A         Genealogy (1:1-17)

1          Jesus, David, Abraham (1:1)

1:1 Note the inverted pattern here: Jesus Christ (1:1b), David (1:1c), Abraham (1:1c), Abraham (1:2), David (1:6), Jesus Christ (1:16).

2          Three part genealogy (1:2-17)

1:2-17 The letters of David, dvd add up to fourteen (compare 1:17). This practice is called gematria or numerology and is common among rabbinic tradition. See Davies and Allison (ICC), 1: 161-65. For an helpful fictional account of this practice among contemporary Jewish sects see Potock, The Chosen.

B         The virgin conception and birth (1:18-25)

A         Jesus––the prophet like Moses (2:1-4:16)

1          The visit of the magi (2:1-12)

2:3 For personification of Jerusalem compare 2:3; 21:10.

2          Herod and the infants (2:13-23)

3          John and Jesus (3:1-17)

a          John introduced (3:1-6)

b          John’s message (3:7-12)

c          The baptism of Jesus (3:13-17)

4          Jesus’ three temptations (4:1-11)

4:1-11 Compare Jesus’ three Deut. quotations with their original contexts (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10 with Deut. 8:3; 6:16, 13). Esp. compare Deut. 8:1-3 with Mt. 4:1-4. 4:5-6 Consider the devil’s use of scripture.

5          Jesus’ withdraw to Galilee (4:12-17)

B         Jesus––proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing (4:17-11:1)

1          Beginning––Peter, Andrew, James John called (4:17-22)

2          The schema summarized (4:23-25)

a          Jesus goes about all Galilee (4:23)

            teaching

            preaching

            healing

b          The report of this goes out to all Syria and people bring to Jesus the sick, that is, the diseased and the tormented, that is (4:24)

            demoniacs

            epileptics

            paralytics

c          Great crowds follow Jesus . . . (4:25)

            from Galilee

            the Decapolis

            Jerusalem

            Judea

            beyond the Jordan 

3          The preaching––sermon on the mount (5:1-7:29)

a          Setting (5:1-2)

i           Jesus . . . seeing the crowds (ptcp.) . . . he went up on the mountain (contr. vb.) . . . and with him sitting down (ptcp.)

ii          The disciples . . . his disciples came to him

iii         Jesus . . . and opening his mouth (ptcp.) . . . he taught them (contr. vb.) . . . saying (ptcp.)

5:1-2 Note the repetition in the other discourses (cf. 9:35-10:1, 5; 13:1-3, 36-37; 18:1-3; 24:3-4).

b          Introduction (5:3-16)

i           The beatitudes (5:3-12)

See experimental translation of the beatitudes. 

ii          Salt (5:13)

iii         Light (5:14-16)

c          Opening of body of discourse––he has come to fulfill the Law and Prophets (5:17-20)

See discussion of "fulfill."

5:17-18 The Tanak’s relationship to Jesus is a pivotal teaching in Matthew––Jesus fulfilled/will fulfill the Scripture, especially note the parallel significance of 7:12. This is not simply in the prophetic sense, but more than that he is the full realization of the teachings, and Israel’s foreshadowing in the Tanak. Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount that he will fulfill all of the Scriptures. Jesus fulfilled/will fulfill the Law and the Prophets in that he is the complete manifestation of all they teach and anticipate.

Six contrasts––you have heard it said . . . but I say to you . . . (5:21-48): murder . . . hate (5:21-26); adultery . . . lust (looks, eyes) (5:27-30); divorce . . . adultery (c. broken vows) (5:31-32); vows . . . yes or no (5:33-37); eye for an eye . . . turn other cheek (5:38-42); love neighbor . . . love enemy (5:43-47); be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (5:48)

Six teachings (6:1-7:11), Theme––the arena for righteous practice––before him not them (6:1)

Three teachings––measured by God, not by humans or on this earth (6:2-18): (1) finances (6:1-4); (2) forgiveness (6:5-14); (3) fasting from food (6:16-18)

Three teachings––rewarded by God, not by humans or on this earth (6:19-7:11): (1) finances, our treasures and our heart (6:19-24), his provisions and his righteousness (6:25-34); (2) forgiveness (7:1-5); (3) food as an example of his generosity (7:6-11)

c          Closing of body of discourse––In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (7:12)

b          Conclusion––three contrasting challenges (7:13-27)

i           the narrow way (7:13-14)

ii          avoid fruitless false prophets (7:15-23)

iii         build their lives on the word they have heard (7:24-27)

a          Concluding narrative framework––the crowds are amazed at Jesus’ authoritative teaching (7:28-29)

