MATTHEW: KINGDOM PROGRAM
The title of this book (sometimes referred to as The Gospel According to Matthew) stems from the name of the writer. Matthew (who was also called Levi--Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27, 29) was a tax collector who became a follower of Jesus and one of the apostles. Though the events of Matthew transpired prior to, and up to 33 AD,[1] the book was evidently written some time in the 50's AD.
The Gospel According to Matthew is distinctively Jewish, more so than the other Gospels. His writing style, thought patterns, and vocabulary (i.e., use of terms such as kingdom of heaven, holy city, righteousness, the Law, defilement, the sabbath, Messiah, etc.) are Jewish in nature.
Matthew is also distinctive from the other Gospels in the amount of Jesus' discourses and instructions included. No other Gospel contains as many, which include the Sermon on the Mount, the parables of the kingdom, the denunciation of Israel's leaders, and the Olivet Discourse.
Matthew is called one of the synoptic Gospels, along with Mark and Luke. The word synoptic literally means to see together. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptics because they have much material in common. Note the chart below, taken from Bruce Wilkinson and Ken Boa's Talk Thru the Bible,[2] to see the complementary nature of the synoptics in contrast with the uniqueness of the Gospel of John:
TOPICS / SYNOPTICS(MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE) / JOHN
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST / God-Man / God-Man
UNIQUE MATERIAL / Less unique (Matthew, 42%; Mark 7%; Luke, 59%) / More Unique (92%)
CHRONOLOGY / One Passover mentioned / 4 Passovers
GEOGRAPHY / Concentration: Galilean Ministry / Concentration: Judean Ministry
TEACHING MATERIAL / More public / More private
TEACHING METHOD / Parables / Allegories
TEACHING EMPHASIS / Ethical, Practical Teachings / Person of Christ
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER GOSPELS / Complementary / Supplementary
The purpose of Matthew is to prepare the Jews to become disciples of the Messiah-King in order to inherit His kingdom. Matthew has a strong emphasis on the kingdom of God and on showing Jesus to be the Messiah and King of God's kingdom. The book stresses inheritance in the kingdom (note 5:5; 19:29; 25:34), which is synonymous with kingdom reward (i.e., ruling in the kingdom), and is obtained through discipleship--being a committed follower of Christ. This fits with another emphasis in Matthew, that of making disciples, as Matthew is the only Gospel to use the Greek verb for to disciple (13:52; 27:57; 28:19). Therefore, Matthew is encourage the Israelites to become dedicated disciples of Jesus in order to obtain great reward in the kingdom.[3]
Therefore, the message of Matthew for us is: By faithfully following the Lord Jesus Christ, we will obtain eternal rule in His kingdom.
Our outline of Matthew is:[4]
I.The Prophecies of the Messiah Realized (1:1-4:11)
II.The Principles of the Messiah Announced (4:12-7:29)
III.The Power of the Messiah Revealed (8:1-11:1)
IV.The Program of the Messiah Explained (11:2-13:53)
V.The Purpose of the Messiah Declared (13:54-19:2)
VI.The Problems of the Messiah Presented (19:3-26:2)
VII.The Passion of the Messiah Accomplished (26:3-28:20)
Following the beginning section (1:1-4:11), which announces the forerunner (John the Baptist), emphasizes Jesus' birth, gives a peek into His boyhood, and introduces the beginning of His public ministry, each of the sections contains a challenge to the disciples, given by Jesus. These addresses (i.e., 5:1-16; 10:34-41; 13:51; 16:24-27; 23:37-39; 28:19-20) are intended to encourage the disciples toward greater discipleship, which would, as mentioned earlier, enable them to obtain rule in Christ's kingdom.
But to fully understand a book written to disciples, we need to understand what a disciple is. The word disciple originally meant pupil, student, or learner. In the first century, because teachers were itinerant (traveling from village to village, as Jesus did), learners of a particular teacher also needed to follow the teacher around. So not only was a disciple one who followed the teaching of a teacher--by taking it in and doing what he was taught--he also literally followed the teacher around. Thus, a disciple came to be known as a follower of a particular teacher.
