No. 1.
As this evangelist gives the Messiah aspect of Jesus, we have special instruction concerning the nation of Israel, and dispensational truth, as well as many precious and instructive lessons for ourselves. The Lord, who knew all things, anticipated His rejection, and looked forward to the condition and circumstances of the persecuted and faithful remnant of the Jews, who will be manifested after the church is gone. Chapter 10 and 24 are examples of this, and tell us of His deep sympathy with them. It is when we apprehend the divine character of the book that we understand its true bearing, or can read it with the profit and enjoyment it is calculated to impart.
Matthew opens by introducing the Lord to the reader as “Son of David, and Son of Abraham.” As the Messiah, the true Son of David, who is yet to reign before His ancients gloriously, is the special character of the book, his relation to the royal line is first mentioned, and then His connection with Abraham, unto whose “Seed” all the promises were made, in whom all are to be established. The Lord’s genealogy is therefore traced from David to Joseph, who is shown to be of the royal line. Hence the angel of the Lord addresses him as “Joseph, thou eon of David,” and tells him to take unto him “Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” He therefore took unto him his wife, and knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son. Joseph called him Jesus, as he had been commanded; but according to the testimony of the prophet, this virgin’s child should also be called “EMMANUEL, which, being interpreted, is God with us.” Thus Jesus was born son of Mary, having no blood-relationship with Joseph; but being Joseph’s step-son, Jesus was legally in the royal line of connection with David’s throne.
In the second chapter, Jesus is announced as “born King of the Jews,” and is worshipped and honored by the men of the east, who had been led to Him by divine guidance. But the condition of the nation is sad indeed. A command goes forth from Herod, and is carried out by the people, to destroy all the young children in Bethlehem, from two years old and under, hoping to include the Messiah. But this only gave occasion for God to carry out His own purposes by the flight into Egypt, and to fulfill the Scripture— “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.” This chapter shows how entirely unfit the nation was to receive the Messiah; hence we find in the next chapter that John appears in Israel as the Lord’s forerunner, according to the testimony of the prophets Isaiah and Malachi. He calls upon the people to “repent,” for the true Messiah was there, and therefore “the kingdom of heaven” was “at hand.” He baptized with the baptism of repentance those who took that place; but he called the religious sects “a generation of vipers,” and declared that judgment was at hand— “The ax is laid at the root of the trees: therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” While he baptized with water, there was One coming whose shoes he was not worthy to bear, who would baptize them with the Holy Ghost and fire. “He would thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner, but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
A remnant hears John’s voice, and take the ground of repentance, and are baptized. Jesus takes a place with these, and, as the fulfiller of all righteousness, is baptized too. But over Him the heavens open, the Holy Ghost descended and abode upon Him, while a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Thus the man Christ Jesus is publicly owned in Israel, from the glory, as Son of God, by the Father and the Holy Ghost, and that, too, in connection with a repentant remnant of Israel. It is well to notice also here, that through the redemption-work of Jesus He has brought us into His own place; the heaven is open to us—the veil rent—the Holy Ghost has come down to anoint us, and dwell in us as the sons of God, according to the riches of divine grace. (chapter 3)
After Jesus had proved Himself to be invulnerable to Satan in temptation, the wicked state of the nation is again made manifest by Jehovah’s faithful servant John, the Lord’s forerunner, being put into prison. Accordingly, the Lord goes forth with the glad tidings of the kingdom which John had announced, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;” only the Lord adds to this His power to bind Satan, to cast out the unclean spirit, and heal all manner of sickness. These were points of deepest interest to a Jew who was intelligent in the Scriptures of the prophets, and should have shown him that Jesus was the Messiah. (chapter 4:17, 24.)
By this time a few in Israel had accepted the testimony, received the Messiah, and became His scholars and followers. The Lord then takes them apart, gathers them to Himself (thus showing His divine character), separating them from the corrupt nation. Having taken them up into a mountain, He instructs them in the presence of others as to the character of those belonging to the kingdom, the true principles on which the kingdom must be set up, and the conduct suitable to such as will be in it. Our Lord begins by showing that it is not the self-sufficient, but “the poor in spirit,” that can be in the kingdom, and that “the meek” will inherit the earth. Such, being surrounded with an apostate people, must suffer for righteousness’ sake; but the persecuted are assured of reward in heaven. In the kingdom there will be least and greatest, but they must all have a better righteousness than that of the scribes and Pharisees. They, too, should love their enemies; and lust cannot be tolerated. The Lord also gave them a form of prayer, perfect for those who were getting on kingdom-ground, praying for the kingdom to be fully set up, when the will of God will be done on earth as in heaven. The soul-breathings becoming the members of Christ’s body are not found in this prayer; for there is no remission of sins through the blood of Jesus; no asking in the name of the Lord Jesus, nor recognition of the need of the Spirit to help in prayer; but, as before said, it is a prayer given to and perfectly adapted to those who did not know anything of atonement or redemption, but, having received the Messiah, longed for the kingdom to come —the Father’s kingdom. (chapter 6:9-13.) He would care for His own. They should consider the fowls of the air, and lilies of the field, and not be anxious about food and raiment; but “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” and then all these things would be added to them. They should expect their Father to answer prayer. (What lessons there are here also for us.) There will be “false prophets,” but they shall be known by their fruits. There is a broad way and a narrow way; but few enter into the strait gate. Happy those whose hopes are built upon a rock. (chapter 5–7)