Exposition of Matthew

About this series

Matthew presents Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ: the legally qualified Son of David, the true and obedient Israel, and the anointed King who fulfills the Law and the Prophets. Because the King has come, every person must respond to Him, and the series traces how those responses split humanity. Some respond with worshipful, obedient faith, like Joseph, the magi, the poor in spirit, the centurion, and the repentant tax collectors. Others respond with hostility or religious self-deception, like Herod, the Pharisees, the fruitless fig tree, and the son who says yes but never goes. The righteousness that exceeds the scribes and Pharisees is Christ's own, received by grace alone through faith alone. Yet that positional righteousness is always validated by practical, heart-level righteousness: living before the Father's eyes rather than men's, humility instead of self-promotion, forgiveness flowing from forgiveness received, and costly allegiance that counts sacrifice for Christ as eternal gain. As Jesus moves toward the cross, His authority over disease, nature, demons, sin, Sabbath, and temple is displayed. His repeated passion predictions reveal that the King reigns through substitutionary death, so faith in Him is the only escape from judgment.