Part 1 (2/2)
Dr. Allen D. Callahan, ”From Jesus to Christ: The Story of
the Storytellers”
The gospel of Matthew is traditionally placed at the beginning of the New Testament canon, but there have been many debates over the centuries as to which book was written first, with arguments for practically every order. It is generally agreed that Matthew is placed first because it was done so in the most ancient traditions, and because it presents a satisfactory synopsis of Christ's life. In reality, over the centuries, every possible order for the gospels has been proposed, with a variety of reasons.
The Nativity of Jesus Christ.
The story begins with a genealogy of Christ's ancestors, including the Jewish King David, which makes Christ the ”son of David,” as was a.s.serted in the Old Testament that the coming messiah would be. Jesus's miraculous conception and birth are depicted as having been of the ”virgin” from the Old Testament scripture Isaiah 7:14.1 The nativity is accompanied by the tale of King Herod, the star and the wise men. Because Herod orders all male children under the age of two to be killed, so that the ”king of the Jews” could not live to adulthood, Jesus's parents, Joseph and Mary, take Jesus into Egypt to escape Herod's wrath. They return after Herod has died, to live in Nazareth, so that the Old Testament scripture can be fulfilled that the savior was to be a ”Nazarene.”
The Baptism and Temptation.
The next scene in Matthew cuts to Jesus's adulthood, when John the Baptist, preaching in the Judean wilderness, predicts Christ's coming and then baptizes him in the Jordan. During this event, the heavens open up to Jesus, the Holy Ghost descends on him in the shape of a dove, and a heavenly voice says, ”This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Mt 3:16-17) Jesus next spends 40 days in the desert, being tempted by Satan, who offers him ”all the kingdoms of the world.” Christ resists the devil and emerges from the desert unscathed, but discovers that John the Baptist has been arrested, so he goes to Galilee, where he pa.s.ses through Nazareth and onto Capernaum. Most of the rest of Matthew depicts Jesus as moving about in this northern part of Palestine.1
The Calling of the Disciples.
At this point, Jesus begins to pick up his first followers, including the fishermen Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as the fishermen James and John, sons of Zebedee, leaving their father behind on the boat. With them, Jesus proceeds all over Galilee, preaching and teaching, as well as healing ”every disease and every infirmity among the people.” (Mt 4:23) According to this gospel, Jesus now begins to become very famous ”throughout all Syria,” with ”great crowds” following him throughout Palestine ”and from beyond the Jordan.”
The Sermon on the Mount.
With the throng in tow, Jesus climbs up a mountain and delivers the famous Sermon on the Mount, including the Beat.i.tudes and the Lord's Prayer. In the Beat.i.tudes, Jesus says that the ”poor in spirit” are blessed, as are those who are in mourning, as well as the meek and those who are reviled and persecuted. Those who ”hunger and thirst after righteousness,” the merciful, the ”pure in heart” and the peacemakers are also blessed. Christ further tells his followers that they are the ”salt of the earth” and the ”light of the world,” adding: ”Let your light so s.h.i.+ne before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:16) In speaking of the commandment not to kill, which brings with it judgment, Jesus remarks that someone who becomes ”angry with his brother” will also ”be liable to judgment,” and ”whoever insults his brother shall be liable to council.” Christ further admonishes that whoever says, ”You fool!” will be ”liable to the h.e.l.l of fire.” (Mt 5:22) In discussing adultery, Jesus a.s.serts that someone merely looking at a woman with l.u.s.t ”has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” He then advises his followers to pluck out their eyes and throw them away if they cause them to sin. Christ's followers are also to cut off their hands for the same reason. At Matthew 5:32, Jesus further states that divorcing a woman for any reason other than infidelity or unchast.i.ty ”makes her an adulteress” and that ”whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Christ next cautions, ”Do not swear at all,” and then states, ”Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Mt 5:34, 37) Jesus also advises, ”Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also...” He commands us to give our cloak to anyone who sues for our coat and to go an extra mile with someone who forces us to go one mile. Christ exhorts his followers, ”Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.” (Mt. 5:39-42) During the Sermon, Jesus utters the immortal words: ”Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” Christ says that this kind of behavior will make his followers ”sons of the Father” in heaven. He also states, ”You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:44-48) Next, Jesus a.s.serts that if we practice our piety in front of others, we will receive no reward from our Father in heaven. Later (Mt 6:3-4), Christ admonishes not to pray in public or expose our alms-giving. He also warns not to ”let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
The Lord's Prayer.
