Featured Bible Study - The Gospel according to Matthew

Hello AustinC

Maybe is me that sees no problem in this because of my perspective, so let me share it with you and anyone else who would like to join the Bible Study.

This is an asynchronous media; it is not like a live tv show or radio show where you have a start/end timeframe for it.
I mean, whoever comes, can reply to whatever chapter he/she want to reply at any given date / time.

The study of the entire Bible will take around 3.5 years.
There are 66 books total including the Old and New Testaments, these 66 books contain 1,189 chapters in total so uploading 1 chapter every day for the next 3.5 years we will finish posting the entire Bible.

So, for me, this topic of the Study of the Gospel of Matthew, will remain open for debates, questions, answers, resource sharing, etc. for at least the next 3.5 years... or until this Forum is closed.

Feel you free as well as anyone else to send replies in the next weeks or years, if God gives us live and health we will be here sharing his word.

My commitment is to keep working on the Bible Studies, opening 1 topic per book of the Bible and uploading a daily chapter so we can continue sharing and growing.

God bless you!

J.S.

 

Hello Van, thank you for sharing!

1. The ideal will be to have a forum per-Book of the Bible, and a Topic per chapter to discuss about it; but this forum (Baptist Board) is organized this way so far, so I'm doing my best to accommodate the study.
If we open like 1 thread per chapter of the book, we will end up with 1,189 threads or topics in the forum, since the 66 books of the Bible has in total 1,189 chapters... it is not the best approach.

As I said in the message before this one, since a forum is an asynchronous media, the perspective we could use is that we can reply whenever we want to any chapter of the Book (Thread/Topic), we can even have finished it since Matthew has 28 chapters so it will take me 28 days to upload all the chapters, and keep sharing questions, answers, resources, etc.

I'm really new here, over time if the admins and moderators see this series of Bible Studies are good, they could analyze the ideal of having a Bible Study Forum, with a Forum per book and a thread/topic per chapter, but let's prove them we can at least finish this first book and if they see it fits with the purpose and direction they would like for this forum, then they might consider the idea.

Thank you, God bless you!

J.S.

 

Hello Van, thank you for sharing!

Yes, the cultural note about Matthew 1:1 says:
"The Greek term Christos and in Hebrew Meshiah means the same and is synonyms. Meaning: "anointed"

NOTE: After seeing the information from the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries I can see points a and b are true.
NASB and the Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World) also agree about point c.

About the name Jesus, let's see it in the Hebrew Dictionary:
H3442
Jeshua. The same name is also translated as Jesus.
It is associated with the verbal root ישׁע, "to save". See below יְ

NOTE: It is like in Passover, if you have the blood of the lamb on you, you are saved (Grace) if not, then God's justice will be applied to you.

Let me check the Hebrew Dictionary about the word Messiah:
H4899:
Anointed, Messiah:
1) Title given to the King of Israel (Sal 2:2).
2) Appellative given to King Cyrus (Isa 45:1).
3) Priest Label (Lev 4:3).
4) Messianic Title (Dan 9:26). — Const. מְשִׁיחַ; Suf. מְשִׁיחוֹ; Suf.pl. מְשִׁיחָי.

H7886:
Siloh.
Talmudic eisegesis sees in this name an allusion to the Messiah (Gén 49:10).
It is considered that it may be an acronym for the words of Ezekiel 21:32-27: אֲשֶׁר ( ש), לוֹ ( ל) y הַמִּשְׁפָּט, ( ה), "aquel a quien le pertenece el derecho".
This acronym is more in line with the variant שִׁלֹה appearing in many manuscripts mss. and also, in the Pent. Sam., but not in the TM.

Source: Biblical Hebrew Dictionary
Author: Moises Chavez
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World) / Baptist Publishing House


Let me check the Greek Dictionary about the word Christos:

Christos:

G5547 Χριστός, οῦ ὁ. Literal meaning Anointed = Messiah.,
Christ. A.T. מָשִׁיחַ, Sal 2:2. מִשְׁחָה, Lev 21:10. מָשַׁח, 2Cr 22:7.
Christ N.T. It is hard to know when to translate Messiah or Christ in the N.T. What follows is a suggestion.

