Page 78 - A Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy

According to the witness of Luke, Jesus was a preacher and a trainer of preachers. Jesus

invested enormous time and energy in preaching the Kingdom of God. Moreover, Jesus trained

his disciples to preach by spending time with them and then sending them out on their own to

preach. He prepared them as preachers, ensuring the continuation of his preaching ministry for

the Kingdom. Jesus sealed their instruction by giving them the promise that he would be present

in their preaching. By this promise, the modern listener comes into “close communion with

28
Christ himself” through the preaching of Christian preachers.

Witness according to Mathew

Like Mark and Luke, Matthew also testifies that Jesus was a preacher and minister of the

Word. Announcing Jesus’ public ministry, he records that “[f]rom that time Jesus began to

proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’” (Matt. 4:17). When he introduces

Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee he emphasizes the ministry of the Word by saying that “Jesus

went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the

kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people” (Matt. 4:23). As a

summary of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, Matthew echoes his earlier statement, “Then Jesus went

about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of

the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness” (Matt 9:35).

Matthew portrays Jesus as an extensive preacher who preaches in many settings.

According to Matthew, for instance, Jesus preaches in houses, in synagogues, in the courts of the

Temple, and in the open air such as on a mountainside, along the Sea of Galilee, on a boat, and in

the streets. It is especially notable the way Matthew structures his Gospel, collecting and

28 Ibid.