THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO (MATTHEW PT2)

Teachings about God – The First Gospel shows God in action, taking the initiative in fulfilling the Scriptures about the coming Messiah. It teaches about the Trinity, and it contributes greatly to the Christian understanding of the deity of Christ. Jesus’s constant reference to himself as the Son of Man plays a key role in understanding Jesus’s earthly mission.

Teachings About Humanity – The author documented the sinfulness of humans in stark terms: Both Jews and Romans were responsible for Jesus’s crucifixion. Yet he also showed that humans committed to following Jesus can accomplish great good. Matthew noted the importance of people putting faith in Jesus; he also showed Jesus’s criticism of those with little faith.

Teachings about Salvation – Salvation is presented mainly in terms of belongs to the kingdom of God, which arrived in a fresh way in the person of Jesus (12:28). The death and resurrection of Jesus were the divine means by which God provided salvation. Although Jesus took the message of the kingdom only to Jews during his lifetime, his last act in the Gospel was to commission his followers to go to Gentiles (“all nations”) as well (28:18-20).

CHRIST IN MATTHEW – When the wise men came to Jerusalem, they asked, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? (2:2). “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (27:37) was placed in writing above Jesus as he was crucified. Matthew presents Jesus as King and Israel’s Messiah. More than any other Gospel writer, he quotes from the Old Testament to make his case.

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