A) In a Jewish context and where the grammar so indicates, perhaps Χριστος should be translated as Messiah:
Mat 2:4
Mat 16:16
Mat 16:20
Mat 22:42;
T.R.,
Mat 23:8
Mat 23:10
Mat 24:5
Mat 24:23
Mat 26:63
Mar 8:29
Mar 12:35
Mar 13:21
Mar 14:61
Luk 3:15
Luk 4:41
Luk 20:41
Luk 22:67
Luk 23:2
Luk 23:39
Luk 24:26
Luk 24:46
John 1:20
John 1:25
John 3:28
John 4:29;
T.R.,
John 4:42;
T.R.,
John 6:69
John 7:26-27
John 7:31
John 7:41-42
John 9:22
John 10:24
John 11:27
John 12:34
John 20:31;
T.R.,
Acts 2:30
Acts2:31
Acts2:36
Acts9:22
Acts17:3
Acts18:5
Acts18:28
Acts 26:23
Heb 3:14
Heb 9:28
1Pe 4:13
1Jn 2:22
1Jn 5:1.

B) maybe in context, Χριστός should be translated, Christ:
Mat 11:2
Mat 27:17
Mat 27:22
Jua 1:41
Jua 4:25;
T.R.,
Acts 5:42
Acts 8:5;
T.R.,
Acts 9:20;

Textus Receptus
Acts 9:34
Rom 9:3
Rom 9:51
Co 1:61
Co 1:131
Co 1:17;
T.R.,
1Co 3:11
1Co 9:12
1Co 10:4
1Co 10:16
2Co 2:12
2Co 4:4
Gál 1:7
Efe 2:5
Efe 3:17
Efe 5:14
Flp 1:15
Col 1:7
Col 2:17
2Ts 3:5
1Ti 5:11;
T.R.,
1Jn 5:6
2Jn 1:9
Rev 11:15
Rev 12:10
Rev 20:4.

C) When used as a personal name, Christ

1). Mat 1:1
Mat 1:18
Mar 1:1
John 1:17
John 17:3
Acts 2:38
Acts 3:6
Acts 4:10
Acts 8:12
Acts 9:34
Rom 1:4
Rom 1:6
Rom 1:8
Rom 3:22
Rom 5:15
1Co 2:2
Heb 10:10
Heb 13:8
Heb 13:21
Stg 1:1
Stg 2:1
1Pe 1:1-3
2Pe 1:11
Jn 1:31
Jn 2:11
Jn 3:23
2Jn 1:7
Jud 1:1
Rev 1:1-2
Rev 1:5.

2) Acts 24:24
Rom 3:24
Rom 6:3
Rom 6:11
Rom 8:1-2
1Co 1:2.

Source: Greek-Spanish Lexicon of the New Testament
Author: Alfred E. Tuggy
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World) / Baptist Publishing House

NOTE: As said before my resources are in Spanish, I'm translating the content to English, almost all my books are from Editorial Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World) / Baptist Publishing House; I'll be adding resources in English in the future.

 

Thank you, Brent W, for featuring this Bible Study!

 

Hello brothers and sisters, God bless you!
Before I continue with chapters 3 and 4 I'll send my comments about Chapter 2.

The first chapter of Matthew has an incredible introduction about our King Jesus Christ!

His generations, 14 because of David's name, putting him first as the son of David to present him as King; exalting women in his generations by naming them which was uncommon in the Jewish culture.
His virginal conception by the Holy Ghost and with Mary as his mother (a virgin woman)
Joseph's plan to don't do anything that could damage Mary even swallowing his pride, without a spirit of vengeance or false retribution.
Then there's God's intervention clarifying what is going on to Joseph and him accepting God's will and acting according to what he is told and not acting on his own thoughts.
Mathews clever narrative intervention explaining the fulfillment of God's word in Jesus Christ and Mary with the virginal conception.
And Matthew's last comment of this very first chapter who has kept us Cristian's debating for centuries, but that for me and many brothers and sister means just simply what is says in there: "And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son".

What a chapter! really amazing! a really high opening! it ends in high notes!

Now chapter 2, give us more context, a framework, an historic framework about these events.
First, it gives us a location: "Bethlehem of Judaea.
Then it gives us a time: "In the days of Herod the king"
Now we have more context about where and when all this is happening!

