THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
INTRODUCTION
There is no reason to doubt that this Gospel was written by Matthew. It presents the narrative of our Lord’s life from the standpoint of the pious Jew; and the evident design of the writer is to show how completely and continually our Lord fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. No other Gospel contains so many quotations from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. In it the predominant aspect of our Lord’s character and work is the Messianic. He was great David’s Greater Son. The keyword of the book is “Behold your King.” As King, His line is traced through the kingly race. As King, He proclaims the kingdom of heaven. As King, He promulgates the laws, describes the subjects, and announces the rewards of the Kingdom. When describing His own action at the last, when He sits on His throne and all nations are gathered before Him, He speaks of Himself as King, Mat_25:40. It was on His avowal of kingship that He was condemned to die. From every viewpoint this Gospel is one of the most precious documents in the world.
By F.B.Meyer
{e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Matthew in the printed edition}
Find the outline of our Bible study on The Gospel of Matthew at the link below.
OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
The King of the House of David
II. PROCLAIMING THE KINGDOM, Matthew 4:12 to Matthew 16:12
5. Discourses and Kingdom Parables, Matthew 11:1 to Matthew 16:12
NB !Note:
The Judean ministry of Jesus, which lasted almost one year, is not discussed by Matthew. This one year period is covered in John 1;1 to the end of John 4: and fits between Mat_4:11 and Mat_4:12. Matthew takes us from the temptation directly to the Galilean ministry.
Today we will look at the following question in the outline starting with Matthew 11-21
Mat 12:14
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
40. Of what are the “bruised reed” and “smoking flax” types?
The answer for question 40. Of what are the “bruised reed” and “smoking flax” types?
God’s Chosen Servant
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes 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 Esaias 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 shew judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Comments by F.B.Meyer
on
THE TESTIMONY OF DEEDS OF MERCY
The answer for question 40. Of what are the “bruised reed” and “smoking flax” types? As presented by F.B.Meyer
A reed is not of much account. You may see hundreds of them encircling a stagnant pond and bending before the breeze. A bruised reed is still more worthless to the eye of the world. Yet the Master does not despise a bruised or broken reed. No, He bends over it and tries to restore its shape. He makes out of it a reed-organ for music, or the paper manufacturers weave it into paper on which are printed His messages.
Flax does not burn readily. It only smolders. The spark runs feebly up the fibers; and anything like a flame is impossible. Such is our poor love. It sometimes seems but a spark. Yet Jesus does not despise it. So far from quenching it, He breathes on it, places it in the oxygen of His love, and screens it from the wind that would extinguish it.
How gentle, quiet and unobtrusive is our Master’s behavior! He is so frugal of His resources, so careful that nothing be wasted, so eager to make the most of us. And it is out of such materials that He makes His ever-victorious army.
Believer’s Bible commentary
Book by William MacDonald
F. Healing for All (12:15-21)
12:15, 16 When Jesus knew the thoughts of His enemies, He withdrew. Yet wherever He went, the crowds gathered; and wherever the sick gathered, He healed them all. But He charged them not to publicize His miraculous cures, not to shield Himself from danger, but to avoid any fickle movement to make Him a popular revolutionary Hero. The divine schedule must be kept. His revolution would come, not by the shedding of Roman blood, but by the shedding of His own blood.
12:17, 18 His gracious ministry was in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isa_41:9; Isa_42:1-4 The prophet foresaw the Messiah as a gentle Conqueror. He pictures Jesus as the Servant whom Jehovah had chosen, the Beloved One in whom God’s soul was well pleased. God would put His Spirit upon Him—a prophecy fulfilled at the baptism of Jesus. And His ministry would reach beyond the confines of Israel; He would declare justice to the Gentiles. This latter note becomes more dominant as Israel’s “NO” grows louder.
12:19 Isaiah further predicted that the Messiah would not wrangle or cry out and His voice would not be heard in the streets. In other words, He would not be a political rabble-rouser, stirring up the populace. McClain writes:
This King who is God’s ‘servant’ will not reach His rightful place of eminence by any of the usual means of carnal force or political demagoguery; nor yet by means of the supernatural forces at His command.
12:20 He would not break a bruised reed or quench a smoking flax. He would not trample on the dispossessed or underprivileged in order to reach His goals. He would encourage and strengthen the broken-hearted, oppressed person. He would fan even a spark of faith into a flame. His ministry would continue till He would bring justice to victory. His humble, loving care for others would not be extinguished by the hate and ingratitude of men.
12:21 And in His name Gentiles will trust. In Isaiah this expression is worded “And the coastlands shall wait for His law,” but the meaning is the same. The coastlands refer to the Gentile nations. They are pictured as waiting for His reign so that they might be His loyal subjects. Kleist and Lilly praise this quotation from Isaiah as:
… one of the gems of the Gospel, a picture of Christ of great beauty … Isaiah pictures Christ’s union with the Father, His mission to instruct the nations, His gentleness in dealing with suffering humanity and His final victory: there is no hope for the world except in His Name. Christ—the Savior of the world—not expressed in dry, scholastic terms, but clothed in rich, oriental imagery.
WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.
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