The Gospel of Matthew: Jesus is King

     The Gospel of Matthew is the most Jewish of the three Synoptics, as well as the Gospel of John. Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, but he also emphasizes that He is the King. According to Matthew, Jesus is not only “King of the Jews” (e.g. 2:2; 27:11), He is also the King of all believers, for He rules over the “kingdom of heaven”/“kingdom of God" (e.g. 3:2; 11:11; 12:28; 19:24). 

 
The Rightful Heir to the Throne
     Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus as King in at least four different ways. First, Jesus is shown to be the rightful heir to the Davidic throne by His genealogy through His earthly father, Joseph. The Gospel begins abruptly with the announcement of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, who is said to be “the son of David.” Introducing his Jewish emphasis, Matthew traces Jesus’ line back further to Abraham, the first Israelite, but it is worthy of note that he placed David first in order to stress the king motif. The genealogy actually begins in 1:2, and when David appears in chronological order, he is identified with a description (unlike anyone else in the list) as “David the King.” Thus, Matthew underscored Jesus’ kingship at least twice in the Gospel’s opening genealogy.

The One with All Authority  
  A second, less direct, and more general, presentation of Jesus as King in the Gospel of Matthew is the emphasis upon His authority. Early on in His public ministry, His hearers noticed that “He was teaching as one with authority, and not as their scribes” (7:29). Jesus claimed to have “authority on earth to forgive sins” (9:6). In addition to the numerous healings and exorcisms performed by Jesus, His authority over unclean spirits and disease is understood in 10:1 as He delegates it to His disciples and commands them to use it as they go out preaching “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (10:6). Jesus’ authority over the natural realm is displayed in His walking on the water and calming the sea (14:22–33), and His cursing of the fig tree (21:18–22). In 12:8 Jesus is once again shown to have authority, this time over the Sabbath. And finally, at the conclusion of the Gospel where His great commission is recorded, He states, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (28:18). Matthew showed that Jesus is King of the Jews and of all creation through His display of authority.

The Possessor of a Kingdom
    Third, the Gospel of Matthew reveals Jesus as King by way of implication through the fact of its announcement of a kingdom. The message of John the Baptist was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus’ message was identical, and so was that which He commanded the seventy disciples to proclaim in Israel (4:17; 10:7). The concept of a kingdom is absurd without a king, and Matthew makes it obvious who the King is.  John’s announcement of the kingdom is inextricably tied to the introduction of Jesus, as is Jesus’ own proclamation and that of His disciples. This assumption is realized fully in 20:20–28, which records the petition of the mother of the sons of Zebedee on behalf of her sons to be seated in two of the highest ranking positions in the kingdom. She asked Jesus to “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left." This obviously indicates that she knew exactly who the King was and Jesus’ reply reveals that He confirmed this understanding (23).

The King of the Jews
  Fourth, Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus as King early on by giving Him this very title. “King of the Jews” was first used for Jesus by the magi who had followed the star to Jerusalem and inquired of Herod where they might find Him who had been born with this designation. It is not used again until 27:11 where Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” to which Jesus essentially replied, “Yes I am.” Although this title was inflammatory among His adversaries, it was a description of Jesus that was understood and welcomed by Him and His followers. Matthew capitalized on this designation for Jesus more than the other Gospels, once again highlighting both the Gospel’s Jewish flavor and Jesus’ kingship. In 25:31–46, Jesus is referred to simply as “King,” leaving no doubt as to His position.

The Nature of the Kingdom
  It is clear from the data presented above from the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus is King. But what is the nature of the kingdom over which He reigns? He has already been shown to accept the titles “King of the Jews,” and “King,” and His authority has been shown to stretch into the realms of all creation. But the Gospel of Matthew has much to say to help the reader understand specifically what is meant by the frequent term “kingdom of heaven” and its equivalent, “kingdom of God.”

Entering the Kingdom
  In the first public address of Jesus that is recorded by Matthew, He introduced the requirements of citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. All of these requirements are spiritual character qualities as opposed to outward religious duties (5:20). Only those who are willing to humble themselves are worthy of entrance into the kingdom (11:11; 18:1–4; 19:14). Jesus drew a line of separation between those who would enter the kingdom and those who would instead incur judgment (e.g. 7:21–23; 8:11–12; 19:23–24; 21:31). Jesus’ teaching concerning entrance into the kingdom, the conduct of its citizens, and the fate of all who would be excluded continued through parables (e.g. 13:1–52; 18:21–35; 20:1–16).
  This understanding of how one enters the kingdom was one of the major points of contention between Jesus and the Jewish leaders in the Gospel of Matthew, for it was the theme of Jesus’ teaching ministry. Although Jesus “was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (15:24), and commanded His disciples to follow this dictum in their ministry on His behalf, He revealed that many Jews would ultimately forfeit their place in the kingdom and give way to the entrance of Gentiles (8:10–12; 21:43). Thus we can conclude from the Gospel of Matthew that the kingdom of heaven is not merely confined to Jews and that it is at least partially a spiritual realm.

Already, but Not Yet
  While the kingdom may be spiritual, the Gospel of Matthew assures the reader that it is much more. The kingdom seems to be something that is anticipated in the future throughout the Gospel, and the idea of someone sitting at Jesus’ right and left hands, mentioned above, seems to point to something more than a spiritual dominion. Forming a balance for the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (25–25) explained more about the nature of the kingdom. This text leaves no doubt that the kingdom is future, and it explains that Christ will return again in the future to “sit on His glorious throne” (25:31). Believers are called to be prepared for His return by serving diligently, and this service will be the basis upon which they will be rewarded greater opportunities in the kingdom (24:42–51; 25:14–30).  All of this indicates that Christ’s reign will be over a future, physical kingdom.
  As already noted, the Olivet Discourse also reveals that the kingdom will indeed be established in its fullness at a future time, although the specific date is unknown (24:36). Christ’s second coming, which will inaugurate the physical kingdom, is described as immanent, and yet contingent upon certain events transpiring prior to it. Therefore, believers are to “be on the alert.”
  The Gospel of Matthew does indeed present Jesus as the King, not only of the Jews, but of all believers. Kingdom citizenship is predicated upon humble submission to Christ as Lord. This initial entrance into the kingdom is a spiritual one over which Christ reigns in the hearts of men, and yet it looks forward to the realization of the kingdom in its fullness as a physical realm over which Christ will reign at His second coming.