Gospel of Matthew - Bible Survey

In Matthew, our Lord is seen in His life as the King of the Jews, the One in whom Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled and who "came unto His own." The entire Gospel is cast in a Jewish mold. The teaching, miracles, opposition, all take color from the manifest theme of the Evangelist. His death is in accord with this, as is also His resurrection. It is the Gospel of the kingdom throughout; and even when the King has been rejected and the gospel goes out to the Gentiles it is still the kingdom, though now in the mystery form. This thought, therefore, of the kingdom, predominates in Matthew. That Matthew was a Jew and wrote his Gospel with special reference to the Jews is manifest from his theme.

General Theme — Christ as King, foretold, anointed, announcing His kingdom, showing its works, refused by His subjects, declaring the form of His kingdom during His absence as committed to the hands of men, until He displays it in its final glory at His second coming: this glory resting upon His meeting every requirement of divine justice as to the sin and trespass of His subjects. Division 1. Chaps. 1 and 2. The genealogy and birth of the King. Division 2. Chaps. 3 — 7. The King announced, anointed, and declaring His Constitution. Division 3. Chaps. 8 — 12. The display of the Kingdom in its sufficiency for man, but of man's unfitness for the Kingdom. Division 4. Chaps. 13 — 20:28. The Kingdom of an absent King entrusted to the hands of men. Division 5. Chaps. 20:29 — 23. The triumphal entry of the King seen as rejected by the leaders and He rejecting them. Division 6. Chaps. 24, 25. The coming of the King in final glory announced in reference to Israel, he Church and the world. Division 7. Chaps. 26 — 28. The King crowned with thorns, and by His death and resurrection making good all His purposes of blessing for His kingdom and the world.

Though written about four hundred years after Malachi, the Gospel by Matthew admirably preserves the continuity of God's dealings with Israel, for it is written plainly from a Jewish viewpoint, its message particularly suited to Israelites, though the wisdom of God has so declared the truth as to make it also of vital importance to Gentiles. Christ is presented here as the King of Israel, His title to this being carefully established. As such He of course has a kingdom, but in Matthew alone this is called "the kingdom of heaven," and here 33 times, though he also calls it "the kingdom of God' a few times. Israel expected the kingdom with its headquarters in Jerusalem, that is, with they themselves in control. The Lord Jesus therefore speaks of "the kingdom of heaven," a kingdom having its headquarters in heaven, though of course the kingdom itself is on earth, a sphere over which Christ has supreme authority. Other Gospels speak of the same kingdom as "the kingdom of God;" but Israel must learn that God's kingdom is ruled from heaven, with no earthly center of authority.

In Matthew we have Christ as Messiah, son of Abraham and son of David, according to the promise - Jehovah Emmanuel - bringing in the testimony of the kingdom and its healing power, laying down the principles on which men could enter into it (that is, the character of the remnant); and then displaying the various power which characterized and verified His coming. Passing on, though with enduring patience - patience which endures till He comes again - to His rejection by the nation, and the setting up of the kingdom in a mysterious way in the absence of the King, He still continues for the present His ministrations till His hour was come, but reveals the substitution of the church, and the kingdom in glory, for its present setting up by His presence. He then goes up to Jerusalem, arraigns the nation as a whole and in its various classes, and then subjects Himself to the whole distress and power of evil and of Satan which reigned in Israel, and to the smiting of the Lord of Hosts in the cup which He had to drink. He is raised from the dead, meets His disciples on the old prophetic ground of the remnant in Galilee, and commands them to disciple all nations in the new name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; but we have no ascension to heaven.

Now there can be no question, to any one who reads the Gospels with the smallest discernment, that the first is most remarkably adapted to meet the need of Jews, and that it brings out the Old Testament prophecies and other scriptures which found their realization in Jesus. Consequently, there are more scripture citations as applying to our Lord's life and death in this Gospel than in all the others put together. All this was not a thing left to Matthew's discretion. That the Holy Ghost used the mind of man in carrying out His own design is clear; but that He was pleased perfectly to guard and guide him in what he was to give out is what I mean in saying that God inspired Matthew for the purpose.

Besides presenting our Lord in such a way as best to meet the right or wrong thoughts and feelings of a Jew; besides furnishing the proofs more particularly wanted to satisfy his mind, it is evident from the character of the discourses and parables that the rejection of the Messiah by Israel, and the consequences of it to the Gentiles, are here the great prominent thoughts in the mind of the Holy Ghost. Hence there is no ascension scene in Matthew. The Jew, if he had understood the Old Testament prophecies, would have looked for a Messiah to come, suffer, die, and be raised again, "according to the Scriptures." In Matthew we have His death and resurrection, but there He is left; and we should not know from the facts related by him only that Christ went up to heaven at all. We should know it was implied in some of the words that Christ spoke; but in point of fact Matthew leaves us with Christ Himself still upon the earth. The last chapter describes, not the ascension of Christ, nor His session at God's right hand, but His speaking to the disciples here below. Such a presentation of Christ was peculiarly that which the Jews needed to know. It was more suitable to them than to any other people on the earth.

But apart from all this, his primary theme is the connection of the Lord with Israel's Messianic hopes and promises; and though on that very account he has to show also how "He came to His own and His own received Him not," and how consequently the "kingdom of heaven would be taken from them," and assume the mystery-form in which it was unknown to the prophets of Israel, yet still we are not left in uncertainty as to the final issue, when at the coming of the Son of man from heaven, the "elect" nation will be gathered from the four winds to their ancient land again. (Matt. 24:30-31.) This connection with Daniel and the prophets is indeed little more than indicated. The destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of her people are an immediate prospect, and with this the Gentile Christianity, for us now nearing its predicted end. Matthew is the first book of the New Testament, and the field of view widens accordingly.

Such is the distinct object of the Holy Spirit in Matthew — such is His marked design. This He pursues throughout with unswerving faithfulness. To this end everything is made subservient. With a view to this He culls, groups and arranges His materials. For this, chronological order is set aside without hesitation and without apology. Scenes and circumstances, separated by many months, are grouped together by the skillful hand of the Holy Spirit for the specific purpose of presenting His subject in perfect keeping with the scope and design of the entire Gospel, from which He never diverges the breadth of a hair. In a word, Matthew groups for dispensational ends what we may call the great dispensational Gospel.

Matthew occupies a special place in relation to the Old Testament, differing from either of the other Synoptists, which in itself suggests its having the first place in the order here. This connection with the Old Testament prophecies, as indicated in the numerous quotations from them and the declaration of the fulfilment of these predictions, shows this. Further, the genealogy from Abraham and David is after the manner of the Old Testament, and suggests this continuity. In addition to this, the theme of Matthew, presenting Christ as King and the announcement of the kingdom of heaven in its constitution, works and fruit, indicates that priority.

The gospel of Matthew is arranged according to a divine plan. In the first half the Lord Jesus is introduced as the king of Israel and presented to His earthly people. This part ends in chapter 12 with His rejection: the rulers of Israel reject their king.

Christ is the theme of Matthew as the King of Israel, the bringer-in of blessing to God's chosen people, who will eventually establish the kingdom of heaven, with its authority over the earth.