Matthew

Exegetical Study Notes on the Greek Text

These exegetical notes are available for download in the form of a two-part A5 PDF eBook Commentary on the Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew. Follow the link at the bottom of the page.

As with each gospel, Matthew seeks to present a particular view of Jesus. Matthew's gospel is not just a recording of the life and teachings of Jesus, rather, it is a theological work in its own right with its own message.

The Prologue

Who is Jesus?

1. Prologue, 1:1-2:23

  The Origin and Birth of Jesus Christ

i] The genealogy of Jesus, 1:1-17

ii] God's call to Joseph, 1:18-25

iii] Wise men worship the king, 2:1-12

iv] The escape to Egypt, 2:13-23

2. The gospel of the kingdom, 3:1-4:25

  Jesus early Galilean ministry

i] The preaching of John the Baptist, 3:1-12

ii] The baptism of Jesus, 3:13-17

iii] Jesus tempted, 4:1-11

iv] Jesus commences his ministry, 4:12-25

The Five Books of the New Covenant
Book 1: Salvation, 5:1-9:34
The 1st Discourse

Jesus' Great Sermon: Right standing in the sight of God / divine approval / holiness, is a gift of grace and cannot be attained by law-obedience. The law may guide God's people, but does not improve God's people, it condemns God' people, it curses us, forcing us to squarely face the inevitable consequence of our sin.

3. Law and grace, 5:1-7:29

i] The blessings, 5:1-10

ii] The persecution of the righteous, 5:11-20.

  a) Blessed are you, 5:11-12

  b) Salt and light, 5:13-16

  c) Righteousness and the law, 5:17-20

iii] Righteousness and love, 5:21-48

  a) Jesus' demand for perfection under the law, 5:21-37

  b) True love defined, 5:38-48

iv] Piety - almsgiving, prayer and fasting, 6:1-18

v] Social righteousness, 6:19-34

  a) Treasures in heaven, 6:19-24

  b) Worry and God's fatherly care, 6:25-34

vi] Judgment and grace, 7:1-12

vii] The two house builders, 7:13-29

Matthew presents Jesus' healing ministry as a paradigm of salvation, providing the solution to the problem posed by the Great Sermon. Salvation is a gift of grace appropriated through faith in Christ, apart from obedience to the law.

4. Salvation by grace through faith, 8:1-9:34

i] The way of grace through faith apart from the law. 8:1-17

ii] Three miracles - what it means to follow Jesus, 8:18-9:8

iii] The call of Matthew - eating with sinners, 9:9-13

iv] A question on fasting, 9:14-17

v] The raising of the ruler's daughter, 9:18-26

vi] Jesus heals the blind and mute, 9:27-34

Jesus' teaching on the mission of a disciple in a world hostile to the gospel

5. Extending the kingdom, 9:35-10:42

i] Spreading the news of the kingdom. 9:35-10:15

ii] The difficulties of mission, 10:16-25

iii] The one to fear, 10:26-31

iv] The characteristics of discipleship, 10:32-39

v] The reward for welcoming the word, 10:40-42

Matthew presents the following episodes as a paradigm for the mission of the church in a world hostile to the gospel.

6. The business of mission, 11:1-12:50

i] Jesus and John the Baptist, 11:1-19

ii] The condemned and the accepted, 11:20-30

iii] Sabbath conflicts, 12:1-14

iv] Jesus' as the prophesied Servant, 12:15-21

v] Confrontation with the Pharisees, 12:22-37

vi] A request for a sign, 12:38-45

vii] Doing the Father's will, 12:46-50

Parables of the kingdom. The mission's message - the gospel.

7. The gospel, 13:1-52

i] The parable of the sower, 13:1-9, 18-23

ii] Understanding the purpose of parables, 13:10-17

iii] The parable of the weeds, 13:24-30, 36-43

iv] The parable of the mustard seed and yeast, 13:31-35

v] Three parables of the kingdom, 13:44-52

Matthew shapes the following episodes as a paradigm of the gospel at work, of life-giving faith in some, but misunderstanding, confusion and hostility in others.