A disciple of Jesus, then, is anyone who follows His teaching and His example. It is someone who seeks to apply His teaching in one's own life.
With that understanding, let's wade through the first of the synoptics. To follow the message of Matthew, we will move through the book by looking at snapshots of Jesus' discourses to His disciples.
1.And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: " . . . Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (5:1, 2, 11, 12)
What is the blessing promised in these verses?
What is the experience that leads to that blessing?
What is it that brings persecution for Christ's sake? Give an example of this.
Notice what 2 Timothy 3:12 proclaims: Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. How does this tie into Matthew 5:11-12?
Therefore, we see that by faithfully following Christ, and being persecuted for doing so, one will receive great reward in heaven. Though it is not specifically stated as ruling with Christ in His kingdom, ruling in the kingdom is presented in the Bible as the ultimate reward (see, for examples, Matt. 25:21, 23; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21).
2.Then, a little later, Jesus announces: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (6:19-21)
What is Jesus telling us not to do, and what does that mean?
What contrast does Jesus give in the above verses (6:19-21)?
How would you define treasures in heaven?
What is the contrast between the length of time treasures last upon earth versus the time of duration of treasures in heaven?
What do you think Jesus means by this statement: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"?
Though some Christians believe it is wrong to seek heavenly reward, what does the above passage (6:19-21) say about that?
It is so easy to get our focus off of heavenly treasures onto earthly treasures. Therefore, what are some specific things that could help us to apply 6:19-21?
3.About nine or ten months prior to going to the cross, Jesus gave this challenge: Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." (16:24-27)
How do we know Jesus is not announcing in these verses how to receive an eternal relationship with God?
The word translated soul twice in the above verses is the same word also translated as life two times in those same verses. Therefore, it would be more consistent--and more understandable--for us to translate the word in the same way each time in this passage. Since it wouldn't make sense for Jesus to encourage one to lose his soul for Him, it would be better to translate the word as life each time.
In the verses above, Jesus challenges His disciples to deny themselves and to take up [their] cross. What did the cross represent at that time?
The explanation that follows might be better understood if we paraphrase it in this way: "For anyone who seeks to preserve his life--by clinging to pleasures, comforts, money, business, even family; etc.--will lose that life he has tried to preserve. But whoever declines to cling to the temporal things of life by following Jesus--experiencing the difficulties and suffering that discipleship offers--will truly find his life."
Two questions arise from Jesus' words. First, how will one lose the life he attempts to preserve?
Second, how will the disciple find his life?
Then Jesus asks a question in two ways to make a point: For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul [life]? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul [life]? What point is Jesus making by these questions?
What is the motivation Jesus provides in 16:24-27 for following Him, and when will that be experienced?
This passage provides believers--who desire to be disciples of Jesus--a great challenge. But in order to take up that challenge, we need to know how to apply it. In what ways can we deny ourselves by losing our lives for Jesus?
4.Throughout Matthew, there is a stress on discipleship (following Him), in which Jesus shows us that discipleship is costly, but eternally worthwhile. The final emphasis, in Matthew, on discipleship is found at the conclusion of the book in a charge Jesus gives to His disciples prior to ascending into heaven.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (28:18-20)
What is the command Jesus gives to His disciples?
What are two things that must be done in order to fulfill that command?
Later, in Acts, we learn from the early disciples more specifically how to fulfill that command. They fulfilled it as a church, rather than attempting to fulfill it individually. For example, after being baptized, believers would gather together to celebrate the Lord's Supper, at which time they would attend to the apostles' teaching (which would later become the New Testament), fellowship, breaking of bread (part of the meal--see Acts 2:46), and prayers (Acts 2:42).
What clue do we have (in Matt. 28:18-20) that the command of making disciples is to be obeyed today?
This means that disciples are those who are involved in working together with other disciples to make other disciples.
We have seen in Matthew that Jesus is calling us to be His disciples. And though being a disciple of Him is costly, it is eternally worthwhile. Or, to state it another way, the message of Matthew is: By faithfully following the Lord Jesus Christ, we will obtain eternal rule in His kingdom.
