A 41-week Bible Study podcast on the Gospel of Matthew chapters 1-7
Matthew gives us one of the earliest records of the teaching of Jesus. His gospel is famous not only for his use of the Old Testament, but also for recording 5 sermons of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount. Placed first in the New Testament, Matthew’s gospel provides the necessary continuity between the Old and New Testament.
Matthew wrote this book to tell us who Jesus is and what that means for us — something we all want to know.
Resources: Background, Outlines, Maps, Key Words
Jump to: ** Early Life (Mt 1-2); ** Fulfillment Passages (Mt 2-3); ** Temptations (Mt 4); ** Beatitudes (Mt 5); ** Antitheses (Mt 5); ** Lord’s Prayer (Mt 6); ** Golden Rule (Mt 7) ** Next **
01 Gospel of Matthew Introduction
Jesus claimed that “all authority in heaven and on earth” has been given to him (Mt 28:18). If that’s true, and I believe it is, then we benefit by learning all we can about Jesus. Matthew wrote this gospel to tell us who Jesus is and what that means for us. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 3, 2021. Season 18, Episode 1.
02 Matthew 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Jesus
Writers are usually told to start their books with a hook that will immediately engage their readers. Matthew begins his gospel with a list of names. Could anything be more boring? Yet Matthew did start with a bang. This list is relevant to every human being who ever lived. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 10, 2021. Season 18, Episode 2.
03 Matthew 1:18-25 The Birth of Jesus
You would think that a passage covering the birth of Jesus would be easy “Christmas stuff” we’re all familiar with. Don’t be fooled. Matthew’s account raises some interesting theological questions. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 17, 2021. Season 18, Episode 3.
04 Matthew 2:1-23 The early life of Jesus
Matthew draws many parallels between the early life of Jesus and the Old Testament to reinforce his main point: Jesus is the Christ, the son of Abraham and son of David, who will fulfill God’s promises. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 24, 2021. Season 18, Episode 4.
05 Matthew 2:13-15 Out of Egypt
Matthew tells us the life of Jesus “fulfills” something spoken by the prophet Hosea. Yet Hosea is not “predicting” anything; Hosea is looking backward to the Exodus. What is Matthew doing? He’s pointing out the theological connection between Israel as God’s son and the Messiah, God’s son. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 3, 2021. Season 18, Episode 5.
06 Matthew 2:16-18 Rachel weeping
In this third fulfillment passage, Matthew compares the murder of the young boys in Bethlehem to the Rachel weeping in her tomb for the captives about to be deported to Babylon. In both events, all hope seems lost. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 10, 2021. Season 18, Episode 6.
07 Matthew 2:19-23 A Nazarene
This quotation presents the hardest challenge because no passage in the Old Testament says the Messiah will be called a Nazarene. Instead Matthew is summarizing an idea taught in the prophets. We need both grammar and historical background to understand him. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 17, 2021. Season 18, Episode 7.
08 Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist
John the Baptist was the herald who announced the coming of the King. His message had two parts: repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. The king is coming. It is time to turn back to God and follow his Messiah. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 24, 2021. Season 18, Episode 8.
09 Matthew 3:13-17 The baptism of Jesus
At his baptism, God confirms that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who will rule on David’s throne forever. We also see what kind of king Jesus is: humble and willing to serve. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 7, 2021. Season 18, Episode 9.
For each of the temptations we’ll answer 3 questions: 1) why is the choice wrong? 2) why is the choice attractive? and 3) how does Jesus respond?
10 Matthew 4:1-4 1st Temptation: Stones to bread
Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as the Messiah while God wants to demonstrate that Jesus is worthy to be the Messiah. We’ll look how how Jesus responds when he’s tempted to believe God is no longer taking care of him. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 14, 2021. Season 18, Episode 10.
11 Matthew 4:5-7 2nd Temptation: Jump from the pinnacle
While the temptation to jump to from the top of a high mountain may not appear to very enticing at first glance, it’s a temptation we all face today. When life gets hard or overwhelming, like Jesus, we’re very tempted to believe God has ceased to take care of us and we need to take a “leap of faith” to get back in His good graces. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 21, 2021. Season 18, Episode 11.
12 Matthew 4:8-11 3rd Temptation: Bow down
Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to gaining the blessings God has promised him. But Jesus knows idolatry is looking to someone or something other than God to grant us Life. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 28, 2021. Season 18, Episode 12.
13 Matthew 4:12-25 Early Ministry
As Matthew closes this first section of his gospel, he highlights the Galilean nature of Jesus’ early ministry. Matthew summarizes Jesus’ early ministry as marked by healing and teaching. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on May 5, 2021. Season 18, Episode 13.
