Brief Summary:
The Gospel of Matthew discusses the lineage, birth, and early life of Christ in the first two chapters. From there, the book discusses the ministry of Jesus. The descriptions of Christ’s teachings are arranged around “discourses” such as the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5 through 7. Chapter 10 involves the mission and purpose of the disciples; chapter 13 is a collection of parables; chapter 18 discusses the church; chapter 23 begins a discourse about hypocrisy and the future. Chapters 21 through 27 discuss the arrest, torture, and execution of Jesus. The final chapter describes the Resurrection and the Great Commission.
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The Book of Matthew Summary
Summary of the Gospel of Matthew – Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org
Context Summary
Matthew 11:25–30 begins with Jesus’ prayer of thanks to His Father for hiding the truth from those thought to be wise by the world’s standards. Instead, the gospel has been revealed to those the unbelieving world dismisses as virtual children. Jesus declares that He and the Father know each other completely and that He can reveal the Father to anyone He chooses. He offers rest for the souls of all who are weighed down and weary if they will take on His yoke, saying that His burden is easy and light.
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“Matthew 11:28-30” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 11:28 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Context Summary
Matthew 12:9–14 finds Jesus and His disciples in the synagogue, encountering a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees once again attempt to trick Jesus. They ask if it’s lawful to heal on the Sabbath, since healing is “work,” and the law supposedly forbids it. Jesus asks if they would leave one of their sheep in a pit if it fell in on the Sabbath, emphasizing that people are more valuable than sheep. Jesus insists that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath and fully heals the man’s hand in an instant. The Pharisees walk out and deepen their conspiracy to destroy Jesus.
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“Matthew 12:13” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 12:13 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 12:13
13 Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.
(Read Matthew 12:22-30)
A soul under Satan’s power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eyes by unbelief, and seals up the lips from prayer. The more people magnified Christ, the more desirous the Pharisees were to vilify him. It was evident that if Satan aided Jesus in casting out devils, the kingdom of hell was divided against itself; how then could it stand! And if they said that Jesus cast out devils by the prince of the devils, they could not prove that their children cast them out by any other power. There are two great interests in the world; and when unclean spirits are cast out by the Holy Spirit, in the conversion of sinners to a life of faith and obedience, the kingdom of God is come unto us. All who do not aid or rejoice in such a change are against Christ.
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Matthew 12 Bible Commentary – Matthew Henry (concise) (christianity.com)
Matthew 12:30
30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
(Read Matthew 12:33-37)
Men’s language discovers what country they are of, likewise what manner of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams. A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and unpleasant streams. Nothing but the salt of grace, cast into the spring, will heal the waters, season the speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil things. Lusts and corruptions, dwelling and reigning in the heart, are an evil treasure, out of which the sinner brings forth bad words and actions, to dishonour God, and hurt others. Let us keep constant watch over ourselves, that we may speak words agreeable to the Christian character.
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Matthew 12 Bible Commentary – Matthew Henry (concise) (christianity.com)
Matthew 12:34-35
34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
Context Summary
Matthew 13:10–17 comes in between Jesus’ telling of the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1–9) and His explanation of that story (Mathew 13:18–23). The disciples ask why Jesus so often uses parables when teaching crowds of people. According to Jesus, the disciples are privileged to know secrets that the prophets and righteous people longed to know. His use of unexplained parables, in part, is because Israel has rejected Jesus as the Messiah. This will fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy about those with dull hearts who will hear without understanding. Otherwise, they would turn and be healed.
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“Matthew 13:10-11” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 13:10 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 13:10-11
10 The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
Context Summary
Matthew 13:53–58 describes Jesus’ trip to His hometown of Nazareth. The people are astonished at His teaching and miracles, but they do not respect Him. Instead, they ask where His wisdom and power come from. Many of these people would have known Jesus from His youth, and they know His earthly family. That includes Jesus’ mother and half-siblings. Rather than accept His words, the hometown crowd is offended. So, Jesus refuses to do many miracles because of their unbelief. Because the people think they already everything about Jesus, they ignore His actual message.
