Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 5:1-11

The Sermon on the Mount, Part 1

Introduction

Matthew places the Sermon on the Mount front and center in his record of Jesus’ Galilean ministry.  He spends more time on this teaching of Jesus than any of the other gospel writers. 

Remembering that the original writings were not divided by chapter and verse, let us go back and take a look at the end of Matthew chapter four to get the full context of what is happening as Jesus begins to teach.

“And when Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:” (Matthew 4:23—5:1, NKJV, emphasis added).

Notice that Jesus needs to lead His disciples away from the crowds of people following Him so that He can teach them.  Matthew is clear in chapter five, verse one that the Sermon on the Mount is a teaching to the disciples.  Because the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to include this teaching in his gospel, we know that it is a teaching to us as well because if you are a follower of Christ, you are also His disciple.

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Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 4:12-25

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry

Matthew 4:12 marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee.  After His temptation/testing by Satan, Jesus spends about a year in Judea.  (See my lesson on the Temptation here).  Matthew does not provide details of these months in Judea, but John’s gospel does.  (See John 1:19 – 4:54).  Here are the highlights of the events of that year:

  • Jesus preached near the lower Jordan River (John 3:2-24; 4:1-3).
  • The Pharisees became increasingly hostile to Jesus and His message (John 4:1-3).
  • Herod arrested and imprisoned John the Baptist (Matthew 4:12).

After John’s arrest, Matthew explains that Jesus went to Galilee.

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali. (Matthew 4:12-13, ESV, emphasis added)

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Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 4:1-11

The Temptation of Jesus

Matthew, chapter four, picks up immediately after the events of chapter three which depicts Jesus’ baptism.  If you haven’t already read the study on chapter three, you can find it here.

Let’s take a look at how the narrative begins.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  (Matthew 4:1, ESV)

Notice that the verse begins with the word “then.”  The Greek word used here is tóte. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, tote is an adverb which means “at that time.”  In Greek, just as in English, adverbs can tell “when” an action occurs.  In other words, the text is saying that the events described in Matthew 4:1-11 happened immediately after the events at the end of chapter 3, which was Jesus’ baptism. 

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Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 3:1-11

Introduction

Following Matthew 2, the gospel ofMatthew jumps more than 30 years and begins with the ministry of John the Baptist.  Matthew does not share anything about John’s background, but Luke gives us his story. 

  • Read Luke 1:5-24; 57-77

Important to the background of John the Baptist is his father, Zacharias’ prophesy in Luke 1:68-79:

            Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

            for he has visited and redeemed his people

            and has raised up a horn of salvation for us

            in the house of his servant David,

            as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

            that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

            to show the mercy promised to our fathers

            and to remember his holy covenant,

            the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

            that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

            might serve him without fear,

            in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

            And you, child [John], will be called the prophet of the Most High;

            for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

            to give knowledge of salvation to his people

            in the forgiveness of their sins,

            because of the tender mercy of our God,

            whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

            to give light to those who sit in darkness

            and in the shadow of death,

            to guide our feet into the way of peace.  (Luke 1:68-79, ESV)

Image courtesy of freebibleimages.com

Outline:  We are in part 2 of our outline of the gospel of Matthew.

            Jesus’ early ministry (Matthew 3:1-4:11)

  • The ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12)
  • John baptizes Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)

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Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 2

Introduction

Matthew 2 is one of the most recognized passages in the entire gospel because it is part of the Christmas story.  Although the narrative does not take place at the time of Jesus’ birth, it records the visit from the magi (wise men) and also tells about the flight of the young family to Egypt. 

The details of Jesus’ birth and early life are only recorded in Luke’s gospel and Matthew’s gospel.  Luke records the actual birth of Jesus followed by the angelic appearance to the shepherds and the shepherds’ visit to the stable where the newborn King was born.

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Matthew Bible Study: Matthew 1

Overview 

Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus.  I know it’s tempting to skip passages like this, but you really shouldn’t.  Everything in the Bible is important, even the “begats.”   After reading this study, I hope you will see the gems hidden in the first 17 verses of the gospel of Matthew. 

Here is a detailed outline of chapter 1:

  • Jesus’ Birth and Early Years
    • Genealogy (1:1-17)
    • Joseph’s Reaction to Mary’s Pregnancy (1:18-19)
    • An Angel Appears to Joseph (1:20-23)
    • Joseph Takes Mary as His Wife (1:24-25)

Chapter 1 of Matthew lays the foundation for the entire book.  It immediately establishes the fact that through His genealogy, Jesus is the promised Messiah. 

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Matthew Bible Study: Introduction

Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew

            Although there are four New Testament books identified as the “Gospels,” it is important to remember that there is only one GOSPEL.  Each of these four books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are unified in their message.  Each one of them is about Jesus.

What is the gospel?  It is the good news that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God and equal to God, took on flesh, was born as a baby, died to reconcile us to God, and rose again in victory over sin and death. 

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