Matthew identifies Jesus as the prophesied Messiah-King. Son of Abraham associates Him with the covenant that God made with Abraham, saying: In [you] shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 17:7; II Samuel 7:8-17). All families includes both Jew and Gentile.

The Apostle Paul identified the true children of Abraham, both Jew and Gentile, when he wrote: They which are of faith (in Jesus as the Messiah), the same are the children of Abraham. . . . To Abraham and his Seed (Jesus) were the promises made. He [did] not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of One, And to [your] Seed, which is Christ. . . . For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. . . . And if [you] be Christ's, then [you] are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:7,16,27,29).

Since the focus of Old Testament Scripture is on the coming of the Promised Messiah and His Kingdom, Matthew used the phrase Kingdom of Heaven more than 30 times, Son of David 10 times, and that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 16 times. As confirmation of the Messiah-ship of Jesus, the Holy Spirit led Matthew to record more than 20 of His miracles. Matthew has 60 references to Christ Jesus and records seven parables of Jesus that begin with the phrase: The Kingdom of Heaven is like (Matthew 13:24,31,33,44-45,47,52; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1,14).

The Sanhedrin kept complete genealogical archives of the descendants of Abraham and David. These enemies of Christ never questioned that both Joseph's and Mary's genealogies are the same from Abraham to David. Then Joseph's genealogy follows through Solomon while Mary's traces from Nathan, another of David's sons.

To remove all doubt as to who Jesus is, Matthew records that, when Jesus was baptized, a voice [came] from Heaven, saying, this is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (3:17). Sometime later, Matthew also records the spectacular transfiguration of Christ during His conversation with Moses and Elijah, when a voice out of the cloud . . . said, This is My Beloved Son . . . hear . . . Him (17:2-5). This completed Jesus' Galilean ministry, and He departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts (territory) of Judea (19:1). He then steadfastly set His face (Luke 9:51) to fulfill the purpose for which He had left Heaven, which was to give His life as the sinless Son of God for the sins of all who would receive Him as their Savior. He would be crucified, and the third day He [would] rise again (Matthew 20:18-19).

It was on the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50), 40 days after His resurrection, that Jesus told His disciples: Go . . . teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).

1. The book of Matthew has always occupied a position of high esteem in the faith and life of the church:

   "When we turn to Matthew, we turn to the book which may well be called the most important single document of the Christian faith, for in it we have the fullest and the most systematic account of the life and the teachings of Jesus."

2. The writings of the early church fathers reveal that it was...

   a. The most frequently quoted

   b. Perhaps the most widely read gospel

   ...during the first two centuries of the church's history

[Why was this book so popular?  Perhaps we can understand why as we consider some background information pertaining to it...]

I. AUTHOR AND DATE OF THE GOSPEL

   A. MATTHEW (LEVI)...

      1. The apostolic origin and canonical rank of the gospel of

         Matthew were accepted without a doubt by the early church

      2. Matthew, surnamed Levi, had been a tax-collector...

         a. He was one of Jesus' earliest disciples - Mt 9:9; Mk 2:14

         b. He was chosen to be one of the twelve apostles - Mt 10:2-3

      3. Being a close associate of Jesus during His ministry...

         a. Matthew's gospel is a first hand account

         b. Unlike Luke who depended upon other eyewitnesses - Lk 1:1-4

   B. BEFORE 70 A.D....

      1. Irenaeus says it was written when Peter and Paul were

         preaching in Rome

      2. Eusebius states that this was done when Matthew left Palestine and went to preach to others (Historia Ecclesiastica, III, 24)

      3. Clement of Alexandria said that the presbyters who succeeded each other from the beginning declared that "the gospels containing the genealogies (Matthew and Luke) were written first" (Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica, VI, 14)

      4. A date before 70 A.D. is considered by many to be the most feasible

II. THEME AND OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL

   A. ITS THEME OR PURPOSE...

      1. Written to Jews, designed to prove that Jesus is the Messiah of OT prophecy

      2. Evidenced by his frequent appeal to OT Messianic prophecies

         a. He quotes from almost every book in the OT

         b. Twelve times he identifies O.T. prophecies as fulfilled in the life of Jesus

            - Mt 1:22; 2:15,23; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14,35;

              21:4; 27:9

      -- One could say that the theme is: "Jesus, King of the Jews"

   B. A DETAILED OUTLINE...

      (adapted from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)

