September 16, 2025 • 24 mins
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Matthew's Gospel serves as a bridge connecting Old Testament promises to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, deliberately placed first in the New Testament to show continuity in God's redemptive plan.
• The word "gospel" means "good news" - the four gospels each present Jesus from different perspectives
• Matthew, a former tax collector called by Jesus, wrote primarily for a Jewish audience
• Jesus eating with "tax collectors and sinners" at Matthew's house demonstrated the gospel message in action
• Five major teaching sections form the structure of Matthew's gospel
• The Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7) establishes the values of God's kingdom
• Jesus repeatedly fulfills Old Testament prophecies, confirming his identity as Messiah
• The genealogy includes Gentile women, showing Jesus is King of all nations
• Matthew ends with the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations
• The gospel challenges us to live as citizens of God's kingdom with transformed hearts
If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend who might need encouragement from God's Word this week. Join us next time as we explore Mark's Gospel—shorter, faster-paced, and action-packed.
RELATED EPISODE:
- The Gospels: A Four-Fold Portrait of Jesus Christ
RESOURCES:
- Fee, G. D. (2002). How to read the Bible book by book. Zondervan.
- Galan, B., & Curiel, J. (n.d.). Bible overview (pp. 373–374) [Kindle edition]. Function.
- Godet, F. L. (1899). Introduction to the New Testament: The collection of the four Gospels and the Gospel of St. Matthew(W. Affleck, Trans.; Vol. 2, p. 105). T&T Clark.
- Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg Books ed.). Augsburg.
- Leithart, P. J. (2022). BI110 How to read the Bible [Logos Mobile Education]. Lexham Press.
- MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur study Bible (Electronic ed.). Word Publishing.
- Mangum, D. (Ed.). (2020). Lexham context commentary: New Testament (Mt 24:9–14). Lexham Press.
- Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1998). The open Bible: New King James Version (Electronic ed.).
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Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jacqui (00:12):
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever wondered why theNew Testament starts with
Matthew and not another book?
We just finished the OldTestament with Malachi and
suddenly we're staring at afamily tree in the book of
Matthew.
Why Matthew first?
(00:33):
Why not Mark, Luke or John?
Well, there's actually a reasonfor that, and it helps us to
see what Matthew's gospel isreally all about.
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
(00:54):
Podcast, where weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks, bite-sized chunks.
Welcome to season five, wherewe're going to be focusing on
(01:15):
the New Testament.
And actually, before we begin,let me make a correction.
This season we're tryingsomething new Instead of weekly
episodes, new episodes will bereleased every two weeks,
bi-weekly.
That gives you more time toread, reflect and really take in
what we're covering together.
(01:37):
Now on to the first book in theNew Testament.
Here's something interestingthe Bible never says start with
Matthew in the New Testament.
Here's something interestingthe Bible never says start with
Matthew in the New Testament.
But when the early churchleaders began collecting and
arranging the books of the NewTestament, they consistently
(01:58):
placed Matthew first.
You might be asking why wasthat?
It was because Matthew's gospelacts like a bridge.
It connects the story of theOld Testament to the story of
Jesus.
Right from the start, matthewshows Jesus's family line, going
(02:21):
all the way back to Abraham andKing David, and throughout his
book he keeps pointing back tothe promises of the prophets,
saying this is what we'retalking about.
So Matthew comes first becausehe helps us step straight out of
(02:44):
the Old Testament world andinto the new, straight out of
the Old Testament world and intothe new, and he makes it clear
that the same God who promised aSavior in the Old Testament has
now kept that promise in Jesus.
Now, before we go any further,let's pause for a moment.
I've mentioned the word gospel.
What exactly is a gospel?
(03:05):
Well, the word itself meansgood news.
In the Bible, the four gospelsare Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
, and they each share the goodnews about Jesus.
They're not biographies in theway we think of them today.
Instead, each writer carefullychose stories, teachings and
(03:30):
events from Jesus's life to showus who he is and why he matters
.
Here's one way to picture itThink of four friends describing
the same event.
Four friends describing thesame event.
Each notices different details.
That's how the four Gospelswork.
