The book of Matthew is one of the gospels in the New Testament. Matthew was a tax collector who left his job to follow Jesus and be His disciple. Matthew’s previous occupation gave him excellent record-keeping skills which makes this gospel easy to follow the life and death of Jesus with. Below is a brief overview of Matthew for beginners.
Chapters 1 + 2
The book of Matthew starts out with the genealogy of Jesus. This shows how his bloodline traces back to Abraham in order to fulfill the prophecy of 2 Samuel. The book of Matthew then proceeds to tell the story of how Jesus was born, why the wise men came to worship to Him, and where Jesus was brought up as a child.
The Book of Matthew Chapters 3 + 4
Then the book of Matthew tells us about John the Baptist and how he paved the way for The Messiah’s ministry. John baptizes Jesus and when He came up from the water the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and God spoke audibly saying, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1) Jesus rebukes Satan and then begins His ministry, saying “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)
Chapters 5, 6, + 7
Jesus’ ministry included healing the sick, driving out demons, performing multiple miracles, and teaching. The Sermon on the Mount starts with The Beatitudes, which explains who will receive a reward in heaven. Jesus explains that He did not come to abolish the law that everyone in that day lived by, but He came to fulfill the law by fulfilling previous prophecies about The Messiah. He then gave lessons on salt, light, anger, lust, divorce, oaths, and retaliation. He also tells the crowd “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Jesus continues to teach people about giving to the needy, fasting, treasures, and being anxious. He also tells everyone how to pray. Jesus gives lessons on judging others, asking God for things, and false prophets. He teaches about The Golden Rule and how to build the foundation of your faith. When Jesus was finished with the Sermon on the Mount, the people in the crowd looked at Jesus with authority.
The Book of Matthew Chapters 8 + 9
Chapter 8 of the book of Matthew starts with Jesus healing the sick and casting out demons. He then explains to His disciples that following Jesus must come before everything else. They followed Him onto a boat and there was a great storm. Jesus “rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:26). When the boat came to the country of Gadarenes he was met by men who were possessed by demons and the demons requested to be sent into a herd of nearby pigs. Jesus made it so and the demons made the pigs drown in the water bank.
Chapter 9 brings us back to Nazareth where we first meet Matthew. He drops everything to follow Jesus. While in Nazareth, Jesus heals many people, teaches about fasting, and the need for laborers of God.
Chapters 10 + 11
Out of all His followers, Jesus called 12 of them to be His Apostles. He then sent His Apostles out to the Jews to heal the sick and cast out demons. Before they left, Jesus told them expect to be persecuted because Jesus knew He was going to be persecuted but also not to be afraid. Jesus explains, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) and “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” (Matthew 10:40)
Jesus teaches the crowds about John the Baptist and what happens to those who won’t repent. Jesus then starts speaking to God in front of the crowds and tells them, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
The Book of Matthew Chapters 12 + 13
Jesus and His disciples are met with adversary by the Pharisees. Jesus heals many people and drives out demons. He then rebukes the scribes and Pharisees for their self-righteousness. Jesus then explains more lessons in the form of parables (stories). When He goes to teach in the local synagogue, “they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13: 57-58)
Chapters 14 + 15
John the Baptist is killed and Jesus wanted time alone but crowds followed Him so he healed the sick people. He then performed the miracle of feeding the crowd of 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish (and even had leftovers). The disciples then got on a boat while Jesus dismissed the crowd. Late at night while there was a storm, the disciples were afraid and Jesus walked on the water to meet them. Peter requested Jesus to let him come onto the water with Him, and He did. Peter lost focus on Jesus while on the water and began to sink but Jesus saved him. “And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:33)
When they arrived at Gennesaret, Jesus healed many people and casted out demons. The Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus and He calls them hypocrites and corrects them. Jesus then performed another miracle of feeding a crowd of 4,000 people with seven loaves and a few small fish (and still had leftovers).
The Book of Matthew Chapter 16
The Pharisees and Sadducees demand signs but Jesus rebukes them instead. One of Jesus’ disciples, Peter, confesses that he thinks Jesus is the Christ that was prophesied of even though there are rumors that he is less than that. Jesus ensures that Peter knows, “then He strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.” (Matthew 16:20)
Jesus foretells of His death and resurrection to His disciples. Because of this, Jesus reminds His disciples of the cost of following Jesus. He tells them “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16: 24)
Chapters 17, 18, 19 + 20
Jesus transfigured before Peter, James, and John appearing along with Elijah and Moses. “behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5) Afterwards, Jesus told the disciples to “tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:9)
Jesus heals a boy with a demon and then performs a miracle pulling a coin out of a random fish in order to pay the temple tax. Jesus continues to teach humbleness, temptation, forgiveness, and gives two parables to the disciples as well. When they came to Judea, he healed the sick, answered trick questions from the Pharisees, and taught the disciples about divorce, children, richness, and the hierarchy of the Kingdom of Heaven. He foretells of His death for a third time and healed two blind men as well.
The Book of Matthew Chapters 21 + 22
Jesus makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem in order to fulfill old prophecy. When He came to the temple, He overturned tables of money-changers and began to heal people there. Jesus makes a fig tree wither in front of the disciples to teach them that “whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22) Then the chief priests and the elders question Jesus’ authority and after He answers them, Jesus gives three parables.
“Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words.” (Matthew 22:15) Between the Pharisees followers and the Sadducees, they would try to trick Jesus with questions but it didn’t work. Jesus asks them a question for which they have no answer and “from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.” (Matthew 22:46) Then Jesus gave the Great Commandment.
Chapters 23, 24 + 25
Jesus gives the seven woes to the Scribes and Pharisees. He tells the disciples what to look for in the end of the age. Jesus says that “concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) Jesus gives two parables and speaks about the final judgment of the world.
The Book of Matthew Chapter 26
Matthew chapter 26 starts out with Jesus saying, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” (Matthew 26:2) A woman in Bethany poured expensive ointment on Jesus’ head. The Passover was held and Jesus revealed that one of the disciples was going to betray Him. They initiated the Lord’s Supper with bread and wine. Then Jesus went to Gethsemane to pray.
While Jesus was praying, Judas, the disciple to betray Jesus, came “and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.” (Matthew 26:47) “Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest” (Matthew 26:57) and gave false testimony about Him.
Chapter 27
“When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.” (Matthew 27:27) Peter denies knowing Jesus and Judas hangs himself in guilt.
“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.” (Matthew 27:15) The crowd chose to release Barabbas and to crucify Jesus. They mocked Jesus and crucified Him at Golgotha in between two robbers. When Jesus died there was an earthquake and the curtain in the temple where people went to be in God’s presence was torn in two. One of His disciples buried Him in a tomb enclosed it with large stone that was sealed and a guard to watch.
The Book of Matthew Chapter 28
The third day after Jesus was crucified there was another earthquake and an angel rolled the stone away of the tomb’s entrance. The angel told the women who were there to go tell His disciples that Jesus has risen from the dead. Jesus appeared to the disciples in Galilee “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Dawn Zauner 