Matthew: A 12-Week Study

by Drew Hunter, J. I. Packer (Editor), Dane Ortlund (Editor), Lane T. Dennis (Editor)

Overview

The book of Matthew paints a powerful portrait of Jesus as Israel's long-awaited Messiah, the one who would bring God's kingdom to earth and fulfill his promises to his people.

Leading readers through this hope-filled book, this guide explains the biblical text with clarity and passion—inviting us to encounter God's one and only Son: Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

Over the course of 12 weeks, these studies explore books of the Bible and:

• Ask thoughtful questions to spur discussion

• Show how each passage unveils the gospel

• Tie the text in with the whole story of Scripture

• Illuminate the doctrines taught in each passage

• Invite you to discover practical implications

• Help you better understand and apply God's Word

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433540219
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	07/31/2014
Series:	Knowing the Bible
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	174 KB

About the Author

Drew Hunter (MA, Wheaton College) is the teaching pastor at Zionsville Fellowship in Zionsville, Indiana. He is the author of Made for Friendship and the Isaiah and Matthew volumes in the Knowing the Bible series. Drew and his wife, Christina, live in Zionsville, Indiana, and have four children.

J. I. Packer (1926–2020) served as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College. He authored numerous books, including the classic bestseller Knowing God. Packer also served as general editor for the English Standard Version Bible and as theological editor for the ESV Study Bible.

Dane C. Ortlund (PhD, Wheaton College) serves as senior pastor of Naperville Presbyterian Church in Naperville, Illinois. He is the author of Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers and Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners. Dane and his wife, Stacey, have five children.

Lane T. Dennis (PhD, Northwestern University) is the former president and CEO of Crossway. Before joining Crossway in 1974, he served as a pastor in campus ministry at the University of Michigan (Sault Ste. Marie) and as the managing director of Verlag Grosse Freude in Switzerland. He is the author and/or editor of three books, including the Gold Medallion-award-winning book Letters of Francis A. Schaeffer, and he is the former chairman of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Dennis serves as the chairman of the ESV (English Standard Version) Bible Translation Oversight Committee and as the executive editor of the ESV Study Bible. Lane and his wife, Ebeth, live in Wheaton, Illinois.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Week 1: Overview

Getting Acquainted

Matthew's account of the gospel is placed first among the other New Testament books and was one of the most popular books in the early church. It presents a clear and thorough account of who Jesus is and what he accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection. At the heart of Matthew's account is the identification of Jesus Christ as the true King of the universe who ushers in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew's Gospel also gives us a clear picture of discipleship, with all of Jesus' radical demands on his followers amid a hostile world.

While each of the four Gospels draws attention to how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament, Matthew's account is the most explicitly and thoroughly Jewish. Additionally, while Matthew shares a lot of the same material with Mark and Luke, he organizes the material somewhat differently. While there is a broad chronological progression to Matthew's Gospel, he intentionally groups various teachings and events together in order to create a more "thematic" presentation.

Placing It in the Larger Story

The story of the Bible is the story of the world. Beginning with the goodness of creation (Genesis 1–2), it soon progresses to humanity's rejection of God and the subsequent curse of this world (Genesis 3). The Old Testament is largely focused on the development of God's promise to reconcile sinners to himself and restore all that is broken. The Old Testament ends in the middle of this story, longing for a resolution and the fulfillment of this promise.

In their own unique way, each of the four Gospels demonstrates that Jesus fulfills these profound, ancient longings. Matthew's Gospel is the one most explicitly focused on how Jesus is the long-awaited King who came to restore the goodness of creation by bringing in God's kingdom. This long-awaited restoration is ...

• announced in Jesus' words as he declared, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17).

• pictured in Jesus' works as he healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, calmed storms, cast out demons, and restored people to God through the forgiveness of their sins.

• accomplished through Jesus' death and resurrection, for he came "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28).

• promised to arrive in its fullness in the coming "new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne" (Matt. 19:28).

Looking backward, Matthew picks up the storyline of the Old Testament and shows how Jesus brings it to fulfillment in himself. Looking forward, Matthew ends his Gospel by propelling the church out into the world to take the gospel to all nations so that the reign of King Jesus is further expanded over all creation.

