Gospel of Matthew: Introduction – Christ’s 5 Discourses.
length: 57:41 - taught on Oct, 24 2023
Class Outline:
Tuesday October 24, 2023
There are several ways that scholars have done good work in organizing the structure of the Gospel of Matthew.
It is important for us to have a correct structure in mind (there are only a few possible) in order to interpret all its parts properly.
Last time we saw the position of chiasm, which is supported by strong evidence in the gospel.
Today we look at the five discourses of Christ that Matthew presents. This was noticed long ago. There are five places in this Gospel where a rather long discourse is completed by the formula, “When Jesus had finished these words.”
5 discourses:
Each have the formula, “And when Jesus had come to an end of these sayings…” (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).
Sermon on the Mount discourse (5-7).
Mission discourse (10).
Parable discourse (13).
Greatest in the kingdom discourse (18).
Olivet discourse (24-25).
Members’ quality, outreach, situation, love, alertness.
The longest discourse is Mat 5-7. What are the disciples of the kingdom like? They are like Him in virtue, goodness, and love.
The mission discourse in Mat 10. The missionaries, all of our witness as confessing Christ to the world, are going to have plenty of trouble.
The parable discourse in Mat 13 (Mark 4). The members of the kingdom are not going to live in their kingdom. The kingdom is postponed and the heirs of the kingdom are going to live the life of Christ in a world of sin, evil, and chaos.
The discourse of love is the greatest in the kingdom (Mat 18). Who is the greatest of the heirs of the kingdom? The humble servants who love and minister to others and forgive them of all things.
The Olivet discourse (24-25). While the heirs of the kingdom are here (not the kingdom) they are to be busy with the Lord’s commandments and also to be alert and watching.
Each discourse is surrounded by narratives that portray a situation (s) in which the teaching is relevant.
The narrations that surround each one
Mat 5-7:
Sermon discourse:
Before: The ministry of Christ begins in Galilee.
After: The healed leper would be His evangelist in Jerusalem.
A Gentile has the most faith in Israel.
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Mat 10: Missions - all of us as ambassadors for Christ.
Before: Some have excuses.
After: John was the greatest prophet.
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." 20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 21 Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" 26 He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs.
And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him.
Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."
After: The messengers were sent but they did not hear them.
"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, 17 and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' 18 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' 19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."
Mat 13: Parables of a mystery kingdom.
Before: Rejection of His family.
After: Jesus goes to Gentiles.
Mat 18 - love for others
Before: Who is the greatest?
After: Marriage is for life.
Before: MAT 18:1, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat 24-25 - Olivet
Before: Parables of the kingdom taken.
After: Lord’s Supper replaces Passover.
Before: parable of the two sons. Parable of the vineyard owner. Parable of the wedding feast - all speak of the kingdom being taken from that generation of Israel.
Are you motivated and excited about the life that God has given you and the program that God has put your life in?
If you are not just yet, stick with our journey through Matthew.
Connect
Subscribe to our mailing list |
Grace and Truth Ministries 1900 Hines S.E. Salem, Oregon 97302 |
 |
letters@cgtruth.org |
|
© Grace and Truth Ministries All Rights Reserved. |