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Matthew and the Gospel of the Kingdom

Although not an easy decision, Matthew is my favorite book in the Bible. It is the first Gospel in the New Testament, beautifully organized by setting and theme, and emphatic regarding the important person and work of Jesus as our Savior King. Currently, we are working through a doctrinally themed sermon series at Wilkesboro Baptist Church, entitled “The Gospel of the Kingdom.” This post is a complimentary guide to helping us explore Matthew’s Gospel and discover the important truths, observations, and applications regarding Jesus and his Kingdom.

Here are several thematic emphases in the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew highlights Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Fifteen times Matthew explicitly claims that Jesus or the events around Jesus fulfilled OT prophecies (1:22; 2:15, 17, 23; 3:15; 4:14; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14, 35; 21:4; 26:54, 56; 27:9). These fifteen instances are more than any other New Testament writer. Matthew wants his readers to see Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s plans for the prophecies in the Old Testament.

Matthew points to Jesus as the better Moses, Israel, and King. Moses functioned as the redeemer figure during the Exodus and God’s prophet when God gave the Law. As such, Moses functioned as Israel’s priest (representative) between Israel and God. But Moses was glaringly imperfect, though highly revered by Israel’s first century religious leaders. Matthew connects Jesus and Moses in a variety of ways: see Exodus 1 and Matthew 2 with the slaughter of the innocents; see Moses going up the mountain for the law in Exodus 19:20 and Jesus going up on the mountain to preach in Matthew 5:1. Matthew connects Jesus and Israel in several ways. Israel faced temptations in the wilderness and failed over a 40 year period of time, and Jesus went to the wilderness in Matthew 4 to face temptation over a period of 40 days. God rescued and redeemed Israel so the nation would represent God’s glory, grace, and goodness to the surrounding nations. Israel’s unbelief and idolatry over and over again (particularly right after the Exodus) reveals the doctrine of original sin and the depravity of mankind. Israel failed in her purpose as God’s people just like we all do. Yet Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness successfully. This means that Jesus is the perfect representation of God (he is God incarnate), but he is also the perfect representation of God’s people (where Adam sinned in the garden, and Israel sinned in the wilderness, Jesus obeyed in the wilderness). Thus, Jesus is the perfect Prophet (Lawgiver) and Priest (representative between man and God). See below for Jesus as King.

Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ Kingdom. While each Gospel includes references to Jesus’ kingdom, it is the emphasized theme in Matthew’s Gospel. More than any other Gospel, Matthew references the kingdom (53x) and uses the term authority (11x). Matthew’s emphasis on Jesus as King can be seen as an inclusio in the beginning and end of his Gospel. In Matthew 1:1, Jesus’ genealogy begins with him as the “son of David, the son of Abraham,” and then his genealogy is traced back through Joseph to the line of King David. In Matthew 2, the wise men come seeking the “King of the Jews” (2:2). The inclusio is completed in Matthew 28:18 when Jesus affirms, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus came announcing the kingdom of heaven (4:17) and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (4:23). Much of the content of Jesus’ preaching and teaching as well as his ministry is shaped by the them of the kingdom and his authority as King. For more on this theme, join us for worship at Wilkesboro Baptist or if you attend another church, watch or listen to our services during this series.

Matthew organized his Gospel beautifully in structure and theme. Matthew organized his Gospel in Narrative and Discourse sections. Dale Allison observes the following organizational structure in Matthew:

         1-4       Narrative                                 Intro: main character introduced
         5-7                  Discourse                    Jesus’ demands upon Israel
         8-9       Narrative                                 Jesus’ deeds within and for Israel
         10                    Discourse                    Ministry through others’ words and deeds
        11-12  Narrative                                 Israel’s negative response
        13                    Discourse                    Explanation of Israel’s negative response
       14-17   Narrative                                 Founding of the Church
       18                     Discourse                    Teaching for the Church
       19-23   Narrative                                Commencement of the Passion
       24-25              Discourse                   The future: judgment and salvation
       26-28   Narrative                                Conclusion: passion and resurrection

Dale Allison, Studies in Matthew, 141-142.

Not only did Matthew organize the Gospel beautifully, but he recorded and organized Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount beautifully. The framework of Matthew 5:1-8:1 can be seen as follows:

5:1-2 Situation
   5:3-12 Blessings (Beatitudes)
      5:13-16 Heading for Sermon Body and General Description for Discipleship (Salt and Light)
      5:17-20 Introduction of Main Section (Righteousness and Law)
         5:21-48 Jesus and the Torah (Law and Prophets)
            6:1-18 The Christian Cult (Worship)
                6:1-6 Almsgiving
                   6:7-15 Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
               6:16-18 Fasting
         6:19-7:11 Social Issues (Law and Prophets)
      7:12 Conclusion of Main Section (Righteousness and Law)
   7:13-27 Warnings
7:28-8:1 Reaction of Hearers (Dale Allison, The Sermon on the Mount, 37).

In the above structure, the Sermon’s centerpiece is the model prayer with the other sections complementing each other in recurring themes. While this is not the only attempted thematic structuring of Jesus’ Sermon, it is helpful in observing the overall interconnectedness of the Sermon’s structure, themes, and applications.

