Matthew Lesson 1 : Jesus Comes to Save
God Himself came to save us from our sins and to live with us. The Gospel of Matthew begins with this incredible
truth. The first chapters tell of the birth of a baby who is to be called “Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins” (1:21). With this explanation, we understand from the beginning that Jesus is our Savior. Another name reveals
that this child was God Himself: “‘They shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (1:23). God
had chosen to become like the people He so dearly loved, to live among them, and to rescue them from their sins.
Matthew’s Gospel ends with the same message of salvation and the same promise of God’s presence. Jesus had been
raised to life after death on the cross. He sent His disciples into the world to share the good news He had told them.
And He assured them, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (28:20).
In between these first and last chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, we read about Jesus’s life. We see God Himself living,
teaching, and acting among real people. These men, women, and children had real hurts, hopes, questions, and
doubts that are not that different from ours. Over the next months as we study Matthew, we will learn what it means
to become a disciple of Jesus, receive His rescue, and live in His kingdom.
The first four books of the New Testament are all accounts of Jesus’s life. We call these books Gospels. The word
gospel is our English translation of the Greek word that means “good news.” When we refer to the Gospel of
Matthew or the Gospel according to Matthew, we are talking of the good news about Jesus Christ as recorded by
Matthew.
Author and Date
Matthew (also called Levi) was one of Jesus’s disciples and an apostle. In the Gospel that bears his name, he is
identified as “Matthew the tax collector” (10:3). When the Romans occupied a territory, they frequently hired people
from that region to collect Roman taxes. These tax collectors were often corrupt and viewed as traitors against their
own countrymen. Matthew probably shared this reputation. But when Jesus told Matthew, “Follow me,” Matthew
got up, left his tax booth, and started a new life (9:9).
Think about the people Jesus chose to spend time with. He called a tax collector to be among
His most intimate friends. He dined with “many tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:10). God
put on flesh and came to be with us. He chose to befriend outcasts—swindlers, prostitutes, and
other people of bad reputation. No matter what we have done or how soiled our reputation, Jesus
wants to be with us! He also challenges us to befriend outcasts and love sinners in the same way that
He has loved us.
The exact date of Matthew’s Gospel is not known. Various dates have been suggested, from an early date of AD 50
to a later date of AD 140. Many scholars suggest that Matthew wrote it sometime in the AD 60s or 70s.
Some aspects of this book suggest that Matthew wrote primarily for Jewish believers in the early church. This
Gospel shows how Jesus’s life and ministry fulfilled what God had foretold in the Old Testament. Matthew’s book
also assumes that readers are familiar with many aspects of Jewish life. At the same time, Matthew highlights God’s
intention to include Gentiles—non-Jews—in His kingdom.
The Kingdom of Heaven
The arrival of God’s kingdom is a central theme in Matthew. Matthew’s account of Jesus’s birth focuses on His role
as king. Wise men from the east came seeking the one “who [had] been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). King
Herod feared he would lose his throne to this royal child. So he ordered the killing of all young male children in the
region. But Jesus’s parents escaped with their baby before he could be executed.
Matthew – Lesson 1 2
At the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, both John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed: “Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand” (3:2; 4:17). When Jesus sent the disciples out, He told them to bring the same message. One of
the chapters in the Gospel of Matthew focuses entirely on parables about the kingdom (see chapter 13). Matthew’s
book does more than teach us about the kingdom of heaven. It also tells us about Jesus, the King who reigns over
this kingdom. And it shows how citizens in the kingdom of heaven live.
Think about Jesus as king. In Jesus’s day, kings had absolute authority. Their word was the
final word. As you read about the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, keep this idea in mind.
When God sent Jesus to earth, God intended for Jesus to be honored and obeyed as king.
God meant for people to take His Son’s words seriously. But Jesus did not use force to impose His
authority. Instead, He allowed people to choose whether they would submit to Him or not. What
choices can you make each day to allow Jesus more reign in your life?
Jesus, the Messiah
Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, we also find many proofs that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Matthew provided
evidence that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and in David’s royal line—as the Messiah was promised to be. He
also referred to other messianic prophecies. He demonstrated that Jesus had fulfilled these prophecies in His life and
ministry. Matthew showed that Jesus lived as an observant Jew who met messianic requirements.
A Kingdom for the Nations
Matthew highlighted God’s plan to extend His kingdom to Gentiles. Many early followers of Jesus were Jewish.
They were reluctant to lower the barriers between Jews and Gentiles. But Matthew challenged this viewpoint by
writing about God’s care for Gentiles. He made it clear that God intended to include Gentiles in His redemption
plan. Matthew listed Gentile women in Jesus’s lineage and told of the Gentile wise men’s search for Jesus. He
pointed out prophecies that show God’s inclusion of Gentiles. And he cited Jesus’s promise that “many will come
from east and west” to feast with the Jewish patriarchs (8:11).
Matthew also develops this theme by using the word church to describe God’s people. The final words Jesus gave to
His disciples are recorded at the end of Matthew’s Gospel. This commission shows the extent of Jesus’s vision for
this church. Jesus told His followers, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (28:19).
The Life of Jesus
The greatest theme of the book is Jesus Himself—His life, death, and resurrection. If we study this book without
getting to see Jesus for who He is, we have missed the clearest theme of all. The Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life are
not the history of a mere man. Because God was Jesus’s true Father (see Luke 1:35), Jesus was both fully human and
fully God. The baby to be born would also be called Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
As we study Jesus’s life, we are studying God Himself. In Jesus, we see God reveal who He is, how He acts, and
how He relates with people. We hear His conversations and watch as He heals people, questions them, handles their
questions, teaches them, challenges them, and—finally—dies for them.
As we watch and listen, we also learn that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, and the
Son of God. He is the Light of the World, the Savior, Teacher, Shepherd, Ruler, Healer, Judge, and King. This is the
one whom we will come to know as we read the Gospel of Matthew.
Personalize the TRUTH!
Reread the previous paragraph. As you begin this study of the book of Matthew, what hopes
do you have? Take a few moments to ask God what His plans are for you as you study. Pray
to be open to all He has in store for yo