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“Matthew 13:57-58” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 13:57 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 13:57-58
57 They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Context Summary
Matthew 14:13–21 begins with Jesus and His disciples leaving behind the crowds to escape by boat to desolate place. Instead, they find the crowds waiting there for them. Jesus heals people and eventually tells the disciples to feed everyone. The disciples have no food beyond five loaves and two fish. Jesus miraculously feeds more than 5,000 from that simple meal. Twelve baskets full of leftovers remain after everyone has eaten as much as they want. This miracle is recorded in all the four Gospels (Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–14).
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“Matthew 14:14” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 14:14 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 14:14
14 Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Context Summary
Matthew 14:22–33 contains the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Immediately after feeding thousands of people from a single small portion, Jesus goes up to a mountain to pray. The disciples spend a long night rowing against a strong wind. Jesus walks across the lake to meet them. Peter walks on the water with Jesus briefly before becoming afraid of the wind and waves and beginning to sink. Jesus saves Peter and asks why he doubted. The wind stops when Jesus gets in the boat, and the disciples worship Him as the Son of God.
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“Matthew 14:28-29” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 14:28 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 14:28-29
28 Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.” 29 He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.
Context Summary
Matthew 15:21–28 describes an encounter between Jesus and a Gentile woman. She knows Jesus is the Messiah and tells Him her daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. At first, Jesus chooses not to cast the demon out. He tells the woman His mission is only to Israel, using a metaphor about table scraps. The woman persists, and Jesus praises her for her for faith. Her daughter is healed instantly. This seems to be a teaching moment for the disciples, as Jesus will continue to another Gentile-heavy area and heal many, in the next passage.
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“Matthew 15:28” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 15:28 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 15:28
28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Context Summary
Matthew 15:32–39 describes another miraculous feeding, separate from an earlier event where Jesus provided as many as twenty thousand meals (Matthew 14:13–20). Jesus has compassion on the hungry crowd after three days with them. He does not want to send them away without feeding them. He takes the disciples’ seven loaves and few fish and makes all the people sit down. He gives thanks and starts handing food to the disciples, who pass it out until everyone has eaten all they want, which includes four thousand men plus women and children. While the first miraculous feeding was for a mostly Jewish crowd, this assembly is almost all Gentiles. After they leave, the disciples return to Jewish territory on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
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“Matthew 15:36” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 15:36 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 15:36
36 and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
Context Summary
Matthew 16:13–20 describes a conversation between Jesus and the disciples about His identity. It takes place about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee in the district of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus asks who the people say He is and then asks who the disciples say He is. Peter says Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus says this declaration of faith will be the rock on which He will build His church.
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“Matthew 16:15” Bibleref.com
What does Mark 16:15 mean? (bibleref.com)
Matthew 16:15
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Context Summary
Matthew 16:13–20 describes a conversation between Jesus and the disciples about His identity. It takes place about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee in the district of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus asks who the people say He is and then asks who the disciples say He is. Peter says Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus says this declaration of faith will be the rock on which He will build His church.
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“Matthew 16:16” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 16:16 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 16:16
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Context Summary
Matthew 16:21–28 describes the disciples’ reaction when Jesus reveals He must be killed by religious leaders and raised on the third day. Peter, recently praised for His faith (Matthew 16:17), chastises Jesus for saying such things. Jesus responds with a devastating rebuke of His own, saying “Get behind me, Satan!” Peter’s insistence that Messiah could not be killed is based in his own assumptions, not truth. Christ warns that those who follow Him must be willing to give up all else in the world, and to take on hardship and persecution, as needed. He adds that some standing there will not die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom; this prediction is fulfilled in the next passage (Matthew 17:1–2).
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“Matthew 16:24” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 16:24 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 16:24
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
Context Summary
Matthew 17:1–13 follows Jesus’ prediction that some of the disciples won’t die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Peter, James, and John see Jesus transfigured—radiating the glory of God––while talking with Moses and Elijah. Peter blunders in his attempt to contribute to the moment. The voice of God the Father identifies Jesus as His Son and commands the disciples to listen to Him. Jesus tells the three not to tell anyone else what they’ve seen until after He is raised from the dead. He answers their question about a prophecy involving Elijah.