4          The healing (8:1-9:38)

a          Three miracles and a summary (8:1-22)

8:1-17 Note that the first set of three miracles each make explicit reference to an Tanak command, character, or text––in the first two by Jesus (8:4, 11) and by the narrator in the third (8:17).

i           A leper cleansed (8:1-4)

ii          The centurion’s servant healed (8:5-13)

iii         Peter’s mother-in-law healed (8:14-15)

iv         A summary of Jesus’ ministry and teaching on discipleship (8:16-22)

b          Three miracles and the call of Levi (8:23-9:17)

8:23-9:8 In addition to the repeated format, note that the miracles of 8:23-9:8 each occur on or by the sea. This binds these together and serves to help divide 8:1-9:38 into three parts.

i           The storm calmed (8:23-27)

ii          Two demoniacs cured (8:28-34)

iii         A Paralytic cured (9:1-8)

iv         The calling of Levi and a teaching on discipleship (9:9-17)

a          Pharisees question Jesus’ company (9:9-13)

b          John’s disciples challenge Jesus’ practices (9:14-17)

c          Three miracles and a summary (9:18-38)

9:18-34 After each of these three miracles (in the third set), reference is made to the geographical progression of the gospel (9:26, 31, 33).

i           The girl raised and the old woman restored (9:18-26)

ii          Two blind men healed (9:27-31)

iii         A dumb man healed (9:32-34)

iv         A summary of Jesus’ ministry and a teaching on the need for workers (9:35-38)

5          Missionary Discourse (10:1-11:1)

a          The calling of twelve (10:1-4)

b          The commissioning––two triads (10:5-42)

i           Missionary instructions (10:5-15)

ii          The messenger’s fate (10:16-23)

iii         Disciples and teachers (10:24-25)

iv         Encouragement––do not fear, the Father cares (10:26-31)

i           Confession and denial (10:32-33)

ii          Not peace but a sword (10:34-39)

iii         Receiving prophets and others (10:40-42)

c          Conclusion/transition (11:1)

A         The schema summarized (11:4-6)

1          John’s question of whether Jesus was the Expected One (11:2-6)

2          Jesus’ answers with an allusion to Isa. 35:5; 61:1 (11:4-6)

B         The challenging of the Expected One––seeking not the kingdom (11:7-12:45)

1          Seeking something and missing everything (11:7-19)

a          Jesus’ question concerning John (11:7-9)

b          Jesus answers with a quotation of Mal. 3:1 (11:10-15)

a          Jesus’ question of an apt comparison of the current generation (11:16-19)

2          A judgment (11:20-30)

a          Woes pronounced against three cities––Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum (11:20-24)

b          The great invitation (11:25-30)

11:25-30 Jesus’ claim and invitation go beyond that of Woman Wisdom in Proverbs (esp. 9:1-6; cf. 1:20-33; 3:13-20; 8:1-36). In Proverbs, Wisdom is an attribute of God (8:22). In Matthew, Jesus is both a Sage (11:25) and the Wisdom (11:27; cf. 12:42). Matthew 11-13 is dominated by wisdom-oriented themes (see 11:25-30; 12:42; 13:10-17). Also, compare 11:25-30 to one of the speeches of personified wisdom in Sirach: Draw near to me, you who are uneducated, and lodge in the house of instruction ... Put your neck under her yoke, and let your souls receive instruction; it is to be found close by. See with your own eyes that I have labored but little and found for myself much serenity. Hear but a little of my instruction, and through me you will acquire silver and gold (51:23-28 NRSV).

3          David and the Sabbath (12:1-8)

3          The Law and the Sabbath (12:9-21)

2          A judgment (12:22-37)

1          Seeking a sign and missing the One (12:38-45)

C         The challenging of the Expected One––the family perspective and the Parables of the Kingdom (12:46-13:58)

12:46-13:58 In addition to the framing of the family (12:46-50 with 13:53-58) and the inverted rhetorical structure (13:3-23 with 13:49-52), note the relationships of the six middle parables: separating and burning (13:30 with 13:49-50); small yet comprehensive (13:31-32 with 13:45-46); and hiddenness (13:33 with 13:44).