For this second act, Matthew introduces us to two different situations about the coming of our King to his world:

He starts with "the wise men from the east":
They were ready, scrutinizing
They had the knowledge
They saw the signals on heaven and understood them
They prepared themselves
They acted according to their knowledge; they followed the signals on heaven, they traveled a long distance, because they were well aware of the times, they were aware, they were not asleep, they move to go the King, the birth of the King didn't take them as a surprise, they knew, they were prepared, and when the time came, they went to encounter the King!


In contrast, we have the King's people, the Jews, the Wize Men from the East nocked on Herod door, their "king" asking about "the King of the Jews", they said: "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have sen his star in the east and are come to worship him".

The wise men where certain, there was no doubt in them, they didn't ask king Herod for more information, they didn't ask him if they had it right or maybe they misunderstood, they went to the current king, asking for the true King, they knew the King was born, they saw the star, the followed it all the way from east to Jerusalem, they went to the king most likely thinking all jews already knew what they know, they went to the king must likely thinking the jews were ready as well as them to go and worship the King!

But that wasn't the case of the Jews and his King!
His king and the Jews were not ready, wasn't scrutinizing, didn't have the knowledge, didn't saw the signals on heaven or understood them, didn't prepared himself, didn't acted because was without knowledge, he was not aware, he was asleep, the birth of the King took him as a surprise, he didn't know, he wasn't prepared and when the time came, he and the Jews didn't go to encounter the King!

Worse than that, their king wasn't a good man and plotted to get as much information from the wise men only to his advantage, he used lies and false words, he didn't want to worship the King! he wanted to kill him.
Since this very moment, we see Christ the Messiah is an enemy of the political establishment represented in the king of the Jews, Herod.

The King came to his people, and they didn't receive him! but he was received by these wise men from the east, they found the King, the worshiped the King, they presented their gift carried from far away and God guided them in dreams to go back to their country using another route and to don't go back to Herod.
This is God's second intervention in favor of Jesus Christ

Jews had the word of God
Jews came from the patriarchs
Jews were supposed to have understanding about the signals, the knowledge, but they were not ready, not aware, not prepared to receive his own King!

The wise men worshiped the King and presented gift while the king of the Jews, Herod, killed an unknown number of babies from his own people in his quest to kill the true King! See their acts? Can so see their fruits?

God's third intervention in favor of Jesus Christ
God sent a message to Joseph using an angel and he sent his son to Egypt to save his life.
There, Jesus was saved until the time when Herod was death and Joseph was ordered to come back to Israel.

Matthew's narration introduces also to other prophecies that were fulfilled during this second chapter:
1. That Jesus will be born in Bethlehem
2. The killing of the infants
3. The son of God will be called from Egypt
4. That he will be called "Nazarene" (this one is obscure).

I'll continue with chapter 3 tomorrow!

God bless you all!

J.S.

 

Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World)
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World)
Baptist Publishing House

Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 3

CULTURAL NOTES

3:1 John breaks God's "silence" of four hundred years, preaching from the barren desert east of the Dead Sea.
This was a place dominated by the Essenes, although there is no evidence that John belonged to this group.
The location of John's ministry site was further north where the Jordan flows into the Dead Sea.
At the time of Jesus, the Jews were waiting for a leader to come from the desert who would bring them the long-awaited deliverance.

3:4a John looked like Elijah (2 Kings 1:8) to identify with him and the prophecy of Malachi 4:5, 6, apart from communicating humility and austerity.
John dressed as a prophet (Zech. 13:4) and his message derives from Isaiah 40:3-5.
However, the appearance of a hermit was typical of ascetics who lived far from society.

3:4b John's diet was that of very poor people (Lev. 11:22). The honey that Juan used was wild, although most of it was raised by domestic bees.
Honey was normally obtained using smoke to drive away bees.
Honey was the only sweetener for food and was considered the most pleasant flavor of all.
The Essenes and other pious Jews followed diets like John's, to avoid unclean food (2 Maccabees 5:27).

3:6 Although the religious purification system predates John (Lev. 15:13), his baptism differs in substance (meaning) and form (method).
John's repentance was radical and for the kingdom, not for a sect or rites or for Jewish proselytism.
In addition, the form symbolized total change of life.
This is why Jesus said that John's baptism was from heaven (Matt. 21:25; Rom. 6:4).