At Matthew 6:9-13, Christ teaches the proper way to pray, which is in a room with the door shut, seen by our Father in secret. Subsequently, Jesus teaches his followers the Lord's Prayer: ”Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.”
Christ promises a reward also for fasting in secret, advising his followers to anoint their heads and wash their faces first. (Mt 6:17-18) After teaching the Lord's Prayer and how to pray, Christ further advises his followers to ”lay up” treasures for themselves not on Earth ”but in heaven.” Moreover, Jesus states, ”You cannot serve G.o.d and mammon,” the last word being translated as ”treasure” or ”riches.” Jesus comments, ”Take no thought for your life...” and do not be ”anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, or what you shall put on.” He points to the birds as being well taken care of by G.o.d-how much more valuable are we? Those who are concerned with what they eat, drink or wear possess little faith, since G.o.d knows we need them. Instead, we are to seek after righteousness and not be anxious about tomorrow, ”for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” (Mt 6:19-34) One of the most important pa.s.sages in Jesus's Sermon is ”Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Mt 7:1) Following that exhortation, Christ tells his followers, ”Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine...” In his saying about knocking and having the door open, Jesus also says, ”If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” He next recites what is known as the ”Golden Rule,” paraphrased as: ”Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But, he declares that ”this is the law and the prophets.” (Mt 7:12) Next, Jesus advises his followers to ”enter by the narrow gate,” which refers to the sin-free way of living, because the wide path-full of sin and temptation-leads to destruction. The sinless path to heaven is difficult and for the few. Christ also warns to beware of false prophets, who are wolves in sheep's clothing and who will be known ”by their fruits.” Jesus declares that not everyone who calls him Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven ”but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Lastly, Jesus tells the parable of the wise man who builds upon a rock, rather than the foolish who construct upon sand. (Mt 7:13-27)
Healing of the Sick and Casting out Demons.
After Jesus finishes his sermon, the mult.i.tudes are ”astonished by his teaching,” and when he comes down the mountain he is followed by ”great crowds.” Surrounded by the sick, Christ heals a leper and then instructs him to ”tell no man” about his healing. When he enters Capernaum again, a centurion approaches him about his paralyzed servant, whom Jesus also heals. (Mt 8:5-13) Jesus then heals Peter's mother-in-law and many demoniacs, in fulfillment of scripture in the OT book of Isaiah. Continuing to attract great crowds around him, Christ gets into a boat with his disciples. Jesus is asleep in the boat when a sudden storm arises, and he rebukes his disciples when they wake him out of fear. He next famously calms the sea.
Proceeding to the ”country of the Gadarenes,” Jesus casts the demons out of a couple of people, sending them into a herd of swine, which promptly drown themselves. At this point, ”all the city came out to meet Jesus,” begging him to leave the area. (Mt 8:34) Christ returns to the boat and to Nazareth, where he heals another paralyzed man and then finally meets Matthew. Jesus is approached by ”a ruler” whose daughter has just died. Christ raises her from the dead, heals a bleeding woman and two blind men, but charges the latter not to tell anyone about the healing. Nevertheless, the two go out and ”spread his fame though all that district.” (Mt 9:31) The Pharisees at this point are starting to become agitated and claim Jesus is casting out demons ”by the prince of demons.”
The Mission of the Twelve.
Next, Jesus is depicted as going ”about all the cities and villages,” again teaching, preaching and healing. He gathers his 12 disciples and gives them their mission and authority, and the disciples are named at this point in the gospel (Mt 10:2-4): Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
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