40. Matthew (Bible Summary)

The Birth and Early Years of Jesus (chs. 1–2)

His Genealogy (1:1–17)

Genealogy of Jesus: Tracing Jesus’ lineage from Abraham through David, demonstrating his rightful claim as the Messiah.

His Birth (1:18—2:12)

Jesus’ Birth: The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth, including the angel’s announcement to Joseph, the visit of the Magi, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

His Sojourn in Egypt (2:13–23)

Escape to Egypt: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus flee to Egypt to escape King Herod’s massacre of infants, fulfilling prophecy.

The Beginnings of Jesus’ Ministry (3:1—4:11)

Jesus’ Forerunner – John the Baptist (3:1–12)

John the Baptist’s Ministry: John preaches repentance and baptizes people in preparation for the coming Messiah.

The Baptism of Jesus (3:13–17)

Jesus’ Baptism: Jesus is baptized by John, marking the initiation of his public ministry and the affirmation of his identity by God.

His Temptation (4:1–11)

Jesus Tempted: Jesus is led into the wilderness and tempted by Satan, yet remains sinless.

Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee (4:12—14:12)

The Beginning of the Galilean Campaign (4:12–25)

Jesus Begins His Ministry: Jesus begins preaching the Kingdom of God, calling his first disciples, and performing healings and miracles.

Jesus Calls His First Disciples (4:18–22)

Disciples Called: Jesus calls Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow him and become fishers of men.

The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5–7)

The Beatitudes (5:1–12): Jesus outlines the blessings of the Kingdom, offering comfort to the poor in spirit, the meek, and those who hunger for righteousness.
Salt and Light (5:13–16): Disciples are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Jesus and the Fulfillment of Old Testament Law (5:17–20): Jesus affirms the Law but stresses its deeper fulfillment in his teachings.
More Than Murder (5:21–26): The importance of reconciling with others, not just avoiding murder.
Adultery and Lust (5:27–30): A call to purity in thoughts and actions, especially in sexual matters.
Divorce and Adultery (5:31–32): Jesus teaches on the sanctity of marriage and the wrongness of divorce except in cases of unfaithfulness.
Oaths and Promises (5:33–37): Jesus teaches against making oaths, urging truthfulness in speech.
Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth (5:38–42): Jesus advocates for non-retaliation and loving enemies.
Love Your Enemies (5:43–48): A call to love even one’s enemies, exemplifying God’s perfect love.
Giving to the Needy (6:1–4): Jesus teaches on giving with sincerity, not for public recognition.
Prayer (6:5–15): Jesus gives a model for prayer, including the Lord’s Prayer.
Fasting (6:16–18): Jesus teaches on fasting with sincerity, avoiding hypocrisy.
Storing Up Treasures in Heaven (6:19–24): A warning against materialism and a call to seek God’s Kingdom.
Do Not Worry (6:25–34): Jesus reassures his followers to trust in God’s provision and not be anxious.
Do Not Judge (7:1–6): Jesus cautions against hypocrisy and judging others, urging a focus on self-examination.
Ask, Seek, Knock (7:7–12): Encouragement to pray persistently, with confidence in God’s goodness.
The Narrow and Wide Gates (7:13–14): Jesus warns of the narrow path to life and the broad path to destruction.
Beware of False Prophets (7:15–23): Jesus warns against false teachers who will lead many astray.
Wise and Foolish Builders (7:24–29): The parable of the two builders, emphasizing the importance of obeying Jesus’ words.

A Collection of Miracles (chs. 8–9)

Healing a Leper (8:1–4): Jesus heals a man with leprosy, showing his compassion and power.
Healing the Centurion’s Servant (8:5–13): Jesus heals a Roman centurion’s servant by his word, marveling at the man’s faith.
Healing Peter’s Mother-in-Law (8:14–15): Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law, demonstrating his authority over sickness.
The Cost of Following Jesus (8:18–22): Jesus speaks about the sacrifices required for discipleship.
Jesus Calms a Storm (8:23–27): Jesus calms a storm, revealing his power over nature.
Healing a Demon-Possessed Man (8:28–34): Jesus casts demons out of a man, showing his authority over evil spirits.
Healing a Paralyzed Man (9:1–8): Jesus heals a paralyzed man, demonstrating his authority to forgive sins.
The Calling of Matthew (9:9–13): Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him, illustrating his mission to call sinners to repentance.

The Commissioning of the 12 Apostles (ch. 10)

Instructions for the Twelve Apostles: Jesus sends out his twelve disciples with instructions on how to preach, heal, and endure persecution.

Ministry Throughout Galilee (chs. 11–12)

John the Baptist Questions Jesus (11:1–19)

John’s Inquiry: John the Baptist, in prison, sends his disciples to ask if Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus affirms his identity through his miracles.

The Parables of the Kingdom (ch. 13)

The Parable of the Sower (13:1–23): A parable about different responses to the gospel message.
The Parable of the Weeds (13:24–30): The parable of the wheat and weeds, illustrating the coexistence of good and evil until the harvest.
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast (13:31–35): Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed and yeast, showing its small but powerful influence.
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl (13:44–46): The value of the Kingdom of God surpasses all earthly treasures.
The Parable of the Net (13:47–50): A parable about the separation of the righteous and the wicked at the end of the age.

Herod’s Reaction to Jesus’ Ministry (14:1–12)

The Death of John the Baptist: Herod, influenced by his wife, orders the beheading of John the Baptist.

Jesus’ Withdrawals from Galilee (14:13—17:20)

To the Eastern Shore of the Sea of Galilee (14:13—15:20)

Feeding the 5,000 (14:13–21): Jesus miraculously feeds five thousand men, plus women and children, with five loaves and two fish.
Walking on Water (14:22–33): Jesus walks on water to reach his disciples, teaching them faith.
True Defilement (15:1–20): Jesus teaches that it’s not what goes into a person’s mouth that defiles them, but what comes out.

To Phoenicia (15:21–28)

Healing the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter: Jesus heals the daughter of a Canaanite woman, demonstrating his compassion beyond Israel.

To the Decapolis (15:29—16:12)

Feeding the 4,000 (15:29–39): Jesus feeds four thousand people with seven loaves and a few fish.

To Caesarea Philippi (16:13—17:20)

Peter’s Confession: Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah, and Jesus predicts his suffering and death.

Jesus’ Last Ministry in Galilee (17:22—18:35)

Prediction of Jesus’ Death (17:22–23)

Jesus Predicts His Death: Jesus foretells his death and resurrection.

Discourse on Life in the Kingdom (ch. 18)

Teachings on Humility, Forgiveness, and Sin: Jesus teaches about greatness in the Kingdom, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Jesus’ Ministry in Judea and Perea (chs. 19–20)

Teaching on Divorce (19:1–12)
The Rich Young Man (19:16–30)
Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (20:1–16)
Prediction of Jesus’ Death (20:17–19)

Passion Week (chs. 21–27)

The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (21:1–11)
The Cleansing of the Temple (21:12–17)
The Last Controversies with the Jewish Leaders (21:18—23:39)
The Olivet Discourse (24–25)
The Anointing of Jesus (26:1–13)
The Arrest, Trials, and Death of Jesus (26:14—27:66)

The Resurrection (ch. 28)

The Earthquake and the Angel’s Announcement (28:1–7)
Jesus’ Encounter with the Women (28:8–10)
The Great Commission (28:16–20)