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About this book: Matthew

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised Messiah, the son of David and of Abraham, in whom the hopes of Israel come to fulfillment. The Gospel opens with his genealogy and birth, then follows his baptism, temptation and the start of his ministry in Galilee. Matthew gathers Jesus' teaching into five great discourses, the first being the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus describes the life of the kingdom of heaven. Between them are stories of healing, authority over nature and growing opposition. Again and again Matthew shows how events in Jesus' life fit the Scriptures of Israel. Peter's confession marks a turning point, after which Jesus heads toward Jerusalem, teaches about humility and the last things, and is arrested, crucified and raised. The Gospel ends with the risen Jesus commissioning his followers to make disciples of all nations, promising to be with them always. Matthew is especially concerned with what it means to follow Jesus in a community of faith.

Author
Early church tradition names Matthew (Levi), the tax collector and apostle; some scholars question this and see an anonymous author.
Date
Views differ: often c. AD 60s–80s, depending on whether Mark was written first, as most scholars hold, or Matthew, as some ancient tradition held.
Audience
Likely a largely Jewish-Christian community, with a message open to all nations.

Themes

Jesus the Messiah and Son of DavidThe kingdom of heavenFulfillment of ScriptureDiscipleship and righteousnessMission to all nations

Outline

  1. 1:1–2:23Birth and infancy
  2. 3:1–4:25Baptism, testing and first call
  3. 5:1–7:29The Sermon on the Mount
  4. 8:1–10:42Deeds of power and the mission of the Twelve
  5. 11:1–13:58Growing opposition and parables of the kingdom
  6. 14:1–18:34Identity revealed and life in the community
  7. 19:1–25:46Jerusalem: conflict and judgment
  8. 26:1–28:20Passion, resurrection and commission

Key verses

Matthew 5:3-10 →Matthew 6:9-13 →Matthew 28:18-20 →
About this chapterMatthew opens with the genealogy of Jesus, tracing the line from Abraham through King David to Joseph. The list includes surprising names, among them several women, hinting that God's promise reaches beyond expected people. The chapter then tells of Mary being found with child before her marriage. Joseph, a just man, plans to end the engagement quietly, but an angel explains in a dream that the child comes from the Holy Spirit. He is to be named Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew presents this as fulfilling an ancient prophecy, and Joseph obeys, taking Mary as his wife.

Matthew opens with the genealogy of Jesus, tracing the line from Abraham through King David to Joseph. The list includes surprising names, among them several women, hinting that God's promise reaches beyond expected people. The chapter then tells of Mary being found with child before her marriage. Joseph, a just man, plans to end the engagement quietly, but an angel explains in a dream that the child comes from the Holy Spirit. He is to be named Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew presents this as fulfilling an ancient prophecy, and Joseph obeys, taking Mary as his wife.

Themes

  • Son of David
  • Virgin birth
  • God with us
  • Obedient faith

Key verses

Audio Bible · Matthew 1

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Matthew 1

Berean Standard Bible25 verses · 3 min read

1This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 3Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. 4Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. 5Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife, 7Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. 8Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. 9Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. 10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. 14Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. 15Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ. 18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us” ). 24When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and embraced Mary as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.
Verses in Matthew 1
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Chapters of Matthew

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