Matthew

Matthew Homework

1. What do you see in this book that tells you about the Original Reader?

The book of Matthew was written primarily to the Jewish people only a few decades after the ascension of Jesus. The Jewish people had been waiting for hundreds of years for the coming Messiah, the promised one of the prophets. Many of them however, would have had a much more political or militarial idea of how the Messiah would come and reign. Matthew was written to these people who may have had many doubts and questions as to whether Jesus was the Messiah or not. This is why there are countless passages where Matthew explains that “all of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet...” (1:22)

2. What do you see in this book that tells you about the author?

This gospel was written by Matthew who saw these events first hand as he walked with Jesus. We get an insight into his part of the story in Matthew 9:9-13 where we learn that he was a wealthy tax collector. However, he also seems to be a very humble man as well. He recognized it as grace the way Jesus would choose to eat with the likes of prostitutes and tax collectors (9:13). 

Likewise, as a tax collector, Matthew thought very systematically. We can see this through the structure of his book. It’s very planned out in order to prove his part in the argument. He spells out the prophesies clearly, even down to the uninterrupted line of David (1:1-16). Matthew himself gave up his life of comfort to follow Jesus and he is determined to encourage his Jewish brethren to do the same. 

3. What are the main themes and repeated ideas in this book, and what is a one sentence summary of the main idea?

Through the book of Matthew, the disciple is trying to convince the Jewish people who are unsure about Jesus that He is the one of which every prophesy pointed towards - The Messiah. 

Jesus shook up the people. So many of the things that he said were very controversial to the people of the time, especially when the religious leaders were so corrupt and self righteous. But through the life and preaching of Jesus, we are encouraged that the law was put in place in order to protect the heart of the people (5:17-20). Yes, it was meant to be followed, but the Father looks at the heart. We see this through Jesus thoughts on the Sabbath. In fact, Jesus even refers back to David to prove his point (12:3-8). 

Likewise, Jesus came to bring the Kingdom of God here to earth. He speaks of the Kingdom more than any other subject, portraying it as a treasure found in a field in which you must sell everything in order to gain it (13:44). He tells them how difficult it is for the rich to enter (19:23) and instead , that you must become like a child (19:14). This was completely opposite of what they people had expected. So much so that even his own disciples often had trouble understanding his stories. Yet through it all, Jesus came to give hope to the hopeless, to heal the sick, and to bring the Kingdom of God here on earth. Jesus came not as a military power as expected, but to serve. (20:28) 

4. What is the primary reason this book was written?

The book of Matthew was written to help the Jewish people understand that Jesus was the Messiah that they had been waiting for. They had so many expectations and it certainly would have been confusing. Many of them would have had ideas that were not fulfilled. But Matthew wanted to tell his first hand account and explain the fulfillment of the prophesies so that they would be able to understand the truth about this man. 

5. What does this book show about the Character and Nature of God?

God loves the broken hearted and the poor. As Jesus said “tHealthy people don’t need a doctor- sick people do.” (9:12) What a shock it must have been to see the son of God feasting with tax collectors and spending most of his time among prostitutes. Through Jesus lifestyle, we see that God loves those who the world doesn’t. There are many times where it says that Jesus had compassion on the people, from feeding the four thousand (15:32) to when he heals the sick (14:14). God cares. He lovingly declares “ Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” (11:28)

6. What does this book show you about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?

What an incredible book of victory! The Messiah has come! This is the redemption that God has been promising for years through the prophets. God’s desire for his people is so great that he sent his “dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (3:17) and sacrificed him for the sin of the people (27:45-46). And perhaps in the greatest moment that we have yet to read, perhaps in the entire Bible, the curtain in the temple is torn in two!! ( 27:50-51) It was beautiful redemption of his people. 

