Connecting the Dots: Matthew Overview
Overview:
• Matthew was written to the Jewish audience; Mark to Romans; Luke to Greeks; John to the world
• Matthew – Jesus is King; Mark – Jesus is a servant; Luke – Jesus is a man; John – Jesus is God
• 60% of Matthew is read letter words of Christ
1. Hope has come! Jesus our Messiah Matthew 1-2
• Son of Abraham and David; OT fulfillment and Immanuel of presence, Matthew 1:23
• Genealogy of grace: 4 Women and people with a past
- Tamar – Jesus Justifies Sinners. Gen 38:1-30; Ruth 4:12; I Chronicles 2: 3-4
- Rahab - Jesus Saves By Faith. Joshua 2:8-15; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25
- Ruth - Jesus Redeems the Outsider. Ruth 1:16
- Bathsheba - Jesus Restores the Broken. II Samuel 11:1-27, 12:1-25
- Mary – Jesus Uses the Humble. Luke 1:39-56; Luke 2:1-7
2. Wisdom has come! Jesus our Shepherd / Teacher Matthew 3-25
Five sections to mirror the Pentateuch; Matthew is the most Jewish Book in the NT
i. Jesus is the new Moses, out of Egypt, through the water, and up the mountain; fulfilling, not doing away with the law
ii. Most OT quotes of any NT book
iii. “Fulfilled” and “written by the prophet” are frequent
iv. 32x’s “Kingdom of Heaven” ... 0 in the rest of the NT
Each section concludes with “when Jesus finished saying these things.”
Matthew 7:28, 11:1, 13:53-58, 19:1, and 26:1
“The formula carries profound theological weight. Matthew deliberately echoes Pentateuchal language, mirroring phrases like “when Moses finished writing the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 31:24) and “when Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:45). By positioning this Mosaic language at the end of each major discourse—appearing nowhere else in Matthew—the evangelist arranges Jesus’ teaching into five distinct blocks, likely establishing a typology where Jesus functions as a new Moses.”
1. Chapters 3–7 “when Jesus finished saying these things” Matthew 7:28-29
- Sermon on the Mount and Beatitudes: how to live
- Application: Kingdom Character
2. Chapters 8–10 “when Jesus finished saying these things” Matthew 11:1-3
- Commissioning of the Twelve Disciples and healings
(3 miracles/Follow me/3 miracles/Follow me/3 miracles/Then sending)
- Application: Kingdom Expansion
3. Chapters 11–13 “when Jesus finished saying these things” Matthew 13:53-58
- Kingdom Parables and teaching
- Application: Kingdom Mystery
4. Chapters 13:53–18:35 “when Jesus finished saying these things” Matthew 19:1-2
- Ecclesiastical Expectations (Church Life)
- Application: Kingdom Community
5. Chapters 19–25: “when Jesus finished saying these things” Matthew 26:1-4
- Olivette Discourse: Opposition and end times
- Application: Kingdom Consummation
3. Life has come! Jesus our Victory Matthew 26–28
• The Cross, The Empty Tomb… The Great Commission
3 Applications from our Matthew Study:
• Lord, help me be quick to lift Jesus higher and humble myself lower.
• Lord, grant me the strength to walk in your teaching no matter the opposition.
• Lord, open my eyes daily to see eternally.