14 Matthew 5-7 Sermon on the Mount Introduction
The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most important passages in Scripture, as it is a profound and unique body of teaching from the Messiah himself. Yet throughout church history, believers have found it difficult to agree on what this sermon means and how it is to be applied to our lives. In this introduction, I’ll contrast the different approaches to the Sermon on the Mount and explain which approach I take. Teacher Krisan Marotta on May 12, 2021. Season 18, Episode 14.
15 Matthew 5:1-12 What is a beatitude?
Before we look at the beatitudes, we need to understand what it means to be blessed, the nature of a beatitudes (Jesus wasn’t the first to employ them) and how Jesus expects us to understand them. Teacher Krisan Marotta on May 19, 2021. Season 18, Episode 15.
16 Matthew 5:1-3 Poor in Spirit
Unlike those who are self-satisfied and see themselves as spiritually rich, the poor in spirit know that they are morally bankrupt and nothing in this world can give them what they truly need. This knowledge is a core conviction of saving faith. Teacher Krisan Marotta on May 26, 2021. Season 18, Episode 16.
17 Matthew 5:4 Those who mourn
Mourning is the appropriate emotional response to being poor in spirit. When you realize that life is not what it should be and you are not the kind of person you should be, the appropriate response is to weep over it. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 9, 2021. Season 18, Episode 17.
18 Matthew 5:5 The meek
While Matthew 5:5 is probably the most famous beatitude, not many people understand what it means. Jesus does not explain what he means by “meek”, but he is quoting Psalm 37 which gives us a very big clue. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 16, 2021. Season 18, Episode 18.
19 Matthew 5:6 Hunger for righteousness
When you’re physically hungry, the desire to eat is so overwhelming you can hardly think about anything else. Jesus is counting on that experience in this beatitude. The truly fortunate ones long for that which is missing in this life, that which only the kingdom of God can fulfill: holiness. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 23, 2021. Season 18, Episode 19.
20 Matthew 5:7 The merciful
Only those will to commit the costly act of being merciful will receive mercy in the kingdom of God, because showing mercy is an implication of having saving faith. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 30, 2021. Season 18, Episode 20.
21 Matthew 5:8 The pure in heart
The pure in heart are not those who are morally perfect. Rather their hearts have been cleansed of rebellion and rejection of God. The pure in heart live like the gospel is true, though not perfectly. One day they will stand before God and be accepted. Teacher Krisan Marotta on July 14, 2021. Season 18, Episode 21.
22 Matthew 5:9 The peacemakers
Like the merciful, those commit the costly act of refusing to answer injury for injury and seeking a peaceful reconciliation instead will find their inheritance as children of God in the kingdom of heaven. When we realize how deeply we ourselves are indebted to God’s grace and dependent on His mercy, we also realize we’re in no position to condemn the sins of others. Teacher Krisan Marotta on July 21, 2021. Season 18, Episode 22.
23 Matthew 5:10-16 Persecuted
People marked by the being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, hungering for righteousness, pursuing peace and mercy, etc. will draw the hostility of the world, but they will be rewarded with eternal life in the kingdom of God. We, his disciples, are not to shrink from following Jesus for fear that the world might hate us. We are to follow him, even though that invites mocking, scoffing and persecution. Teacher Krisan Marotta on July 28, 2021. Season 18, Episode 23.
24 Matthew 5:17-20 Surpassing the Pharisees
In the second section of this sermon Jesus warns that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. Unlike them, we must have a genuine commitment to the Scriptures and what they teach if we want to find life in the kingdom of God. We must seek to understand the full demands of the Law and want to obey it. Teacher Krisan Marotta on September 15, 2021. Season 18, Episode 24.
25 Matthew 5:21-26 Anger & murder
The Pharisees believe they are righteous because no court can convict them of murder. But Jesus warns that if courts were in charge of judging righteousness, then responding to others with unloving anger would get you arrested; and calling people insulting names would get you thrown into the fires of judgment. Teacher Krisan Marotta on September 22, 2021. Season 18, Episode 25.
26 Matthew 5:27-30 Adultery & Lust
The Pharisees consider themselves blameless before the law if they have refrained from physically committing adultery. But Jesus says righteousness requires more. It requires inward submission to the will of God and accepting the boundaries He has placed on your life, including your sexuality. Teacher Krisan Marotta on September 29, 2021. Season 18, Episode 26
27 Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce
Both Moses and Jesus recognize that we sinners are going to fail in our marriages and so they allowed divorce with some regulations. Moses did not mean divorce was a righteous option. Divorce results from the fact that the parties involved are sinners. God intended marriage to be forever but divorce is a necessary evil because of our sin. Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 6, 2021. Season 18, Episode 27.
28 Matthew 5:33-37 Vows & the 3rd Commandment
Since we rarely make oaths today, at first glance there doesn’t seem to be much to learn from Matthew 5;33-37. However, I think Jesus is dealing with a very important issue which is deeper than telling the truth or meaning what we say. He’s dealing with violating the 3rd commandment, taking the Lord’s name in vain. Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 13, 2021. Season 18, Episode 28.
