The Gospel Of Matthew
What Is The Gospel Of Matthew About?
The Gospel of Matthew is the inspired account of Jesus Christ as the promised King — the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, and the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. Written especially for Jewish readers, it shows again and again how Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy, proclaims the kingdom of heaven, dies as a ransom for many, and rises with all authority to send His church to disciple the nations.
Last updated: June 2026
The Gospel of Matthew is the vital bridge between the Old and New Testaments, written to decisively prove that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Messiah, the rightful heir to the throne of David, and the sovereign King of the universe. These sermons explore the arrival of the "Kingdom of Heaven," detailing the King's genealogy, His authoritative teaching, His miraculous power, and His ultimate substitutionary death and victorious resurrection. Discover how Jesus perfectly fulfills every Old Testament shadow and type, and hear His unyielding call for radical discipleship, true repentance, and global mission.
Who Wrote The Book?
Authored by the Apostle Matthew (also known as Levi), a former tax collector whose life was radically transformed by the call of Christ. Writing primarily to a Jewish-Christian audience around A.D. 50–60, prior to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, Matthew's primary purpose was to demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. As an eyewitness to the ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ, Matthew structured his gospel around five major teaching discourses—mirroring the five books of the Torah—to present Jesus as the greater Moses who delivers the definitive victory.
What Are The Primary Themes?
Christ as King and Fulfiller: Matthew emphasizes that Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament, but to bring it to its intended, glorious climax. He frequently uses the formula "that it might be fulfilled" to connect Christ's life to the prophets.
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." (Matthew 5:17-18, NKJV)The Kingdom of Heaven: A phrase unique to this gospel, highlighting the sovereign rule of God breaking into human history through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The Ethics of the Kingdom: Prominently featured in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus clarifies the true, spiritual intent of God's moral law, contrasting the inward righteousness demanded by God with the external, hypocritical legalism of the Pharisees.
Few books inform the Westminster Standards as richly as Matthew. Its portrait of Jesus as the anointed King stands behind WCF Chapter 8 (Of Christ the Mediator), which confesses Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King who "did… give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). Christ's words in Matthew 5:17 — that He came "not to destroy but to fulfill" the Law and the Prophets — ground WCF Chapter 19 (Of the Law of God), which teaches that the moral law remains a binding rule of life even after Christ has satisfied its demands. Peter's confession and Christ's promise to build "My church" (Matthew 16:18) undergird WCF Chapter 25 (Of the Church), while the Great Commission's Trinitarian formula, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19), is the textual foundation of WCF Chapter 28 (Of Baptism). And the King's solemn account of the final separation of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31–46) stands behind WCF Chapter 33 (Of the Last Judgment). To read Matthew alongside the Westminster Standards is to see the church's confession rise directly from the words of Christ Himself.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Gospel Of Matthew
What is the Gospel of Matthew about?
Matthew is the account of Jesus Christ as the promised King — the Son of David and Son of Abraham — written especially for a Jewish-Christian readership. It repeatedly shows how Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy, records His authoritative teaching (including the Sermon on the Mount), proclaims the kingdom of heaven, and presents His death as a ransom for many and His resurrection as the enthronement of the King who sends His church to disciple the nations.
Who wrote the Gospel of Matthew, and when?
The early and unanimous testimony of the church attributes this Gospel to Matthew (also called Levi), the tax collector whom Jesus called to follow Him (Matthew 9:9) and who became one of the twelve apostles. Most conservative scholars date it to the A.D. 50s or 60s. Writing as an eyewitness for a largely Jewish audience, Matthew gives sustained attention to how Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets.
What are the Beatitudes?
The Beatitudes are the series of blessings with which Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–12): "Blessed are the poor in spirit… those who mourn… the meek… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," and so on. They describe the character and blessedness of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. Far from being entrance requirements earned by works, they portray the grace-wrought disposition of Christ's true disciples.
What is the Sermon on the Mount?
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is the first and most famous of Jesus' five great discourses in Matthew. In it the King teaches the righteousness of the kingdom — expounding the true meaning of God's law, correcting the distortions of the Pharisees, and calling His disciples to a righteousness that exceeds mere outward observance. It includes the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the call to build one's house on the rock of His words.
What is the Great Commission?
The Great Commission is the command of the risen Christ in Matthew 28:18–20: "All authority has been given to Me… Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." It is the church's marching orders — to disciple the nations through preaching, baptism, and instruction, under the authority and abiding presence of Christ.
What does "the kingdom of heaven" mean in Matthew?