      1. The birth and childhood of Jesus Christ - 1:1-2:23

         a. Genealogy of Christ - 1:1-17

         b. Birth of Christ - 1:18-25

         c. Visit of the Magi - 2:1-12

         d. Flight into Egypt and massacre of the infants - 2:13-18

         e. Residence at Nazareth - 2:19-23

      2. The preparation for the ministry of Jesus Christ - 3:1-4:11

         a. The forerunner of Christ - 3:1-12

         b. Baptism of Christ - 3:13-17

         c. Temptation of Christ - 4:1-11

      3. The ministry of Jesus Christ - 4:12-25:46

         a. His ministry in Galilee - 4:12-18:35

            1) Residence at Capernaum - 4:12-17

            2) Call of four disciples - 4:18-22

            3) General survey of the Galilean ministry - 4:23-25

            4) Sermon on the mount - 5:1-7:29

            5) Ten miracles and related events - 8:1-9:38

            6) Mission of the twelve - 10:1-42

            7) Christ's answer to John, and related discourse - 11:1-30

            8) Opposition from the Pharisees - 12:1-50

            9) A series of parables on the kingdom - 13:1-58

           10) Withdrawal of Jesus following John's beheading - 14:1-36

           11) Conflict with the Pharisees over tradition - 15:1-20

           12) Withdrawal to Phoenecia and healing of a Canaanitish

               woman's daughter - 15:21-28

           13) Return to the Sea of Galilee and performing of miracles

               - 15:29-38

           14) Renewed conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees - 15:

               39-16:4

           15) Withdrawal to the region of Caesarea Philippi - 16:5-

               17:23

           16) Instruction of the twelve at Capernaum - 17:24-18:35

b. His ministry in Perea - 19:1-20:16

           1) Teaching on divorce - 19:1-12

           2) Blessing of the children - 19:13-15

           3) Interview with the rich young man - 19:16-30

            4) Parable of the laborers in the vineyard - 20:1-16

         c. His ministry in Judea - 20:17-34

            1) Another prediction of Christ's death and resurrection  - 20:17-19

            2) Ambitious request of Zebedee's sons - 20:20-28

            3) Healing of two blind men - 20:29-34

         d. His ministry in Jerusalem - 21:1-25:46

            1) Triumphal entry - 21:1-11

            2) Cleansing the Temple - 21:12-17

            3) Cursing of the barren fig tree - 21:18-22

            4) Questioning of Jesus' authority and his parabolic answer

               - 21:23-22:14

            5) Questioning of Jesus by various groups - 22:15-46

            6) Jesus' public denunciation of the Pharisees - 23:1-39

            7) Olivet Discourse - 24:1-25:46

      4. The suffering of Jesus Christ - 26:1-27:66

         a. Plot against Jesus - 26:1-16

         b. The final meal - 26:17-30

         c. Prediction of Peter's denial - 26:31-35

         d. Events in Gethsemane - 26:36-56

         e. Events at the Jewish trials - 26:57-27:2

         f. Remorse of Judas - 27:3-10

         g. Events at the Roman trials - 27:11-31

         h. The Crucifixion - 27:32-56

         i. Burial - 27:32-56

      5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ - 28:1-20

         a. Discovery of the empty tomb - 28:1-8

         b. Appearance of Jesus Christ - 28:9,10

         c. Report of the soldiers - 28:11-15

         d. The great commission - 28:16-20

III. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOSPEL

   A. A JEWISH GOSPEL...

      1. We've noted its frequent appeal to OT prophecies

      2. It's organization is mostly topical, as opposed to strictly

         chronological (a common style in Jewish literature)

      -- It appears to have been written with a Jewish audience in mind

   B. AN ECCLESIASTICAL GOSPEL...

      1. It is the only gospel which mentions the word "church"

         a. It foretells its beginning - Mt 16:18

         b. It describes some of the life in the church - Mt 18:15-17

      2. It contains lengthy discourses especially beneficial to those

         in the church

         a. Such as the sermon on the mount - Mt 5-7

         b. Such as the many parables - Mt 13

         c. Such as the Olivet discourse - Mt 24-25

      3. It contains admonitions important to disciples of Christ

         a. Such as the importance of doing the Father's will - Mt 7:

            21-23

         b. Such as observing all that Jesus commanded - Mt 28:20

      -- In other words, this was a gospel designed for use by those in

         the early church

   C. AN EVANGELISTIC GOSPEL...

      1. It is a preaching gospel

         a. Especially when compared with the apostles' preaching found

            in Acts

         b. For it expands upon the basic elements and point made in

            their sermons

      2. Consider these themes in apostolic preaching:

         a. God's promises in the OT have been fulfilled - Ac 3:18,24

         b. The long-awaited Messiah, born of David's line, has come

            - Ac 13:23

         c. He is Jesus of Nazareth - Ac 13:23

         d. He went about preaching and doing good through mighty works

            - Ac 10:38

         e. He was crucified according to the promise and will of God

            - Ac 2:22,23

         f. He was raised from the dead, and exalted at God's right

            hand - Ac 2:24,32-33

         h. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the

            dead - Ac 3:20-21; 17:30-31

         i. Therefore, all should heed His message, repent, and be

            baptized - Ac 2:36-38

         -- All of these points are expanded in the gospel of Matthew

CONCLUSION

1. The purpose which Matthew's gospel served in the first century was

   simple...

   a. To confirm faith in Jesus as God's Anointed One (the Messiah)

   b. To instructing disciples on living the Christian life

2. It can serve a similar purpose for us today...

   a. Increase our faith in Jesus as the Christ

   b. Instruct us in the righteousness expected of those in His kingdom

The last three verses present the climax of this amazing gospel:

   And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

   "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing

   them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

   Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Mt 28:18-20)