1*        The nature of the heavenly family (12:46-50)

2          The Parables of the Kingdom (13:1-52) (For a slightly different arrangement of the structure of Mt. 13 see Wenham, Structure, 517-18)

            Setting (13:1-2)

a          The sower and the soils (13:3-9)

b          The disciples’ question and Jesus’ answer (13:10-17)

c          Interpretation of the sower and the soils (13:18-23)

d          Tares––separation of bad from good (13:24-30)

e          Mustard seed (13:31-32)

f           Leavening process (13:33)

g          Fulfillment of prophecy (13:34-35)

g          Interpretation of tares (13:36-43)

f           Hidden treasure (13:44)

e          Pearl of great price (13:45-46)

d          Dragnet––separation of bad from good (13:47-48)

c          Interpretation of the dragnet (13:49-50)

b          Jesus’ question and the disciples’ answer (13:51)

a          The householder (13:52)

1*        The problem of the earthly family (13:53-58)

D         The challenging of the Expected One––(14:1-16:12)

1          The rumor of the resurrection of John (the Baptist) (14:1-12)

2          The feeding of the five-thousand (14:13-21)

3          Responses to Jesus (14:22-36)

a          The disciples’ little faith, yet they worshipped him as the Son of God (14:22-33)

b          Healing and response at Gennesaret (14:34-36)

4          The question of eating bread and inner and outer purity (15:1-20)

3          Responses to Jesus (15:21-31)

a          The Syrophoenician woman’s great faith for a crumb (15:21-28)

b          Healing and response along the Sea of Galilee (15:29-31)

2          The feeding of the four thousand (15:32-39)

1          No sign except for Jonah (i.e., resurrection) to the Pharisees and Saducees (16:1-4; cf. 12:40)

5          A rehearsal of bread and leaven (16:5-12)

A         Peter’s confession (16:13-20)

1          Jesus asks: Who do people say that the Son of Man is? (16:13)

2          John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, a prophet (16:14)

1          Jesus asks: But who do you say that I am? (16:15)

2          The Messiah, the Son of the living God (16:16)

3          Jesus blesses Peter (16:17-19)

1          Jesus warned them to tell no one that he was the Messiah (16:20)

B         The foretelling of the death and resurrection of Jesus and recognizing the Son-ship of Jesus (16:21-17:27)

1          The schema summarized––going to Jerusalem for Jesus’ death and resurrection foretold (16:21-28)

2          The transfiguration and recognition of Jesus’ Son-ship by God (17:1-8)

1          The schema foretold––the suffering of the Son of Man (17:9-13)

3          The failure of the disciples because of the little-ness of their faith (17:14-21)

1          The schema foretold––the death and resurrection of the Son of Man (17:22-23)

2          The temple and the Son-ship (17:24-27)

C         Community Discourse (18:1-19:1)

1          Teaching on the little ones (18:1-14)

a          Who is the greatest? (18:1-5)

b          On offenses (18:6-9)

c          The lost sheep (18:10-14)

2          Teaching on the reconciliation of brothers (18:15-35)

a          The sins of a brother (18:15-20)

b          Forgiving seventy times seven (18:21-22)

c          The parable of the unmerciful servant (18:23-35)

D         Approaching the Jerusalem humiliation (19:1-20:28)

Setting (19:1-2)

1          Pharisees came to test him (19:3-12)

a          Pharisees question concerning the lawfulness of divorce (19:3)

b          Jesus quoted Genesis and noted the permanency of marriage (19:4-6)

a          The Pharisees challenge Jesus’ answer with a question-quotation from Deuteronomy (19:7)

b          Jesus stated that the Deuteronomy stipulation was because of hardness of heart and qualified the nature of the teaching (19:8-9)

c          The disciples wonder about the usefulness of marriage in Jesus’ view (19:10)

b          Jesus responds to disciples with a teaching on eunuchs (19:11-12)

2          The kingdom is for those like children (19:13-15)

a          The disciples rebuke those bringing children to be blessed by Jesus (19:13)

b          Jesus rebukes the disciples and compares the heirs of the kingdom to children (19:14)

