Matthew: The King and His Kingdom_Intro to Matthew's Gospel

, Lead Pastor at Geneseo Evangelical Free Church

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An Intro to the Gospel of Matthew

First Point

The Author

The Author and His Book

Who wrote the “First Gospel”?
When was it written?
What is its theme?
How is it structured?
What is its purpose?

Second Point

The Audience

Jesus’ Ministry

Galilean Jews

Racially mixed since the 8th century.
Economically strong.
Culturally despised by Judeans.
Linguistically ridiculed.
Religiously viewed as “lax”.

Judean Jews
Ethnic “pure-breds”.
Economically challenged.
Elitists.
Religiously divided

If, as I hope, this is not a complete caricature, it means that even an impeccably Jewish Galilean in first-century Jerusalem was not among his own people; he was as much a foreigner as an Irishman in London or a Texan in New York. His accent would immediately mark him out as “not one of us,” and all the communal prejudice of the supposedly superior culture of the capital city would stand against his claim to be heard even as a prophet, let alone as the “Messiah,” a title which as everyone knew belonged to Judea (cf. John 7:40–42)

To read Matthew in blissful ignorance of first-century Palestinian socio-politics is to miss his point. This is the story of Jesus of Nazareth. (R.T. France)

The Gentiles

Two major Gentile cities in Galilee.
The region of the Decapolis was Gentile as well.
Matthew’s Gospel shows a strong interest in the Gentiles.

See Boice p. 10

Yet Matthew also contains the strongest indictments of Jewish unbelief and shows a very strong interest in the Gentiles. Matthew traces Jesus’ origins to David and Abraham, as I have indicated—a very Jewish beginning. But the genealogy also contains the names of four women, which is most un-Jewish, and three of these women were not Jews. Matthew also links the coming of the Gentile wise men to his account of Jesus’ birth, and the book ends with Jesus’ command to take the gospel to “all nations” (Matt. 28:19). The Great Commission is the Gospel’s climax.
Boice, J. M. (2001). (p. 10). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Boice, J. M. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (p. 10). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Third Point

The Application

Is Matthew’s Gospel relevant today?

It speaks to an increasingly secular and fiercely independent age about a coming King.

Is the Book of Matthew relevant today? It certainly is. In a largely secular age, as ours is, we need to know that Jesus is truly God’s King. In a day of nominal Christianity, we need to hear Christ’s

Is Matthew’s Gospel relevant today?

It challenges “nominal” Christianity.

Is Matthew’s Gospel relevant today?

It confronts lazy discipleship with Jesus’ Great Commission call.

Is the Book of Matthew relevant today? It certainly is. In a largely secular age, as ours is, we need to know that Jesus is truly God’s King. In a day of nominal Christianity, we need to hear Christ’s call to “follow me.” In a day of lax and lazy discipleship, we need to hear once again the command of Jesus to take the message of his death and resurrection to the world.
Boice, J. M. (2001). (p. 10). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Boice, J. M. (2001). The Gospel of Matthew (p. 10). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Matthew: The King and His Kingdom_Intro to Matthew's Gospel

Stephen Palm

Matthew: The King and His Kingdom_Intro to Matthew's Gospel