"The kingdom of heaven" is Matthew's characteristic phrase (parallel to "the kingdom of God" in the other Gospels) for the saving reign of God in and through Jesus the Messiah. It is both present — breaking in with Christ's ministry — and future, to be consummated at His return. To enter the kingdom is to come under the gracious rule of the King by repentance and faith, receiving the righteousness and salvation He alone provides.
Did Jesus abolish the law (Matthew 5:17)?
No. Jesus said plainly, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). He fulfilled the law by perfect obedience, by bearing its penalty in His death, and by revealing its true meaning. The Reformed faith (WCF 19) therefore teaches that the moral law abides as a rule of life for believers, even though Christ has fully satisfied its demands on their behalf.
How does Matthew show that Jesus is the promised Messiah and King?
Matthew opens with a genealogy proving Jesus is the Son of David and Son of Abraham (1:1), then records His virgin birth as Immanuel (1:23), His repeated fulfillment of prophecy ("that it might be fulfilled"), His authoritative teaching, His mighty works, and His enthronement as the risen Lord with all authority (28:18). The whole Gospel is structured to demonstrate that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Israel and of the nations.
How does the Gospel of Matthew point to Jesus Christ?
Every part of Matthew proclaims Christ: He is Jesus who saves His people from their sins (1:21), Immanuel, God with us (1:23), the new and greater Moses (5–7), the fulfillment of Scripture, the ransoming Servant who gives His life for many (20:28), and the risen King who promises, "I am with you always" (28:20). Matthew presents the full glory of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.
How does the Westminster Confession use Matthew?
The Westminster Confession draws on Matthew throughout. Christ's mediatorial work and ransom (Matthew 20:28) inform Chapter 8 (Of Christ the Mediator); His words on the law (5:17) ground Chapter 19; His promise to build His church (16:18) shapes Chapter 25; the Trinitarian baptismal formula (28:19) is foundational to Chapter 28 (Of Baptism); and the judgment of the sheep and goats (25:31–46) stands behind Chapter 33. New Geneva Theological Seminary teaches Matthew within this Westminster-confessional framework.
Matthew Explained — Complete Sermon Series
Verse-by-verse expository preaching through the Gospel of Matthew by Dr. Toby Holt, President of New Geneva Theological Seminary. Reformed, Westminster-confessional, and free on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Introduction And Intertestamental Age — Matthew 1 — Four hundred silent years end as God keeps His promise: a King is coming for Israel.
Emmanuel, God With Us — Matthew 1 — The God who made you wants to be with you. That is what 'Emmanuel' means.
The Baptism Of Jesus Christ — Matthew 3 — The sinless Son steps into sinners' waters, and heaven tears open over Him.
Tempted In The Wilderness — Matthew 4 — Where the first Adam fell in a garden, the last Adam stands firm in a wilderness.
Sermon On The Mount — Matthew 5 — The King describes the citizens of His kingdom — and they look nothing like the world.
Faith Of The Roman Centurion — Matthew 8 — A pagan soldier grasped Christ's authority more clearly than all Israel: 'Only say the word.'
The 12 Apostles — Matthew 10 — Fishermen, a tax collector, a betrayer — Christ builds His church with unlikely men.
The Gates Of Hell — Matthew 16 — On the confession that Jesus is the Christ, He builds a church hell cannot overcome.
The Transfiguration Of Jesus — Matthew 17 — For a moment the veil lifts, and the disciples see the glory the carpenter always held.
The Cleansing Of The Temple — Matthew 21 — The King enters His Father's house and will not leave it a den of thieves.
The Trap In The Temple — Matthew 21 — They set traps in His Father's house; every question only displayed His wisdom.
Betrayal At The Last Supper — Matthew 26 — At the table of grace, one disciple plots betrayal while the Lord gives His body and blood.
What Happened On The Cross — Matthew 27 — Darkness, an earthquake, a torn veil — and a cry that purchased our peace.
Victory And Resurrection — Matthew 28 — The grave could not hold Him — and because it could not hold Him, it will not hold you.
Key Verses In The Gospel Of Matthew
These are the passages that anchor the message of Matthew — the texts in which the Evangelist presents Jesus as the prophesied King and Savior, and to which Reformed theologians have returned in confessing Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.
Matthew 1:21–23 — "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins… 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'" (NKJV)
The Gospel opens by naming both the person and the work of Christ. "Jesus" means the LORD saves, and He saves not from political enemies but "from their sins." "Immanuel — God with us" confesses the incarnation: the eternal Son took flesh (WCF 8.2). Here at the outset is the whole gospel — the divine Savior who accomplishes redemption for His people.
