How does a person start a book? Perhaps a book the writer may think is one of the most important books a person could ever read, a book about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That was the job the writer had in writing the Gospel according to Matthew.
Many questions come to mind when reading Matthew. What are the themes or subject matter that reoccurs in the book? Why is Matthew so hard on the leaders of the Temple? Why was the Savior of the world baptized? The answer to these questions points and many others leads to why Matthew was written. Knowing the why, helps us understand the Gospel better.
Then, have you ever thought about why Matthew was put as the beginning of the New Testament. It was not written until a number of years after the Gospel of Mark and perhaps Luke, why was Mark not placed first. Certainly, the purpose of Matthew is go give information about Jesus and His ministry, but to whom? Was it for us today or more specifically people of the time of Jesus?
Most Bible Studies, proceed with reading the first chapter and ends with the last chapter and a summary. This Bible study will focus on the various subject matters the author wrote and how those passages are compared between the Gospels.
In this series of study of Matthew’s Gospel, the Subject matter (themes) of Matthew to be covered are:
1- How Matthew improved or changed the writings from Mark. This will compare Matthew's wording of statements from Jesus differed from Mark on the same statement. This begins to provide clues as to why Matthew was written the way it was.
2- Matthew is a teaching gospel. Today's scholars believe there was a source called "Quelle" which is German for 'source'; it was a book of Jesus' sayings. It is believed that from this book Luke and Matthew took many of Jesus' teachings. The question is what was their purpose to include these writings such as the “Beatitudes” and the Sermon on the Mount.
3- What difference would it make to you if the apostle Matthew was not the actual writer of this Gospel. Perhaps he just dictated to scribes what Jesus did. Perhaps someone not mentioned in the Bible very close to Jesus wrote the Gospel. How does when Matthew was affect the purpose of this Gospel and the verses included.
4- How does the order of events and writings express and provides us clues as to why Matthew was written.
5- As I present further study of Matthew and the current events of the first Christian century we will see how the events of the day affected Matthew's writings. Why are the Sadducees of Jesus' time not mentioned but seven times. In Matthew, the most important enemy is the 'scribes and Pharisees' and mentioned 28 times; why is Matthew so focused on this group. Could it be because of the time in which the Gospel was written?
Before this Bible study is completed, you will see and understand many other things. It is my hope to make the Gospel of Matthew become one of your favorite Gospels. In Matthew, we find a wealth of information that will lead us to greater faith.
I encourage you in the next days and weeks to read the Gospel of Matthew. Then as the Bible Study continues, read it again. I have read Matthew at least 15+ times. As I reread, I find more 'new' ideas that I never noticed in previous readings. That is why we call the Gospels the "Inspired Word of God", we cannot know it all, and we cannot have total understanding reading only one time. The contents of Matthew is as a Gold mine with ideas and teachings leading us to find nuggets of understanding our Savior. It is a journey to greater faith!.
To God be the Glory.
Please pray for me as I prepare this Bible Study.
No comments:
Post a Comment