1502 | Matthew
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Herod the Great’ s reign( c. 37 – 4 BC) Jesus’ birth( c. 6 / 5 BC) Jesus’ flight to Egypt( c. 5 / 4 BC) |
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Beginning of John the Baptist’ s ministry( c. AD 26) |
Beginning of Jesus’ ministry( c. AD 26) |
Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension( c. AD 30) |
Paul’ s conversion( c. AD 35) |
Book of Matthew written( c. AD 60 – 70) |
Key Verses
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said:“ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth...”
—Matthew 5:1 – 5 is because we have been infected with a pervasive force that has radically impaired our ability to let our lights of goodness shine. We all feel this force and perhaps wish it weren’ t true. Matthew says we choose to identify with the Messiah because when it comes right down to it, we have no other choice.“ Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”( Mt 18:3).
Third, we rely less on God than we should. Because we are tempted not to choose first of all to identify with the Messiah and let our characters emerge as a result of that choice rather than vice versa, we decide to do a little remedial work to make ourselves a little more acceptable to God before we submit. When we make that choice, however, we make it impossible to rely on God as we should: that is, completely.
The Sermon on the Mount is an impossible ideal if read as an ethical treatise to which we need to measure up. It is a wonderful description of what we can become if we identify ourselves with Christ and allow his love to express itself through us. Read that way, it is a glorious promise of what we are and what we will become: the hope of Christian living that Matthew saw so clearly.
TAKING THE NEXT STEPS
This account of the life of Jesus has been attributed to Matthew, one of the disciples of Jesus. Matthew seemed to have primarily a Jewish audience in mind, for he presented Jesus as the promised Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies, sacrifices, commands, and teachings of the Old Testament. He portrayed Jesus as the Son of God who showed throughout his life that he had divine authority that was acknowledged by both humans and angels. Matthew carefully outlined for those who professed to be Christ’ s followers the instructions that Jesus gave on true discipleship and on proper pastoral care in the church. And he reminded his readers that Jesus was the Savior of all nations, who had sent his followers on a worldwide mission with the message of the gospel.
Several important messages stand out in this Gospel.( 1) We can be sure that God’ s Word is true, for the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah came true in Jesus.( 2) Jesus wants us to acknowledge him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, and to follow his instructions for our daily lives.( 3) The Sermon on the Mount is one of the best summaries on how to serve God and love our fellow
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