My hope in sharing some of this analysis is that we will be encouraged and indeed inspired by the intentionality of inspired Scripture. In reflecting on our current sermon series: “The Gospel of the Kingdom” and Matthew’s Gospel as a whole, here are some reading and study practices that would overlap helpfully with our Sunday morning worship services:

  • Have your devotions with a pen and journal in hand, noting any place in Scripture that highlights the sovereignty, authority, or Kingship of God.
  • Make the Gospel of Matthew your devotional content for several weeks/months. Note or highlight the places in Matthew that emphasize the kingdom and Jesus’ authority.
  • Memorize and meditate on key verses in Matthew in general or the Sermon on the Mount in particular. Our church memory verses for January and February are below. Matthew 6:33 is another excellent verse to memorize.
  • Memorize the model prayer and use it as a template for your prayer life (Mt. 6:9-13).
  • Practice (apply) what you learn. When you read and study and glean from your personal devotions or our gathered worship, remember that God gave us his Word to transform us not merely inform us. When convicted about a sin, confess it. When an insight becomes clear, learn from it. When you read and understand what you are to do (7:24), obey it.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

“The Gospel of the Kingdom” is about Jesus’ compelling vision for his people and their allegiance to him as King. Jesus’ gospel message about the kingdom confronts our sins, allegiances, and vision for life. Too often as Christians, we spend too much time complaining about the decay and rot in our world than we do living and speaking as citizens of the Kingdom. May God help us rightly discern Jesus’ vision for his followers and obediently practice his teaching.

Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash

A Year In Review…

As we are about to finish out another year, have you reviewed your year? Companies, business owners, churches, and individuals all take time to review how things are going. We ask ourselves questions like:

  • Was 2023 a year of growth, stagnation, or decline?
  • How are things going?
  • What do we anticipate for 2024?

These reviews are normal and to a great degree necessary given the importance of strategy and planning. But too often I’m afraid our focus on progress, numbers, strategy, planning, or just getting by puts our attention on the wrong things in evaluation and review.

As we finish out 2023, here are some questions for how we can assess ourselves spiritually: Am I looking to Christ? Have I examined my soul and spiritual condition? Do I have a long-view of my life and the kingdom of God?

Question 1: Am I looking to Christ?

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

This is the upward assessment. In Luke 10, Jesus visits Martha and Mary. Martha is busy with a great many things (hosting guests). Does this sound familiar? Mary was seated at her Lord’s feet learning from him. Now, Jesus is not simply criticizing hospitality and hosting. Nor is he specifically calling out activity, serving, or even busyness. Rather, he’s putting them in their place. The most important thing we can ever do is to spend time with Jesus. Am I listening to Christ through his Word? Am I spending time with Christ in prayer and fellowship? Am I worshiping Christ privately and corporately? Jesus said “one thing is necessary.” That one thing is walking in relationship with him. As you close out 2023 and make plans for 2024, plan and structure your life to look to Christ daily, weekly, consistently.

Question 2: Have I examined my soul and spiritual condition?

5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 

2 Corinthians 13:5-6

This is the inward assessment. In writing his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul was not afraid to challenge his readers to examine their spiritual lives. He was not trying to create a sense of fear or stir up doubt. Rather, Paul reminds believers that absolutely nothing matters more than being in Christ and having Christ in you. This is Paul’s way of repeating question number one. So Paul tells us to examine ourselves. Do we have faith? Are we walking with Christ? Is Christ our focus, our goal, our end? These are good questions for us to ask ourselves regularly. Self-examination is not intended to bring shame and self-loathing, but rather encouragement and a refocusing on Christ.

Question 3: Do I have a long-view of my life and the kingdom of God?

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

This is the outward assessment. Sometimes, we evaluate our lives moments, minutes, hours, days, or weeks at a time. That is understandable. But it is short-sighted. God’s view of the world and his rule of the world through his kingdom is patient and certain. God’s work in our world to bring about salvation was thousands of years in the making. From Isaiah’s prophetic announcements to Christ’s first advent was more than 700 years. God gave his people the Promised Land more than 1,000 years before sending the Messiah. And since Christ’s first advent, it has been more than 2,000 years that the gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection have spread throughout the earth. God’s kingdom is still advancing through the spread of his gospel. God has given us our mission to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow him. It is the authority of God through Christ (Mt. 28:18) that commands us to make disciples. So we should be living under Christ’s authority and proclaiming his gospel day by day, year by year. This is a long-view of life and the kingdom of God. Are we seeking first the kingdom of God? Are we praying for his kingdom and righteousness in our lives? Are we living for what lasts?

During the new year at Wilkesboro Baptist, we’re going to give consideration to God’s kingdom and God’s future work in the world. On Sunday mornings later in January we will begin a sermon series on the “Good News of the Kingdom of God” and how God is ruling in our world. On Wednesday evenings during our Bible study time, we will explore the doctrine of eschatology (last things). These subjects will help us consider whether or not we are living for what lasts.

Photo by Aiden Frazier on Unsplash