Contemplating the King
and His Kingdom
- week 2 -
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.Perhaps the greatest characteristics of Matthew’s Gospel is that this Gospel is supremely the teaching Gospel. As a systemizer and organizer, Matthew great gift is to be able to put things together in a orderly fashion. It was his custom and habit to gather together all of the teachings of Jesus on any given subject.
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The result of all of this orderly system of collecting and collating the teachings of Jesus resulted in five great blocks of Jesus’ teachings. All of these sections have to do with the Kingdom of God. We looked at these five "pillars" last week.
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We are going to look at them again this week, there is one difference - see if you can notice that difference. For those who follow the Home Bible Study, and wish to understand what they are studying, know that we often need to take a closer look at a particular topic or subject as it can be fairly challenging to understand on the first reading. This is one of those occasions and that will become apparent as you "redo" the readings. A second or even third reading produces clarity.
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Matthew does more that collect & systematize. Remembering that Matthew was writing in a time when printing had not been invented, books were scarce and those that existed were hand-written. In an age like that, and something we’re not used to anymore, if you wished to know and use the teaching and story of Jesus then you would have had to memorize it and carry it around in your head.
.
The result of all of this orderly system of collecting and collating the teachings of Jesus resulted in five great blocks of Jesus’ teachings. All of these sections have to do with the Kingdom of God. We looked at these five "pillars" last week.
.
We are going to look at them again this week, there is one difference - see if you can notice that difference. For those who follow the Home Bible Study, and wish to understand what they are studying, know that we often need to take a closer look at a particular topic or subject as it can be fairly challenging to understand on the first reading. This is one of those occasions and that will become apparent as you "redo" the readings. A second or even third reading produces clarity.
.
Matthew does more that collect & systematize. Remembering that Matthew was writing in a time when printing had not been invented, books were scarce and those that existed were hand-written. In an age like that, and something we’re not used to anymore, if you wished to know and use the teaching and story of Jesus then you would have had to memorize it and carry it around in your head.
.
Matthew understood this necessity and so arranged things in such a way that it was easy for the reader to memorize. Matthew arranges things in threes and sevens. There are three messages to Joseph; there are three denials of Peter; There are three questions of Pilate. There are seven parables of the Kingdom in chapter 13; there are seven woes to the Pharisees and scribes in Chapter 23.
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There is one great characteristic of Matthew’s Gospel. The dominating idea of this Gospel is the idea of Jesus as King. The Genealogy of Jesus, which most people never read, is to prove that Jesus is the Son of David, Israel’s greatest King. For Matthew, the Jews are his main interest. For Matthew, Jesus did not come to destroy the Jewish Laws of Moses, but to fulfill the Law.
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The wise men (Magi) came looking for a king. Jesus entry in Jerusalem, riding on a donkey is a deliberately dramatized claim to be king. When before Pilate, Jesus deliberately accepts the name of King. Even on the Cross the title of King is affixed, even if it be in mockery, over his head. Matthew’s picture of Jesus is the picture of a man born to be king. So once again, reread the Reading for last week, however this week, read them from the point of view of memorization and the idea that Matthew is presenting to you "A King and His Kingdom.
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M. MATTHEW 5-7 -- THE LAW OF THE KINGDOM
T. MATTHEW 10- -- DUTIES OF KINGDOM LEADERS
W. MATTHEW 13 -- PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM
F. MATTHEW 18 -- KINGDOM GREATNESS & FORGIVENESS
S. MATTHEW 24-25 -- THE COMING OF THE KING.
Matthew understood this necessity and so arranged things in such a way that it was easy for the reader to memorize. Matthew arranges things in threes and sevens. There are three messages to Joseph; there are three denials of Peter; There are three questions of Pilate. There are seven parables of the Kingdom in chapter 13; there are seven woes to the Pharisees and scribes in Chapter 23.
.
There is one great characteristic of Matthew’s Gospel. The dominating idea of this Gospel is the idea of Jesus as King. The Genealogy of Jesus, which most people never read, is to prove that Jesus is the Son of David, Israel’s greatest King. For Matthew, the Jews are his main interest. For Matthew, Jesus did not come to destroy the Jewish Laws of Moses, but to fulfill the Law.
.
The wise men (Magi) came looking for a king. Jesus entry in Jerusalem, riding on a donkey is a deliberately dramatized claim to be king. When before Pilate, Jesus deliberately accepts the name of King. Even on the Cross the title of King is affixed, even if it be in mockery, over his head. Matthew’s picture of Jesus is the picture of a man born to be king. So once again, reread the Reading for last week, however this week, read them from the point of view of memorization and the idea that Matthew is presenting to you "A King and His Kingdom.
.
M. MATTHEW 5-7 -- THE LAW OF THE KINGDOM
T. MATTHEW 10- -- DUTIES OF KINGDOM LEADERS
W. MATTHEW 13 -- PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM
F. MATTHEW 18 -- KINGDOM GREATNESS & FORGIVENESS
S. MATTHEW 24-25 -- THE COMING OF THE KING.