The Gospel According To Matthew

by JAMES BLAIR, Vancouver | Category: The Gospel According To Matthew | Apr 1943

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matthew 1.1).

In these words may lie the key to all that follows in "the Gospel according to Matthew. "

Matthew is generally spoken of as "The Gospel of the kingdom," presenting the Lord Jesus as the King, and, because of this, is applicable as such to Israel (or the more commonly used term, Jews), but since the King has been rejected by the Jews, it is claimed this gospel will become effective again when God renews His dealings with the Jews after the present dispensation. In consequence, many are logical enough to state that such truths contained in Matthew 18.20, and 28.19 do not apply to the present dispensation.

This line of reasoning arises partly from the fact that only in this Gospel is the term "Kingdom of heaven," mentioned, and as the term" Kingdom of heaven" has somehow come to be understood by many as being applicable to the Jew only, then the death of the King suspended its application for the time being.

It is not our purpose to try to explain the difference between the terms "Kingdom of the heavens" (Newberry) and "Kingdom of God" ; rather, we desire to look at what Matthew says, trusting that, as helped by the Spirit, our ideas may be consistent therewith.

Amid the endless discussions of this Gospel, chapter 13.52 comes often to mind, where we have reference to the scribe, who, like the householder, bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Shall we suggest then that the "old treasures "that have so, often been displayed are things that have to do with "Jesus Christ, the son of David," and if we are to see "new treasures" in this Gospel; they will be seen in Him who is also " Son of Abraham " ?

We cannot limit the truth. of Matthew's Gospel to what applies. to Christ as Son of David, therefore, "born King of the Jews "(chapter 2.2). Who was David? He was king over Israel, and a good king too, and in his own generation he served the counsel of God (Acts 13.36)., Who was Abraham? He was the "friend of God" (James 2.23), and " heir of the world" (Romans 4.18). David was king over one nation; Abraham was made a "father of many nations."

Matthew 1.1, might be looked at as two circles with a central point ; the smaller circle being seen in "the Son of David," the larger in "the Son of Abraham"; the central point round which everything revolves, and from which blessing shall radiate to the utmost bounds, being Christ Himself, or as seen here in association with men Jesus (verse 21 and see Psalm 72.; Isaiah 11.1 10) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying Where is He that is born King of the Jews " for we saw His star in the east and are come to worship Him" (Matthew 2.1, 2). Here we have in miniature Isaiah 11.10.

We get no information as to who these wise men were save that they came from the east (see 1 Kings 4.30); but the very fact of their being mentioned should lead us to understand that the birth of the "King of the Jews" had an interest for others outside the Jews; and shall we suggest that if the general view of Matthew's gospel were correct, this incident concerning the men from the east might be, more correctly, found in Luke, while Luke's story of the shepherds should be here.

"Now when He heard that John was delivered up, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali; that it might be, fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

"The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali,

Toward the sea, beyond Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles,

The people which sat in darkness

Saw a great light,

And to them which sat in the region and shadow of death,

To them did light spring up."

From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, "Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4.12-17). Note verse 17, "From that time ... the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And if the kingdom of heaven is not associated with the whole prophecy, that is, as including those beyond Jordan, or the nations, where are we to draw the line?

As we read the closing verses of chapter 4. it may be claimed by some that in view of the Lord's words in chapter 10.5, 6, all those He healed from all Syria, and the multitudes that followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond Jordan, would be Jews, but chapter 8. is definite as to blessing radiating from Him beyond the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and the Lord's comment as He listened to the centurion was, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto You, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: " but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness" (chapter 8. 10-12). Thus in chapter 8. the Lord Himself stated plainly that others besides Jews, or Israel either, would have a place in the kingdom of heaven.

Coming now to chapter 10. we suggest this is just what you might expect in view of our previous remarks. As the Lord chose His disciples, and sent them forth, their ministry was definitely associated with His being first "Son of David" and is directly to "The lost sheep of the house of Israel," covering the time that reaches on to His coming as "Son of Man"; and were this all that Matthew gives us, we could readily understand the restrictive ideas that prevail as to the gospel of the kingdom in Matthew's Gospel.

There is nothing here for the Gentile; Israel is in the place of privilege. How did they treat it ? Notice the solemn words of chapter 11.20, "Then He began to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not." "He came unto His own, and they that were His own received Him not " (John 1.11), and when we come to Matthew 12.14, we have a decided change in the aspect of things as they "took counsel against Him, how they might destroy Him. And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from thence: and many followed Him; and He healed them all, and charged them that they should not make Him known: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,

Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen;

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased:

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He shall declare judgement to the Gentiles.

He shall not strive, nor cry aloud;

Neither shall any one hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed shall He not break,

And smoking flax shall He not quench,

Till He, send forth judgement unto victory.

And in His name shall the Gentiles hope"

(chapter 12.14-21).

