The Chapters – Quick Access
Basics
BOOK: Matthew
Description: 1st of the three Synoptic (same or similar) Gospels
Author: Matthew, a tax collector, one of the twelve (please see on authorship below)
Date written: Opinions vary but probably somewhere between 56-58AD
Chapters: 28
Accuracy of dating, authorship etc.
Depending on which scholar you read, when they wrote, and so on, dates and opinions about authors will vary because the truth is that we do not know these things definitely. Therefore, hold the dates lightly although they will probably only vary a few years one way or another. As far as authorship is concerned, we have tended to go along with ancient tradition, what the Early Church Fathers (senior leaders in the centuries following Christ) said. For more details on each of these Gospels, please go to the INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPELS page.
Brief Synopsis
• The genealogy of Jesus (through Joseph), his birth and time in Egypt, the preparation for his ministry and then the three years of ministry leading up to his death and resurrection.
• Matthew’s Gospel appears to appeal particularly to the Jewish audience (see Introductory page)
Outline
Ch.1-2 The Birth and Early Years of Jesus
- 1:1-17 His Genealogy
- 12:18-2:12 His Birth
- 2:13-23 His time in Egypt
3:1 – 4:11 The Preparations for Jesus’ Ministry
- 3:1-12 His Forerunner
- 3:13-17 His Baptism
- 4:1-11 His Temptation
4:12 – 14:12 Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee
- 4:12-25 The Beginning in Galilee
- Ch.5-7 The Sermon on the Mount
- Ch.8-9 A Collection of Miracles
- Ch.10 The Commissioning of the 12 Apostles
- Ch.11-12 Ministry throughout Galilee
- Ch.13 Parables of the Kingdom
- 14:1-12 Herod’s Response to Jesus’ Ministry
14:13 – 17:20 Jesus’ Withdrawals from Galilee
- 14:13-15:20 To the Eastern Shore of the Sea of Galilee
- 15:21-28 To Phoenicia
- 15:29-16:12 To the Decapolis
- 16:13-17:20 To Caesarea Philippi
17:22 – 18:35 Jesus’ Last Ministry in Galilee
- 17:22-23 Prediction of Jesus’ Death
- 17:24-27 Temple Tax
- Ch.18 Discourse on Life in the Kingdom
19:1- 20:34 Jesus’ Ministry in Judea and Perea
- 19:1-12 Teaching concerning Divorce
- 19:13-15 Teaching concerning Little Children
- 19:16-30 The Rich Young Man
- 20:1-16 The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
- 20:17-19 Prediction of Jesus’ Death
- 20:20-28 A Mother’s Request
- 20:29-34 Restoration of Sight at Jericho
Ch.21-27 Passion Week Events
- 21:1-11 The Triumphal Entry
- 21:12-17 The Cleansing of the Temple
- 21:18- 23:39 The Last Controversies with the Jewish Leaders
- Ch. 24-25 The Olivet Discourse concerning the End of the Age
- 26:1-13 The Anointing of Jesus’ Feet
- 26:14-16 Judas agrees to betray Jesus
- 26:17-30 The Last Supper
- 26:31-35 Jesus predicts Peter’s denial
- 26:36-46 Praying in Gethsemane
26:47-27:66 The Arrest, Trials and Death of Jesus
- 26:47-56 The Arrest
- 26:57-68 Before the Sanhedrin
- 26:69-75 Peter disowns Jesus
- 27:1-10 Judas kills himself
- 27:11-26 Jesus before Pilate
- 27:27-37 The Crucifixion
- 27:38-56 On the Cross – Jesus’ death
- 27:57-66 Jesus buried and guarded
Ch. 28 The Resurrection
- 28:1-8 Seekers at the tomb encounter angels
- 28:9,10 Jesus resurrected, appears
- 28:11-15 False report concocted
- 28:16-20 The risen Christ give the Great Commission in Galilee
Concluding Comments
Unique elements of this Gospel are
• The genealogy in chapter 1 – note especially the women included, despite a male orientated culture – God is for women
• The information about Jesus’ birth in the end of chapter 1 and the whole of chapter 2. (complemented by Luke 1 & 2).
• The Sermon on the Mount – three chapters of pithy teaching (a shorter version appears in Luke) – challenges to live God’s way that are only possible with God’s help. Comes very much from a Jewish background but with a much wider impact now. Jesus takes the Law and applies it into the new kingdom.
Watch for
• The number of prophetic references appealing to the Jewish readership.
You may wish to expand on some of the divisions in the outline above for a study, e.g.
- Ch.8-9 A Collection of Healing Miracles
- 8:1-4 A man with leprosy
- 8:5-13 A centurion’s paralyzed servant healed at a distance
- 8:14-15 Peter’s mother-in-law healed
- 8:16-17 Crowds healed
- 8:28-34 Two Gadarene demoniacs delivered
- 9:1-7 A paralytic healed
- 9:18-26 A ruler’s daughter healed
- 9:20-22 A woman’s bleeding healed
- 9:27-31 Two blind men healed
- 9:32-34 A possessed mute healed and delivered