Discussion Questions
Session A: Mark
What do you think are the reasons that the disciples often failed to understand
Jesus’ teaching and the nature of his messiahship? What political, social, or
religious agendas from our culture have shaped how we understand Jesus’
kingdom?
Session B: Luke
25 Now large crowds were accompanying Jesus, and turning to them he said, 26 “If
anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and
children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple . . . 33
In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not
renounce all his own possessions.” (Luke 14:25-27, 33 NET)
How do you understand these challenging words? Is it possible to be a disciple of
Jesus in twenty-first century Singapore?
Session C: Matthew
What teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7) do you find difficult to
follow? How do you think we can understand and apply these teachings in our
lives?
Mentoring
through the
New Testament:
The Gospel
of Matthew
Rob MacEwen, PhD
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633
Introduction
to the Gospel
of Matthew
Testimony of the Church Fathers
So Matthew, among the Hebrews in their own
dialect, brought forth a writing of the gospel
when Peter and Paul in Rome were
evangelizing and founding the church; but
after their departure Mark, the disciple and
interpreter of Peter, he too handed what was
preached by Peter down to us in writing, and
Luke, the follower of Paul, set forth in a book
the gospel that was preached by him. Then
John, the disciple of the Lord and also the one
who leaned against his chest, also published
the gospel when residing in Ephesus of Asia.
Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3.1.1 (ca. AD 185)
Matthew’s Popularity
in the Early Church
• Second-century Christian writers quoted
Matthew more than any other Gospel.
• Matthew was always first in lists and
manuscripts of the Gospels.
• Matthew’s topical organization of Jesus’
sayings made this Gospel useful for
teaching converts and training pastors.
• Matthew shows how the NT relates to the
OT.
# of Words in Gospels and Acts
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
19,482
18,346
15,635
18,450
11,303
5,000
0
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
The Gospel of Matthew
and the Synoptic Problem
• Matthew was written first, according
to the Augustinian Hypothesis,
the Two Gospel Hypothesis, and early church
tradition.
• Matthew was written second, according to the Farrer
Hypothesis.
• Matthew was written third, according to the
Matthean Posteriority Hypothesis.
• Matthew and Luke were written around the same
time, according to the Two Source Hypothesis.
For more on the
Synoptic Problem,
read my book!
What does the NT tell
us about Matthew?
• He is named in every list of the Twelve
Apostles (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18;
Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13)
• Only Matthew’s Gospel calls him “the tax
collector” and identifies him with the man whom
Mark and Luke call Levi (Matt 9:9//Mark
2:14//Luke 5:27-28).
• He may have lived in Capernaum (Mark 2:1).
• He may have been the brother of James the son
of Alphaeus (cf. Mark 2:14; 3:18).
Early Church Tradition about Matthew
• For fifteen years he preached among the Jews.
• He wrote his Gospel in Hebrew.
• He traveled to other countries (Ethiopia, south
of the Caspian Sea, Persia, Syria, or
Macedonia?).
• He died as a martyr (by burning,
stoning, stabbing, or beheading?).
Against the Apostle Matthew
as the Author of This Gospel
• Our Gospel of Matthew does
not look like something
translated from Hebrew, as the
church fathers claim.
• Most scholars think this Gospel’s writer
used Mark and another source. An
eyewitness should not have needed
sources.
• Most scholars think the Gospels at first
were anonymous, with the titles added
later.
In Favor of the Apostle Matthew
as the Author of This Gospel
• The church fathers unanimously
attributed this Gospel to Matthew.
• No other names of authors were
proposed in the early church.
• Matthew was not a famous
apostle, so why invent him
as the author?
Setting and Occasion of Matthew
• Written in Syria or Palestine?
• Written for a
predominantly Jewish
church under pressure
from fellow Jews who
opposed their faith.
Matthew wrote to
encourage his church . . .
• That they were the true people
of God.
• That Jesus’ life and teachings fulfilled the Law
and the Prophets.
• That they should reach out to Jews, but not be
discouraged by the hostile Jewish leaders.
• That they should reach out to Gentiles,
because the church will include people of
every nation.
Perhaps Matthew
also intended to
provide his
church with a
discipleship
training manual.
Unique to Matthew
• Stories of Birth and Childhood
(different from Luke’s)
• Invitation to the Easy Yoke
• Peter Walking on the Water
• Peter Given the Keys of the Kingdom
• Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
• Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
• Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
• The Remorse and Suicide of Judas
• The Guard at the Tomb
Matthew’s Structure
I. Introduction: Genealogy, Birth,
Childhood, Baptism, and Temptation
(1:1–4:11)
II. Ministry in Galilee: Revealing God’s Christ
and Kingdom (4:12–16:12)
III. On the Way to Jerusalem: Preparing for the
Confrontation (16:13–20:34)
IV. Jerusalem: Conflict, Passion, and
Resurrection (21:1–28:20)
V. Conclusion in Galilee: The Great
Commission (28:16-20)
Matthew’s 5 Great Discourses
• Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7)
• Mission Discourse (ch. 10)
• Parables Discourse (ch. 13)
• Community Discourse
(ch. 18)
• Eschatological Discourse
(chs. 24-25)
Matthew’s Portrait of Jesus
• The One who fulfills the Law and the
Prophets.