8. Proclaiming the gospel, 13:53-17:23

i] Rejection at Nazareth, 13:53-58

ii] Herod and Jesus, 14:1-12

iii] The feeding of the five thousand, 14:13-21

iv] Jesus walks on the water, 14:22-36

v] Jesus and the tradition of the elders, 15:1-20

vi] The faith of a Canaanite woman, 15:21-28

vii] The feeding of the four thousand, 15:29-39

viii] The yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, 16:1-12

ix] Peter's confession of Jesus, 16:13-20

x] The way of discipleship, 16:21-28

xi] The Transfiguration, 17:1-13

xii] The healing of an epileptic boy, 17:14-23

Jesus' teaching about life under kingdom authority - bearing the fruit of faith, love, of building community through acceptance, care, reconciliation and forgiveness. In this discourse Jesus encourages the children of grace to be gracious.

9. In love and forgiveness, 17:24-18:35

i] The temple tax, 17:24-27

ii] The greatest in the kingdom of heaven, 18:1-10

iii] The lost brother, 18:12-20

iv] The parable of the unforgiving servant, 18:21-35

Matthew shapes the following episodes as a paradigm for life in the Christian community. This pastoral theme of "instructions for the Christian household", D&A, touches on issues of acceptance and forgiveness, for "the first will be last and the last first."

10. The fruit of faith, 19:1-20:34

i] Accepting the children of grace, 19:1-15

ii] Wealth and the kingdom, 19:16-30

iii] The parable of the workers, 20:1-16

iv] Suffering and service, 20:17-28

v] Healing two blind men, 20:29-34

The coming of Jesus to Jerusalem serves as a prelude to the final judgment and the end of history. Jesus now reveals himself as the supreme authoritative Word of God. Those against him, those who judge him, will find themselves judged; those who affirm this man of destiny will share in his glory.

11. Out with the old and in with the new, 21:1-23:39

i] Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, 21:1-11

ii] Cleansing the temple, 21:12-22

iii] The issue of Jesus' authority, 21:23-32

iv] The parable of the tenants in the vineyard, 21:33-46

v] The parable of the wedding feast, 22:1-14

vi] The question about paying taxes, 22:15-22

vii] The issue of marriage in the resurrection, 22:23-33

viii] The great commandment, 22:34-40

ix] Whose son is the Christ? 22:41-46

x] Jesus warns against false teachers, 23:1-12

xi] Seven woes on the teachers of the law, 23:13-33

xii] Judgment upon the old Israel, 23:34-39

The coming of the Lord in purifying wrath - blessings and cursings.

12. The day of judgment, 24:1-25:46

i] The coming of the birth-pangs, 24:1-14

ii] The coming of the Son of Man, 24:15-35

iii] "Watch!", 24:36-51

iv] The parable of the ten bridesmaids, 25:1-13

v] The parable of the talents, 25:14-30

vi] The vision of the supreme court, 25:31-46

The Epilogue

Glory!

13. The passion and resurrection of Jesus. 26:1-28:20

i] The anointing, 26:1-16

ii] The last supper, 26:17-30

iii] Gethsemane, 26:31-46

iv] The arrest of Jesus, 26:47-56

v] Jesus before the Sanhedrin, 26:57-68

vi] Peter denies Jesus, 26:69-75

vii] Judas commits suicide, 27:1-10

viii] The civil trial of Jesus, 27:11-26

ix] Jesus' humiliation and passion, 27:27-56

x] The burial of Jesus, 27:57-66

xi] Christ is risen, 28:1-15

xii] The disciples commissioned for service, 28:16-20

Level of complexity:

1, non-technical, to 5, requiring a workable knowledge of Greek.

Deceased: D. For publications no longer in print.

Other identifiers: Recommended R; Greek Technical G; Theology T

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Matthew: Expositions

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