Each writer had a particularaudience in mind and offered a
(03:54):
unique perspective, but togetherthey give us a fuller picture
of Jesus and the message ofGod's kingdom.
If you'd like a fullerintroduction to what a gospel is
and how the four gospels fittogether, go back and listen to
the last episode.
I walked through the bigpicture there and the link is in
(04:19):
the show notes.
So with that foundation in place, let's turn to the very first
gospel and the man who wrote it,Matthew.
Matthew, also called Levi, iscommonly understood to be the
writer of this gospel.
His audience was primarily hisfellow Jews, and the focus of
(04:43):
his story is Jesus Christ.
Matthew himself had a front rowseat to everything he describes
.
Before following Jesus, heworked as a tax collector.
One day, Matthew was sitting athis tax booth doing the job
that made most people despisehim, doing the job that made
most people despise him.
(05:04):
Tax collectors worked for Rome.
They often cheated their ownpeople and were seen as traitors
.
That's when Jesus walked by,looked at Matthew and simply
said Follow me.
(05:24):
In that moment, Matthew left itall behind.
Not long after, he hosted adinner at his house and he
wanted his friends, other taxcollectors and outcasts to meet
Jesus.
So the table was filled withpeople the religious leaders
would never be caught eatingwith, and that's what made this
meal so significant.
(05:44):
In that culture, sharing atable wasn't casual.
It meant acceptance, belonging.
And here was Jesus, breakingsocial and religious barriers,
sitting with the very peopleothers called sinners.
The Pharisees were outraged.
(06:05):
They asked the disciples whydoes your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?
That's in Matthew, chapter 9,verse 11.
But Jesus' reply was clear it'snot the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick.
And I desire mercy, notsacrifice, for I have not come
(06:28):
to call the righteous, butsinners Chapter 9, verses 12 to
13.
This dinner wasn't just a meal.
It was a picture of the gospelitself, jesus reaching out to
those the world had written offand giving them a place at his
(06:49):
table.
Later, Matthew was chosen as oneof the twelve apostles After
the resurrection.
We hear his name one last timein Acts, chapter 1, verse 13,
where he's in the upper roomwith the other disciples waiting
and praying for the Holy Spiritto come.
So when we read Matthew'sgospel, we're not just reading
(07:13):
dry history.
We're hearing the testimony ofa man whose life was changed by
Jesus and who wanted others tosee what he'd seen that Jesus is
the promised king.
By the time the Gospel ofMatthew was written, god's
people had already lived throughcenturies of hardship.
(07:37):
Through centuries of hardship,they'd been exiled, ruled by
foreign powers like Babylon,Persia and Greece, and had
endured 400 years withouthearing a prophet's voice.
Now, in Matthew's day, rome wasin control of Israel and the
(07:58):
Jewish people were desperate forfreedom and restoration.
Many were hoping for a kinglike David, a leader who would
rise up, overthrow Rome and leada political revolution.
But Matthew tells a differentstory.
He shows us that Jesus is theking they'd been waiting for.
King they'd been waiting for,but not in the way they imagined
(08:26):
.
As for when the gospel waswritten, scholars don't all
agree.
Some suggest it may have beenwritten as early as AD 40,
others much later.
But most likely all thishappened before the destruction
of Jerusalem, and that was in AD70.
Now let's get to the mainmessage of this book.
God's purpose in the Gospel ofMatthew is clear to show that
(08:51):
Jesus is the long-awaitedMessiah, the King promised in
the Scriptures and through hiswords.
We get to see that same truthtoday.
From beginning to end, the bookshows through scripture that
Jesus is the one God promised.
(09:12):
The genealogy, the baptism, theteaching, the miracles,
everything points to the sameconclusion Christ is King.
To drive this home, matthewquotes the Old Testament more
than any other gospel writer.
Over and over, he says thishappened to fulfill what was
(09:35):
spoken by the prophet was spokenby the prophet Even in the
darkest moment, when Jesus iscrucified.
Matthew shows us that whatlooked like defeat was actually
the path to victory and throughthe resurrection the message
becomes unmistakable the kinglives and this is the good news
(10:01):
the gospel Matthew brings to us.
Matthew's gospel is organized inan easy-to-follow way.