Key Passage

"From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matt. 4:17).

Date and Historical Background

It appears that the author was Matthew (also known as Levi), a former tax collector who became one of the 12 disciples (see Matt. 9:9). Matthew probably wrote this account of the gospel in the late 50s or early 60s AD. Since he was a Galilean Jewish Christian, he knew the Old Testament Scriptures well and was thus able to interpret the words and actions of Jesus in light of the Old Testament storyline and promises.

The Gospel was likely written for a number of reasons and addressed to various types of people. With its topical breadth and orderly presentation of Christ's ministry, it becomes a basic course in discipleship for everyone who reads it, and clearly Matthew planned that it should. Because of the prevalence of Jewish themes, it was probably written with Jewish-Christians in particular in view. For these Christians, Matthew's Gospel provides instruction about who Jesus is and his Jewish antecedents, how he fulfills the promises of the Old Testament, what he accomplished in his death and resurrection, and how to live as his people. This account would encourage them in their identity as the true people of God who follow the true King of the world. Judging by the ending of the book, one of Matthew's central purposes is also to encourage the church to be on mission, taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations even amid great hostility.

Outline

I. The Arrival in History of Jesus the Messiah (1:1–2:23)

II. John the Baptist Prepares for the Appearance of the Messianic Kingdom (3:1–17)

III. Jesus the Messiah Begins to Advance the Messianic Kingdom (4:1–25)

IV. The Authoritative Message of the Messiah: Kingdom Life for His Disciples (5:1–7:29)

V. The Authoritative Power of the Messiah: Kingdom Power Demonstrated (8:1–9:38)

VI. The Authoritative Mission of the Messiah's Messengers (10:1–42)

VII. Opposition to the Messiah Emerges (11:1–12:50)

VIII. Mysteries of the Messianic Kingdom Revealed in Parables (13:1–53)

IX. The Identity of the Messiah Revealed (13:54–16:20)

X. The Suffering of the Messiah Revealed (16:21–17:27)

XI. The Community of the Messiah Revealed (18:1–20:34)

XII. The Messiah Asserts His Authority over Jerusalem (21:1–23:39)

XIII. The Delay, Return, and Judgment of the Messiah (24:1–25:46)

XIV. The Crucified Messiah (26:1–27:66)

XV. The Resurrection and Commissioning Action of the Messiah (28:1–20)

As You Get Started ...

Read over the outline above and take several minutes to flip through the Gospel of Matthew, scanning its contents. What are a few things you expect this account of the gospel to highlight from the life and ministry of Jesus?

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Have you read through or studied the gospel of Matthew before? If so, what particular aspects are you looking forward to studying in more detail? If not, what are a few things you hope to better understand about Jesus?

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After reading this introduction, what is your understanding of how Matthew's Gospel relates to the Old Testament?

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From your previous reading of Matthew or your initial exposure in this study, are there aspects of this book that confuse you? Do you have any specific questions that you hope to have answered through this study?

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As You Finish This Unit ...

In Matthew 4:4, Jesus says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Take a moment to ask God to speak to you through the book of Matthew, giving you fresh conviction, encouragement, and a transformed heart and life.

Definitions

1 Disciple – Any person who submits to the teachings of another. In the NT, the word refers to those who submitted themselves to the teaching of Jesus, especially those who traveled with him during his ministry.

2 Reconciliation – The restoration of a positive relationship and peace between alienated or opposing parties. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has reconciled believers to God (2 Cor. 5:18–21).

CHAPTER 2

The Arrival of Jesus the Messiah

Matthew 1–2

The Place of the Passage

The opening two chapters of Matthew announce the arrival in world history of Jesus Christ. This was a long-anticipated moment in an ongoing story. Through various Old Testament references, allusions, and quotations Matthew shows us that Jesus came as the climax of the Old Testament storyline. He is the long awaited Messiah, the King who will bring to fulfillment God's promises to rescue his people and restore this broken world.

The Big Picture

In Matthew 1–2 Jesus arrives as the long-awaited King who came to save his people from their sins.