• The Teacher who demands a greater
righteousness than that of the Jewish leaders.
• In conflict with the Jewish leaders.
• Was sent for the Jews, but opens the way for
the Gentiles to come to God.
• Emphasizes God’s forgiveness and mercy.
• Warns people about God’s judgment.
• After his resurrection, is always present with
his people.
Other Features of Matthew’s Gospel
• Matthew presents Jesus’ teachings in five major
discourses.
• Matthew rearranges Mark’s order in chs. 4–13, but
follows Mark’s order closely in chs. 14–28.
• Matthew has several OT quotations, usually
introduced by a fulfillment formula (e.g., 1:22).
• Matthew typically has the shortest version in parallel
pericopes (e.g., 9:1-8; 9:18-26).
• Matthew is more critical of the Jewish leaders than
either Mark or Luke.
• Matthew shows the most interest in Jewish issues.
• Matthew is the only Gospel that mentions the church
(16:18; 18:17).
A Key Verse
NIV Matthew
5:17 “Do not think
that I have come to abolish the
Law or the Prophets; I have not
come to abolish them but to
fulfill them.”
The Theology of Matthew:
Revealed in His Final Paragraph
16
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When
they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you. And
remember, I am with you always, to the end of the
age.”
--Matthew 28:16-20 NRSV
• What themes do you see here that are found
elsewhere in Matthew’s Gospel?
The Theology of Matthew:
Revealed in His Final Paragraph
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Mountain—Jesus as the New Moses
Faith vs. Doubt
Worship of Jesus
The Authority of Jesus
Jesus as the (Danielic) Son of Man
Discipleship—Requires Obedience
Salvation for the Gentiles/Nations
Jesus’ Continuing Presence with His People
The Theology of Matthew:
Other Key Themes
• Fulfillment in Jesus—of
prophecy, the Law, God’s
purposes
• The Kingdom of Heaven/God
• The People of God
The Sermon on the Mount
Setting:
• Early in Jesus’ ministry.
• After calling four disciples and being followed
by large crowds.
• Before the healing of the leper and a return to
Capernaum.
Audience:
• Jesus’ disciples, with the crowds listening in.
The Sermon on the Mount
Key Themes:
• Jesus’ disciples are and should be different from
people of the world.
• The OT Law, as interpreted by Jesus, has ongoing
validity.
• God will reward our good works done in secret.
• Don’t worry; trust God and seek first his kingdom.
• There are two ways, leading to life or to death.
Choose the right way!
“My yoke is easy to bear . . .” (Matt 11:30)
What do you think?
In light of the demanding ethics of the
Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7), and the
high cost of discipleship discussed in the
Mission Discourse (Matt 10), how can Jesus
say that his yoke is easy?
The Easy Yoke
• Taking a yoke represents accepting an obligation of
obedience, even slavery.
• There were human yokes as well as animal yokes.
• Jesus’ yoke is not like that of the scribes and
Pharisees (Matt 23:4).
• Jesus’ yoke is easy because of his kind,
compassionate character, his empowering presence
with us, and the hope of eternal life he gives.
As we study the world-changing
significance of the life and
teachings of Jesus as recorded
in the Gospels, keep in mind that the
Lord Jesus is with us to help us learn,
grow in, and apply his Word.
“Remember, I am with you always, to
the end of the age.”
--Matt 28:20b NRSV
SUMMARY SHEETS
NEXT SESSION : 19 Mar2016 (Sat) 8:00 am to
12:45pm
3A. John
3B:. Acts
3C. Jesus, Paul & the
Epistles
Assignments:
1. NT Reading: John 1 to Acts 28
2. …Book By Book (BBB): Acts-John (Page 296-313)
3. …For All Its Worth (FAIW): Chapter 8: The Parables
(Page 1354-167)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. FEED 262 The Gospel of John & the Birth of
the Church (John to 2 Corinthians) on 19 Mar
and 16 Apr is now open. Kindly encourage
others to sign up.
2. AV Volunteers urgently needed for Mentoring
Thru NT: Please give your names to me if you
are available to help with set up.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
3. There will be a church wedding at 11 am during
Session 4 (16 Apr) in which a substantial number of
participants will be involved. In view of that we
propose:
1. Modifying the schedule slightly to:
1. 7:30 – 7:45 am Worship
2. 7:45 – 8:45 am Session 4A: Romans
3. 9:00 – 10:00 am Session 4B: 1 Corinthians
4. 10:00 – 11:00 am Session 4C: 2 Corinthians
5. 11:00 – 12:00 pm Discussion & Summary
(PLEASE FEEDBACK IF U HAVE OBJECTIONS
OR COUNTER PROPOSALS.)
2. Parking Lots: Please park at Canal Carpark if you
are not attending the wedding.