THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW SETTING THE THEME
STORYLINE: (Galatians 4:4) says that “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman . . .” And it was not just the perfect time; it was the perfect place. Jesus came from the line of David, and Bethlehem was David’s town. Jesus was Lord of all creation, but He signaled His servant role by entering the world in the humblest of circumstances in this little town (Micah 5:2). Jesus was born in the “house of bread” and would, Himself, become the “bread of life” (John 6:35). For all these and other reasons, God moved the leader of the Roman Empire to call a census sending Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. Indeed, the Lord moves heaven and earth to accomplish His saving purposes in every age.
Though a small, insignificant town by the world’s standards, Bethlehem was mighty in God’s plan, for it was there that Jesus was born, becoming God in the flesh. Bethlehem means “house of bread” in the Hebrew language, and it served as an important location at different points in the biblical story. Rachel, Jacob’s wife, died there (Genesis 35:19), and David, Israel’s most famous king, was born in this village. Most significantly, Jesus Christ Himself was born there since His parents, residents of Nazareth were required to travel to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census.
In the prologue (Matthew 1:1—2:23), Matthew shows that Jesus is the Messiah by linking Him with promises made to Abraham and David. The birth of Jesus highlights the fulfillment theme, portrays Jesus’ royalty, and underscores the significance of Jesus for the Gentiles. The first division (chs. 3—7) contains the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus describes how people should live under God’s reign.
Matthew 2:1 - The wise men or, more correctly, Magi were Eastern astrologers. Astrology was a sophisticated science in this era. Their visit serves to emphasize Jesus’ kingly identity (v. 11), affirm the Bethlehem origin of the Messiah (v. 6), and emphasize the Gentile faith and worship (v. 8) in contrast to Jewish hostility (v. 3).
Matthew 2:2 - Star in the East: As trained students of the stars, the wise men observed an unexplained phenomenon in the heavens, which was somehow interpreted by them as a sign of the birth of the King of the Jews. The reference in v. 1 to “Herod the king” (“Herod the Great”) would make their visit prior to 4 b.c., when he died and was succeeded by his son Archelaus (v. 22). Matthew consistently uses the verb worship to describe the attitude and posture of people before Jesus (vv. 8, 11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33).
Matthew 2:5, 6 - The birth of Jesus fulfilled, Mic. 5:2 and 2 Sam. 5:2, which link the Ruler with David’s family (1:6).
Matthew 2:13–23 - The accounts of the flight into Egypt (vv. 13–15), the massacre of the innocents (vv.16–18), and the settlement in Nazareth (vv. 19–23) underscore the theme of fulfillment. See Is. 11:1; 49:6; Jer. 31:15; Hos. 11:1.
Matthew 2:15, 16 - Out of Egypt: Matthew intends that his readers see an implicit link with a new Son who emerges from Egypt (Hos. 11:1). Matthew reinterprets Son (Israel in Hos.) to mean Jesus, who comes out of Egypt with Joseph and Mary and settles in Nazareth. Herod’s attempt to destroy Jesus is analogous to Pharaoh’s attempt to kill Moses (Ex. 1:15—2:10).
Matthew 2:18 - The distress of the Hebrew mothers at the time of the Babylonian captivity (Jer. 31:15) received a deeper significance by the weeping mothers of Bethlehem.
Matthew 2:22 - Archelaus, King Herod the Great’s eldest son, ruled as governor of Judea and Samaria from 4 b.c. to a.d. 6, when he was deposed for misrule. Galilee was ruled by his half brother Herod Antipas and was considered a safer place to reside.
Matthew 2:23 - The term Nazarene may be a reference to the Hebrew term for “branch,” “sprout,” or “shoot” in Is. 11:1.
Matthew’s emphasis on Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy (41 OT quotes) shows that Jesus’ life and ministry were part of the single plan of God throughout the history of Israel, and that His death and Resurrection were part of God’s divine plan from the beginning. The entire Gospel stresses that Jesus is Immanuel—God-With-Us.
Because God is with us in the Person of Jesus, Matthew’s Gospel calls for complete obedience in personal and corporate life.
The book also gives to the church a clarion call to mission, the proclamation of the good news to all peoples. Christian disciples must learn to live within the tension of two ages, the present age of fulfillment in the Person of Jesus (in His words and works through His church by the Spirit’s power) and the Age to Come, that is, the consummation of all things. In the interim, Christians are called to be humble, patient, genuine, faithful, watchful, and responsible—assured of the risen Jesus’ presence as they are expectant of His return when faith will give way to sight.
This Gospel presents Jesus as the fulfillment of all messianic hopes and expectations. Matthew carefully structures his narratives to reveal Jesus as fulfilling specific prophecies. Therefore, he saturates his Gospel with both quotations from and allusions to the Old Testament, introducing many of them with the formula “that it might be fulfilled.”
In the Gospel, Jesus often refers to Himself as the Son of Man, a veiled reference to His messiahship (see Dan. 7:13, 14). Not only did the term allow Jesus to avoid common misunderstandings stemming from more popular messianic titles, but it enabled Him to interpret both His redemptive mission (as in 17:12, 22; 20:28; 26:24) and His return in glory (as in 13:41; 16:27; 19:28; 24:30, 44; 26:64).
Matthew’s use of the title “Son of God” clearly underscores Jesus’ deity (see 1:23; 2:15; 3:17; 16:16). As the Son, Jesus has a direct and unmediated relationship with the Father (11:27).
Matthew presents Jesus as Lord and Teacher of the church, the new community, which is called to live out the new ethic of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus declares “the church” as His select instrument for fulfilling the purposes of God on Earth (16:18; 18:15–20). Matthew’s Gospel may have served as a teaching manual for the early church, including the amazing world-oriented Great Commission (28:12–20), with its guarantee of Jesus’ living presence.
The activity of the Holy Spirit is evident at every phase of the life and ministry of Jesus. It was by the power of the Spirit that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb (1:18, 20).
Before Jesus began His public ministry, He was filled with the Spirit of God (3:16), and followed the Spirit’s leading into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil as further preparation for His messianic role (4:1). The power of the Spirit enabled Jesus to heal (12:15–21) and to cast out demons (12:28).
Just as John immersed his followers in water, Jesus will immerse His followers in the Holy Spirit (3:11). In (7:21–23) we find a warning directed against false charismatics, those in the church who prophesy, cast out demons, and do wonders, but do not do the will of the Father. Presumably, the same Holy Spirit who inspires charismatic activities, must also empower the people of the church to do the will of God (7:21).
Jesus declared that His works were done in the power of the Holy Spirit, giving evidence that the kingdom of God had come and that the power of Satan was being overthrown. Therefore, to ascribe the power of the Spirit to the Devil was to commit an unpardonable sin (12:28–32).
In (12:28) the Holy Spirit is connected to Jesus’ exorcisms and the present reality of the kingdom of God, not solely by the fact of exorcism per se, for the Pharisees’ sons (disciples) also practice exorcism (12:27). Rather, the Holy Spirit is with the Messiah effecting a new event—“the kingdom of God has come upon you” (v. 28).
Finally, the Holy Spirit is found in the Great Commission (28:16–20). The disciples are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (v. 19). That is, they are to baptize them “unto/with reference to” the name, or authority, of the triune God. In their obedience to this commission, Jesus’ disciples are assured of His ongoing presence with them.
~Bits and pieces of NSFLB Study by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
