QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT

SUBJECTS COVERED

BOOK 1 - GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Colour Code: Blue - Christmas story; black - Ministry; red - Easter story; purple - life & worship

 


THE BEGINNINGS - FROM THE BIRTH OF JESUS TO THE START OF HIS MINISTRY c 6BC-AD27

Matthew 1:1-25

1: 1-17 One account of the ancestry of Jesus

1 :18-24a The coming birth of Jesus is announced

1:24b-25 Birth of Jesus

Matthew 2:1-23

2: 1-23 Infancy and childhood of Jesus

Matthew 3:1-17

3: 1-12 Appearance of John the Baptist - also 3:1-2 The starting point of the Christian life; 3:1-2,5-8,11 Baptism; 3:11 The Holy Spirit; 3:12 Unique claims of Christ

3:13-17 Baptism of Jesus - also 3:13-17 Baptism; 3:16 The Holy Spirit

Matthew 4:1-25

4: 1-11 Jesus' temptation by the devil - also 4:1-11 The devil; 4: 3-4 Materialism; 4: 5-7 Testing God

HIS TRAVELS AND ACTS c AD27-30

4:12-17 How Jesus starts his ministry - also 4:17 The starting point of the Christian life

4:18-22 Calling of Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John - also 4:18-22 Qualifications for apostles

4:23-25 Jesus continues preaching and healing

Matthew 5:1-48

5: 1 The Sermon on the Mount

5: 2-12 True happiness - "The Beatitudes" - also 5: 3,10-12a Heaven; 5: 3-12a God's ways are not ours; 5: 3-12a The happy

5:13 Living as witnesses to Jesus Christ - "Salt, and the salt of the earth" - also 5:13-16 Witnesses to Christ;

5:14-16 Living as witnesses to Jesus Christ - "Light, and the lamp on the stand"

5:17-20 Jesus has come not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to complete them - also 5:17-19 The Holy Bible ; 5:17-20 Jesus and the Ten Commandments; 5:17-20 Christian conduct

5:21-24 Anger and reconciliation - also 5:21-22a Anger; 5:23-24 Reconciliation

5:25-26 Settling disagreements wisely - also 5:25-26 Disagreements

5:27-28 Adultery and lust - also 5:27-28 Adultery; 5:27-28 Lust

5:29-30 Getting rid of temptation - "The offending "eye", "hand", "foot"" - also 5:29-30 Temptation

5:31-32 Divorce and adultery - also 5:31-32 Divorce

5:33-37 Swearing and making vows - also 5:33-37 Swearing and oaths; 5:34 Heaven

5:38-39 Don't take revenge - "Turn the other cheek" - also 5:38-39 Turning the other cheek; 5:38-40 Revenge

5:40-42 Don't set limits on how much you serve - "Go the extra mile" - also 5:40-41 Serving others; 5:42 Generosity

5:43-48 Don't hate - "Love your enemies" - also 5:43-44 Forgiveness; 5:43-45 Enemies; 5:43-46 Love - its preeminence; 5:44b-45a Prayer; 5:47 Cliques

Matthew 6:1-34

6: 1-4 Giving generously without showing off - also 6: 1-4 Showing off; 6: 2-4 Charitable giving

6: 5-13 A pattern for prayer - "The Lord's Prayer" - also 6: 5 Showing off; 6: 5-13 Prayer; 6: 9b-10 Heaven

6:14-15 Learning to forgive, if we want to be forgiven - also 6:14-15 Forgiveness

6:16-18 Fasting without showing off - also 6:16 Showing off

6:19-21 Real security in life -"Not from moth-eaten and rusting treasures on earth" - also 6:19-21 Materialism; 6:20 Heaven

6:22-23 Our eyes as a guide to our inner being - "The inward light" - also 6:22-23 Spiritual health

6:24 We cannot serve God and money at the same time - also 6:24 Money

6:25-33 Worrying about money and possessions - "How God provides for the birds and the flowers" - also 6:25b,27 Worry ; 6:25b-33 God provides all our needs; 6:31-32a Worldliness; 6:33 God - finding him

6:34 Don't worry about the future - There are enough troubles for today" - also 6:34 The future; 6:34 One day at a time; 6:34 Plans