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“Matthew 17:2” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 17:2 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 17:1-2
After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was changed[a] before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
Context Summary
Matthew 17:1–13 follows Jesus’ prediction that some of the disciples won’t die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Peter, James, and John see Jesus transfigured—radiating the glory of God––while talking with Moses and Elijah. Peter blunders in his attempt to contribute to the moment. The voice of God the Father identifies Jesus as His Son and commands the disciples to listen to Him. Jesus tells the three not to tell anyone else what they’ve seen until after He is raised from the dead. He answers their question about a prophecy involving Elijah.
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“Matthew 17:5” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 17:5 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 17:5
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
Context Summary
Matthew 18:15–20 describes the process Jesus gives to the disciples for dealing with sin-related conflict among a group of believers. The first step is for the one who is wronged to go and speak privately with the one who has sinned in hopes of restoring the relationship. If the sinful person refuses to repent, the same wronged person should return with one or two others and then take the issue to the church or assembly. If repentance never happens, that person should be treated as an outsider. This is also the process Christians are expected to follow in cases of disagreements or other arguments: individually, then privately, then publicly.
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“Matthew 18:18” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 18:18 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 18:18
18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
Context Summary
Matthew 18:15–20 describes the process Jesus gives to the disciples for dealing with sin-related conflict among a group of believers. The first step is for the one who is wronged to go and speak privately with the one who has sinned in hopes of restoring the relationship. If the sinful person refuses to repent, the same wronged person should return with one or two others and then take the issue to the church or assembly. If repentance never happens, that person should be treated as an outsider. This is also the process Christians are expected to follow in cases of disagreements or other arguments: individually, then privately, then publicly.
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“Matthew 18:20” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 18:20 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
Context Summary
Matthew 19:13–15 describes Jesus overruling the disciples when they rebuke people bringing children to Jesus. They want Jesus to lay hands on the children and pray for them. Jesus tells the disciples not to stand in the way of the little children because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like them.
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“Matthew 19:14” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 19:14 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 19:14
14 But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”
Context Summary
Matthew 19:16–30 describes Jesus’ conversation with a wealthy young man who asks how to attain eternal life. Jesus begins by establishing a standard of goodness, suggesting the man keep all the commandments. When the man says he has done this, Jesus suggests he give up his wealth to follow Him. The man’s sad reaction proves he’s unwilling to make God the real priority of his life. Using this as an example, Jesus warns that wealth can make it difficult for someone to accept salvation.
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“Matthew 19:17” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 19:17 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 19:17
17 He said to him, “Why do you call me good?[a] No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Context Summary
Matthew 20:17–19 is this gospel’s third instance (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23) of Jesus describing what will happen to Him when He and His disciples reach Jerusalem. The Son of Man, meaning Christ, will be betrayed to His enemies among the Jewish religious leaders. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified. Then, Jesus adds, the Son of Man will be raised on the third day. Jesus clearly knows exactly what was coming, and He continues to head toward Jerusalem to fulfill it.
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“Matthew 20:18” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 20:18 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 20:18-19
18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.”
Context Summary
Matthew 20:20–28 follows Jesus’ clear description of His impending death with a poorly timed request from James and John, through their mother. Their desire is for the two sons to be given the powerful positions of being seated on Jesus’ left and right hand in His kingdom. Jesus makes an obscure reference to His upcoming suffering, asking if they can “drink the cup” ahead of Him. He then notes they will experience their own persecution and suffering, yet greatness in His kingdom won’t look like the flaunted authority of the Gentile rulers. The greatest of all will be the one who serves the others as a slave. Jesus, too, has come to serve and not to be served.
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“Matthew 20:23” Bibleref.com
What does Matthew 20:18 mean? | BibleRef.com
Matthew 20:23
23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