We notice that while in chapter 10. the ministry is directed only toward Israel, here it is just as exclusively toward the Gentiles (or nations), while further on in this chapter He makes mention of the sign of Jonah, which in itself is suggestive, for Jonah was not sent to the people of Israel, but to Gentile Nineveh.

This to a certain extent helps to explain why He di4 not want t6 be made known publicly at that time, for; just as " Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale" before his message was made publicly known in Nineveh, "so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" before He is publicly made known to " all the world," the nations, as in chapter 28.19.

Jesus Christ, as seen in Matthew's Gospel, is "Son of David" and "Son of Abraham" ; these terms encircle two distinctly different truths, the latter term shewing Him as the One through whom" all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." This also explains why the appeal of the woman of Canaan was ignored by the Lord at first when she cried unto Him saying, "Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, Thou Son of David." But He answered her not word. She had no claim on Him as" Son of David"; as such He could only say, "I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel," but, taking her place as the Lord pointed it out to her, then He could dispense blessing to her because of His being, not "Son of David," as far as she was concerned, but "Son of Abraham" (chapter 15.22-28). In chapter 11. the three cities which He upbraided were representative of the nation as a whole. In chapter 12. the Lord's ministry reaches out to the second or wider circle in keeping with Isaiah 49.6; Acts 13.46, 47. For in the ministry of the Lord Himself is seen the principle that later governed His faithful imitator, Paul-" To the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Chapter 13. is suggestive of the further development of His ministry, "On that day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And there were gathered unto Him great multitudes" (verses 1,.2). Rejection by the house of Israel by no means ended the ministry of the blessed Son of God. In

this Chapter we have the seven parables that were intended to instruct us in the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, yet in spite of the fact that the Lord Himself interprets the "field " in these parables as being the "world," many seem foolish enough to think and say 6therwise, but we suggest that "Every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven" will accept the Lord's interpretation, learning in these parables something of the purposes of God, not as limited to Israel, but as reaching out to all mankind.

It is remarkable that the aged Simeon, who was certainly in the mind of God, makes mention of the wider circle first as he held the Child Jesus in his arms, and blessing God, said

"Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart, 0 Lord,

According to Thy word, in peace;,

For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation,

Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;

A Light for revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Thy people Israel" (Luke 2.28-32).

After speaking the parables the L9rd Jesus said to the disciples "Have ye understood all these things? They say unto Him, Yea" (chapter 13.51). But how little they understood these things is manifest in the incident of the woman of Canaan in chapter 15 already mentioned' They "came and besought Him saying, Send her away for she crieth after us

All His actions throughout this incident were calculated to teach both the disciples and the woman a precious truth which they little understood, if at all

In chapter 16. we have the incident that took place at Caesarea Philippi, about forty miles from the ancient city of Damascus. If you take a map of Palestine in the time of our Lord, and note where He is when He meets the woman of Canaan, in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, far to the north of Jerusalem, and now in Caesarea Philippi also far to the north, you might well ask, Why is it away up there? We suggest this question to any who see nothing beyond the Jew in Matthew's Gospel. However, it is there, far removed from Jerusalem, the Lord asked His disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of Man is? "(verse 13). "And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah: and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (verses. 14-16). How it must have stirred the heart of the Lord as Peter boldly answered His question thus! Whence came Peter's information? "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it into thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged He the disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ" (verses 14-20).

Much has been written concerning this portion. Much controversy has centred round it, and we would like to look at it in its setting. We mentioned two circles earlier in our writing, may we suggest there is a third circle here? The Lord speaks of it as "My Church," against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail. We believe that it is what is spoken of as "The Church, which is His Body" (Ephesians .1.22), of which He Himself is the Saviour (in the sense of Preserver) (Ephesians 5.23). This third circle is specially associated with Him, as "the Son of the living God."

This circle is neither Jew exclusively, nor Gentile exclusively, but is composed of both. (see 1 Corinthians 12.18; Ephesians 2.15). And since truth in relation to circle concerns us of the present dispensation directly, we may be pardoned if we give it a little attention.

There is an interesting statement in Genesis 5.2,-" Male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." A little understanding of this rarely noticed statement would go a long way to helping to an understanding of 1 Corinthians 12.12, 13, and Galatians 3.16-29. "The Christ, the Son of the living God," of Matthew 16. is none other than "the Seed of the woman" of Genesis 3. We have another reference to Him as the Seed in Genesis 22.17, 18, "And thy Seed shall possess the gate of His enemies; and in thy Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." The word " Seed" in these two verses is singular, if you notice in Newberry, and apart from Newberry Galatians 8. 10 tells us, "He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ." Notice too how Galatians 3. ends, " And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise" (verse 29).

JAMES BLAIR, Vancouver | Apr 1943
The Gospel According To Matthew