Matthew 7:1-29

7: 1-2 The price of criticism and treating others badly - "Measure for measure" - also 7:1-5 Judging others

7: 3-5 The hypocrisy of judging others - "The plank of wood in our own eye" - also 7: 3-5 Hypocrisy

7: 6 Be wise when dealing with people about the things of God - "Casting pearls before 'swine'"

7: 7-8 God's gifts are freely available to everyone - "Ask! seek! knock!" - also 7: 7-8 God - finding him; 7: 7-8 Prayer

7: 9-11 Asking in prayer; how God meets our real needs - "The bread and the stone, the fish and the snake" - also 7:9-11 God provides all our needs

7:12 Doing to others as we would have them do to us - "The Golden Rule" in the positive form - also 7:12 Real religion

7:13-14 Choosing the path to take through life - "The broad and narrow ways" - also 7:13-14 God's ways are not ours; 7:13-14 The pilgrim life

7:15-20 Being known by what we do and say - "The good and bad fruit trees" - also 7:15-20 False Christian teaching, false prophets, cults; 7:17-20 Real religion

7:21-23 Are we really doing God's will? or will Jesus say "I never knew you!" - also 7:21 Obedience to God; 7:21-23 Religious complacency

7:24-27 The only real security is in Jesus - "The house built on the rock" - also 7:24 The Holy Bible; 7:24-27 Wisdom

7:28-29 The authority of Jesus

Matthew 8:1-34

8: 1-4 The leper

8: 5-13 The Roman centurion's servant - also 8:11 Heaven

8:14-17 Peter's mother-in-law's fever; Jesus also heals many others that evening - also 8:14 Celibacy

8:18-22 Hard decisions for the followers of Jesus - "Let the dead bury the dead!"

8:23-27 Calming the storm

8:28-34 The madmen and the Gadarene pigs

Matthew 9:1-38

9: 1-8 The paralysed man

9: 9-13 Calling of Matthew the tax collector - also 9: 9 Qualifications for apostles; 9:10-13 Equality in God's sight

9:12-13 Jesus has come to save those who are lost - "The doctor and the sick"

9:14-15 The presence of Jesus should mean joy - "The wedding guests and the bridegroom"

9:16-17 Parables: The teaching of Jesus and the old ways can not be mixed - "The new cloth sewn onto the old" and "The new wine poured into old wineskins"

9:18-26 The woman with the haemorrhage and the raising of Jairus' daughter

9:27-34 Two blind men and the dumb man

9:35-38 More disciples are needed - the seventy (or 72) are sent out - also 9:36-38 Evangelism

Matthew 10:1-42

10: 1-4 Choosing the twelve apostles - also 10:2a,4a Qualifications for apostles

10: 5-15 The twelve apostles are sent out to preach and heal - also 10:11-14 Evangelism

10:16-42 Warnings and encouragements as the apostles are sent out - also 10:16 Wisdom; 10:19b-20 Evangelism; 10:28 The devil; 10:28 Fear; 10:29-31 The human body and its value; 10:32-39 Unique claims of Christ

Matthew 11:1-30

11: 1 The twelve apostles are sent out - concluded

11: 2-24 Jesus and John the Baptist compared - "Yet still the people will not repent" - also 11:11 Heaven; 11:16-19 Never satisfied; 11:20-22 Signs and wonders

11:25-27 Jesus rejoices for those able to understand his message - also 11:25-26 Spiritual insight and blindness

11:28-30 The rest Jesus offers the weary and burdened - also 11:28-30 Rest for the weary; 11:28-30 Weariness

Matthew 12:1-50

12: 1-8 The disciples pick corn on the Sabbath - "The Sabbath is made for man" - also 12:1-8 The Sabbath

12: 9-14 The man with the shrivelled hand - also 12:11-12 The Sabbath

12:15-21 Jesus continues healing many

12:22-32 Jesus is accused of using the devil's power to heal

12:22-23 The dumb (and blind) man - also 12:24-27a The devil; 12:25b Divisions in the Church; 12:30 Unique claims of Christ; 12:31-32 The Holy Spirit