HERMENEUTICAL NOTES

3:2 In the intertestamental period Jewish legalism was radically exacerbated.
The doctrine of election expressed in the old covenant was replaced by blind obedience to the law.
Legalism replaced grace.
John emphasizes that the Kingdom is at hand and that the sine qua non conditioning is repentance.
The word kingdom is mentioned more than fifty times in Matthew; the phrase kingdom of God only appears four times.

3:7 John's message is radical, confrontational, and harsh; in the style of Elijah (1 Kings 18:21).
He rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees as a generation of vipers.
The ancients thought that some kinds of vipers came out from inside their mothers, eating them by opening a hole to get out (Herodotus, Plutarch).
To be called a viper was pejorative in itself, but to be called the "son" of a viper was worse, since it implied being the murderer of his mother.

3:11 There are three types of baptism:
In water for repentance, as an external symbol of purification.
In the Holy Spirit, as the incorporation of believers into the body of Christ (John 3:3; 1 Cor. 12:13).
In fire it refers to the judgment on the unbelievers who will be separated, as the chaff is separated from the wheat.

3:13-15 The baptism of Jesus does not imply repentance because he was God made flesh, Immanuel; this explains John's opposition.
But it obeys three fundamental reasons:
It is an act of obedience, to fulfill all justice, due to its identification with sinners;
it is a strategy of supernatural testimony of the Triunity and
it is a pastoral example for all believers who must publicly identify themselves with the death and resurrection of the Lord (Gal. 2:20).

3:16, 17 The three persons of the Triunity are wonderfully present here.
The Father who testifies audibly authenticating Jesus as his eternal beloved Son.
The blessed Holy Spirit that manifests itself in a theophany on the body of Jesus, symbolizing the divine anointing.
The Christ of God, Jesus, who officially and publicly initiates his ministry as the redeemer of sinners, with whom he has just fully and historically identified himself in baptism.

ETHICAL ARTICLE
3:2 Neither Gospel in the NT is a "biography" of Jesus, technically speaking, although they do include aspects of Jesus' life.
They are tangential and specific perspectives on a theological aspect around the person, message and work of Jesus.
The Gospels are carefully selected accounts of the Lord's ministry.
A key to understanding and discerning the content of a NT book, and especially the narrative genre, is to determine the purpose of the book, and based on that purpose and original line of thought of the author, concatenate each passage of the book.
The train of thought in Matthew is that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and this implies repentance (metanoia); without change of mentality there is no kingdom.

 

Hello brothers and sisters, God bless you!
Before I continue with chapters 4 I'll send my comments about Chapter 3.

Chapter number 2 ended in a low note.
We have a plot to kill Jesus while she is just an infant.
This plot came from his very people, from the King of the Jews, the ones that were supposed to be aware of the times and signals and receive him and worship him as King!
Not everything is lost, God has preserved people from another country or maybe different countries that were vigilant about the times and signals, they recognized them and went to receive the true King! they worshiped him and offered presents of high symbolic and financial value.

Matthew continues giving us prophecies fulfilled by Jesus as a sign that he is the King! he is the Messiah!
Also, Matthew is always showing us how God himself is sending angels, delivering messages from heaven a protecting Jesus and his Father and Mother as a sign that he is the King! he is the Messiah!

There is already also blood spilled trying to kill Jesus, this is just the first direct attack on him, there will come more blood spilled by human and demonic powers while trying to destroy him and his ministry, before, during and after it.
This time, Infants were killed, blood was spilled, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, uncles, unties where screaming in pain for them.

The true King has to be exiled from his own people, from his own land and country to save his life.
The account doesn't say anything about the time in Egypt, there is just silence, deafening silence, nothing is said about that time.

If the parallel between Israel in Egypt and the time of Jesus as son of God is the same, we can speculate only it wasn't all that good as it wasn't good for the Jews while they were over that land. But this is just us trying to fill the deafening silence, nothing more.

But God knows the times, and we as humans are finite, so the bad King dies as any mortal and now the King is back, in his land with his people, waiting for his time to start his ministry, his mission!

Chapter 3 start showing us the Herald of the King! John the Baptist, his preaching is about the Kingdom of Heaven! saying "Repent ye: the kingdom of heaven is at hand".

