The Writings of Matthew

Matthew’s life was corrupt. As a tax collector he stole from his own people, the Jews, for the benefit of the Roman government. Then Matthew met Jesus. Jesus too was a Jew, but he was not like any other Jew Matthew had ever meant. Jesus removed all the evil and corruption of Matthew’s life. Matthew knew that most Jews had rejected Jesus. He needed them to know that Jesus, as a fellow Jew, was not against Israel but was actually here to save Israel. 

So Matthew wrote the biography of Jesus’ life. He wrote it to Jews who he understood well, because he had been just like them. Religion was just part of culture for Matthew before he met Jesus. He believed in God but didn’t see the daily impact on his life. Then Jesus came and changed everything. Matthew knew Jesus was not the start, but Jesus was the fulfillment of the Jewish religion. So Matthew starts his story of Jesus, with a long list of Jewish people, showing how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan. 

Matthew is desperate for the Jewish people to see Jesus as the true son of Abraham and David. He writes the biography of Jesus to show how Jesus is the perfect candidate for the Messiah. Jews believed in a coming Messianic Age, they just didn’t know who that Person would be. Matthew, more than any other gospel writer, shows Jesus, where Jews would see Him as the Messiah. 

As you read Matthew you will read genealogies, titles from the Old Testament, quotations of Old Testament scripture, the use of numbers familiar to Jews and many references to Old Testament people. All of this is to convince the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. 

Matthew’s story of Jesus is also written to Jewish Christians. These were people who believed but often faced accusation that their belief in Jesus was an offense to their nationality as a Jew. People challenged Jewish Christians, stating it was impossible to be both Christian and a good Jew. You had to choose one or the other. Matthew shows through Christ’s life that the gospel message of Jesus is one truth for all people. Matthew records miracles that show Jesus’ respect for the authority of God and His love for all nations. Each story Matthew writes contains this double message: Jesus is the Messiah, fulfilling the Old Covenant God made with Israel and the fulfillment of the Old Covenant is a sign that Jesus is for everyone as God loves every nation and every tongue. 

The story that Matthew writes is more than a story of one person. It is the story of a Kingdom and a King. As you read Matthew you see God’s plan unfold from the biggest viewpoint of all, from creation through the Old Testament into the person of Jesus, the Son of God.