It begins with a longintroduction in chapters 1
through 4.
Here we see his genealogy, hisbirth and the escape to Egypt
(10:22):
when his family fled fromHerod's threat.
Then comes John the Baptist'sministry, Jesus' baptism, his
temptation in the wilderness andfinally the launch of his
ministry in Galilee.
And finally the launch of hisministry in Galilee.
(10:42):
So that's chapters 1-4, thebeginning.
At the other end of the gospel,in chapters 26-28, we get the
conclusion the plot to killJesus, judas' betrayal, peter's
denial, the crucifixion and hisresurrection.
In between those bookends arefive major teaching sections of
(11:07):
Jesus, almost like five biglessons.
Each one ends with the phrasequote, when Jesus had finished
saying these things, end quote.
So here are the five.
First is the Sermon on the Mount, that's in chapter 5 through 7.
This is probably the mostwell-known of Jesus's teachings.
(11:29):
It begins with the Beatitudes,in verses 3 through 12.
Statements like blessed are thepoor in spirit, blessed are the
poor in heart.
These describe the values ofGod's kingdom and turns the
world's priorities upside down.
While the world celebratespower, wealth, self-promotion,
(11:54):
jesus blesses the humble, themerciful and those who hunger
for righteousness.
The Sermon on the Mount isreally a blueprint for life as
citizens of God's kingdom.
Meanwhile, in this gospel,matthew tells us Jesus wasn't
(12:15):
only teaching, he was alsoshowing his power in action.
He healed Peter's mother-in-lawand crowds soon gathered as he
healed the sick, gave sight tothe blind and restored the
broken.
Now the second teaching.
Here Jesus sends 12 disciplesout to announce the good news of
(12:39):
the kingdom.
This is in chapter 10, verses 5through 8.
He gives them instructions onhow to travel, how to respond
when welcomed or rejected andhow to endure persecution.
He says in chapter 10, verse 16, I am sending you out like
(13:00):
sheep among the wolves.
Jesus is honest about the costof following him.
But he also promises that God'sSpirit will give them the words
they need, will give them thewords they need.
Meanwhile, crowds keepfollowing Jesus.
In one powerful moment, hefeeds 5,000 people with only
(13:22):
five loaves and two fish.
That's chapter 14, verses 13 to21.
That same night the disciplesare caught in a storm and, to
their amazement, jesus walks outto them on the water and calms
both the waves and their fear.
That's chapter 14, verses 22 to33.
(13:49):
The third teaching is called theparables of the kingdom, and
that's in chapter 13.
Here Jesus tells a series ofparables, short stories with
deep meaning.
The parable of the sower thatreminds us that not everyone
will receive the message of thekingdom.
(14:09):
There's the mustard seedparable that shows that God's
kingdom may look small at firstbut will grow into something
great.
And there's the mustard seedparable that shows that God's
kingdom may look small at firstbut will grow into something
great.
And there's the parable of thehidden treasure, which points to
the priceless value of knowingJesus.
And fourth, we have theteaching on community life.
(14:32):
That's in chapter 18.
Here Jesus teaches his followershow to live together.
He begins with a lesson onhumility that warrants against
causing others to stumble.
He shares the parable of thelost sheep, showing God's care
for the vulnerable, god's carefor the vulnerable.
(14:54):
Later he gives a clear teachingon reconciliation and
forgiveness, ending with theparable of the unforgiving
servant.
This whole section is aboutlife in God's family, marked by
humility, care and grace.
Meanwhile, in this story,matthew tells us about a bold
(15:18):
request.
The mother of James and John,two disciples, comes to Jesus
asking for her sons to have thebest seats in the kingdom.
Jesus uses this moment toremind his followers that true
greatness isn't about status orpower, it's about serving others
(15:40):
.
And the fifth and last teachingis called the Olivet Discourse,
and we find that in chapters 24and 25.
On the Mount of Olives, Jesusgives a sobering teaching about
the future.
He speaks of the comingdestruction of Jerusalem, the
(16:04):
challenges his followers wouldface and his future return.
He illustrates these truthswith parables like the ten
virgins, which emphasizesreadiness, and the sheep and the
goats, which highlight theimportance of how we live now.