29 Matthew 5:38-42 An Eye for an Eye
Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for applying instructions for the judges of Israel to their personal behavior. They claim they can be as proportionally vindictive to in the name of seeking retribution and still consider themselves blameless. Jesus says the guiding principle is not “an eye for an eye” but rather “turn the other cheek.” Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 20, 2021. Season 18, Episode 29.
30 Matthew 5:43-48 Love your enemies
Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In one sense, loving your neighbor is a simple, practical guide to good conduct. But it is also a truth we have to embrace and choose to follow. In that sense, it is a test of faith. Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 27, 2021. Season 18, Episode 30.
31 Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-18 Giving, Praying & Fasting
Being religious is no guarantee that you are genuinely following God. Whatever you define as obedience to God – being in full-time ministry, church attendance, praying, fasting, giving to the poor, adopting social justice causes – Jesus says: stop and ask yourself who are you doing it for? Teacher Krisan Marotta on November 3, 2021. Season 18, Episode 31.
32 Matthew 6:7-10 The Lord’s Prayer: Thy Kingdom come
In giving us the Lord’s prayer, Jesus is not giving us a ritual to perform or a spiritual discipline to ensure our prayers are answered. Jesus is challenging us to consider what is our hearts are set on. Teacher Krisan Marotta on November 10, 2021. Season 18, Episode 32.
33 Matthew 6:11 The Lord’s Prayer: Daily Bread
In Matthew 6:11 we don’t know with certainty what the word translated “daily” means. This leads to much debate and two good interpretations: one literal and one metaphorical. Both understandings have merit. Both use good methodology. Both teach something that is taught elsewhere in Scripture, and in that sense, both of them are true. In this life, we may never be certain which one Jesus meant, but we can affirm the truths both of them teach. Teacher Krisan Marotta on November 17, 2021. Season 18, Episode 33.
34 Matthew 6:12-15 The Lord’s Prayer: Forgiveness
It’s not surprising that we find forgiveness in the Lord’s prayer. For believers neither sin nor mercy are hypothetical concepts. We should be staggered by the power and beauty of mercy as proclaimed to us on the cross because we have been forgiven so great a debt. Teacher Krisan Marotta on December 1, 2021. Season 18, Episode 34.
35 Matthew 6:13 The Lord’s Prayer: Temptation
This last request is not to avoid the choice posed by temptation. This request is to be preserved through the choice. Father, do not let me fall into temptation to my doom. Teacher Krisan Marotta on December 8, 2021. Season 18, Episode 35.
36 Matthew 6:19-24 Treasures in Heaven
Why is the kingdom of heaven so incredibly valuable that I would invest my whole heart and my whole life in it? In this passage, Jesus gives one of many important reasons: We cannot keep the treasures of this earth, and we cannot lose the treasures in heaven. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 5, 2022. Season 18, Episode 36.
37 Matthew 6:25-34 Anxious for tomorrow
At first reading, Matthew 6:25-34 seems simple and straightforward: Don’t be anxious. God knows what you need and He will take care of you. The tricky part of this passage is figuring out exactly what we should not do and what we can expect God to do. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 12, 2022. Season 18, Episode 37.
38 Matthew 7:1-5 Log in your eye
The log in your own eye versus the speck in your neighbor’s eye is a powerful image of willfully living a lie. Jesus warns that if you condemn other people for their sins, you are ignoring a fundamental truth about yourself in a way that is almost impossible to imagine. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 19, 2022. Season 18, Episode 38.
39 Matthew 7:6 Throwing pearls to pigs
Many people understand Jesus to be saying in Matthew 7:6 something like: you don’t need to share the gospel with hostile, unworthy people. However, I agree with the minority who understand Jesus to be saying: don’t be the kind of fool who throws away what is beautiful and precious. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 26 2022. Season 18, Episode 39.
40 Matthew 7:7-11 Seek and you will find
Ask God for the life He has promised and you will receive it. Seek the good things that He has promised and you will find them. Knock on the door to the kingdom of heaven and it will open to you. These words are powerful because of the difficult battle they represent. Believing and acting on these promises is the central struggle of the Christian life. Teacher Krisan Marotta on February 2, 2022. Season 18, Episode 40.
41 Matthew 7:12-29 The Golden Rule and the 2 Roads
Matthew 7:12-29 summarizes two great themes we’ve seen in this sermon: 1) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 2) There is a road that seems right to us, but it leads to destruction. Teacher Krisan Marotta on February 9, 2022. Season 18, Episode 41.
NEXT: Matthew’s Gospel 8-12 Part 2
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Podcast Season 18, episode 1-41