Week 9 ~ Read Matthew 1-7

Author: Matthew

Date: 50s or 60s

Destination: Jewish audience in unknown location

Purpose: To demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament

Theme: Jesus is Immanuel, the Messiah, and the Savior of God’s people

Key Verses: 16:13-20

Matthew’s Gospel demonstrates with special clarity that Jesus’ death was sacrificial and that he rescued his disciples from the penalty for their sins. Thus it is no surprise that E. Renan identified Matthew’s Gospel as the most important book ever written.

Interesting note on Matthew as a tax collector. In the discussion of the payment of imperial taxes (Matt. 22:15-22), Mark and Luke both used the Greek term denarion, but Matthw also included the more precise term nomisma (“state coin”). The use of more precise terminology in referring to currency may suggest the expertise of a former tax collector. Similarly, among the Gospels only Matthew includes the pericope about Jesus and Peter paying the temple tax (17:24-27)

Matthew’s Gospel stressed four aspects of Jesus’ identity.

First, Jesus is the Messiah

Second, Jesus is the new Abraham

Third, Jesus is the new Moses

Fourth, Jesus is the Immanuel

Bibliography: Kosternberger, Andreas L., Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles. The Cradle, the Cross and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2009.

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• Why You Need to go to Christian Conferences (lifeandbuilding.com)
• Genealogy of Jesus Christ: Matthew 1:1-17 (catholicmysticwind.wordpress.com)
• The Birth of Jesus (readingacts.wordpress.com)
• What Would Jesus Not Do? (daviddflowers.com)

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