1          A rich young man came to learn from Jesus (19:16-22)

a          A young man asked the teacher what good thing he could do to inherit eternal life (19:16)

b          Jesus challenged the human potential for goodness yet instructed him to follow the commandments (19:17)

a          The young man asked which commandments (19:18)

b          Jesus cited six commandments from the law (19:18-19)

a          The young man affirmed his faithfulness to the six and asked what he lacked (19:20)

b          Jesus told him to give his earthly possessions to the poor and he would inherit heavenly treasure, and to follow Jesus (19:21)

c          The young man went away grieved for he was wealthy (19:22)

2          In the kingdom the first and the last will be inverted (19:23-20:16)

a          Jesus taught on the difficulty of the rich enter the kingdom (19:23-24)

b          The disciples wonder who can be saved (19:25; cf. v. 10)

a          Jesus answers, With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (19:26)

b          Peter states that they left everything and followed Jesus and asked what they would inherit (19:27)

a          Jesus responded by . . .

i           acknowledging the great inheritance in the kingdom for his followers and stated, the first will be last and the last, first (19:28-30)

19:30; 20:16 Compare the inverted order of first and last in 19:30 and 20:16.

ii          telling the parable of the laborers in the vineyard and concluded, the last will be first and the first, last (20:1-16)

3          The schema of the death and resurrection summarized by Jesus (20:17-19)

1          The mother of James and John came and asks for a special inheritance––for them to be first––in the kingdom for her sons (20:20-24)

2          Jesus summarized his death as a principle of servanthood (20:25-28)

E          The ascension of the Son of David to Jerusalem (20:29-21:17)

1          As they were leaving Jericho, Jesus heals two blind men that recognized him as the Son of David (20:29-34)

2          Jesus ascends to Jerusalem on a colt (21:1-11)

a          The multitudes with him cried out: Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (21:9)

21:9 Compare citation of Ps. 118:26 in Mt. 21:9 and 23:39.

b          The city asked Who is this? (21:10)

21:10 For personification of Jerusalem compare 2:31

a          The multitudes were saying, This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee (21:11)

1          The Son of David in the temple (21:12-17)

a          Jesus drove out the money-changers (21:12)

b          Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 (21:13)

a          Jesus healed a blind and lame man in the temple and children were crying out: Hosanna to the Son of David (21:15)

b          Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 in response to the chief priests and scribes (21:16)

F          The conflict in the temple (21:18-23:39)

1          Jesus curses the barren fig tree (21:18-22)

2          The chief priests and elders question his authority (21:23-27)

3          Jesus tells three parables of judgment (21:28-22:13)

a          The parable of the two sons (21:28-32)

b          The parable of the vicious vine-growers who kill the son (21:33-46)

c          The parable of the wedding feast (22:1-14)

2          Three questions to challenge Jesus (22:15-40)

a          The Pharisees’ and Herodians’ question concerning financial loyalty (22:15-22)

b          The Sadducees’ question concerning the resurrection (22:23-33)

c          The lawyer’s question on the greatest commandment (22:34-40)

3          Jesus’ question that stopped all questions (22:41-46)

a          Jesus asks whose son the Christ is? (22:41-42a)

b          The answered, The son of David (22:42b)

a          Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1 and asks how can he be David’s son and Lord? (22:43-45)

b          No one could answer and no on would ask him any more questions (22:46)

4          Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees (23:1-36)

a          Jesus judged the religious elite and challenged his listeners to humility (23:1-12)

b          Jesus judges the scribes and Pharisees with seven woes (23:13-36)

1          Jesus offers a lament over Jerusalem (23:37-39) and foretells the temples destruction (24:1-2)

A         The then-schema––Mount of Olives Discourse (24:3-26:1)

1          Signs of the end and the second coming (24:3-28)

a          False messiahs (24:4-5)

b          Beginning of the birth pains (24:6-14)

c          The abomination and great tribulation (24:15-22)

d          False messiahs (24:23-26)

e          The return is like lightening and the signs like vultures (24:27-28)

2          The Son of Man coming in the clouds (24:29-31)

3          Six parables (24:32-25:46)

24:32-25:46 Note the verbal/conceptual connections between the various parables: (a) the fig tree is preceded by the coming of the Son of Man as is the sheep and goats (24:29-31; 25:31), the fig tree signifies the signs of his coming (24:33) yet is modified by the teaching of the days like Noah’s which relay that no one knows when––a surprise judgment (24:36-41) and the sheep and goats do not know how the ministered to or failed to minister to the King––a surprise judgment (25:37-40, 44-45); (b) both the thief and homeowner and virgins challenge the listeners/readers to be ready for they do not know when (24:44; 25:13), both also refer to not allowing a break in (24:43) or not allowing entrance (25:11-12); (c) both the faithful and evil slave and the talents deal with master-slave relations and each end the evil and worthless slave being respectively put in a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (24:51; 25:30).