Meanwhile, just before hisarrest, a woman comes with an
(16:30):
alabaster jar of perfume andpours it on Jesus.
A bastard jar of perfume andpours it on Jesus.
Her act of devotion isremembered by Jesus as a
beautiful example of love andworship, even as the shadow of
betrayal and the cross drawsnear.
(16:50):
So Matthew's gospel gives usboth the story of Jesus's life
and his core teachings Together.
The five discourses orteachings and these
unforgettable moments show Jesusas the promised Messiah and the
King who brings God's kingdomto earth.
(17:13):
Let me share with you a fewmore highlights of his teaching
and some imagery.
Matthew begins his gospel with aclear statement about who Jesus
is and then goes on to recordsome of the most famous words
Jesus ever spoke.
From the very first line,matthew makes his purpose clear.
(17:36):
This is the genealogy of Jesus,the Messiah, the son of David,
the son of Abraham.
That's chapter 1, verse 1.
Right from the start, he tellsus that Jesus is the promised
king, the one who fulfills God'scovenant promises.
(17:56):
When Jesus begins his publicministry, matthew sums it up
with this powerful phrase.
Quote repent, for the kingdomof heaven has come near end.
Quote.
That's chapter 4, verse 17.
That message runs through therest of the book, and it's in
Matthew that we find the Lord'sPrayer.
(18:18):
That's in chapter 6, verses 9through 13, where Jesus teaches
his followers to pray withsimplicity and trust Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed beyour name.
And in the Sermon on the Mount,he calls his people to radical
(18:41):
love, even love for enemies,showing that life in God's
kingdom is completely differentfrom the world's ways.
And then comes the cross AboveJesus' head.
The sign reads, quote this isJesus, the King of the Jews.
(19:03):
End quote.
That's chapter 27, verse 37.
What looked like defeat wasactually his greatest victory.
The gospel closes with Jesus'sfinal words to his disciples,
quote all authority in heavenand on earth has been given to
me.
(19:23):
Therefore, go and makedisciples of all nations.
Chapter 28, verses 18 to 20.
The king has risen and hisauthority extends everywhere,
calling his people, you and me,to share the good news with the
(19:46):
whole world.
So why does Matthew stillmatter for us today?
Remember our opening questionwhy does the New Testament begin
with Matthew?
The answer was that Matthewacts like a bridge from the old
and the new, and that samebridge speaks directly to us now
(20:07):
.
First, Matthew shows us we cantrust Jesus as king.
The world around us feelsreally uncertain, but Matthew
reminds us we have a king whoserule is good, just and eternal.
From the very first chapter, hemakes it clear Every prophecy,
(20:29):
every covenant.
Every hope of the Old Testamentis fulfilled in Jesus.
If God kept those promises, wecan trust him to keep his
promises to us too.
Second, Matthew reminds us thatJesus is not just the king of
Israel, but the king of allnations.
(20:50):
One example is in the genealogythere are four women Tamar,
Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba.
Several of them were Gentiles,outsiders to Israel's story, yet
they were part of Jesus'sfamily tree.
And at the very end of thegospel, Jesus sends his
(21:11):
disciples out with those words Isaid earlier go and make
disciples of all nations.
His kingdom is for everyone you, me and people all around the
world.
Third, Matthew makes ourmission clear.
Just as the gospel closes withthe Great Commission, we're
(21:33):
invited to live on mission too,to share Jesus with the people
around us, starting right wherewe are, jesus with the people
around us, starting right wherewe are.
And finally, Matthew challengesus to live as citizens of that
kingdom.
Jesus' teaching is not justhistory, it's an invitation.
(21:54):
The Sermon on the Mount, theparables, the call to follow him
, those words are for us today.
Living under the reign of Jesusis about more than outward
behavior.
It's about hearts transformedby his love and his teaching.
(22:16):
So maybe ask yourself where doI need God to change my heart?
So maybe ask yourself, where doI need God to change my heart,
not just my habits.
That's why Matthew stillmatters.
It's not only the bridgebetween the old and the new,
it's the bridge between then andnow, between the story of Jesus
(22:38):
and the story God is stillwriting in our lives today.
