LESSON 1

King Jesus

(Matthew 1–2)

Matthew’s Gospel begins the New Testament and leads the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). It is a fitting start to the second part of the Bible and serves well as a natural bridge between the Old and New Testaments. Why? Because Matthew’s Gospel clearly demonstrates that a new age is at hand, an age of the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Savior for his people.

The book of Matthew, then, is truly good news, what Jesus calls the “joyful message of God’s kingdom realm” (Matthew 9:35). Matthew, from the onset of his Gospel, establishes a clear purpose: the demonstration that the promised Messiah has arrived. Moreover, he reveals that Jesus is that Messiah—the loving King of that heavenly kingdom realm. And Matthew details throughout his writings that Jesus has prescribed something new for humanity, namely service to him, their loving King, by first loving God and then loving their neighbors.

From the miracles Jesus performs to the mysteries revealed through the parables he tells and the teachings he imparts, Matthew confidently shows his readers exactly who Jesus is. He is the Old Testament promise fulfilled, the one to whom our salvation is owed. Through Matthew’s detailed genealogy of Jesus and the descriptions of Jesus’ miraculous birth to his death and resurrection, Matthew records all that is necessary to secure the knowledge that Jesus is, truly, the “pioneer and perfecter faith” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).

Authorship

Similar to the other four Gospels, Matthew lacks a true “about the author” section; like the other Gospels, this one does not specify who wrote it. However, church tradition names Matthew as the author. Eusebius of Caesarea, the famous church historian of the fourth century, quotes Papias, a church leader who knew and heard the apostle John say that Matthew wrote the Gospel attributed to him.2 And while little is known about Matthew the man, he is traditionally considered to be the famous tax collector, the one who became one of Jesus’ twelve apostles (Matthew 9:9–13; 10:3). Mark and Luke also refer to Matthew using the name Levi (Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–31).

•Have you ever switched careers? Maybe you’ve moved from one company to another. How did the change make you feel? Full of hope? Excited? Uncertain? Full of fear? How do you think Matthew felt about leaving behind his life as a tax collector to follow Jesus?

•Prior to knowing Jesus, what was your life like? Matthew was likely well off financially but despised by his fellow Jews for being a tax collector, and he may have abused his position for his own financial gain. How might Matthew have felt relating to the other apostles/disciples of Jesus? To the countless people he met as he followed Jesus throughout the years of Jesus’ ministry?

Date and Audience

The book of Matthew is commonly dated between AD 55 to the mid-60s, though some scholars place the writing of Matthew after AD 70. The predominant modern theory of Matthew’s date of origin is known as the two-source theory, which expands upon the notion that the book of Matthew may have been penned within a few years after Jesus’ death and resurrection and relies upon two written sources in addition to Matthew’s own firsthand experiences as one of Jesus’ closest followers. These other two sources are the Gospel of Mark and a collection of sayings of Jesus known as “Q.”3 The significance here is that Matthew was a contemporary of the other Gospel authors and, even more significantly, one of Jesus’ closest followers.

Now, just as debate exists surrounding the actual date of composition, a debate also surrounds the book of Matthew’s language of origin, with most scholars citing church tradition and agreeing that the original language of the Gospel of Matthew was Hebrew. It certainly makes sense to hold this opinion as Matthew, a Jewish man, wrote with a Jewish audience in mind. The text itself reveals this in numerous ways; for example, Matthew repeatedly shows that Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17–20) and provide a new “law” or way (the Sermon on the Mount), which Jesus confirmed by his many miracles.

•Read Matthew 1:1–17. Why did Matthew include, especially at the outset, a lineage that traces Jesus’ ancestry all the way back to Abraham? Who was Abraham, and what would be the significance of following Jesus’ lineage back to him (see Genesis 12:1–3; 17:1–8)?

•Matthew also traces Jesus’ genealogy to David, once the king of Israel. Why would showing this about Jesus’ heritage be important (see 2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:20–29; Jeremiah 33:14–22)?

Major Themes

Matthew’s Gospel has five major themes, which are detailed in the “Introduction” to Matthew in The Passion Translation. After reading about these themes, answer the questions that follow.

•Gospel-telling. The book of Matthew contains an exciting story, namely the good news that the Son of God has arrived, that he had a miraculous conception, taught heavenly sanctioned truths, and died and rose from the dead according to prophecies embedded in the Old Testament. Read Matthew 1:18–21. In what ways were Jesus’ conception and birth unlike any other human’s?

•Old Testament. After proving Jesus’ kingly lineage from David, Matthew continues to demonstrate that Jesus is the promised Messiah. For Matthew, it’s vital that he include many references to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies and promises. For example, read Matthew 1:22–23 and 2:5–6. How does Jesus fulfill the prophesies found in Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2?

•Parables. Matthew details twelve parables in his Gospel. For Matthew, these allegorical stories explain the mysteries revealed in the person and teachings of Jesus. They detail the life of the kingdom of heaven. What is your favorite parable? What lesson does it teach, and how does that lesson encourage you in your daily life?

•Heavenly kingdom realm. Jesus did not necessarily bring the kingdom that he was expected to bring. He had no intention of staging a military takeover in order to free the Jewish people from Roman rule. Rather, he brought the keys to an eternal kingdom. Did you ever receive a very small gift when you were expecting something much larger only to open it and find a clue leading you to a much more extravagant gift? Can you remember a time when your expectations were seemingly not met only to realize later that what you eventually received was well beyond your initial expectations?

•Kingdom realm living. The book of Matthew is rich with instruction for the followers of Jesus, with submission to King Jesus at the heart of it all. How does Joseph demonstrate obedience on two separate occasions in the first two chapters of Matthew? How did the famed “wise men” demonstrate obedience to God (2:1–12)?

EXPERIENCE GOD’S HEART

Take some time to read through the entire Gospel of Matthew. As you read through the story of Jesus in this book, reflect on your own hopes and dreams. Just as The Passion Translation seeks to ignite your passion for reading the Bible, so Jesus seeks to win the passions of your heart. His mission? To seek and save the lost.

•What would you say was Jesus’ mission during his earthly ministry? What was he striving to accomplish and for whom?

•Now what would you say is your life mission? What do you hope to accomplish and for whom?

•How does your mission line up with Jesus’? How is yours different from his? How is it similar to his mission? Write down your thoughts.

SHARE GOD’S HEART

Good news should be shared! Matthew and the apostles gave up everything to follow Jesus. They left careers, homes, and family. Most gave up their very lives, including Matthew, who, according to Christian tradition, suffered a painful martyrdom, which may have included being tied to a cross, stoned, and then beheaded.4

We love to tell our family and friends about all the good things that happen in life. A quick phone call or text makes that so easy. And we often run to social media to post about everything that is happening in our lives: from a great party to an awesome gift to a major purchase. Matthew wasn’t that much different in that respect. He told others about Jesus and wrote down an account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

•Take a few minutes to write out a list of those people in your life with whom you’d like to share the good news of Jesus. Even if you aren’t at a place where you feel bold enough to share with those who don’t yet know the love of Jesus, writing out a quick top ten list will help encourage you. Whether a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a coworker, as you write their names, pray about an opportunity to share with them what you already know to be true: Jesus loves you, and he is ready to be your King!

Talking It Out

Since Christians grow in community, not just in solitude, here are some questions you may want to discuss...