7. Personal Application

“That is why I tell you not to worry about every day life- whether you have enough food or drink, or enough clothes to wear... Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? ... And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” Matthew 6

You know, you can read this passage over and over and over again. And you can believe it, absolutely know that it is true. I even had my own words repeated back to me this week as encouragement from my best friend. “Money is such a small thing for God.” “You taught me that God wants his people to rely on him and if I had a million dollars in my bank account, I wouldn’t rely on him nearly as much.” And I know this is true because I know my God and I know that he is good and will take care of his children. But this is such a tremendous struggle for me. This week especially has been extremely stressful financially. I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do when we get home. And the funny thing is that I know God’s going to take care of it. I’m sure of it. But I’ve never related so much to the centurion in Mark 9:24 when he says “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Go ahead and listen to any sermon on this phrase. Study it and pray about it, but until you actually have that moment, you won’t understand it fully. I see that now that I’m in it full on. But the beautiful thing is that even through this, Jesus does what the centurion asks of him. God is faithful, even when we struggle with faith ourselves. 

God I know that what you say is true. I know you. I know my Heavenly Father who loves me and cares for me and wants to provide for me. I know that you are so good. But Father help my unbelief. Help my worry. I want more than just belief, I want trust in who you say you are. I want to be rid of this pit of anxiety in the bottom of my stomach, no matter what our bank account says. Teach me to be a good steward and to be wise, but to live by faith through my finances. 

8. Point of Passion

The Church in America

I just want to start this with a disclaimer for anyone who actually reads this thing. I’m changing my point of passion. Well... God is. And he’s not really changing it, he’s just helping me to understand. When we began, I really had no idea what my point of passion was (I actually think I did know, but I didn’t want to accept it) so I just picked one that I thought would be relevant in my future, and I know I profited from it. I hope others did as well.

But through this journey of reading God’s word, I’ve actually discovered what my true point of passion is - The Church in America. This is the fire in my bones. In fact, I see now that I’ve been reading the Word of God with much of this in mind anyway. There are notes all over my Bible. But I was so scared to ever tackle such a huge mountain of rubble as this that I decided to get as far away from it as I could. God didn’t like that very much. Much like Jonah, I assumed he was somewhat territorial and my heartache for the state of the American church would just leave as I left. And much like Jonah, I was very wrong. 

So while I do quite know exactly what this looks like for me in the years to come, I’m going to take the first simple step. Abide in him. And this starts with Scripture. 

“Not everyone who calls out to me ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in Heaven will enter.” ( Matthew 7:21)

This might be a tough verse to swallow, especially in America. So many of our “Christian percentage” claim to know Christ, to simply say the prayer (check!) go to church each week (check!) and pray over our meals with our kids (check!) and assume that this is fire insurance. And many people I’m sure are in fact good hearted people! However... This is what it comes down to. Are you stepping out in faith and doing the will of the Father? 

Let me clarify: this does not mean that every person in the church needs to pack up and move to Uganda (although for some of you this may be the case) but this does involve more than an occasional prayer when you need help. In fact, let’s begin with prayer for I believe this is one of the root issues with the church as an institute in our nation. We lack true, honest, heart wrenching prayer. How are we supposed to even know the will of God unless we seek him daily in prayer? Prayer is not meant to be a quick slot machine run where you need God’s help. In order to know the will of God, we must spend time listening to him speak to learn what this might be.

But it’s so easy to get caught up in our own routines and work schedules that we never even step out to learn the will of God for the day. Yes- this should be sought daily. By the minute, by the second in our lives. God, how would you have me handle this insanely rude cashier at Wendy’s? Father, I am heart broken over my neighbors loss, what can I do? It is even in the little things that this can be sought after.

Likewise, how are we to know how to seek his will without first knowing who our Father in Heaven is? Yes, spend time in prayer, learn his voice, but it begins in his word. We must be founded in scripture to learn the heart of our Father and then walk in it. Scripture- the Good News of Truth and Love- must be our foundation. 

So yes, this might not be easy to take. But I daresay that there will be many in our churches today who “on judgement day will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name!’ But I will reply ‘I never knew you.’” (Matthew 7:22)

We must break away from our checklist mindset of what is “good enough” and begin walking in the will of the Lord. Jesus encourages us saying “Take my yoke upon you, because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) But this can only begin with total abandonment to the will of God. We have the promise that He will walk with us. But to be a true disciple is to hear the word of the Lord and to obey. Not just to hear and think it’s true.