Reflection and Discussion

Read through the complete passage for this study, Matthew 1–2. Then think through and write your own notes on the following questions. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 1820–1823, available online atwww.esvbible.org.)

1. The Long-Awaited King Arrives (1:1–1:25)

From his titles (Matt. 1:1) to his genealogy (1:2–17), Matthew clearly situates Jesus within history in general and the Old Testament story in particular. How so?

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By calling Jesus the "son of Abraham" and "son of David" (Matt. 1:1), Matthew gives us a concise yet thick description of Jesus' identity. Reflect on the central promises God gave to Abraham (see Gen. 12:1–3; 22:18) and David (see 2 Sam. 7:11–16; Ps. 89:3–4). What light do these shed on what Jesus came to do?

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Since ancient genealogies customarily traced lineage through men, the inclusion of five women — Tamar (Matt. 1:3), Rahab (v. 5), Ruth (v. 5), Bathsheba ("the wife of Uriah"; v. 6), and Mary (v. 16) — is unusual. Further, Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth were Gentiles (non-Jews), and Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba were women of questionable character. Why would Matthew draw attention to these aspects of Jesus' lineage? How does this already anticipate what we learn of Jesus in 1:21?

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What evidence is there that Matthew's presentation of Jesus' genealogy is very carefully structured? Identify the key moments or turning points in the ongoing story that is referenced through the genealogy.

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When he heard that Mary was pregnant, Joseph naturally assumed that she had been unfaithful to him. Yet how did he respond (Matt. 1:18–19)? How did he change his actions after the angel visited him (vv. 20–24)? In what ways is Joseph portrayed as a model disciple (consider 9:13; 12:7)?

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2. Initial Responses to the King (2:1–12)

The foreign wise men (or magi, i.e., magicians or astrologers) were likely familiar with Old Testament prophecies. How does Numbers 24:17 help us understand why they would follow a star to find a king? Additionally, read Psalm 72:8–11, 15, in the context of the whole psalm. How does this shed light on the wise men's actions in Matthew 2:11?

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Isaiah 60:1–5 tells us that when a "light" comes to Israel it will be the time of salvation for his people and renewal for the world. This should cause the people's hearts to thrill and rejoice (Isa. 60:5). When this "light" finally comes, who ends up responding properly and who does not (note Matt. 2:3, 10)?

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How do Herod's disposition, plotting, and actions in Matthew 2:3–8 and verse 16 already set our expectations for what is to come (see Matt. 26:3–4; 27:1–2)?

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3. Flight and Return (2:13–23)

Review Exodus 1:15–22 and 2:11–15, then consider in what ways Herod's actions in Matthew 2:13–16 parallel those of the ancient king of Egypt.

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Three times in Matthew 2:13–23 we hear that something happened to Jesus in order that the Old Testament might be "fulfilled" (2:15, 17–18, 23). What is Matthew trying to show us about the relationship between Old Testament expectations and the arrival of Jesus?

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Read through the following three sections on Gospel Glimpses, Whole-Bible Connections, and Theological Soundings. Then take time to consider the Personal Implications these sections may have for you.

Gospel Glimpses

COUNTERCULTURAL GRACE. Matthew's genealogy presses firmly against his day's cultural impulses. First, while genealogies would typically include only men, Matthew mentions four women. Second, he doesn't go out of his way to include the noblest women in Jesus' line, such as Sarah, the great matriarch and wife of Abraham. Just the opposite. Tamar posed as a prostitute (Genesis 38), Rahab was a prostitute, and David made Bathsheba an adulterer. Third, Rahab and Ruth were Gentiles, and Bathsheba was married to a Gentile. Jesus' lineage runs against the first century's cultural instincts (by including women), moral instincts (by including these women), and religious instincts (by including non-Jews). Jesus didn't come for a particular gender, race, or type of sinner (see Gal. 3:29). Woven into the very lineage of our Savior are the diverse kinds of people he came to save.

SAVED FROM SINS. "Jesus" is the Greek name for the Hebrew "Joshua," which means, "Yahweh saves." This name communicates what he came to do: "you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). "Salvation" is often a comprehensive term for all the ways that God saves his people through the work of Jesus. Here in Matthew the focus is on being saved from our sins, for this is our deepest problem and most basic need. Jesus' name declares his commitment to rescue us from this root issue. And what is declared in his name was displayed in his death, for there he saves us by taking upon himself all our sins.

