BIBLE BOOK GUIDE
Matthew
28 chapters
Jesus is the promised King from David's line who brings the kingdom of heaven, dies and rises to save His people, and commissions His disciples to make disciples of all nations.
Matthew
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Why this book was written
Matthew wrote primarily for a Jewish audience to demonstrate that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills Old Testament prophecy, to teach the ethic of kingdom living, and to commission the church for global disciple-making.
Structure
- 1–4The King's Birth and Preparation
- 5–7The Kingdom Manifesto: Sermon on the Mount
- 8–10The King's Power and Mission
- 11–13The Mystery and Response to the Kingdom
- 14–20The King's Path to the Cross
- 21–28The King's Trial, Cross, and Resurrection
Major themes
The Kingdom of Heaven
The kingdom has arrived in Jesus but awaits full consummation; disciples are to seek and live out its values now.
Messianic Identity
Jesus is the Son of David whose words, authority, and suffering fulfill Old Testament messianic prophecy.
Faith and Discipleship
Genuine faith expresses itself in obedience, self-denial, and a missional witness to the world.
Righteousness and Mercy
Kingdom righteousness exceeds Pharisaic legalism and is marked by mercy, sincerity, and inward transformation.
Judgment and Eschatology
Jesus foretells judgment on unbelief and the end times, calling listeners to watchfulness and readiness.
The Great Commission
The risen Christ commissions the church to baptize, teach, and make disciples of every nation.
How it points to Christ
Matthew portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of every Old Testament hope: greater than Solomon, greater than the temple, the new Moses, the suffering Servant, and the risen King. His teaching reveals the Father's heart, His miracles demonstrate the kingdom's power, His death pays the ransom for many, and His resurrection launches the global mission of His church.
Key verses
- 1:1Opens by anchoring Jesus in covenant history as the fulfillment of messianic promises.
- 5:17–18Jesus clarifies His relationship to the Old Testament as its fulfillment.
- 11:28–30A gospel invitation promising rest and a yoke of grace.
- 16:16Peter's confession identifying Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
- 20:28Defines Jesus' mission as a ransom for many, central to the cross.
- 26:26–28Institution of the Lord's Supper pointing to the new covenant in His blood.
- 28:18–20The Great Commission with the promise of Christ's presence closes the book.
Films & series on Matthew
Each has a guide: scripture sources, where it departs from the Bible, discussion questions, and where to watch

The Chosen
Series · 2019
The life of Christ through the eyes of those who encountered him.

Jesus of Nazareth
Series · 1977
Dramatizes the Birth, Life, Ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, largely according to the Holy Bible's New Testament Gospels.

The Passion of the Christ
Film · 2004
A graphic portrayal of the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life.

Son of God
Film · 2014
In the Holy Land, the Roman occupation has produced a cauldron of oppression, anxiety and excessive taxes levied upon the Jewish people. Fearing the wrath of Roman governor Pontius Pilate , Jewish high priest Caiaphas tries to keep control of his people. That control is threatened when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, performing miracles and spreading messages of love and hope. Those who fear that Jesus will inspire a revolution decide that he must die.

The Gospel of Matthew
Film · 2014
The Gospel of Matthew was the most popular Gospel in the early Christian centuries. Written for a Christian community as it begins to separate from the Jewish world, Matthew's Gospel goes to great lengths to show that, as the Messiah, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies referring to God's Saviour. Narrated in the NIV version by leading British actor Stephen Tompkinson and in the KJV by David Threlfall - featuring specially constructed sets and the authentic countryside of Morocco - it immerses the viewer in the world of first-century Palestine.

The King of Kings
Film · 2025
Charles Dickens tells his young son Walter the greatest story ever told, and what begins as a bedtime tale becomes a life-changing journey. Through vivid imagination, the boy walks alongside Jesus, witnessing His miracles, facing His trials, and understanding His ultimate sacrifice.
Reflections on Matthew
People in this book
Questions for reflection
- ·Which command of the Sermon on the Mount challenges you most right now, and how can you let kingdom values displace worldly ones?
- ·How are you living out the call to be salt and light in your daily work and relationships?
- ·In light of Jesus' warning that not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' enters the kingdom, how do you examine the authenticity of your relationship with Him?
- ·How does the truth that Jesus gave His life as a ransom reshape your view of sacrifice, service, and forgiveness?
- ·To whom or where is the Great Commission sending you, and what is one step you can take today?
Where Matthew fits in the Bible's storyline
This book appears in the 12-stop storyline at:
Where to start reading the Bible? See the full 12-stop storyline
Want to read Matthew start to finish? Open the reader for parallel Chinese/English text and ask anything as you go.
Start reading MatthewMatthew
Chapter 8
1And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2And behold, there came to him a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway his leprosy was cleansed.
4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
5And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6and saying, Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
9For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10And when Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
12but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed in that hour.
14And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever.
15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered unto him.
16And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick:
17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19And there came a scribe, and said unto him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21And another of the disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
23And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him.
24And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish.
26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?
28And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way.
29And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding.
31And the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.
32And he said unto them, Go. And they came out, and went into the swine: and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33And they that fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to them that were possessed with demons.
34And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their borders.