So, to wrap it up, matthewshows us that Jesus is the
long-awaited King, the one whofulfills God's promises and
brings his kingdom to earth.
His teaching, his miracles, hisdeath and resurrection all
(23:01):
point to the same truth Christis King and he lives.
Thank you so much for tuning intoday and remember this season
new episodes will come out everytwo weeks.
That gives you more time toread, reflect and really let
(23:24):
these books sink in.
And if you're looking for aplace to start digging into
Matthew, I'd suggest the Sermonon the Mount found in chapters
five through seven.
It's where Jesus paints a clearpicture of what it means to
live in his kingdom.
If you found this episodehelpful, would you share it with
(23:46):
a friend?
You never know who might needencouragement from God's word
this week.
And it's such a simple way tobe part of that great commission
Matthew ends with.
Next time we'll look at theGospel of Mark.
It's shorter, faster-paced andaction-packed.
(24:07):
A front-row seat to Jesus'sministry you won't want to miss.
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.
Greetings listeners.
Have you ever wondered why theNew Testament starts with
Matthew and not another book?
We just finished the OldTestament with Malachi and
suddenly we're staring at afamily tree in the book of
Matthew.
Why Matthew first?
(00:33):
Why not Mark, Luke or John?
Well, there's actually a reasonfor that, and it helps us to
see what Matthew's gospel isreally all about.
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
(00:54):
Podcast, where weekly, we breakdown the basics of the Bible
into understandable, bite-sizedchunks, bite-sized chunks.
Welcome to season five, wherewe're going to be focusing on
(01:15):
the New Testament.
And actually, before we begin,let me make a correction.
This season we're tryingsomething new Instead of weekly
episodes, new episodes will bereleased every two weeks,
bi-weekly.
That gives you more time toread, reflect and really take in
what we're covering together.
(01:37):
Now on to the first book in theNew Testament.
Here's something interestingthe Bible never says start with
Matthew in the New Testament.
Here's something interestingthe Bible never says start with
Matthew in the New Testament.
But when the early churchleaders began collecting and
arranging the books of the NewTestament, they consistently
(01:58):
placed Matthew first.
You might be asking why wasthat?
It was because Matthew's gospelacts like a bridge.
It connects the story of theOld Testament to the story of
Jesus.
Right from the start, matthewshows Jesus's family line, going
(02:21):
all the way back to Abraham andKing David, and throughout his
book he keeps pointing back tothe promises of the prophets,
saying this is what we'retalking about.
So Matthew comes first becausehe helps us step straight out of
(02:44):
the Old Testament world andinto the new, straight out of
the Old Testament world and intothe new, and he makes it clear
that the same God who promised aSavior in the Old Testament has
now kept that promise in Jesus.
Now, before we go any further,let's pause for a moment.
I've mentioned the word gospel.
What exactly is a gospel?
(03:05):
Well, the word itself meansgood news.
In the Bible, the four gospelsare Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
, and they each share the goodnews about Jesus.
They're not biographies in theway we think of them today.
Instead, each writer carefullychose stories, teachings and
(03:30):
events from Jesus's life to showus who he is and why he matters
.
Here's one way to picture itThink of four friends describing
the same event.
Four friends describing thesame event.
Each notices different details.
That's how the four Gospelswork.
Each writer had a particularaudience in mind and offered a
(03:54):
unique perspective, but togetherthey give us a fuller picture
of Jesus and the message ofGod's kingdom.
If you'd like a fullerintroduction to what a gospel is
and how the four gospels fittogether, go back and listen to
the last episode.
I walked through the bigpicture there and the link is in
(04:19):
the show notes.
So with that foundation in place, let's turn to the very first
gospel and the man who wrote it,Matthew.
Matthew, also called Levi, iscommonly understood to be the
writer of this gospel.
His audience was primarily hisfellow Jews, and the focus of
(04:43):
his story is Jesus Christ.
Matthew himself had a front rowseat to everything he describes
.
Before following Jesus, heworked as a tax collector.
One day, Matthew was sitting athis tax booth doing the job
that made most people despisehim, doing the job that made
most people despise him.
(05:04):
Tax collectors worked for Rome.
