Matthew

What Happened to God's Plan?

New Testament · Gospels

Summary

Matthew wrote to resolve the problem of frustrated expectancy: What happened to God's plan? For non-Christian Jewish people and Christian Jewish people. Two major themes: 1. Jesus was the promised Messiah. 2. What happened to God's plan for His people Israel? Three main purposes: That the Jewish reader might recognize who Jesus is, that the early church might understand their place in God's program, and that they might take the message to others.

Outline

Messianic Authentication

Chapters 1-7

His credentials	1-4	His genealogy - 1:1-17 His birth - 1:18-25 The magi - 2:1-12 His origins - 2:13-23 John the Baptist - 3:1-12 His baptism - 3:13-17 Satan - 4:1-11 His followers - 4:12-22
His works	4:23-25
His proclamation	5-7	Description of the accepted - 5:1-16 Relation with the religious - 5:17-7:6 Instruction for the accepted - 7:7-27