Page 6 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

McDowell, Luke tracks the ancestries of Jesus through His mother, Mary, who was an offspring of Heli.
McDowell adds that Joseph’s name is stated in Luke in line with the common practice, but he is clearly
16
viewed as the “supposed” father of Jesus, but the actual father is the Holy Spirit is.

The two genealogies in both Matthew and Luke are meant to demonstrate that Jesus, in His humanity,
was the offspring of King David. Through His human father, Jesus, legally inherited the royal descent. As
regards to His mother, Jesus was a descendant of King David through Nathan, David’s son. This said,
Jesus met all the proper rights to be the promised Messiah, the Son of David and due heir of His throne.
Purpose
Each of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) tells the story of Jesus from its own
perspective. Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah and King, who fulfills
God’s promises in the Old Testament. Jesus is not just a wise teacher; He is the one God has chosen to
usher in the kingdom of heaven. He has come to save and to restore humanity into right relationship
17
with God—starting first with Israel and then moving to the wider world.
Structure

One way to organize the Gospel of Matthew is by the five major blocks of Jesus’ teaching. Each block
ends with a phrase noting what happened when Jesus was finished speaking (for example, Matt 7:28).
These five blocks are:

1. the Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29);
2. the missionary discourse (9:35–10:42);
3. Jesus’ parables (13:1–52);
4. Jesus’ teaching on discipleship (ch. 18);
18
5. and Jesus’ teaching about His return and the day of judgment (23:1–25:46).

Another way to organize Matthew’s Gospel is to structure it around significant turning points in Jesus’
ministry. These turning points are marked by a transition in the aspect or location of Jesus’ ministry
(4:17; 16:21). The first section describes the time before Jesus’ public ministry, including His family
history and early childhood, His baptism, and His temptation by the devil (1:1–4:16). The second section,
which details Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee, particularly focuses on His miracles, teachings, and
conflicts with religious leaders (4:17–16:20). The last section tells of the rejection and suffering of Jesus
19
in Jerusalem and concludes with His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension (16:21–28:20).
Brief Outline
• Prelude to Jesus’ ministry (1:1–4:16)
• Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (4:17–16:20)
20
• Jesus in Jerusalem (16:21–28:20)
Audience
The likely audience of Matthew was a Christian community with a strong Jewish heritage. Shockingly,
Matthew seems to have been written in Greek. Thus, both the author and the intended audience were
probably outside Palestine. Therefore, possible locations may include Antioch of Syria or Alexandria (in

16 Ibid
17 Barry, J. D. et al
18 Ibid
19 Ibid
20 Ibid
5