They often cheated their ownpeople and were seen as traitors
.
That's when Jesus walked by,looked at Matthew and simply
said Follow me.
(05:24):
In that moment, Matthew left itall behind.
Not long after, he hosted adinner at his house and he
wanted his friends, other taxcollectors and outcasts to meet
Jesus.
So the table was filled withpeople the religious leaders
would never be caught eatingwith, and that's what made this
meal so significant.
(05:44):
In that culture, sharing atable wasn't casual.
It meant acceptance, belonging.
And here was Jesus, breakingsocial and religious barriers,
sitting with the very peopleothers called sinners.
The Pharisees were outraged.
(06:05):
They asked the disciples whydoes your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?
That's in Matthew, chapter 9,verse 11.
But Jesus' reply was clear it'snot the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick.
And I desire mercy, notsacrifice, for I have not come
(06:28):
to call the righteous, butsinners Chapter 9, verses 12 to
13.
This dinner wasn't just a meal.
It was a picture of the gospelitself, jesus reaching out to
those the world had written offand giving them a place at his
(06:49):
table.
Later, Matthew was chosen as oneof the twelve apostles After
the resurrection.
We hear his name one last timein Acts, chapter 1, verse 13,
where he's in the upper roomwith the other disciples waiting
and praying for the Holy Spiritto come.
So when we read Matthew'sgospel, we're not just reading
(07:13):
dry history.
We're hearing the testimony ofa man whose life was changed by
Jesus and who wanted others tosee what he'd seen that Jesus is
the promised king.
By the time the Gospel ofMatthew was written, god's
people had already lived throughcenturies of hardship.
(07:37):
Through centuries of hardship,they'd been exiled, ruled by
foreign powers like Babylon,Persia and Greece, and had
endured 400 years withouthearing a prophet's voice.
Now, in Matthew's day, rome wasin control of Israel and the
(07:58):
Jewish people were desperate forfreedom and restoration.
Many were hoping for a kinglike David, a leader who would
rise up, overthrow Rome and leada political revolution.
But Matthew tells a differentstory.
He shows us that Jesus is theking they'd been waiting for.
King they'd been waiting for,but not in the way they imagined
(08:26):
.
As for when the gospel waswritten, scholars don't all
agree.
Some suggest it may have beenwritten as early as AD 40,
others much later.
But most likely all thishappened before the destruction
of Jerusalem, and that was in AD70.
Now let's get to the mainmessage of this book.
God's purpose in the Gospel ofMatthew is clear to show that
(08:51):
Jesus is the long-awaitedMessiah, the King promised in
the Scriptures and through hiswords.
We get to see that same truthtoday.
From beginning to end, the bookshows through scripture that
Jesus is the one God promised.
(09:12):
The genealogy, the baptism, theteaching, the miracles,
everything points to the sameconclusion Christ is King.
To drive this home, matthewquotes the Old Testament more
than any other gospel writer.
Over and over, he says thishappened to fulfill what was
(09:35):
spoken by the prophet was spokenby the prophet Even in the
darkest moment, when Jesus iscrucified.
Matthew shows us that whatlooked like defeat was actually
the path to victory and throughthe resurrection the message
becomes unmistakable the kinglives and this is the good news
(10:01):
the gospel Matthew brings to us.
Matthew's gospel is organized inan easy-to-follow way.
It begins with a longintroduction in chapters 1
through 4.
Here we see his genealogy, hisbirth and the escape to Egypt
(10:22):
when his family fled fromHerod's threat.
Then comes John the Baptist'sministry, Jesus' baptism, his
temptation in the wilderness andfinally the launch of his
ministry in Galilee.
And finally the launch of hisministry in Galilee.
(10:42):
So that's chapters 1-4, thebeginning.
At the other end of the gospel,in chapters 26-28, we get the
conclusion the plot to killJesus, judas' betrayal, peter's
denial, the crucifixion and hisresurrection.
In between those bookends arefive major teaching sections of
(11:07):
Jesus, almost like five biglessons.
Each one ends with the phrasequote, when Jesus had finished
saying these things, end quote.
So here are the five.
First is the Sermon on the Mount, that's in chapter 5 through 7.
