The Gospel of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven

An Introduction to Understanding the Gospel of Matthew

Several years ago, I read through the Bible in a year. I would read two or three chapters of the Bible every day, without fail, and it was life-changing. This practice of reading the Bible in a year also led me to discover some really powerful books of the Bible.

After I finished my year-long quest through the Bible, I had a list of books that I wanted to go back to and study more in-depth. The Gospel of Matthew was one such book. There was something about this gospel that captured my attention.

What happened was remarkable though.

As I dove into this 28 chapter book, I began to see some trends that slowed my reading of this gospel down. It was the first time that I spent several months reading one book. And it started to change the way I see the world.

In fact, the Gospel of Matthew continues to be one of the most impactful books of the Bible for me today. It is the place where God keeps bringing me back to when I am looking for answers in life.

And for the world today, we can learn so much about how to live, what Jesus was like, and what he taught us. And the central thing I have learned from this book of the Bible is this:

What it means to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

This book of the Bible tells us more about the Kingdom of Heaven then nearly any other book in the Bible. And as we attempt to grasp what it means to bring God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven, to earth there is no other way to do this than reading the Gospel of Matthew.

This last month, I came back around to this book and decided to jump in feet first in seeing what I can learn about the Kingdom of Heaven. And so, I intend to share my thoughts, chapter by chapter, as I did with the Gospel of John.

However, before I jump right in, we need to set the stage for the Gospel of Matthew.

Why Should We Focus on the Gospel of Matthew?

Every book of the Bible focuses on Jesus. Even the Old Testament is pointing to Him. And while most of us understand that the Gospel of Matthew is about sharing Jesus with the world, it also shares something even bigger:

The Kingdom of Heaven

One of the most difficult things for us to understand at times is God’s Kingdom. When I talk about the Kingdom of Heaven, God’s Kingdom, or the Kingdom of God, I am talking about the same place.

However, there is something that is really important for us to understand about The Kingdom of Heaven. It is the place wherever God is. Which is heaven, and it is here on earth too.

“…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10 (NIV)

When Jesus is teaching the disciples how to pray, he reveals something miraculous to us. The Kingdom of Heaven is not just in heaven, it is here on earth too. And as we find out in this gospel, it has been coming to earth for ages, but now, the doors are wide open.

And we play a role in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth too.

This is why we should focus on this Gospel. It provides us with specific insights into how the Kingdom of Heaven works and what our role is when it comes to earth.

What Do We Know About the Gospel of Matthew?

Before we can dive into this book, we need to understand the background to this book of the Bible. It is vital for us to be able to understand who is writing it, the primary audience for the book, and the context of the time of writing.

As we learn more about these details, it will help inform us how to read this book and what to focus on in each chapter.

As it is a book of the Bible, it ultimately was inspired and written to edify the church no matter the century. Yet, the details are important for us to understand as we read it today.

• Author: The Apostle Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector among the Jews. A Jew himself, he worked for the Roman Empire and as was common practice, skimmed off the taxes to likely make himself rich. Yet, Jesus calls him out of his tax collector’s booth to join him in ministry.
• Dates: Historical records point to this gospel being written anywhere between 50 AD to 70 AD. Though most scholars seem to believe it is written more closely to former than the latter.
• Audience: Originally this was written as an evangelistic tool to reach Matthew’s fellow Jewish community. This is confirmed by the way he focuses on Jewish traditions, and pointing to the ways that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament promises. Yet, he provides a foundation of faith for all new believers.
• Purpose: The main purpose is to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah and the rightful King of David’s lineage. He also focuses on what it means to be part of the Kingdom of Heaven under Jesus as king.
• Special Notes: Matthew’s gospel focuses on a set of five discourses that help bring those who read it on a journey to understanding what it means to live in the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

The Gospel of Matthew focuses on Jesus as King and Messiah. This helps us to understand that there is a great kingdom in heaven and on earth which we as believers are now citizens.

As we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as citizens, there are important things we must know and understand as we live our lives bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. And this becomes more and more clear as we read this book of the Bible.

When We Read the Gospel of Matthew

If Matthew is driving home the point that Jesus is the Messiah and the King, then we need to be focusing on what the king is saying about his kingdom. When we read the Gospel of Matthew, there are a few things that are important for us to be focusing on in this book of the Bible.

When you come across one of these focus points, underline it in your Bible, and put a note by it. It might be a supernatural event (write SE). It might be when Jesus says, Kingdom of Heaven (write Kingdom). Or when someone points out that Jesus is King, Messiah, Son of God (write King).

Supernatural Events

If the Kingdom of Heaven is coming to earth, we need to be on the lookout for those instances when earth and heaven collide. Every single time this happens, it is easy to observe because and a supernatural event happens in the form of healings, angel appearances, or dreams and visions.

Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus talks about the Kingdom of Heaven a lot in this book of the Bible. And every time he does, you should circle ‘Kingdom of Heaven.’ You will notice how important it is for us to know that when we believe, we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And we need to understand what our new kingdom is like!

Jesus is King

Throughout this gospel, we learn that Jesus is the Messiah, the savior of the world. We also learn more about what it means for him to be the King of his Kingdom here on earth and in heaven. Lastly, the Jewish traditions discuss the Messiah to be the Son of God, and Matthew references this in his Gospel. Be on the lookout for each one.

The Gospel of Matthew Opens the Doors to the Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven is both in heaven and on earth. And over the next few weeks, you will begin to see how Jesus has swung the doors wide open for us to step right into the Kingdom which he calls us into.

His kingdom is full of power, love, and joy.

So many of us could use a little more of these in our day-to-day lives. And as we read through the Gospel of Matthew, we can take hold of these three important life forces. The Holy Spirit will open our eyes to what Jesus has to say and to the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Over the next few weeks, I will share a passage of scripture from each chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. You can follow along each time I post something new with my Substack Newsletter, where you can also pick up free prayer and mediation guides.

Each time a new post comes up, I would encourage you to read the post, and then read that chapter of the Gospel too. You will be amazed at what God has for you.

Lastly, if there are any other resources you have used to study this book of the Bible, please feel free to share them in the responses below. This will be helpful and encouraging for all of us!