Book: The Way of the Word: Study Guide: Chapter 40: Matthew: The King and His Kingdom
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 22 hours ago
- 9 min read
The Gospel of Matthew stands as the majestic gateway to the New Testament. For centuries, it has served as the definitive bridge between the promises of the Hebrew Scriptures and the fulfillment found in Jesus Christ. If you were to open a Bible and transition from Malachi to Matthew, you wouldn't just be turning a page; you would be witnessing the end of a four-hundred-year silence and the arrival of the long-awaited King.
Matthew, also known as Levi the tax collector, writes with a specific, rhythmic, and royal purpose. His goal is not merely to provide a biographical sketch of Jesus of Nazareth but to present a "Royal Manifesto": a comprehensive demonstration that Jesus is the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, and the Sovereign Ruler over a Kingdom that is both here and coming. In this study guide for Chapter 40 of The Way of the Word, we dive deep into the structure, the heart, and the high-stakes commission of the First Gospel.
The Bridge Between Two Worlds
To understand Matthew, you must understand the Jewish heart. Matthew wrote primarily to a Jewish audience, and he did so with the meticulousness of a man who had spent his life counting and recording. Before he followed Jesus, Matthew sat at a tax booth, documenting every denarius. After he followed Jesus, he used those same skills to document every prophecy fulfilled.
Matthew uses the phrase "Kingdom of Heaven" thirty-two times. While the other Gospel writers often use "Kingdom of God," Matthew respects the Jewish tradition of avoiding the direct name of God out of reverence, opting for the spatial "Heaven" to describe the source of this rule. But don't let the terminology fool you: this is not a kingdom that stays in the clouds. It is a kingdom that breaks into the dust of our daily lives.
The book begins with a genealogy, which many modern readers skip, but for the original audience, it was the most exciting part of the book. It established the legal right of Jesus to sit on the throne of David. By tracing the line through Abraham (the father of the promise) and David (the king of the covenant), Matthew anchors the story of Jesus in the soil of history. He shows us that God’s plan did not fail during the "silent years": it was simply ripening.
The Identity and Pedigree of the King (Chapters 1–4)
The first four chapters of Matthew serve as the King’s credentials. We see the miraculous birth, which fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of "Immanuel" (God with us). This is a theme that will bookend the entire Gospel: God with us at the start (1:23) and Christ with us at the end (28:20).
We then move to the King’s forerunner, John the Baptist, whose message was simple: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This call to repentance (metanoia) is not just about feeling sorry for sins; it’s about a radical change of mind and direction. It’s the realization that if a new King has arrived, the old way of living is now obsolete.
Finally, in Chapter 4, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. This is a critical moment for the Kingdom. Where Israel failed in the wilderness for forty years, Jesus succeeds in forty days. He uses the Word of God as His only weapon, demonstrating that the King of this Kingdom is not ruled by His appetites, His ego, or His desire for power, but by the will of the Father. His victory in the wilderness validates His authority to preach the Sermon on the Mount.
The Royal Manifesto: The Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5–7)
If Matthew 1–4 establishes who the King is, Chapters 5–7 establish how the Kingdom works. The Sermon on the Mount is often called the Magna Carta of the Christian faith, but it is better understood as the King’s Manifesto.
In this discourse, Jesus turns the world’s values upside down. In the world’s kingdom, the proud, the aggressive, and the self-sufficient are blessed. In Jesus’ Kingdom, the poor in spirit, the mourners, and the peacemakers are the ones who truly possess the land.
Jesus isn't just giving us a new set of rules; He is exposing the "Pharisee Problem" that I’ve written about extensively in When No One is Watching. The Pharisees were obsessed with external performance: the "outside of the cup." Jesus demands internal transformation: the "inside of the cup." He tells His followers that their righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. This must have been a shocking statement to His listeners. How could anyone be more "righteous" than the people who spent their whole lives studying the Law?
The answer is found in the heart. Jesus moves from "Do not murder" to "Do not harbor anger." He moves from "Do not commit adultery" to "Do not look with lust." The Kingdom of Heaven is a kingdom of the heart. It’s a place where we stop performing for an audience and start living for the Father who sees in secret.
The Authority of the King (Chapters 8–25)
As the narrative progresses, Matthew organizes his material into five major discourses, mirroring the five books of the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy). This was a brilliant move by Matthew to show that Jesus is the "New Moses," bringing a new and better law.
The Sermon on the Mount (Ch. 5–7): The Ethics of the Kingdom.
The Missionary Discourse (Ch. 10): The Mission of the Kingdom.
The Parable Discourse (Ch. 13): The Secrets of the Kingdom.
The Community Discourse (Ch. 18): The Relationships of the Kingdom.
The Olivet Discourse (Ch. 24–25): The Future of the Kingdom.
Between these teachings, we see the King’s authority in action. He heals the leper, calms the storm, casts out demons, and raises the dead. His authority is absolute. But we also see the growing tension. The more Jesus demonstrates His authority, the more the religious establishment feels threatened.
This is the central conflict of Matthew: Will we submit to the King’s authority, or will we protect our own little kingdoms? The religious leaders chose self-protection. They preferred their systems, their seats of honor, and their control over the radical, messy, grace-filled reality of Jesus.