This is probably the mostwell-known of Jesus's teachings.
(11:29):
It begins with the Beatitudes,in verses 3 through 12.
Statements like blessed are thepoor in spirit, blessed are the
poor in heart.
These describe the values ofGod's kingdom and turns the
world's priorities upside down.
While the world celebratespower, wealth, self-promotion,
(11:54):
jesus blesses the humble, themerciful and those who hunger
for righteousness.
The Sermon on the Mount isreally a blueprint for life as
citizens of God's kingdom.
Meanwhile, in this gospel,matthew tells us Jesus wasn't
(12:15):
only teaching, he was alsoshowing his power in action.
He healed Peter's mother-in-lawand crowds soon gathered as he
healed the sick, gave sight tothe blind and restored the
broken.
Now the second teaching.
Here Jesus sends 12 disciplesout to announce the good news of
(12:39):
the kingdom.
This is in chapter 10, verses 5through 8.
He gives them instructions onhow to travel, how to respond
when welcomed or rejected andhow to endure persecution.
He says in chapter 10, verse 16, I am sending you out like
(13:00):
sheep among the wolves.
Jesus is honest about the costof following him.
But he also promises that God'sSpirit will give them the words
they need, will give them thewords they need.
Meanwhile, crowds keepfollowing Jesus.
In one powerful moment, hefeeds 5,000 people with only
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five loaves and two fish.
That's chapter 14, verses 13 to21.
That same night the disciplesare caught in a storm and, to
their amazement, jesus walks outto them on the water and calms
both the waves and their fear.
That's chapter 14, verses 22 to33.
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The third teaching is called theparables of the kingdom, and
that's in chapter 13.
Here Jesus tells a series ofparables, short stories with
deep meaning.
The parable of the sower thatreminds us that not everyone
will receive the message of thekingdom.
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There's the mustard seedparable that shows that God's
kingdom may look small at firstbut will grow into something
great.
And there's the mustard seedparable that shows that God's
kingdom may look small at firstbut will grow into something
great.
And there's the parable of thehidden treasure, which points to
the priceless value of knowingJesus.
And fourth, we have theteaching on community life.
(14:32):
That's in chapter 18.
Here Jesus teaches his followershow to live together.
He begins with a lesson onhumility that warrants against
causing others to stumble.
He shares the parable of thelost sheep, showing God's care
for the vulnerable, god's carefor the vulnerable.
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Later he gives a clear teachingon reconciliation and
forgiveness, ending with theparable of the unforgiving
servant.
This whole section is aboutlife in God's family, marked by
humility, care and grace.
Meanwhile, in this story,matthew tells us about a bold
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request.
The mother of James and John,two disciples, comes to Jesus
asking for her sons to have thebest seats in the kingdom.
Jesus uses this moment toremind his followers that true
greatness isn't about status orpower, it's about serving others
(15:40):
.
And the fifth and last teachingis called the Olivet Discourse,
and we find that in chapters 24and 25.
On the Mount of Olives, Jesusgives a sobering teaching about
the future.
He speaks of the comingdestruction of Jerusalem, the
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challenges his followers wouldface and his future return.
He illustrates these truthswith parables like the ten
virgins, which emphasizesreadiness, and the sheep and the
goats, which highlight theimportance of how we live now.
Meanwhile, just before hisarrest, a woman comes with an
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alabaster jar of perfume andpours it on Jesus.
A bastard jar of perfume andpours it on Jesus.
Her act of devotion isremembered by Jesus as a
beautiful example of love andworship, even as the shadow of
betrayal and the cross drawsnear.
(16:50):
So Matthew's gospel gives usboth the story of Jesus's life
and his core teachings Together.
The five discourses orteachings and these
unforgettable moments show Jesusas the promised Messiah and the
King who brings God's kingdomto earth.
(17:13):
Let me share with you a fewmore highlights of his teaching
and some imagery.
Matthew begins his gospel with aclear statement about who Jesus
is and then goes on to recordsome of the most famous words
Jesus ever spoke.
From the very first line,matthew makes his purpose clear.
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This is the genealogy of Jesus,the Messiah, the son of David,
the son of Abraham.
That's chapter 1, verse 1.
