TBU 17- Matthew
December 31, 2024
Introduction
• Matthew didn’t intend for life to turn out the way it did. After all, he was just trying to make a living to feed his family; but it seemed that everyone hated him. They called him a collaborator and a traitor. The people he worshipped with despised him. They considered him no better than a common sinner.
• On one seemingly ordinary day, Matthew meets someone who will change his life. Matthew’s life would help change the world.
• I’m Brent and this is the Bible Unplugged podcast. In this episode we explore the life and ministry of Matthew, the tax collector who became a disciple of Jesus and wrote the first gospel in the New Testament.
• We see Matthew’s experiences and personality throughout his gospel.
When Gospels Collide ad
• Let you know about one of my books that can be helpful as you follow along with the Advent Unplugged.
• When Gospels Collide combines the four Gospels into one continuous narrative. As you read through the book you get the details from all of the sources without having to flip back and forth through different books of the Bible.
• This may be especially helpful in this series since the complete story of Jesus’s birth is in more than one gospel
• When Gospels Collide is available on Amazon. Here is a link: When Gospels Collide
Who was Matthew
• Matthew collected taxes and customs fees for the Roman government.
• Whatever you feel about paying taxes today is nothing compared to the outright hatred expressed by the people in Israel during Matthew’s life.
• During Matthew’s lifetime, the Romans removed their king, Herod Archaleus the son of Herod the Great, when Matthew was a child. The Romans ruled with ruthless efficiency, publicly crucifying Jewish people for seemingly insignificant reasons. 2,000 people, most of whom were completely innocent, were crucified after a Roman armory was raided by a band of zealots who wanted to overthrow Roman rule and establish Jewish control over Israel.
• The Romans funded their political and military reign by collecting high taxes from the people. In fact, one wave of taxation by Caesar Augustus forced Josph to take his pregnant wife, Mary, on a four-day journey on foot from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register and pay the required taxes. We know from the rest of the story that Jesus was born soon after in Bethlehem in keeping with Old Testament prophecy.
• Matthew was a tax collector for the Roman government. People hated those in that profession not only because they took money from them to give to the occupation, but also because the tax collector often extorted and stole money from the people over and above the required taxes.
• This is why the phrase “tax collectors and sinners” shows up 22 times in the Gospels.
• On one seemingly average work day, Matthew’s life changed. Most people avoided the tax collector’s booth, but a stranger walked up to Matthew and said, “Follow me.” Matthew, without hesitation, left his tax job and his former life behind to become a disciple of Jesus.
• Matthew’s personality and experiences show up throughout his written record of the life and ministry of Jesus.
Matthew’s personality
• The Gospel of Matthew shows a deep understanding of Jewish customs, laws, and scripture.
• Matthew alludes to an Old Testament prophecy 36 times
• 16 specific instances of something Jesus said or did,
• 20 times he quotes and Old Testament prophetic reference.
• All told, Matthew references the Old Tesament 96 times.
• He assumes his readers are Jewish when he mentions a custom but doesn’t explain it.
• Mt 15:2-4- references hand washing before meals.
• Mt 23:5- he mentions phylacteries and fringes the scribes and Pharisees wear.
• Matthew also shows a deep concern for marginalized people due to being an outcast in his own culture.
• In his genealogy of Jesus, Matthew lists three women: Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheeba. This is unusual by itself, but these women were looked down on by others in their times.
• The passage where Jesus calls him to be a disciple includes Jesus eating a meal with common sinners and other tax collectors showing the compassion and mercy Jesus had for them.
• Jesus healed lepers and the blind. Jewish culture considered these condition to be a result of sin.
• Jesus healed the servant of a prominent Roman soldier and interacted with a Canaanite woman, both of whom were despised.
• A Roman soldier is the only one to declare that Jesus was the son of God at Jesus’ crucifixion.
• Matthew’s writing is very organized and structured
• He organizes Jesus’s teachings into five sections that parallel the Torah, the first 5 books of the Old Testament. This shows Jesus as the Messiah who brings God’s law to fulfillment.
Uniqueness of Matthew’s Gospel
• There are a number of ways Matthew stands out among the other gospels
• Matthew is the only gospel to use the word “church” in chapters 16 and 18. This highlights believers as a community of faith as were the Jewish synagogues.
• There are some significant stories that only show up in Matthew:
• The story of the Magi visiting Jesus, Joseph taking his family to Egypt, and Herod’s massacre of babies in Bethlehem.
• Most of what we know about Joseph, Jesus’ father under Jewish law shows up in Matthew, including the prophetic dreams Joseph had about Jesus.
• Matthew is the only gospel that mentions the guards at the tomb and bribery to cover up Jesus’ resurrection.
• Matthew gives us a picture of Jesus as the promised Messiah and his connection to Jewish beliefs and customs. When we put all the gospels together we see a much more complete tapestry of the work and ministry of Jesus.
What we learn from this
• When I was in seminary my wife and I woke up to the sound of a car wreck in front of our apartment. I ran outside to find the neighbor who moved in that evening looking at the man who hit is car fleeing the scene. As we talked, both of us realized we knew each other from high school. His reputation and behavior in the past put him on the short list of those who would never end up in seminary. God radically changed his life.
• Matthew was looked down on by his own people, but God used this as a catalyst to showing Jesus’ the compassionate, grace, and mercy, especially to those who were marginalized by society. We should reflect these traits in the way we care for and about other people. Those who seem least likely deserve God’s love need it most of all.
• Matthew did not have an easy life. God follows through on his promises even when it seems the world is against us and we don’t know how life will work out.
What do we do with this
• Ask God to show you the people in your life who need love and attention from you. God put you where you are for a reason and for a purpose. Part of that purpose may be showing God’s love to those we don’t think are worthy of God’s love.
• Take time this week to look through the gospel of Matthew and see what stands out to you. The Sermon on the Mount and the many parables of Jesus are a guidebook to living a godly life.
• Think about your past experiences and the way you grew up. Some of those memories may not be pleasant, but ask God to show you how your life can be useful in caring for others. You are unique and have a unique message others need to hear.
The conclusion
• Well, the music in the background means I have run out of time for this episode. I’ll be back to talk another day.
• I hope this has been helpful. If so, give this podcast a high rating and share it with others.
• Future episodes will continue our focus on how God worked through the other gospel writers, Mark, Luke, and John, to give us a complete view of the life and work of Jesus.
• My prayer for you is that you will see that God worked through an outcast like Matthew and can work miracles in your life today.
• Have a blessed week
The disclaimers
• Just to let you know
• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening, you may learn something
• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work
• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license
• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2024 by J. Brent Eaton
• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production
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