a          The parable of the fig tree (24:32-42)

b          The parable of the thief and the homeowner (24:43-44)

c          The parable of the faithful and evil servant (24:45-51)

b          The parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13)

c          The parable of the talents (25:14-30)

a          The parable of the sheep and goats (25:31-46)

B         The now-schema summarized––Jesus said the Passover was coming and the Son of Man would be crucified (26:1-2)

C         Preparations (26:3-30)

1          The chief priest and elders meet at the court of the high priest to plot the killing of Jesus (26:3-5)

2          Jesus was anointed by a woman while at the house of Simon the leper (26:6-13)

1          Judas Iscariot went to the chief priest to plan the betrayal of Jesus (26:14-16)

2          Jesus and the disciples plan for the Passover (26:17-19)

1          Jesus identifies the betrayer during the supper (26:20-25)

2          Jesus institutes the Lord’s supper (26:26-30)

D         The death and resurrection of Jesus (26:31-28:15)

1          Three predictions (26:31-35)

a          The disciples will be scattered (26:31)

b          Jesus will be raised and go before them to Galilee (26:32)

c          Peter will deny him three times (26:33-35)

2          Jesus prays and the disciple sleep three times in the Garden of Gethsemane (26:36-46)

3          The betrayal and arrest of Jesus (26:47-56)

a          All the disciple fled (26:56b; cf. v. 31)

2          Jesus trial before Caiaphas (26:57-68)

3          Peter denials (27:69-75)

c          Peter remembered the prediction of the denials (27:75; cf. v. 33-35)

2          Jesus delivered to Pilate (27:1-2)

3          Judas’ silver and the Potter’s field (27:3-10)

2          Jesus trial before Pilate––Jesus to be crucified, Barabbas to be released (27:11-26)

3          The Roman guards mock Jesus (27:27-32)

4          The crucifixion at the Skull (27:33-38)

3          Three groups of insulters (27:39-44)

i           passers-by (27:39-40)

ii          chief priest, scribes, and elders (27:41-43), he saved others, he cannot save himself (cf. 20:28), he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross and we will believe in him (cf. 2:2), he trusts in God, let him deliver him now if he takes pleasure in him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God’ (cf. 3:17; 16:16; 17:5; also see 12:18)

iii         robbers (27:44)

4          The death of Jesus (27:45-50)

i           three hours of darkness (27:45)

ii          Jesus cried out Psalm 22:1 (27:46)

i           the confusion of those present (27:47-49)

ii          Jesus cried out with a loud voice and gave up his spirit (27:50)

3          Three responses to the death of Jesus (27:51-56)

i           God (27:51-53)

ii          The centurion (27:54)

iii         The women (27:55-56)

27:56 Is it possible that Jesus was the cousin of James and John? See Mt. 27:56 with Mk. 15:40; Jn. 19:25.

4          The burial of Jesus (27:57-61)

5          The Pharisees secured the grave (27:62-66)

4          The resurrection of Jesus (28:1-10)

5          The chief priest paid off the guards to lie about the resurrection (28:11-15)

E          The commissioning of Jesus followers (28:16-20)

1          The eleven proceeded to the designated mountain in Galilee (28:16)

28:16 Compare 26:32; 28:7, 10. Also, note the mountain as a place of revelation in 5:1; 17:1-8; 24:1-3.

2          They worshipped him, but some were doubtful (28:17)

28:17 Compare 2:2, 11; 11:2ff.

3          The commissioning (28:18-20)

a          All authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth (28:18)

28:18 Compare 2:2; 16:15-16; 26:64

b          The commissioning of the disciples to make apprentices (followers) (28:19-20a)

i           going

ii          baptizing

iii         teaching

c          I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age (28:20)

28:20 Note the parallel to and placement of Immanuel, God with us (1:21-23)––bookends. Also see 10:22; 11:2-6; 24:3, 13, 29-31; 26:39 and Bauer, Structure, 124-27.