Right from the start, he tellsus that Jesus is the promised
king, the one who fulfills God'scovenant promises.
(17:56):
When Jesus begins his publicministry, matthew sums it up
with this powerful phrase.
Quote repent, for the kingdomof heaven has come near end.
Quote.
That's chapter 4, verse 17.
That message runs through therest of the book, and it's in
Matthew that we find the Lord'sPrayer.
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That's in chapter 6, verses 9through 13, where Jesus teaches
his followers to pray withsimplicity and trust Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed beyour name.
And in the Sermon on the Mount,he calls his people to radical
(18:41):
love, even love for enemies,showing that life in God's
kingdom is completely differentfrom the world's ways.
And then comes the cross AboveJesus' head.
The sign reads, quote this isJesus, the King of the Jews.
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End quote.
That's chapter 27, verse 37.
What looked like defeat wasactually his greatest victory.
The gospel closes with Jesus'sfinal words to his disciples,
quote all authority in heavenand on earth has been given to
me.
(19:23):
Therefore, go and makedisciples of all nations.
Chapter 28, verses 18 to 20.
The king has risen and hisauthority extends everywhere,
calling his people, you and me,to share the good news with the
(19:46):
whole world.
So why does Matthew stillmatter for us today?
Remember our opening questionwhy does the New Testament begin
with Matthew?
The answer was that Matthewacts like a bridge from the old
and the new, and that samebridge speaks directly to us now
(20:07):
.
First, Matthew shows us we cantrust Jesus as king.
The world around us feelsreally uncertain, but Matthew
reminds us we have a king whoserule is good, just and eternal.
From the very first chapter, hemakes it clear Every prophecy,
(20:29):
every covenant.
Every hope of the Old Testamentis fulfilled in Jesus.
If God kept those promises, wecan trust him to keep his
promises to us too.
Second, Matthew reminds us thatJesus is not just the king of
Israel, but the king of allnations.
(20:50):
One example is in the genealogythere are four women Tamar,
Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba.
Several of them were Gentiles,outsiders to Israel's story, yet
they were part of Jesus'sfamily tree.
And at the very end of thegospel, Jesus sends his
(21:11):
disciples out with those words Isaid earlier go and make
disciples of all nations.
His kingdom is for everyone you, me and people all around the
world.
Third, Matthew makes ourmission clear.
Just as the gospel closes withthe Great Commission, we're
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invited to live on mission too,to share Jesus with the people
around us, starting right wherewe are, jesus with the people
around us, starting right wherewe are.
And finally, Matthew challengesus to live as citizens of that
kingdom.
Jesus' teaching is not justhistory, it's an invitation.
(21:54):
The Sermon on the Mount, theparables, the call to follow him
, those words are for us today.
Living under the reign of Jesusis about more than outward
behavior.
It's about hearts transformedby his love and his teaching.
(22:16):
So maybe ask yourself where doI need God to change my heart?
So maybe ask yourself, where doI need God to change my heart,
not just my habits.
That's why Matthew stillmatters.
It's not only the bridgebetween the old and the new,
it's the bridge between then andnow, between the story of Jesus
(22:38):
and the story God is stillwriting in our lives today.
So, to wrap it up, matthewshows us that Jesus is the
long-awaited King, the one whofulfills God's promises and
brings his kingdom to earth.
His teaching, his miracles, hisdeath and resurrection all
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point to the same truth Christis King and he lives.
Thank you so much for tuning intoday and remember this season
new episodes will come out everytwo weeks.
That gives you more time toread, reflect and really let
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these books sink in.
And if you're looking for aplace to start digging into
Matthew, I'd suggest the Sermonon the Mount found in chapters
five through seven.
It's where Jesus paints a clearpicture of what it means to
live in his kingdom.
If you found this episodehelpful, would you share it with
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a friend?
You never know who might needencouragement from God's word
this week.
And it's such a simple way tobe part of that great commission
Matthew ends with.
Next time we'll look at theGospel of Mark.
It's shorter, faster-paced andaction-packed.
(24:07):
A front-row seat to Jesus'sministry you won't want to miss.
Until then, keep reading, keepseeking and keep growing in your
faith.
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