Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew

A Commentary

J. C. Ryle

• Publisher: Aneko Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781622456697
• eBook ISBN: 9781622456703

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. – Matthew 7: 24Wisdom, encouragement, and exhortation is contained in these pages. Not because of the author's brilliance, but because of the words of truth contained in the gospel of Matthew. And just as the apostle Matthew didn't draw any attention to himself, so also J. C. Ryle clearly and wonderfully directs his words and our thoughts towards the inspired words of scripture. If we truly love God, we will love His word; and the more study His word, the more we will love God.

Matthew Chapter 1

Matthew 1:1-17

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron and Hezron the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1-17)

These verses begin the New Testament. Let us always read them with serious and solemn feelings. The book before us contains not the word of men but of God. Every verse in it was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Let us thank God daily for giving us the Scriptures. The poorest Englishman who understands his Bible knows more about religion than the wisest philosophers of Greece and Rome.

Let us remember our deep responsibility. We shall all be judged at the last day according to our light. To whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required.

Let us read our Bibles reverently and diligently, with an honest determination to believe and practice all we find in them. It is no light matter how we use this book. Eternal life or death depends on the spirit in which it is used.

Above all, let us humbly pray for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. He alone can apply truth to our hearts and make us profit by what we read.

The New Testament begins with the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. No part of the Bible is so important as this, and no part is so full and complete. Four distinct Gospels tell us the story of Christ’s doing and dying. Four times over we read the precious account of His works and words. How thankful we ought to be for this! To know Christ is life eternal. To believe in Christ is to have peace with God. To follow Christ is to be a true Christian. To be with Christ will be heaven itself. We can never hear too much about Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Matthew begins with a long list of names. Sixteen verses are taken up with tracing a pedigree from Abraham to David, and from David to the family in which Jesus was born. Let no one think that these verses are useless. Nothing is useless in creation. The least mosses and the smallest insects serve some good end. Nothing is useless in the Bible. Every word of it is inspired. The chapters and verses which seem at first sight unprofitable are all given for some good purpose. Look again at these sixteen verses and you will see in them useful and instructive lessons.

Learn from this list of names that God always keeps His word. He had promised that in Abraham’s seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. He had promised to raise up a Savior of the family of David (Genesis 12:2-3; Isaiah 11:1). These sixteen verses prove that Jesus was the son of David and the son of Abraham, and that God’s promise was fulfilled. Thoughtless and ungodly people should remember this lesson and be afraid. Whatever they may think, God will keep His word. If they repent not, they will surely perish. True Christians should remember this lesson and take comfort. Their Father in heaven will be true to all His engagements. He has said that He will save all believers in Christ. If He has said it, He will certainly do it. God is not a man, that He should lie. He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (Numbers 23:19; 2 Timothy 2:13).

Learn next from this list of names the sinfulness and corruption of human nature. Observe how many godly parents in this catalogue had wicked and ungodly sons. The names of Rehoboam, Joram, Amon, and Jeconiah should teach us humbling lessons. They all had pious fathers, but they were all wicked men. Grace does not run in families. It needs something more than good examples and good advice to make us children of God. Those who are born again are not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). Praying parents should pray night and day that their children may be born of the Spirit.

Learn lastly from this list of names how great is the mercy and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Think how defiled and unclean our nature is, and then think what a condescension it was in Him to be born of a woman and made in the likeness of men. Some of the names we read in this catalogue remind us of shameful and sad histories. Some of the names are those of people never mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. But at the end of it all comes the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though He is the eternal God, He humbled Himself to become man in order to provide salvation for sinners. Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor.

We should always read this catalogue with thankful feelings. We see here that no one who partakes of human nature can be beyond the reach of Christ’s sympathy and compassion. Our sins may have been as black and great as those of any whom Matthew names. But they cannot shut us out of heaven if we repent and believe the gospel. If Jesus was not ashamed to be born of a woman whose pedigree contained such names as those we have read today, we need not think that He will be ashamed to call us brethren and to give us eternal life.

Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)

These verses begin by telling us two great truths. They tell us how the Lord Jesus Christ took our nature upon Himself and became man. They tell us also that His birth was miraculous. His mother Mary was a virgin.

These are very mysterious subjects. They are depths which we have no line to fathom. They are truths which we have not mind enough to comprehend. Let us not attempt to explain things which are above our feeble reason. Let us be content to believe with reverence and not speculate about matters which we cannot understand. It is enough for us to know that with Him who made the world nothing is impossible. Let us rest in the words of the Apostles’ Creed: “Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary.”

Let us observe the conduct of Joseph described in these verses. It is a beautiful example of godly wisdom and tender consideration for others. He saw the appearance of evil in her who was his espoused wife, but he did nothing rashly. He waited patiently to have the line of duty made clear. In all probability he laid the matter before God in prayer. He who believes . . . will not be disturbed (Isaiah 28:16).

The patience of Joseph was graciously rewarded. He received a direct message from God upon the subject of his anxiety and was at once relieved from all his fears. How good it is to wait upon God! Who has ever cast his cares upon God in hearty prayer and found him failing? In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:6).

Let us observe the two names given to our Lord in these verses. One is Jesus, the other is Immanuel. One describes His office, the other His nature. Both are deeply interesting.

The name Jesus mea...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface
• Matthew Chapter 1
• Matthew Chapter 2
• Matthew Chapter 3
• Matthew Chapter 4
• Matthew Chapter 5
• Matthew Chapter 6
• Matthew Chapter 7
• Matthew Chapter 8
• Matthew Chapter 9
• Matthew Chapter 10
• Matthew Chapter 11
• Matthew Chapter 12
• Matthew Chapter 13
• Matthew Chapter 14
• Matthew Chapter 15
• Matthew Chapter 16
• Matthew Chapter 17
• Matthew Chapter 18
• Matthew Chapter 19
• Matthew Chapter 20
• Matthew Chapter 21
• Matthew Chapter 22
• Matthew Chapter 23
• Matthew Chapter 24
• Matthew Chapter 25
• Matthew Chapter 26
• Matthew Chapter 27
• Matthew Chapter 28
• J. C. Ryle – A Brief Biography
• Other Similar Titles