The gospel of Matthew, chronicled by one who personally journeyed with Jesus during His earthly ministry, is a unique account since it is generally agreed that it was written with a Jewish audience in mind. As such, great care is taken in providing detail that substantiates Jesus as the Christ, the promised Messiah. No other gospel focuses so strongly on the divine aspects of the King and His kingdom. No other gospel provides such detail of the Sermon on the Mount. No other gospel so thoroughly links Jesus as the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies. True, the concept of Jesus as God's anointed King over Israel is the point around which the Jewish people must wrestle, for if Jesus is the Messiah, then where is His kingdom? Indeed, the skeptical Gentile can ask this question as well. They, like each of us, must realign their concept of the kingdom and understand the full impact of Matthew's personal testimony concerning Jesus, His life, His death, His resurrection, and the salvation that He offers to them and, indeed, to the whole world!
