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“Matthew Tells Us Who Jesus Is”
Categories: Bible, JesusHere are three important aspects of who Jesus is from Matthew.
Jesus Is the Son of God
At the angel's announcement of Jesus' birth, Matthew noted a prophecy from Isaiah 7.14: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, 'God with us.'"
Peter made the good confession in Matthew 16.16: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
The Gospel closes with Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. At His death, a Roman centurion exclaimed, "Truly, this was the Son of God!" (Matt. 27.54)
Jesus Is the King of the Jews
As the magi from the east rolled (trotted?) into Herod's Jerusalem, they asked, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" (Matt. 2.2) Boy, that made Herod uncomfortable, for he thought he was the king of the Jews! The chief priests and scribes of the Jews showed Herod a prophecy from Micah 5.2:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.
To kill Jesus, the chief priests and scribes accused Him of wanting to set Himself up as a king, attempting to usurp Rome's authority. Governor Pilate, as he examined Jesus, asked, "Are You the King of the Jews?" (Matt. 27.11) Jesus did not deny it.
Twisting together a crown of thorns, robing Him in scarlet, and kneeling before Him, the soldiers mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" (Matt. 27.29).
When they crucified a man, the Romans would put a sign above his head which proclaimed the reason he was being crucified. Jesus' sign read: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews" (Matt. 27.37).
They crucified their actual King about whom the prophets had written! Indeed, He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him (John 1.11).
Jesus Is to Be Worshiped
What did the magi do when they found the Child Jesus? "They fell to the ground and worshiped Him" (Matt. 2.11). Even as a child, He was God's Son and worthy of worship.
When Jesus walked on the sea to catch up to His disciples (in the midst of a raging storm), they were terrified, thinking Him a ghost. Jesus assured them of who He was, "It is I; do not be afraid." And then He calmed the storm when He stepped into the boat. The disciples reaction? "Those who were in the boat worshiped Him" (Matt. 14.32).
After Jesus' resurrection, the women who first visited His empty tomb were astounded to meet Jesus in the garden! "They came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him" (Matt. 29.9).
Finally, when the disciples gathered on the mountain in Galilee, just before Jesus' ascension, "When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful" (Matt. 28.17).
Do You Accept Jesus This Way?
Is Jesus God's Son? Is He King? Is He to be worshiped? Did God the Father grant Him "all authority...in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28.18)?
He is all of these things, and those who accept Him are eternally blessed by God. Those who reject Him are lost forever. Your reaction to Jesus is critical! What do you say?