He prepared his people for the coming of the King!
"Repent" (Jesus will do the same request)
"Bring forth fruits meet for repentance" (Jesus will do the same request)
"And think not to say whiting yourselves, we have Abraham to our father... God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" (Jesus will do the same affirmation)
"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire". (Jesus will say the same)
He told the truth to the Pharisee and Sadducees: "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Jesus will say this and more about them)
He baptized them with water for repentance. (His disciples did it and he ordered)
He announced the coming of the King! " (He announced many times he was the King!)
but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (He baptized in the Holy Ghost and Fire! as said by John the Baptist)
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Jesus while say the same)

The Baptism of Jesus
Jesus came to John to be baptized.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
We have the testimony of John the Baptist

"And Jesus answering said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
We have the testimony of Jesus

"He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him"
We have the testimony of the Holy Ghost

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
We have the testimony of God

We have the Mesiah, Christos!

 

KJV - Goslpel of Matthew - Chapter 4

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

 

Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World)
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World)
Baptist Publishing House

Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 4

CULTURAL NOTES

4:1 The temptation propitiated by the diabolos (adversary, slanderer) is intimately related to the messianism of Jesus.

The temptations were genuine, whether external and literal, or internal and mental.

The Holy Spirit, in this event, does not propitiate temptation but does allow it (James 1:13).

Christ was tempted in all the prospects of worldliness, according to 1 John 2:16: the desires of the flesh (vv. 2, 3); the desires of the eyes (vv. 8, 9); the pride of life (vv. 5, 6).

4:13 Capernaum was a coastal city on the trade route to the northern end of the Sea of Galilee, where many Greeks resided, and was Jesus' base of operations.

From John's account it is known that Jesus was rejected by the Jews in Jerusalem, the center of Judaism, so he goes north to take refuge in Nazareth and finally in Capernaum.

There he will find his first five disciples:

Andrew and Peter (Matt. 4:18);

James and John (Matt. 4:21) and

Matthew (Matt. 9:9).

4:24 Many Jews lived in Syria, and it is likely that they were.

The presence of multitudes seeking relief at the hot springs of Galilee (such as Hamat-Tiberias) testifies to the large number of those seeking healing in the first century. Medical writers - such as Aretaeus, second century AD. C.-, they thought that what we believe today to be epilepsy was the product of demonic activity, but Matthew clearly distinguishes the two things here.

TEXTUAL NOTES


4:3 The clause if you are could be translated, "since you are."

The devil never doubted the identity and mission of Jesus.

It was precisely because he understood her that he tempted him.


HERMENEUTICAL NOTES

4:4 All of Jesus' answers come from the book of Deuteronomy.

The most powerful weapon in the spiritual fight against the hosts of evil is Holy Scripture (Eph. 6:12, 17; Heb. 4:12).

The temptation of Jesus has a pastoral application for every believer: A sign of genuine conversion to Christ and of a life of consecration will be enduring the attacks of Satan.

4:12ss. The ministry of Jesus begins in Galilee, as the fulfillment of the OT prophecy of Isaiah 9:1, 2.

It is a ministry characterized by the three ministerial strategies of the kingdom: teaching, preaching and healing (Matt. 4:23). In subsequent chapters the evangelist Matthew will make a sequential narrative tracing these ministerial strategies of Jesus.

4:17 The theological content of Jesus' and John's messages are exactly the same (cf. 3:1; 4:17).

In this first speech in Matthew, Jesus begins by specifying the essence of his prophetic message that will permeate the entire NT.

Repentance is central and constant in the preaching of Jesus.

Without repentance there has been no manifestation of the kingdom, and that will be his final assignment (Luke 24:47).

ARTICLE - GOD'S KINDOM

The kingdom of God is the central theme of Matthew, and the central axis of the theology and message of Jesus.

It is also the very heart of the entire content of the Bible.

Matthew mostly uses kingdom of heaven so as not to use God's name, since the Jews took the third commandment literally.

The first and last purpose of Jesus was to establish his kingdom in human beings, through the redemption achieved at Calvary.

The word kingdom is understood as dominion, lordship and absolute government.

It is found over a hundred and fifty times in the NT, and in Matthew alone at least fifty times.

The concept of the kingdom of God was born in the Jewish religious worldview because of its messianic hope (2 Sam. 7:12, 13; Ps. 2; Isa. 2, 9, 11; Eze. 34:24; Dan. 7: 14; Zech 9:9) that Jesus fully fulfilled.