Whole-Bible Connections

A CONTINUING STORY. Like a book with chapters, the Old Testament is a singular epic story that progresses from one shorter story to the next. This story begins with the creation of the world (Genesis 1–2), plunges into the fall (Genesis 3), and rises with God's promise to make all things right again (Gen. 3:15; 12:1–3). According to the contours of Matthew's genealogy, the outworking of this promise begins with Abraham, progresses through kingship with David and exile into Babylon, and ends with an increased longing for the arrival of the Christ, or Messiah (Matt. 1:17). This opening to Matthew's Gospel is more than a list of names; it is a genealogical story wherein the history of Israel is reviewed and brought to its proper climax with Jesus Christ.

(Continues…)

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Table of Contents

Series Preface: J. I. Packer and Lane T. Dennis,
Week 1: Overview,
Week 2: The Arrival of Jesus the Messiah (1–2),
Week 3: Jesus Prepares for Ministry and Announces the Kingdom (3–4),
Week 4: Jesus' Authoritative Message (5–7),
Week 5: Jesus' Authoritative Ministry and Extended Mission (8–10),
Week 6: Emerging Opposition to Jesus and Parables of the Kingdom (11–13),
Week 7: Growing Clarity about the Messiah's Identity (14–17),
Week 8: The Community of the Kingdom (18–20),
Week 9: Jerusalem Condemned for Rejecting the Messiah (21–23),
Week 10: Jerusalem's Impending Judgment and Anticipating the End (24–25),
Week 11: The Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Commission of Jesus (26–28),
Week 12: Summary and Conclusion,

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This Knowing the Bible series is a tremendous resource for those wanting to study and teach the Bible with an understanding of how the gospel is woven throughout Scripture. Here are Gospel-minded pastors and scholars doing Gospel business from all the scriptures—this is a biblical and theological feast preparing God’s people to apply the entire Bible to all of life with heart and mind wholly committed to Christ’s priorities.”
—Bryan Chapell, Pastor Emeritus, Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois

“Mark Twain may have smiled when he wrote to a friend, “I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long letter.” But the truth of Twain’s remark remains serious and universal, because well-reasoned, compact writing requires extra time and extra hard work. And this is what we have in the Crossway Bible study series Knowing the Bible—as the skilled authors and notable editors provide the contours of each book of the Bible as well as the grand theological themes that bind them together as one Book. Here, in a 12-week format, are carefully wrought studies that will ignite the mind and the heart.”
—R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor Emeritus, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois

“Knowing the Bible brings together a gifted team of Bible teachers to produce a high quality series of study guides. The coordinated focus of these materials is unique: biblical content, provocative questions, systematic theology, practical application, and the gospel story of God’s grace presented all the way through Scripture.”
—Philip Graham Ryken, President, Wheaton College

“These Knowing the Bible volumes introduce a significant and very welcome variation on the general run of inductive Bible studies. Such series often provide questions with little guidance, leaving students to their own devices. They thus tend to overlook the role of teaching in the church. By contrast, Knowing the Bible avoids the problem by providing substantial instruction with the questions. Knowing the Bible then goes even further by showing how any given passage connects with the gospel, the whole Bible, and Christian theology. I heartily endorse this orientation of individual books to the whole Bible and the gospel, and I applaud the demonstration that sound theology was not something invented later by Christians, but is right there in the pages of Scripture.”
—Graeme Goldsworthy, Former Lecturer in Old Testament, Biblical Theology, and Hermeneutics, Moore Theological College

“What a gift to earnest, Bible-loving, Bible-searching believers! The organization and structure of the Bible study format presented through the Knowing the Bible series is so well conceived. Students of the Word are led to understand the content of passages through perceptive, guided questions, and they are given rich insights and application all along the way in the brief but illuminating sections that conclude each study. What potential growth in depth and breadth of understanding these studies offer. One can only pray that vast numbers of believers will discover more of God and the beauty of his Word through these rich studies.”
—Bruce A. Ware, T. Rupert and Lucille Coleman Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary