Session 3 MATTHEW
An Introduction to the Gospels with a View of Stewardship  as a Way of Faithful Living	Session 1 Intro Gospels	Session 2 Mark	Session 3 Matthew	Session 4 Luke	Session 5 John

READING ASSIGNMENT 1

• Read the Gospel of Matthew.
  As you read, keep the issue of stewardship in mind.

GUIDE FOR READING 1

A few things to keep in mind as you are reading Matthew.

• What is the purpose of the genealogy with which the gospel begins?
• What titles are used of Jesus? How does Jesus as portrayed in the Gospel of Matthew compare to the portrayal in the Gospel of Mark?
• According to the Gospel of Matthew, how do Christians regard the people of Israel and its history, traditions, and laws?
• What picture of the "church" (among the Gospels, only Matthew uses the word) emerges from Matthew? (7.15-23; 16.18; 18.6-7, 15.22; 13.24-30, 36-43, 51-52; 22.1-14)
• Compare Matthew 5.17-20 with Romans 3.21-22. What is the relationship between law, grace, and righteousness?

READING ASSIGNMENT 2

• In The Gospels by Mark Allan Powell, read chapter 3, "The Gospel of Matthew," pages 61-84.

GUIDE FOR READING 2

1. List five passages that are from the material unique to Matthew.
   a.
   b.
   c.
   d.
   e.
    
2. The five speeches or discourses in Matthew are:
   
   Chapter _____:
   Chapter _____:
   Chapter _____:
   Chapter _____:
   Chapter _____:
    
3. Read carefully through the material listed in Powell, The Gospels, Figures 13 and 14 on pages 63-65, 67.
   
    
4. What 10 characteristics of the Gospel of Matthew does Powell describe?
   a.
   b.
   c.
   d.
   e.
   f.
   g.
   h.
   i.
   j.
    
5. Describe what we can deduce about the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
    
6. Why was the Gospel of Matthew written?
    
7. What is meant in Matthew by describing people as being “of little faith,” and how is different than Mark?

INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW

This PRESENTATION / HANDTOUT will provide an overview of Matthew with an eye to stewardship. Be sure to click on the NOTES option at the bottom of the screen to understand the presentation. (Handout is a 790Kb download and requires Adobe Reader.)

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. In your reading of the Gospel of Matthew, what were some surprises or things you did not expect?
2. If Matthew were the only Gospel we had, what would you miss from the other Gospels?
3. After reading the Gospel of Matthew and looking at the Introduction to Matthew PowerPoint, what insights about stewardship did you gain?
4. How do you respond to the Lord's Prayer being used as a stewardship model? What insights does such a reading offer?
5. Read Matthew 4.1-11. How might the story of the temptation of Jesus inform our understanding of what it means to be a steward of life?

ADDITIONAL MATTHEW RESOURCES

• The Gospel of Matthew at NTGateway - Always a good starting point
• http://www.cranfordville.com/Nt-hdt.htm#Matthew - Especially note the outlines
• Matthean Studies links by Janice Capel Anderson