The Gospel of Matthew begins by placing Jesus within the whole story of salvation. Jesus is the son of Abraham and the son of David, the fulfillment of all the promises to God’s people. The teaching material in Matthew is organized into five great sections, the best-known of which is the Sermon on the Mount. Many have said Matthew saw Jesus as a second Moses, giving a new Torah to God’s people.
Gospel of Matthew Summary
The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and is one of the four canonical Gospels, written by the apostle Matthew, who was a tax collector called by Jesus to be one of his twelve disciples. The Gospel of Matthew primarily focuses on presenting Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and the culmination of God’s plan for salvation.
The Gospel begins with a genealogy tracing Jesus’ lineage from Abraham through David to Joseph, establishing his royal lineage and fulfilling the Messianic expectations of the Jewish people. It then narrates the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth, emphasizing his divine conception through the Holy Spirit and his fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as being born of a virgin.
Matthew presents Jesus as a teacher and miracle worker, emphasizing his teachings through the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus delivers profound ethical and moral teachings, including the Beatitudes. The Gospel records many of Jesus’ miracles, demonstrating his authority over nature, sickness, and demonic forces.
Throughout the Gospel, Matthew highlights Jesus’ conflicts with religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, and scribes, who challenge his authority and teachings. Jesus confronts their hypocrisy and legalism while calling for true righteousness and faithfulness to God’s commands.
The Gospel of Matthew culminates with Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection, which serve as the climax of God’s redemptive plan. Jesus commissions his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and promising to be with them always, even to the end of the age.
Overall, the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God, who came to fulfill God’s promises and bring salvation to humanity through his life, death, and resurrection. It calls believers to follow Jesus, to live lives of faithfulness and obedience to his teachings, and to proclaim the good news of the kingdom to all nations.
