The Gospel According to Matthew
Recently at Community Group several friends were reminiscing about the days of using typewriters. These machines required considerably greater care and deliberate attention than do modern computers. The inability to erase, delete large sections, or edit a rough draft meant that more forethought was required when drafting a memo, a book, or a letter.
Imagine writing a large book with even fewer resources in the the New Testament era. Paper was scarce and expensive; writing legibly by hand was laborious; and the margin for error was paper thin. Thus, in the lengthy Gospel according to Matthew, we encounter a book of extraordinary forethought. The attention to detail, insightful structure, and progression of themes all point to the care and skill of its authors: the Holy Spirit through His earthly vessel, Matthew.
As we preach through Matthew in church in 2022, I hope this guide is helpful for those interested in tracking the progression of the book and our place in it. Sometimes we need to see the whole picture in order to appreciate the small details we read each week! Thus, this post contains an outline of Matthew as a whole, and I’ll occasionally add more interesting tidbits (in my opinion, anyway) as we get further into the book.
Outline of Matthew
There are several proposed outlines of Matthew, but this one, to me, seems the clearest. There is an introduction (chapters 1-2), and then five major sections/books that each contain a narrative about Jesus, and then a speech by Jesus. Each speech ends with the words, “When Jesus had finished…”, followed immediately by the next section’s narrative. This repeated pattern seems to be on purpose, a way for Matthew to show the stages and progression of Jesus’ ministry.
Introduction: Jesus’ Birth and Infancy (1:1-2:23)
Book 1: Early Ministry & Speech on Christian Life (3:1-7:29)
Narrative (3:1-4:25)
Speech: Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:27)
Bridge: “When Jesus had finished these words…” (7:28-29)
Book 2: Call to Discipleship and Mission (8:1-11:1)
Narrative (8:1-10:4)
Speech: Mission of the Disciples (10:5-42)
Bridge: “When Jesus had finished commanding…” (11:1)
Book 3: Wisdom of the Kingdom of Heaven (11:2-13:53)
Narrative (11:2-12:50)
Speech: Parables of the Kingdom (13:1-52)
Bridge: “When Jesus had finished these parables” (13:53)
Book 4: Faith of the Church (13:54-19:2)
Narrative (13:54-17:27)
Speech: Living in the Kingdom/Church (18:1-35)
Bridge: “When Jesus had finished these words” (19:1-2)
Book 5: Preparation for Judgment (19:3-26:1)
Narrative (19:3-22:46)
Speech: Woes and Judgement to Come (23:1-25:46)
Bridge: “When Jesus had finished all these words” (26:1)
Conclusion: Death, Resurrection, Great Commission (26:2-28:20)
Exercise
Consider reading these seven sections in seven days. Read one section each day, and take note of a few things: Which themes are most prominent? How do the narrative and speech sections relate to one another? Which characters, apart from Jesus, are fore-fronted? How does this section build on the prior? What is new that Matthew wants me to (1) believe, (2) feel, and (3) do based on this section?