MARK: SERVING & SUFFERING
Both external (outside of what is recorded in the book) and internal evidence point to Mark as being the writer of this Gospel.[1] Mark (John Mark), mentioned in a number of places in Scripture,[2] was apparently a relative of Barnabas and accompanied Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey, until he abandoned them in Perga.
Mark also had a special relationship with the apostle Peter, who called him my son (1 Peter 5:13). This dovetails with accounts of Peter appearing in this Gospel that do not appear anywhere else. Apparently, much of Mark's information in the Gospel came from Peter, though Mark had first-hand information that he recorded, as well;[3] for he included many details that only an eyewitness would observe.[4]
The Gospel According to Mark, which likely was written in the 60's AD, is known as a fast-paced Gospel. This reputation has arisen from Mark's repeated use of immediately, the frequent employment of the present tense, the repeated use of and to give the appearance of a narrative that is fast-moving, and the brevity of presentation. Other characteristics of Mark include: Christ portrayed as the Servant of God (cf. 10:45); a great emphasis on miracles; an emphasis on familiar things of life (i.e., food, clothing, time, tools, etc.), and inclusion of vivid detail.
The purpose of the Gospel According to Mark was to encourage believers to faithfully endure suffering while serving God. About one third of the book deals with the passion of Christ (His suffering and death), along with many more references to suffering throughout the book,[5] to provide us an example of how to endure suffering.
The message of Mark is: Disciples are called to follow the footsteps of Jesus who faithfully endured suffering while faithfully serving the Father. And in serving His Father, He was serving us, as shown in Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Thus, we are called to faithfully serve--to lay down our lives for others; and we are called to suffer faithfully.
Our outline for Mark is:
I.Preparation for Serving and Suffering (1:1-13)
II.Serving with a View toward Suffering in Galilee (1:14-9:50)
III.Serving on the Way toward Suffering in Jerusalem (10:1-52)
IV.Serving through Suffering in Jerusalem (11:1-15:47)
V.Consummation of Serving and Suffering (16:1-20)[6]
Now let's peruse some passages in Mark to see the message displayed.
1.As mentioned earlier, Jesus served as our example in suffering. The suffering He endured came in the form of persecution, such as in 3:21, 22: But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind." And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."
There is actually persecution from two sources in these verses. What two sources are mentioned, and how does each group persecute Jesus?
His own actually refers to Jesus' own family members, as in verse 31 they are identified as His brothers and His mother. The scribes refer to religious leaders. Therefore, Jesus was persecuted by His own family and by the religious community because He was faithfully serving the Father.
What comfort might it be to us in experiencing mistreatment and misunderstanding by others to remember that Jesus faced the same?
2.A few chapters later we encounter the same challenge we saw in Matthew, with one significant addition.
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (8:34-38)
As we discovered in Matthew, when we looked at this passage, the word translated as soul would be better translated as life. And the meaning of the passage is: The one who tries to preserve the life he has will lose what he has tried to hang onto; but the one who sacrifices what he has in putting Christ first in his life will eternally preserve true life. (Thus, the one who seeks to gain in this life will be poor in the kingdom, and the one who sacrifices what he has for the sake of Christ will be rich in the kingdom.)
But there is one significant addition to this passage in Mark that is not found in the Matthew passage: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
What do you think is the meaning of this statement?
This statement by Jesus is somewhat similar to a statement the apostle John made to his believing readers: And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming (1 John 2:28).
What is the similarity between 1 John 2:28 and Mark 8:38 ("For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words . . . .")?
In what ways might a Christian show, in this life, that he is ashamed of Jesus?
3.So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." (10:29-31)
Though entrance into eternal life is a free gift, the believer can enhance the experience of that life by his faithfulness to the Lord. As Jesus has announced, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). The point Jesus makes in John 10:10 is that He not only desires for us to receive eternal life, but He also wants us to experience it in all its abundance. Thus, a believer can either simply have an eternal relationship with God, or he can have a deeply intimate and fulfilling experience with God forever.