The Ultimate Victory (Chapters 26–28)
The Gospel reaches its climax in the Passion and Resurrection. In Matthew’s account, even the death of Jesus is royal. He is mocked with a crown of thorns and a purple robe, and a sign is placed over His head: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."
To the world, the cross looked like the end of the Kingdom. But in the upside-down economy of God, the cross was the throne. It was there that Jesus paid the debt of sin that kept us out of the Kingdom.
But the story doesn’t end at the tomb. Chapter 28 gives us the most powerful "therefore" in all of human history. Because the tomb is empty, because death could not hold Him, and because the Father has vindicated His Son, Jesus stands before His disciples and makes a claim that changes everything.
The Key Theme: All Authority and the Great Commission
The heart of Matthew’s Gospel: and the primary focus of our study today: is found in the final three verses. This is the Great Commission, the mandate that defines the purpose of the Church and the life of every believer.
Key Verse: Matthew 28:18–20 (NIV)
"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
Let’s break this down, because every word carries the weight of the Kingdom.
1. The Foundation: "All Authority"
Before Jesus gives a command, He makes a declaration. He doesn't say, "I have some influence" or "I have a good idea." He says, "All authority (exousia) in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
This is a cosmic claim. It means there is not one square inch of the universe over which Jesus does not say, "This is mine." He has authority over our finances, our families, our fears, our future, and the nations of the earth. When we "go" in His name, we aren't going on our own strength; we are going as ambassadors of the Sovereign King.
2. The Mandate: "Go and Make Disciples"
The primary command here is not "go," though that is necessary. In the original language, the main verb is "make disciples." We are not just called to make converts or to get people to say a prayer. We are called to help people become lifelong learners and followers of Jesus.
Discipleship is a process of apprenticeship. It’s about helping people move from "believing that" Jesus is King to "living as if" Jesus is King. And notice the scope: "of all nations." This is the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. The Kingdom was never meant to be a private club for one ethnic group; it is a global movement for every tribe, tongue, and nation.
3. The Method: "Baptizing and Teaching"
Jesus gives us two clear markers of discipleship:
Baptism: This is the public identification with the Triune God. It is the "initiation" into the Kingdom community. It symbolizes our death to the old self and our resurrection to new life in Christ.
Teaching them to obey: We don't just teach people about Jesus; we teach them to obey Jesus. The goal of Christian education is not information, but transformation. It’s about bringing our lives into alignment with the King’s commands.
4. The Promise: "I Am With You Always"
Jesus began the Gospel as "Immanuel" (God with us), and He ends it with the promise of His perpetual presence. We are never alone in the mission. Whether we are facing persecution, boredom, or the daily grind of life, the King is present.
From an Assemblies of God perspective, we believe this presence is made manifest through the power of the Holy Spirit. We don't just have the memory of Jesus; we have the Spirit of Jesus living within us, empowering us to do what He has called us to do. We don't just "go"; we go with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.
Practical Kingdom Living
So, what does it look like to live under the authority of the King today?
First, it means submission. We must daily ask ourselves: "Who is on the throne of my life right now?" If I am making decisions based on my own comfort, my own ego, or my own "brand," then I have pushed the King off the throne. Living in the Kingdom means starting every day with the prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done."
Second, it means mission. We cannot be true disciples if we are not making disciples. The Great Commission isn't a suggestion for "super-Christians" or missionaries; it’s the job description for every believer. Who in your life needs to know that a new King has arrived? Who can you walk alongside and "teach to obey"?
Third, it means integrity. Because the King sees in secret, we don't have to perform. We can be honest about our weaknesses and our failures. We can stop wearing the "masks" of the Pharisees and start living in the light of God’s grace.
Matthew's Gospel is a call to come home to the King. It’s an invitation to stop building sandcastles and start building our lives on the Rock of Christ’s words. The Kingdom is here. The King is alive. And He has given us the greatest mission on earth.
Reflection Questions
The King’s Authority: Jesus claims "all authority in heaven and on earth." Which area of your life (finances, relationships, career, thoughts) do you find most difficult to surrender to His authority? Why do you think that is?
The Pharisee Problem: Reflecting on the Sermon on the Mount, where do you see "performance" creeping into your faith? In what ways are you tempted to "clean the outside of the cup" while ignoring the inside?
The Great Commission: Jesus commands us to "make disciples of all nations." If you looked at your schedule and your priorities over the last month, would someone be able to tell that you are participating in this mission?
The Kingdom Ethics: Which of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12) feels the most foreign or challenging to you in our current cultural climate? How would living out that specific Beatitude change your interactions with others?
The Promise of Presence: How does the promise "I am with you always" change your perspective on a difficult situation you are currently facing? Does it change the level of risk you are willing to take for the Gospel?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, to inaugurate Your Kingdom here on earth. We thank You that He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Lord, we submit to Your authority today. We repent of the times we have tried to rule our own lives and protect our own little kingdoms. We ask that You would strip away our masks and help us to live with internal integrity. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission. Give us a heart for the nations and a passion to make disciples. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in our lives as it is in heaven. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
About the Author
Dr. Layne McDonald, Ph.D., is a devoted follower of Jesus, an author, and a leader committed to helping people grow in their faith and understand the deep truths of Scripture. With a background in theology and leadership, Dr. McDonald specializes in creating resources that bridge the gap between biblical truth and practical, everyday living. He is the author of numerous books and Bible studies designed to disciple the church and guide readers toward a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
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