Gospel of Matthew, which is to occupy us during the present month, is usually called "the Gospel of the Kingdom." It is distinctively Jewish, in its connections with the Old Testament and the entire mold in which it is cast. So much is this the case, that there was an early tradition in the Church, that the gospel was originally written in the Hebrew tongue, and that the Greek gospel was a translation. Of this, however, there is not the slightest proof. Indeed, it would be contrary to the manifest spirit of the entire New Testament for any portion of it to have been written in any other than the Gentile or world-wide language. While everything is looked at in its Jewish connections, there are distinct indications, as we shall see, of the rejection by His people, of our Lord, and the consequent extension of His kingdom to the world.
Div. 1:(Chaps, i, ii). The connection with the Old Testament is strikingly seen in the opening of the New. The genealogy of our Lord is given from David and Abraham. As the Son of David, He was the Messiah, King of Israel. The Son of Abraham marks Him as not only Kinsman of all the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, but suggests also that wider relationship to all who have the faith of Abraham, " though they be not circumcised."
Thus, at the very beginning of the gospel, we have provision made for those who are outside the pale of Judaism.
The genealogy is traced downward, from Abraham ; the earthly source being given first. This is reversed in the Gospel of Luke, where our Lord as Son of Man is presented, there His genealogy is traced upward to its source not in Abraham, but in Adam, indeed in God.
Much most profitable instruction can be gleaned from this genealogy. It is evidently divided carefully into three periods of fourteen generations each. Thus we have the beginning, from Abraham to David. Then the period of kings from David to the captivity; and lastly, from the restoration to the birth of our Lord. We have thus, suggested by the numbers, the full and perfect testimony of God as to what man is until Christ.
It is very significant that only four females are mentioned in this genealogy, each of whom would have been omitted had human thoughts guided, and the presence of each would have marred, according to legalism, the title to blessing in Israel. Our blessed Lord thus associated Himself in that which had forfeited a blessing, in order that He might bring it in, in its fulness.
The remainder of this portion shows us the divine care and solicitude on the part of God for safeguarding this wondrous Babe, whose name, "Jesus," spoke of salvation, while the title " Immanuel," quoted from the prophet Isaiah, reminds us of His divine dignity. We have a foreshadowing of the Gentiles coming to Christ, in the visit of the wise men; and, in Herod's malignity, an indication of the cross which awaited our Lord from His infancy onward. The flight into Egypt connects, in a most interesting way, our blessed Lord individually with Israel's past history. In fact, His return to the land of Palestine is given as the fulfilment of the prophecy in Hosea:" Out of Egypt have I called My Son."
Div. 2. (Chaps, 3:-7:) This portion gives us the preliminary account of our Lord's public ministry, and contains what we might call the announcement and unfolding of the principles of the kingdom of which He was King.
Chap. 3:shows us the forerunner preaching repentance, and our Lord coming in baptism to associate Himself with the penitent remnant of His people, called in the sixteenth psalm, the excellent of the earth in whom is all His delight. God looks down, well pleased, upon this wondrous scene, His spotless Son identifying Himself with the people who had just confessed their sin, and for them going down, in anticipation, into the waters of death. No wonder that heaven can keep silence no longer! The voice from the excellent glory declares Him, His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased.
Chap. 4:shows us our Lord in the wilderness, in striking contrast to the first Adam in the garden. Here, with no provision whatever for His needs as Man, our blessed Lord meets the tempter and overcomes him. The threefold temptation of Satan manifests fully the perfection of One in whom the prince of this world found nothing to respond to his allurements.
Our Lord passes from this scene, in the closing part of Chap. 4:, to His more direct work of preaching and healing. Multitudes are attracted to Him. He begins to call disciples to follow Him, and His fame spreads abroad.
The three following chapters give us that wonderful unfolding of divine truth :" The sermon on the mount." This is, in one sense, not a contradiction of the law, but an enforcement of it in its deeper, spiritual reality. He, first of all, shows who are the truly blessed, in striking contrast with the thoughts of the Scribes and Pharisees. Lowliness and holiness and suffering for righteousness' sake are what characterizes those who are " the salt of the earth," preserving it from corruption, and "the light of the world," reflecting that which has already shone into their hearts.
He then goes on to say that His ministry simply establishes the law, enforces its holiness in a far deeper way than they had imagined, and removes that which was of purely a temporary character and a provision for the hardness of their heart. Thus He says, for instance, that murder is hatred manifest; that the heart may be guilty of a sin for which there has been no opportunity in the outward life. On the other hand, He forbids, as One greater than the law, all oaths, as being impossible of
fulfilment in those who had made them. The law of retaliation is displaced by the spirit of grace, in imitation of their Father in heaven.
Chap. 6:speaks of what practical righteousness should be, whether in the giving of alms, prayer or fasting. Here, reality, as contrasted with the prevailing formalism, is the thought. They are reminded that if they are to serve God, it is to be with singleness of heart, laying up treasure in heaven, and not attempting to serve two masters. They need not fear that they will be neglected. The lilies and the fowls are witnesses of the unfailing care of One whom He teaches them to call "Father."
The seventh chapter warns against the judging of others in a self-righteous way, and the confounding of holy and unholy. He encourages them in prayer and in love; warns them as to the broad way and false prophets, and closes with the solemn contrast between doers and hearers of His words.
