Popular scholar and blogger, Scot McKnight, provides scholarly insight and practical application for each book of the New Testament to help contemporary readers understand what it means to follow Jesus in today's culture.
Matthew's Gospel tells the story of Jesus as the Messiah who is righteous, which means he accomplishes God's will. Jesus the Messiah calls his followers to enter into his kingdom coalition and to learn to do what is right, famously outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. Then Jesus sends out these disciples to extend the mission of justice and righteousness to others. The story of the Messiah, however, surprised all who thought of Jesus as Messiah: he was rejected, opposed, and eventually crucified by the powers of Rome at work in Jerusalem. What surprised everyone even more was his resurrection and recommissioning of his disciples to spread the good news to the whole world. Exploring the links between the time these words were written and our own times, Scot McKnight uncovers the enduring relevance and importance of Matthew's Gospel for our lives today. He'll walk you and your group through both letters with Scripture passages (sometimes translated from the original by McKnight himself), reflection questions, pastoral insights, and ideas for putting God's words into action.
