewish leaders and people in the execution of Christ.

4. Unique and Distinctive Passages in Matthew’s Gospel • Show Matthew’s Jewish perspective • Show the emphasis on Jesus as King • Show the emphasis on the kingdom • The negative portrayal of the unbelieving Jews • The prophetic emphasis on the Gentiles

5. Matt 1:20 • Matt 1:20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

6. Matt 3:2-3, 4:17 • Matt 3:2-3 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” • Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

7. Matt 5:20 • Matt 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

8. Matt 12:17-21 • Matt 12:17-21 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

9. Matt 12:28 • Matt 12:28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

10. Matt 15:22 • Matt 15:22 And behold, a Canaanitewoman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

11. Matt 16:16 • Matt 16:16 says: Matt 16:16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

12. Matt 17:25-26 • Matt 17:25-26 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.

13. Matt 18:1-4 • Matt 18:1-4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven….”

14. Matt 21:5, 15 • Matt 21:5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” • Matt 21:15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant…

15. Matt 26:29 • Matt 26:29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

16. Matt 27:22-25 • Matt 27:22-25 …. 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

17. Research Paper Topics 1-5 1.The date and authorship of one of the canonical gospels. 2.Analysis of a non-canonical gospel (i.e., Gospel of Thomas). 3.The influence of the gospels in recent literature or culture. 4.Methods of interpreting and applying the gospels. 5.Solutions to the Synoptic Problem.

18. Research Paper Topics 6-10 6.The philosophical background of the gospel of John. 7.Identification of oral or written sources for one of the gospels. 8.Compare and contrast a gospel with literature from a different religion. 9.Trace the inclusion of one or more gospels into the canon of the New Testament. 10.Why the apocryphal gospels are not in the canon

19. Research Paper Topics 11-15 11.The teaching style of Jesus 12.Who killed Jesus and why? 13. How to match the chronology of the synoptics with John 14. How the ____________ teachings of Christ have changed our world. 15. Other topics with instructor approval.

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