Jesus came to establish a historical kingdom of universal scope founded on sacrificial and redeeming love.

The kingdom of God is not exclusively spiritual, in fact there is not a single verse in the NT that teaches this.

The kingdom involves the spiritual dimension, of course, but it is more than that, since it involves the entire existence of the human being.

The kingdom is expressed in at least five ways in the Bible:

God's universal rule over the entire universe,

God's lordship over the nation of Israel,

God's upholding of the world,

God's rule over the church, and

the consummation of God's plans at the end of history.

The kingdom is the fundamental reality that moves the entire universe.

It is a divine dynamic reality in response to the prevailing reality of death in the world.

The Kingdom of God is the theme of the first and last sermon in Matthew (Matt. 4:17; 28:16ff.).

Jesus spoke of his kingdom as already established (Matt. 12:28), ongoing (Mark 4:28), and consummated in the future (Matt. 16:27).

To be a citizen of the kingdom one must freely and voluntarily accept the absolute authority of the King, through birth from above (John 3:3).



MISSIOLOGICAL ARTICLE

4:23 Matthew emphasizes several times that Jesus preached, taught, and healed (4:23; 9:35; 11:1).

He records at least twenty miracles out of the thirty-six recorded in the Gospels, of which four are Matthew's own, five great speeches by Jesus, and five narratives, showing Jesus as a great miracle worker, wonderful teacher, and eloquent prophet.

Jesus cultivated the minds of his listeners, healed their bodies, but above all, proclaimed eternal life to people dead in sin.

Those strategies are a model for the church in order to execute its integral mission in the world, focusing on: Evangelization, teaching of the doctrine and works of mercy.

 

Thank you brother!

 

Hello brothers and sisters, God bless you!
Before I continue with chapters 5 I'll send my comments about Chapter 4.

Chapter 3 ended in a high now with the baptism of Jesus and the testimony of God the father, the son the holy Ghost and John
The Herald of the Kind started announcing the Kingdom of Heaven and the coming of the Messiah, and it ended with the Messiah baptized by John.

In this act of chapter 4, we have 2 scenes:

The temptation of Jesus

It is important to notice that is the Spirit that moves Jesus to the desert to be tempted.
Like with Job, Satan can't do anything if God doesn't allow it first.

Desires of the flesh (vv. 2, 3);
Hunger:
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Desires of the eyes (vv. 8, 9);
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Pride of life (vv. 5, 6).
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

As followers of Jesus, Satan will also tempt us in a similar way:

• Desires of OUR flesh
• Desires of OUR eyes
• Pride of OUR life

Matther gave us the answer about how to resist temptation (Mat 4:3-10):

• Read the Bible: So, you can quote scripture and follow wisdom
• Worship God: So, you are not blinded by this world and understand we aren't citizens of this place but of heaven!
• Acknowledge God sovereign and greatness: So, you surrender yourself and are filled by God instead of you (pride can affect you in this case)!

Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee

Why Galilee?
Verse 12 said: "12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;"
The Herald of the King was captured, his preaching is similar to the preaching of Jesus so "he departed into Galilee"
We know about this because verse 17 says: "17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." which basically is the same said by John on Matthew 3:1-2 "1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand".

Besides this inmediate context, Matthew let us know about another fulfilled prophecy:
"14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."

The message of the kingdom of heaven was reject since the very beginning.

-- Jesus calls the first disciples
Simon(1) (Peter) and his brother Andrew(2): verse 18
James(3) and John(4) (sons of Zebedee)

These are the first 4 disciples of Jesus, selected by him, galilees, all of them fishermen and 2 pair of brothers.

-- Jesus preaches in Galilee
We are told the following:
Jesus went to all Galilee teaching and healing.
Teaching: He used to teach in their synagogues
Healing: He used to heal all manner of sickness and disease
Followers: Great multitudes followed him
Fame: He was known in all Syria, he was followed by people from: "Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan."

