In two previous posts I wrote briefly about the Gospels of John and Luke.  Today, I’ll touch upon the Gospel of Matthew.

The Gospel of Matthew seems appropriate to begin the New Testament readings since it’s written for the Jewish people.  I think of it as a bridge into the New Covenant.  Matthew spends quite a bit of time establishing that Jesus is the promised Messiah and uses more Old Testament references than any other Gospel, showing that prophecies were indeed fulfilled.  This Gospel also demonstrates that Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, and to raise the standards while he’s at it!

This Gospel writer (like any good Jew) is hesitant to use God’s name and so says things like “kingdom of heaven” instead of “kingdom of God” as the other Gospels do.  It has more sayings about what the “kingdom of heaven” is like than any other Gospel.  The point, though, appears to be that God’s power is already breaking into our world through the presence and actions of Jesus and his disciples.

This Gospel, like the others, is an account of Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection.  Where Luke emphasizes the need for prayer, Matthew emphasizes the need for forgiveness and to forgive.  This is a recurring theme in four chapters of Matthew.  Matthew also emphasizes Jesus’ authority in chapters 5-9, and is mentioned throughout the Gospel.  Matthew dwells on our lack of ability to fulfill the law on our own and shows that we fall short of its requirement: perfection.  It tells of our need for Christ.

Read the Matthew 5, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie