I. Video.
A. Title: Matthew Chapter 4
B. Data: LuisetReneeandBill
II. Introduction. (Mathew Chapter 4). Dr. John F. Walvoord (A.B., M.A., Th. B., Th. M., Th. D., D.D., Litt. D., 1910-2002).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Walvoord
A. The message of Jesus to Capernaum was similar to that of John the Baptist, “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This was the theme of His ministry until it became evident that He would be rejected. The kingdom being at hand meant that it was being offered in the person of the prophesied King, but it did not mean that it would be immediately fulfilled.
B. Because of Capernaum’s proximity to the Sea of Galilee, it was natural for Jesus at this time to call His disciples who were fishermen (cf. Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11; Jn 1:35-42). To Peter and Andrew, fishing in the sea, He extended the invitation, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19). In like manner, He called James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were mending their nets. They too left their occupation and their father and followed Christ. Matthew here records the early call of these disciples. Lenski, because of the disparity between this account and that of Luke 5:1-11, holds that between this first call of Matthew and the call in Luke, the early disciples continued to fish for a time and not until the call in Luke 5 did they forsake all.26 While Matthew’s gospel indicates that they followed Jesus, there is no clear statement that they left their fishing occupation for good.
C. In the days which followed, ceaseless activity characterized the ministry of Jesus (cf. Mk 3:7-12; Lk 6:17-19). Going from one synagogue to the next, He preached the gospel of the kingdom, performed countless acts of healing, and was followed by great multitudes, who came not only from Galilee but from Jerusalem in the south and from the territory of Decapolis and Perea on the east of Jordan. His miracles dealt not simply with trivial diseases but with incurable afflictions, such as epilepsy, palsy, and demon possession. No affliction was beyond His healing touch. The kingdom blessings promised by Isaiah 35:5-6, due for fulfillment in the future kingdom, here became the credentials of the King in His first coming.
III. Key Verse Examinations. Ryrie Study Bible, 1986 (Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, Th. M., Th. D., Ph. D., Litt. D., 1925-2016).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Caldwell_Ryrie
A. 4:17. Like John the Baptist, Christ also preached the necessity of repentance before the messianic kingdom could be established.
B. 4:19. “Follow me.” This was their call to service, and illustrates the directness, profundity, and power of Christ’s command (“go…28:19; “love one another.” John 13:34).
C. 4:23. “the gospel of the kingdom.” This is the good news that the presence of the King caused the rule of God on the earth (in fulfillment of many OT prophecies) to be “at hand.” Prerequisites for entrance into the kingdom included repentance (v. 17), righteousness (v. 5:20), childlike faith (18:3), or, in summary, being born again (John 3:3). Because the people rejected these requirements, Christ taught that His earthly reign would not immediately come (Luke 19:11). However, this gospel of the kingdom will be preached again during the Tribulation (24:14), just prior to the return of Christ to establish His kingdom on earth (25:31, 34).
IV. Purposes of Matthew. Dr. Charles L. Quarles (M. Div., Ph. D. )
https://www.sebts.edu/academics/faculty/Quarles.aspx
A key purpose of the book is to outline the characteristics of the kingdom of God, both for Israel and the church. Orthodox Jews would typically scoff at any assertion that Jesus is their Messiah, let alone their King. They would retort, “If Jesus is King, where is the promised restoration of the kingdom of Israel?” Many Jews of Jesus’ day rejected Him as Messiah, even though both Jesus and John the Baptist continually preached that the kingdom was “at hand” (3:2; 4:17; 10:7). This rejection of Jesus by the Jews is a dominant theme of Matthew (11:12–24; 12:28–45; 21:33–22:14). Because of this rejection, God postponed the fulfillment of His promises to Israel and subsequently extended His blessings to both Jew and Gentile in the church.
V. NASB Study Bible notes.
A. 4:12-13. Jesus begins His ministry.
B. 4:14-16. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Isa (9:1-9:2).
C. 4:17. The message of Jesus: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (See Ryrie note III. A., C.)
D. 4:19. Evangelism was at the heart of the call of Jesus to His disciples.
E. 4:20. The call to discipleship is definite and demands a response of total commitment.
F. 4:23. The synagogues provided a place for teaching on the Sabbath. During the week preaching took place to larger crowds in the open air.
VI. Parting thoughts.
The focus of Matthew’s gospel is that of Jesus and His ministry to Jews, and did not include ministry to Gentiles (10:5-7). Gentiles would have had no knowledge of the prophecies of Isaiah, neither would Gentiles have been allowed into Synagogues. The preaching of Jesus provided Jews with a glimpse of what the conditions of the Kingdom will be like (Isa 9:6b-7). The preaching of the Gospel of Heaven is not what we preach today. We preach of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:1-8). The Jews of Matthew did not know about the death of Jesus until Matt 17:22-23. Jesus discontinued His offer of the Kingdom of Heaven to Israel, following His being rejected by the Jews (Mt 12:14, 22-24; 13:11). The offer to Israel of the Kingdom will be made again during the Tribulation (Matt 24:14).
VII. Closing Video.
A Title: I Will Follow Him.
B. Andre Rieu
VII. My Bucket List shows the references that I consult, of theologians and printed resources, whenever I write an article that will be posted. Please go to the Pages of my site to find my Bucket List.
VIII . My Websites To Follow.
https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/ Eternity
https://untotheleastofthese.home.blog/ Book Prep
https://newsandcommentary38395276.wordpress.com/ Thy Kingdom Come
Eternity 