Matthew records three quakings: First of the sea (8:24), then of the land at Jesus’ death (27:51), and then at His resurrection (28:2). Each time there’s a quaking, someone comes from a tomb. In chapter 8, after Jesus calms the storm He encounters two demoniacs in the country of . . . . Continue Reading »
Wherever Jesus goes, people flock to Him seeking favors. Some want to be healed; some want a relative healed; some want to have a place on His right or left hand in the kingdom. Everywhere Jesus goes, He distributes favors. Jesus the Godfather. . . . . Continue Reading »
As soon as Jesus has come down from the mountain from which He preached, His new Sinai, a leper “coming-to worshiped Him” (Matthew 8:1). In the LXX, “coming-to” ( proserchomai ) means a liturgical approach, Aaron’s approach to the altar (Leviticus 9:7) or the . . . . Continue Reading »
As soon as the Twelve are called, they begin to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:20, 22, 25), but until Matthew 8 we never actually see them follow Jesus somewhere. Discipleship is a large concern of chapters 8-10; the word “follow” is used 10x, climactically in 10:38, where following . . . . Continue Reading »
There are three “quakes” in Matthew. Twice the earth quakes, at the cross and at the resurrection (27:51; 28:2). The other quake is a quaking of the sea (8:24). The quake of the sea in chapter 8 foreshadows the resurrection. Jesus is in a boat, on the sea, sleeping; . . . . Continue Reading »
The Sermon on the Mount begins with beatitudes, and the Olivet Discourse begins with Woes. As N. T. Wright and others have shown, the two series are similar in a number of particulars. The connections between the two discourses continue after the beatitudes/woes section, evident in . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus sits on a mountain and opens His mouth to teach (Matthew 5:2). The phrasing is unusual; I have found only one place in the OT where opening the mouth is linked with teaching - Proverbs 31, 26, where it is the excellent woman who opens her mouth with wisdom and teaches kindness. . . . . Continue Reading »
You are the salt of the earth. You are a light on a lampstand. Where does Jesus get this? From the temple: Salt is added to the animal sacrifices, and in the Holy Place there are lights on lampstands. Does he ever get into the Most Holy Place? Yes: In Matthew 5:17-20, He . . . . Continue Reading »
Herod tells the wise men to search for the Child king, and when they find Him to “bring me word” ( apaggelo ) so that Herod too might worship. the verb becomes important at the end of Matthew’s gospel, when an aggelos appears at the open tomb, and both soldiers and women run . . . . Continue Reading »
Joseph of Genesis, son of Jacob, was a dreamer and a sage, an interpreter of dreams. He was a wise man. So too Joseph of Matthew, father of Jesus. The angel addresses him as “son of David” (Matthew 1:20), a title used almost exclusively of Solomon in the OT (1 Chr 29:23; 2 . . . . Continue Reading »
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