 

KJV - Goslpel of Matthew - Chapter 5

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

 

Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World)
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World)
Baptist Publishing House

Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 5

CULTURAL NOTES

5:1 The mount may refer to the natural amphitheater between Tell Hum and Et-Tabgha, the so-called Horns of Hattin on the slope that rises from the city of Capernaum.
This location seems to agree with Luke's description of a plain (Luke 6:17-19), viewed from the west side as Luke probably did. The sermon could have been addressed to all the true disciples (Matt. 5:1), as well as to a crowd that also indirectly heard it (Matt. 7:28).

5:43 Lev. 19:18 (second commandment) summarizes the spirit of the law, and is the most quoted in the NT.
But the rabbis adulterated the text, adding the phrase and you will hate your enemy who does not exist. With this, they were circumscribing the neighbor as someone of his liking or class.
Like the Pharisees who only considered another Pharisee as a neighbor and despised the Gentiles, publicans and Samaritans.
The citizens of the kingdom love the “next one”, whoever they are.

ETHICAL ARTICLE

5:1 Matthew is a book of legislation.
In fact, it has been rightly regarded as the NT “Pentateuch,” the NT law book.
That is, the equivalent of the five books of Moses in the OT, is Matthew in the NT.
At the same time, Matthew seeks to demonstrate the messianic authenticity of Jesus to the Jewish community, to illustrate the true meaning or ethical spirit of the Old Testament legislation.
The Sermon on the Mount is recorded by him alone, and in this extensive passage the Lord Jesus expresses in a didactic and profoundly pastoral way the true ethics of the kingdom of God.

HERMENEUTICAL NOTES

5:3-11 The first four beatitudes (makarion, happy, blessed, fortunate) describe the ideal orthodoxy of kingdom citizens, the other five highlight the resulting orthopraxis.
In general, they emphasize the being over the doing of the disciple, so that the experience of it is connatural for those who have experienced the saving grace of God.
They break all human logic, to impose that of God.
They describe both the demands and the offers of the kingdom of God.

5:13-16 The ethic of the kingdom lies in the transformation that the Lord works from the inside out.
The added value consists in the philosophy of life that the disciple acquires: Do not focus on the circumstances of life, but on God's perspective.
In this context he is placed in the world as a reference of values (salt) such as integrity, justice and mercy; at the time of being a referent of the message of salvation to proclaim the right path (light).

5:17, 18 Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament revelation (Law and the Prophets) by his:

1. full obedience,
2. submission in assuming the transgression for sinners,
3. messianic authority superior to the law,
4. demonstration of the errors of rabbinical and pharisaic interpretation,
5. observance of the justice demanded by the law,
6. fulfillment of the messianic prophecies and
7. by its application of the true justice of the kingdom in its own redemptive mission.
8. Finally, because he himself is the justice of the kingdom.

5:22a Foolish (raca) is a strong insult of contempt for people.
Fatuous translates the Greek word more, which in turn is a transliteration of the Hebrew moreh, rebellious and obstinate. Jesus specifies that what the law prohibits is the internal attitude (intention that only God sees and judges) before the fact itself (action that can be judged by man). The kingdom always protects the dignity of the person.

5:22b Hell (gehenna) here is a reference to the Valley of Hinnom, southwest of Jerusalem.
Ahaz and Manasseh in their reigns allowed human sacrifices (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6) for which the site was called the Valley of the Slaughter (Jer. 19:6).
In the time of Jesus it was a garbage dump where the fire burned permanently (because they threw sulfur on the rubble), thus becoming a symbol for eternal damnation.

5:27-32 The clause whoever…or whoever…includes both males and females, married or single.
It addresses men for a cultural and linguistic reason, but morally implicates both genders.
Jesus condemns sexual immorality as adultery (moixeuthenai).
Porneía (Matt. 5:32) can technically refer to voluntary sexual contact, unchastity, prostitution, pornography; that is, all kinds of sexual immorality.

5:48 Be… perfect is the mixture of a future verb esesthe and the expected situation (teleioi ).
Perfection or maturity is progressive and will be fully achieved when believers are glorified.
Daily life should show maturity and purpose oriented towards the highest degree of obedience.
This is the meaning of the phrase, since justice is granted by grace in Christ, not by human merit. God, who is perfect, cannot lower his standard of perfection (Lev. 19:2).

