After a short break for Christmas, we are returning to our exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Some review of the ground so far covered (Mat.1:1-7:29) is in order. Though it may be unwise to ascribe a purpose to the former tax collector’s work, certainly among the purposes and perhaps his chief one was to present Jesus as the King. Not just any king, Matthew was demonstrating that Jesus is the promised Son of David – the Messiah – Who rules/will rule the world.
Jesus has the right genealogy to be King (1:1-17); He has the right birth – the virgin birth – to be King (1:18-25); He has the right birthplace and hometown to be King (2:1-23). His predicted forerunner John the Baptist prepared the way for a King (3:1-12). At His baptism God’s voice came from heaven claiming Him to be His Son (3:13-17). Jesus demonstrated the moral qualifications to be the Messiah/King in that He remained faithful and sinless when tempted by the devil (4:1-11). He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, and His very presence signaled the drawing near of the kingdom of heaven over which He is King (4:12-17). Jesus called disciples (4:18-22), and went about preaching the good news of the kingdom while healing all kinds of diseases and afflictions (4:23-25). These miraculous works demonstrated Jesus to be the King in that He was able to bring about the conditions that will be experienced in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus also demonstrated a Kingly or Messianic authority in His teaching (5:1-7:29). After delivering the sermon on the mount, “people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
When Jesus came down from the mount where He had delivered the sermon, He continued His healing ministry (8:1-4). There will be no lepers in the kingdom of God! The King has come, and He will come again! May we all be ready!