1502 | Matthew
10 BC AD 1 10 |
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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
UNCORRECTED PROOF