 

KJV - Goslpel of Matthew - Chapter 6

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World)
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World)
Baptist Publishing House

Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 6

HERMENEUTICAL NOTES

6:1 This verse introduces the examples of private piety discussed in 6:2-16.
Prayer, fasting, and charity to the poor were the basic components of Jewish Pietism (Tobit 12:8).
Many rabbis listed qualities in groups of three.
In contrast to the works of mercy that the Jews did, neither the Greeks nor the Romans supported this help made in a personal capacity; when they did make generous contributions, it was usually for political and egotistical purposes.

6:9-12 Luke has an abbreviated form of the Our Father.
Apparently it is a community prayer, due to the plural use in the first person.
It has two parts, one referring to God and the other to man.
The first relative to the glory of God that has three petitions: to sanctify his name; consummation of his kingdom and the fulfillment of his will.
The second is related to three specific personal requests of the disciples: provision, forgiveness and protection.

CULTURAL NOTES

6:2 The word hypocrite (hipocrites) has its origin in the Greek theater, and describes the actors who represented characters using a mask, leaving their true face "under" it.
For the Greeks it was not something bad in itself, on the contrary, a hypocrite was an eloquent person and admired as a great actor. They even used the word to name their children. Over time it gained a moral dimension.
In the NT it describes a person who deceives himself.

6:7 The phrase vain repetitions as the gentiles alludes to the practice of pagan or gentile peoples of mentioning, in their prayers, all the names of their different deities in order to avoid the possibility of forgetting any that should be mentioned.

So, on the other hand, to make sure you don't miss out on any "blessings" because of it.

6:9 ss. The Jews generally addressed God as "our heavenly Father" when they prayed.

A classic Jewish prayer of that time proclaimed: "Exalted and hallowed be his... his name... his and his kingdom come quickly and quickly."

Although the rabbinical teaching considered sins as debts before God, they did not contemplate them in their prayers.

That was the added value in the prayer that Jesus taught.


TEXTUAL NOTES

6:4, 6, 18 The phrase "in public" may have been augmented to create a parallel with the phrase in secret.
However, the phrase "in public" is against what Jesus intends to teach: Things must be done before God, that is, in private, and it is in private that one can be rewarded.

6:13 The words for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen are recorded in various forms and places in different manuscripts.
However, their absence in the best manuscripts is evidence that the words were added later (perhaps based on 1 Chron. 29:11-13) to adapt the prayer to the liturgy of the early Christian church.

6:24 The word riches comes from an Aramaic term mammon which literally means "that which is stored up" (referring to possessions).
From there it came to have the meaning of riches or abundance, to the point of being considered a pagan deity, mammon the god of wealth, which is a personification of the god of money.
It can refer to anything in which full trust is placed, since it means that in which one trusts.

6:27 Literally the text says "to add one cubit to his stature."
The "cubit" was a unit of measurement from the inside of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger.
"Stature" can here mean "age"; that is, “life span” or “height”.
Conceptually, the “age” option is preferable, because worries cannot add height or stature to a person, but on the other hand, they can shorten their life due to suffering.

ARTICLE - The Our Father as a prayer
More than a prayer to be repeated mechanically and thoughtlessly, the Our Father is a model prayer that embodies the theology of prayer, and synthesizes the cosmic and dynamic reality of the kingdom of God.
It marks a balance between the transcendent (the kingdom of God) and the immanent (daily bread); the protection of the Father and the reality of the tempter; the perfect will of heaven and earthly stewardship; the grace of divine forgiveness and the reality of human conflict; the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man.
Regarding God, three fundamental aspects are emphasized, after marking the cosmic jurisdiction of God, who is in heaven: That the name of God be sanctified, which is equivalent to saying his person.
May his kingdom be consummated, because it has been started, it is in progress, but we long for the final consummation.
May his will be executed on earth, in the same way as it is done in heaven, that is, perfectly.
As for man, two substantial requests stand out, one that feeds the body (Matt. 6:11) and the other that feeds the spirit (Matt. 6:12), thus:
That the material provision of God that by grace and need is already ours, be it daily like the manna of the OT. May forgiveness flow generously from the heart of God, through us to reach our neighbor.
Finally, Jesus was not naive and highlighted two requests regarding the kingdom of evil (Matt. 6:13): May God not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can resist (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13).
May God free us from the cruel tricks of evil and the evil one, because although God is our Father and the kingdom is our flag, it is no less true that the devil is our staunch enemy.


MOUNT OF THE BEATITUDES