The Fellowship Residency Program has introduced me to the idea of reading commentaries alongside scripture. By August of 2019, I will have read through the entire Bible as well as The King in His Beauty, our selected commentary. As I am reading, I am writing a little bit about each of the books of the Bible so you and I can have a more thorough understanding of the scriptures. I invite you to follow along with me as we learn the Bible in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation. This summary does NOT encompass the entire book, but it is a good place to start. I encourage you to read for yourself and begin your own Biblical journal along the way. To read any of my other Residency related posts, click here.
Fulfillment and Christology – The OT closes with anticipation, and the NT opens with an answer of fulfillment. The very first verses are an ushering in of the new creation found in Christ through the covenant by David and Abraham. A crucial text in Chapter 16 is where Peter finally declares the Jesus is Christ though he doesn’t fully understand the Jesus as Messiah. Those who initially recognize Jesus as the son of David are blind people, a Canaanite woman, crowds of commoners, and children. From the beginning, the ordinary recognized Jesus as king. Over and over we are reminded that God is with His people through Jesus.
Jesus fulfills the prophesy of a Bethlehem birth, Davidic king, and many others. Jesus is the true Israel who will be delivered from His enemies by God the Father. Jesus doesn’t need to be baptized to be washed clean of sins, yet as the true Israel, He is baptized to represent a new exodus into the kingdom of Heaven. Throughout Matthew, Jesus emphasizes that He must die to fulfill the Scriptures and represents Israel in His death as their servant of the Lord as prophesied in Isaiah. Matthew’s primary emphasis is that the kingdom of God arrives by and through Jesus’s death and resurrection.
Jesus demonstrates the He is fully God in authority and fully man in His suffering. Though people worry that Jesus’s glory may be tainted by His suffering, it will then become evident to all that He comes to bring completion to God’s promises by His suffering. Jesus, like man, was tempted by the Devil, but remains fully God in His obedience to God’s word. Jesus is “specially and uniquely” related to God. Only He truly knows God the Father, and only the Father can truly know Him. No one comes to either without knowing both. Jesus reminds us that those who come to Him will find rest. Like the Garden of Eden, Jesus offers a place of peace from the broken world. Jesus is the Christ Israel begged for who always does the will of the Lord. At the same time, He defies all their expectations with His authority, eternal qualities, and rule over them as the only perfect man.
Kingdom of Heaven – The lordship of God is emphasized by Jesus’s teaching on the new kingdom of Heaven. The phrase “kingdom of Heaven” is used 32 times in Matthew. Matthew uses the word Heaven strategically. When singular, it likely refers to the sky. When plural, it seems to refer to God. When contrasted with Earth, it seems to contrast God’s perfect way with the evil ways of human begins. God is always identified as being separate from the wicked of the earth.
Many proclaimed that the kingdom was imminent and only ushered in by a supernatural work of God, not by the work of men. Many believed that the kingdom would mean that they would be relieved of their suffering. However, Jesus taught that the persecuted could enjoy the kingdom now, even in the middle of their times of hurt.
Matthew often discusses the mystery of the kingdom of God through the use of parables. One major mystery of the kingdom is that it has been inaugurated without being completed. This implies that there will be a messy time where heaven and earth will coexist. The kingdom has come, but the wicked remain. This is troubling for Israel to accept and understand. Another mystery is that the kingdom will come quietly. Many expected it to be big and powerful and would wipe out the unrighteous and save the faithful. Instead, we learn that evil will persist until the coming judgment. Finally, another mystery is the treasures of the kingdom. Many do not value its riches, but they are mighty. The kingdom is available to all who put their faith in Christ. Those who humble themselves, whether Jew or Gentile, will experience the goodness of the kingdom.
The coming of the kingdom is truly the fulfillment of the new creation, the new exodus, the Gospel, and the new David. God’s eternal reign is the good news for all. God now reigns in a saving way over people that has never been available to them before. Jesus’s healings and exorcisms point to the kingdom that are free from disease and evil. Final victory will come from Jesus crushing the serpent on the cross. The kingdom of God is inaugurated in the works and person of Jesus Christ. His healings, exorcisms, teachings, and parables all emphasize that the kingdom is here. Jesus will fulfill the promises of the OT.
Life in the Kingdom – Matthew essentially answers who will enjoy the kingdom and how they are to live in that kingdom. Ultimately, those who are pure in heart will be saved by God. Jesus emphasizes in His teachings that He is not there to abolish the law but to fulfill it. The primary focus is on the state of the heart while walking in obedience. Faith is no longer a checklist of rights and wrongs, but a transformed life that walks in obedience to God. Matthew reminds us that people will be paid what they are owed when judgment arrives. As disciples, we are to seek the kingdom and His righteousness above all else. God should be the center of our lives, and our biggest prayer should be that He is honored and glorified.
The People of God – In the OT, Israel was God’s chosen people. However, now that Jesus is the true Israel, it is clear that both Jews and Gentiles are offered the opportunity to partake in the kingdom of God. The Jewish character of Matthew’s gospel is evident from the first chapter that takes us to Jesus from Abraham and David. However, it is clear that after Jesus’s death and resurrection the disciples are called to spread the good news to all nations. Ironically, all the women mentioned in the genealogy are Gentile women. However, Jewish evangelism is just as important to God. The kingdom and Gospel are clearly founded in Israel, and the worldwide blessing promised to Abraham will become a reality through them. The selection of the 12 disciples is indicative of the 12 tribes of Israel. However, the foundation of the Church is apostolic witness where God’s mission is proclaimed to Jew and Gentile alike. Jesus’s mission is for all who desire to enter the kingdom be welcomed.
Conclusion – Ultimately, Matthew is a book of fulfillment. Jesus fulfills the prophecy through his work and authority. He saves His people by sacrificing His life as the servant of the Lord. We are only saved by receiving the forgiveness offered by the cross. The kingdom of God has an “already but not yet” quality that will be completed when Jesus returns. God’s disciples will be known by their transformed lives and will receive eternal life. This kingdom is open to all and is made up of a new community, the Church of Christ. The Church will be marked by obedience to the Gospel, and will stand in contrast with that of the world.
Themes: God is with His people in Jesus. Jesus is the true Israel. The kingdom of God will come from Jesus’s death and resurrection. The kingdom is here and available to all. Life in the kingdom focuses on a pure heart. The Church is now the community of Christ.
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