Div. 3. (Chaps, 8:-12:) If the sermon on the mount gives us the words of the King, this portion in like manner gives us His works. Many cases of healing are grouped together here. The great thought throughout is grace reaching the needy. Thus, we have in chap. 8:the cleansing of the leper, the faith of the centurion, the healing of Peter's wife's mother, and the casting out of demons. The closing part of the chapter narrates the calming of the storm, and the casting out of the demons from the demoniacs in the land of the Gergesenes.
Chap. 9:continues this blessed service of mercy. The sick of the palsy is not only healed, but forgiven:the one the proof of the other. Then the Lord shows what manner of men are attracted to Him. Matthew, the publican, gives Him the feast to which other publicans and sinners are invited. Many other miracles conclude this chapter.
In chap. 10:He sends forth His disciples as His messengers, giving them instruction which reaches on to the time of the end.
In chap. 11:the opposition begins to come out clearly, as it ever will where grace is presented. The men of this generation have heart neither for John's faithful testimony as to their sins, nor our Lord's gracious provision for their salvation. But, while things are hidden from the wise and prudent, they are, in the sovereign grace of God, revealed unto babes, and in this our Lord rejoices. He closes with those wondrous words of invitation to all who are weary and heavy-laden, words which have brought peace to countless thousands.
In chap. 12:the opposition culminates. Taking occasion of a legal technicality, the Jews accuse Him of violating the Sabbath, and from that go on to plot against Him, accusing Him also of association with Satan in His work of casting out demons. Our blessed Lord not only shows the impossibility of Satan being divided against himself, but warns them of the awful blasphemy contained in such a charge:a blasphemy which, if meant, betokens such hardness of heart, such resistance of the Holy Ghost, that there is no forgiveness for it. This explains clearly what is meant by the "sin against the Holy Ghost," which has so often been a terror to the weak and those unestablished in the full gospel of the grace of God. The sin is wilful and with open eyes, ascribing to Satan those miracles of power which were really an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit. It was, in other words, calling the Holy Spirit, Satan, and meaning it. It was peculiarly a sin to which the leaders in Israel, who had the privilege and opportunity of seeing our blessed Lord, were specially liable. It is not meant by this to lessen our abhorrence of any form of sin, but to relieve anxious souls from the thought that they are in danger of having committed this unpardonable sin.
Div. 4. (Chaps, 13:-20:28.) Our Lord's rejection by the leaders of the people makes a change in the character of His ministry, which is indicated in what follows. It is still the Kingdom of Heaven, but now there is such evidence that the King will be rejected by His earthly people, that our Lord unfolds the character of that Kingdom as it will be in its mystery form, that is, during the period of His rejection. He is absent, but His Kingdom is here upon earth, left to the responsible hands of men, who, as the seven parables of the Kingdom indicate, are more or less faithful in their responsibilities.
Chap. 14:gives a glimpse of Herod's court and all the lawlessness there allowed, type of the enmity of the nation of Israel. Our Lord withdraws, and in His place of distance, feeds the 5,000, suggestive of blessing to the Gentiles. The storm is calmed; His people preserved from every danger through which they may be called to pass.
Chap. 15:places side by side the self-righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, with the faith of the needy one that lays hold upon Him. Again we have abounding grace providing for the hungry at the close of this chapter.
Chap. 16:shows us our Lord still in rejection and outside the land, where Peter's confession of Him as "the Christ, the Son of the living God," is recognized as declaring Himself the true foundation of that Church which He is to build. From this time He begins to declare His rejection and crucifixion.
Chap. 17:gives us a foretaste of the glory, in His transfiguration.
Chaps, 18:-20:enlarge upon the varied responsibilities of those who are to be associated with Himself.
Div. 5. (Chaps, 20:29.-23:) We have in this part our Lord's entry into Jerusalem and His final presentation to the nation, giving them one more opportunity of accepting Him or of finally rejecting Him. They come to Him with their various questions, but every thing points to the fact that, though their lips are sealed, and they are left without excuse, they are determined not to accept Him. In a series of solemn parables, our blessed Lord shows their guilt, their disobedience, and their final rejection of Himself. He also shows how they are depriving themselves of the blessings of the marriage of the King's Son by their selfish clinging to this present world.
No matter how they may differ with one another, His enemies are agreed in one thing at least, their opposition to Him.
Chap. 23:closes these interviews with the solemn and awful denunciation on the part of our Lord, of the leaders of the people, blind guides, leading the blind. The close of this marvelous chapter is the outpouring of the tenderest heart that ever throbbed upon this earth.
Div. 6. (Chaps, 24:, 25:) This is the great prophetic portion of this Gospel, our Lord's final discourse to His disciples. Everything points forward here to His coming again to set up His kingdom. We have this viewed in relation to the Jews (chaps, 24:1-44); to the Church, or rather including the present or Church epoch and reaching on probably to the final kingdom (chaps, 24:45-25:30); and finally, chap. 25:31-46 dwells upon our Lord's relation to the Gentiles, His coming in glory, setting up His kingdom, and the judgment of the nations.
Div. 7. (Chaps, 26:-28:) This portion narrates the betrayal of our Lord by Judas, His denial by Peter, His trial before the priests and before Pilate, His rejection and condemnation, His crucifixion, where He was forsaken of God as the Trespass-offering, and His glorious resurrection. There is no account of the ascension in this Gospel, everything being viewed from the standpoint of earth and His kingdom here. He meets His disciples in beloved Galilee, and there, assuring them of His omnipotence and His presence ever with them, gives them the great commission of preaching the gospel to every creature and making disciples of all.