Matthew 5:17 — "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." (NKJV)
Christ does not abolish God's moral law; He fulfills it — by perfect obedience, by bearing its penalty, and by revealing its true and abiding meaning. This verse undergirds the Reformed conviction (WCF 19) that the moral law remains a binding rule of life for the believer, even as Christ has satisfied its demands on their behalf. Grace establishes the law; it does not nullify it.
Matthew 11:28–30 — "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (NKJV)
The King issues a gospel invitation. Those crushed under sin and the weight of works-righteousness are called to come to Christ Himself for rest. This is effectual, gracious calling (WCF 10): Christ does not offer a new law to bear, but Himself as Savior. The rest He gives is the rest of justification and adoption — peace with God through the finished work of the Son.
Matthew 16:15–18 — "He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'… 'on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.'" (NKJV)
The confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the bedrock truth on which Christ builds His church (WCF 25). The church is His — "My church" — founded on the apostolic confession of Christ and preserved by Him against every assault. No power of hell can destroy the people God has chosen and the Son has purchased.
Matthew 20:28 — "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (NKJV)
Here is the heart of the atonement in a single sentence. The Son of Man came to die — to give His life "a ransom for many." This is penal substitution and definite redemption: Christ purchased a particular people by His blood (WCF 8.5). The King reigns by way of the cross, laying down His life to redeem the many the Father gave Him.
Matthew 28:18–20 — "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (NKJV)
The risen Christ, vested with all authority, commissions His church to disciple the nations through preaching and baptism. The Trinitarian baptismal formula grounds the doctrine of the sacrament (WCF 28). And the Gospel ends as it began — with "God with us": the King who is Immanuel promises His abiding presence to the very end of the age.
Christ In Matthew — The Promised King And Messiah
Matthew is, from first to last, the proclamation of Jesus as the promised King. Its opening line announces "Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1), and its closing words give all authority in heaven and earth to the risen Lord. Where Genesis foreshadows the Savior in seed and shadow, Matthew presents Him openly as the fulfillment of every covenant promise — the Messiah of Israel and the King of the nations.
Christ The Son Of David, The Son Of Abraham (Matthew 1:1–17): Matthew's genealogy is no mere list. It traces Jesus to David, the king whose throne God promised to establish forever, and to Abraham, through whose Seed all nations would be blessed. Jesus is the rightful heir of the Davidic covenant and the true offspring of Abraham — the One in whom every promise of God finds its "Yes."
Christ Immanuel — God With Us (Matthew 1:23; 28:20): Matthew frames the entire Gospel between two declarations of God's presence. At the beginning, the virgin's Son is "Immanuel… God with us"; at the end, the risen King promises, "I am with you always." The eternal Son took our nature (WCF 8.2) to dwell among His people and to remain with them forever.
Christ The New And Greater Moses (Matthew 5–7): Matthew arranges Jesus' teaching into five great discourses, the first of which — the Sermon on the Mount — presents Him as the authoritative Lawgiver who fulfills and unfolds the law from a mountain. Yet Christ is greater than Moses: He does not merely deliver the law but embodies and fulfills it, declaring with divine authority, "But I say to you."
Christ The Fulfillment Of Prophecy (Matthew 1:22; 2:15; 4:14; 8:17; and throughout): No Gospel cites the Old Testament more than Matthew. Again and again he writes that an event happened "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet." Christ's birth, flight to Egypt, ministry, healings, and suffering all answer the Scriptures — proving that the God who promised has kept His word in His Son.
Christ The Ransoming Servant And Risen King (Matthew 20:28; 28:18): The King reigns by way of the cross. He came "to give His life a ransom for many," bearing the penalty His people deserved, and then rose victorious, declaring, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." The crucified Servant is the exalted Lord — Prophet, Priest, and King (WCF 8.1).
This is the Christ New Geneva Theological Seminary exists to proclaim. Dr. Toby Holt's expository series through Matthew preaches Jesus as the promised King verse by verse — tracing the fulfillment of prophecy, the authority of His teaching, and the glory of His cross and resurrection with the full weight of Westminster-confessional theology.
The portrait in Matthew of the promised King is deepened in the Gospel of John, where the same Christ is revealed as the eternal Word made flesh.
Study Matthew At New Geneva Theological Seminary
New Geneva Theological Seminary has equipped ministers and lay leaders in Westminster-confessional theology since 1993. Our expository preaching series through the Bible — including this study of Matthew — reflects the same commitments that shape our degree programs: Scripture is the Word of God, the Westminster Standards faithfully summarize its teaching, and sound doctrine must produce pastoral practice.
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