T he only good news that we ought to know and remember is that Jesus Christ had already won the war against sin and death. He has made it possible for us to join Him in the afterlife. All we need now to do is accept Him as He is. God is alive today and it may be sometimes be difficult to see this. The world and its demonic nature has still made it look like that only worldly things matter and that the ultimate goal of each one is to achieve their own personal happiness. This is the biggest lie of all, that we should do all to make us happy. Individual happiness at the expense of someone else is the biggest deception of all. The truth is, our lives are never really about us. It is ultimately about God and about others. It is about how you can provide and give joy even at our own expense. This is the model of ultimate and genuine love that Jesus shown us at the cross. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s frie...
The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and one of the four Gospels, which recount the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is traditionally attributed to Matthew, also known as Levi, a tax collector who became one of Jesus' twelve apostles.
Key Themes and Content:
Jesus as the Messiah: Matthew's primary aim is to demonstrate that Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. He frequently connects Jesus' actions and teachings to prophetic texts, often using the phrase "This was to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet."
The Kingdom of Heaven (or Kingdom of God): This is a central concept in Matthew, referring to God's reign and rule, which Jesus inaugurated. It's not just a future heavenly realm but also a present reality that manifests through Jesus' ministry and the lives of his followers.
Discipleship: Matthew emphasizes what it means to be a follower of Jesus, highlighting ethical teachings and the call to obedience.
The Church: Matthew is the only Gospel to explicitly mention the "church" (Greek: ekklesia), particularly in Matthew 16:18, where Jesus tells Peter, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Jesus' Teachings: Matthew contains extensive collections of Jesus' teachings, most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), which includes the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer.
Notable Quotes and Verses:
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12): A series of blessings on those who are poor in spirit, mourn, are meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, are merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13): "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12): "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20): Jesus' final instructions to his disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Historical Facts about the Book's Origins:
Authorship and Dating: While traditionally attributed to the apostle Matthew, modern scholarship presents various views. Some scholars maintain the traditional view, while others suggest the author was an anonymous Jewish Christian who drew upon sources, possibly including an earlier collection of Jesus' sayings (known as "Q" source) and the Gospel of Mark. It is generally dated between 70 CE and 100 CE, with a common range being 80-90 CE. The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE likely influenced the Gospel's perspective.
Audience: The Gospel of Matthew appears to be written primarily for a Jewish Christian audience, given its frequent references to the Old Testament, its emphasis on Jesus fulfilling Jewish law and prophecy, and its engagement with Jewish customs and debates of the time. The author seems to be addressing tensions and questions arising within a community grappling with its Jewish heritage and its new faith in Jesus.
Structure: Matthew is often structured around five major discourse blocks of Jesus' teachings, each concluding with a similar phrase like "When Jesus finished these sayings..." (e.g., Matthew 7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, 26:1). This structure has been compared to the five books of the Torah, suggesting the author might have intended to present Jesus as a new Moses, giving a new law for God's people.