Matt: 6
Geographically, the events of the first 18 chapters of Matthew take place in and around Galilee, but beginning in Matt 19:1, the story begins to shift towards Jerusalem, with chaps. 19-25 dealing with Jesus’ deeds and teaching in Jerusalem.
In terms of his deeds, Jesus continues the ministry of healing he began in Galilee (Matt 19:2). Just prior to entering Jerusalem, he heals two blind men, who address him as “Son of David” (20:29-34; Matt 1:1). When Jesus finally arrives in Jerusalem, the “city of the great king” (Matt 5:35), he rides into the city on a donkey (21:1-11). This “triumphal entry” fulfills Zech 9:9 (although technically, this is another combo-quote—remember Matt 2:6?—Matthew combines Isa 62:11 and Zech 9:9). Whereas kings normally ride into cities on glorious white chargers, Jesus, the humble king, rides into town on a simple beast of burden. It would be like a newly inaugurated Prime Minister or President traveling in a motorcade in the backseat of an old ’85 Honda Civic (no offense to ’85 Honda Civic owners)!
Once inside the Jerusalem temple Jesus heals the blind and the lame (Matt 21:14), but prior to healing them he cleanses the temple (Matt 21:12-13). The temple had become a place of corruption (think in terms of Mal 1:7-8). The economics of the temple institution had come to eclipse the religious/spiritual life the temple provided. Jesus’ actions, then, are symbolic: he overturns the temple—what it had become—in order to set it right, viz., to establish it as a center for prayer (21:13), healing (21:14), and worship (21:15-16).
In terms of teaching, throughout this section of Matthew Jesus continues to spar with the religious leaders over the Mosaic Law, i.e., the proper interpretation of it. They challenge him about issues dealing with divorce (19:3-12; 22:23-33). He challenges their understanding of how to obey the Law (19:16-22), the priorities within the Law (22:34-40), and also the nature of Davidic Messianism (22:41-46; remember, Jesus is the “Son of David”). He openly questions, and even denies, the legitimacy of Pharisaic authority (23:1-36). The climax of Jesus’ teaching in this section can be found in chaps. 24 and 25, the so-called “Olivet Discourse,” where he speaks of the near future and the far future. In terms of the near future he declares that Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed and that his followers will be persecuted to death (24:1-28). However, all is not lost for Jesus will come again to reward the faithful and judge the wicked (24:29-41). Therefore, in view of his Second Coming, Jesus exhorts his followers to live alertly, faithfully, and wisely (24:42-25:46).
Matthew’s Gospel concludes and climaxes, of course, in Jesus’ death and resurrection (chaps. 26-28). Matthew follows Mark pretty closely, so I won’t rehash what I’ve already said in the Mark blog. I will, however, highlight a few notable differences between Matthew and Mark (his literary source—see Gospels intro blog). Matthew adds an explanation about Judas’s fate (27:1-10). Here Matthew does two things. First, he puts the final blame for Jesus’ death sentence at the feet of the Jewish leaders. Judas recognizes that Jesus is innocent, but the leaders could care less that he is (Matt 27:4). Second, he underscores God’s sovereignty in the crucifixion. Judas’s betrayal of Jesus did not somehow surprise God, catching him off guard. Rather, his betrayal was predicted by the scriptures (Matt 27:9-10): again Matthew does a combo-quote here of Zech 11:12-13 and Jer 32:6-9.
Matthew also includes a statement about other people being resurrected before Jesus’ resurrection (Matt 27:52-53). This would serve to heighten the drama and the power of the event of Jesus’ crucifixion. It would serve to heighten the anticipation of Jesus’ own resurrection. And, that these resurrected saints go to Jerusalem is a further witness against this city’s rejection of Jesus (cf. Matt 10:17-18) and why subsequently it was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 (cf. Matt 23:37-38). Also, these verses are an allusion to Ezek 37:1-13, which is part of Matthew’s fairly sustained allusion in his Gospel to Ezekiel 34. Thus, what happens in the resurrection is part of the fulfilment of scripture.
Matthew alone adds an account of how the Jewish leaders attempted to explain away the empty tomb (Matt 28:11-15). That Jesus, even after his resurrection, continued to be rejected by the Jews posed a bit of an embarrassing situation for his earliest followers. That is why so many NT passages emphasize that their rejection of their messiah was part of God’s sovereign, mysterious plan: e.g., all 4 Gospels and Acts refer to Isa 6:9-10—God’s hardening of Israel (see also Paul’s extensive discussion of this in Rom 9—11); similarly, the Gospel writers, use the “stone passage” of Ps 118:22-23, while Peter uses this text as well as the other “stone passage” of Isa 8:14 (see 1 Pet 2:6-8). Clearly, the Jews’ continued rejection of their resurrected messiah figured largely into the psyche of the biblical authors.
Finally, Matthew has the most familiar and detailed commissioning in the Gospels (Matt 28:16-20). I think it’s kind of neat that, even in the wake of the resurrection, some followers still had their doubts (28:17)—neat b/c this is another example of how the bible is very real-to-life, and doesn’t try to sugar coat things. The gospel of the kingdom now goes out to everyone. Prior to Jesus death and resurrection it went exclusively to Israel (Matt 10:5-6). But now the call of the gospel has been extended to “all the nations”—Jews and Gentiles alike (see Paul’s comment in Rom 1:16).
Let me finish off our brief survey of Matthew’s Gospel by listing some of his themes or emphases. Most obviously, Matthew has a well-developed Christology: e.g., Jesus is portrayed as the Son of David, the Son of God, Israel’s Shepherd and their Moses-like deliverer. He has a heavy emphasis on the fulfilment of scripture: everything about Jesus—from beginning (his birth) to end (his death and resurrection)—fulfils scripture; the events of his life fulfill scripture predictions about the messiah, as well as fill out the true/ultimate significance of various scripture texts. Lastly, Matthew emphasizes the Mosaic Law: he says that it must be rightly interpreted and kept—and the final authority on the Mosaic Law is, of course, Jesus!
Next up: Luke.