12:33-37 The good and bad fruit trees - concluded - also 12:34-37 The tongue

12:38-42 The Scribes and Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus - also 12:38-40 Signs and wonders

12:43-45 The danger of not being filled with the things of God - "The return of the evil spirit" - also 12:43-45 Spiritual emptiness

12:46-50 Jesus and His own family - "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" - also 12:47-50 Christian fellowship

Matthew 13:1-58

13: 1-9 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (1) Listening and responding to the Gospel of Jesus - "Sowing the seed" - also 13:4 The devil

13:10-17 Parables: Why Jesus spoke in parables - also 13:13,16-17 Spiritual insight and blindness

13:16-17 Jesus rejoices for those able to understand his message - concluded

13:18-23 "Sowing the seed" - concluded - also 13:18-19 The devil; 13:24-50 Heaven (excerpts)

13:24-30 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (2) Final separation of the good from the evil - "The wheat and weeds in the field"

13:31-32 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (3) "The tiny mustard seed that grows into a great tree"

13:33 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven ( 4) "The yeast mixed with flour"

13:34-35 Parables - why Jesus spoke in parables - concluded

13:36-43 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (2) Final separation of the good from the evil - "The wheat and weeds in the field" - concluded - also 13:37-39a The devil

13:44 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (5) "The buried treasure"

13:45-46 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (6) "The pearl of great value"

13:47-52 Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven (7) "The fishing net".Also "The householder's store"

13:53-58 Jesus is rejected in Nazareth for the second time

Matthew 14:1-36

14: 1-12 Death of John the Baptist

14:13-21 Feeding the five thousand - also 14:13a,14a Solitude

14:22-33 Walking on water - also 14:22-23 Prayer

14:34-36 Jesus heals the sick at Gennesaret

Matthew 15:1-39

15:1-20 Jesus and the Scribes and Pharisees - "What really makes a person clean" - also 15: 3-7a Family responsibilities

15:14 We can only teach what we know and practise - "The blind leading the blind" - also 15:14 False Christian teaching, false prophets, cults; 15:17-20 Non-Christian behaviour; 15:18-19 The tongue

15:21-28 The sick daughter of the Syrophoenician woman - also 15:22-28 Determination

15:29-39 Feeding the four thousand

Matthew 16:1-28

16: 1-4 The Scribes and Pharisees demand more signs from Jesus - also 16:1,4 Signs and wonders

16: 5-12 The yeast of the Pharisee's

16:13-20 "Who do people say I am?" asks Jesus

16:21-23 Jesus teaches about his death and resurrection for a first time - also 16:22-23 God's ways are not ours

16:24-28 Carrying the cross of Jesus - also 16:24 Signs and wonders; 16:24b-26 Worldliness

Matthew 17:1-27

17: 1-13 The Transfiguration of Jesus

17:14-21 The epileptic boy - also 17:20b Faith

17:22-23 Jesus teaches about his death and resurrection for a second time

17:24-27 A fish pays the Temple tax! - also 17:24-25a Taxes

Matthew 18:1-35

18: 1-5 "Who is the greatest?" - also 18: 1-4 Heaven; 18: 1-6 Children; 18: 3-4 Humility; 18: 3-4 Maturity

18: 6-7 Leading others into sin - "The millstone around the neck" - also 18: 6-7 Leading others astray

18: 8-9 Temptation - the offending eye, hand, foot - concluded

18:10-14 God's great love for the lost (1) "The lost sheep" - also 18:10 Children; 18:10 Heaven

18:15-17 Disputes between Christians - also 18:15-17 Church discipline; 18:15-17 Disagreements

18:18 The standards of Heaven must be the standards for living on earth

18:19-20 The Christian Church - "When two or three come together in the name of Jesus" - also 18:19 Heaven; 18:19-20 Christian fellowship; 18:19-20 Worship

18:21-35 Forgiveness has no limits -"The unforgiving servant" - also 18:21-23 Heaven; 18:21b-22 Forgiveness ; 18:35 Heaven

Matthew 19:1-30

19: 1-12 The Pharisees and divorce - also 19:11-12 Celibacy

19:13-15 Accepting the kingdom of God like a child - also 19:13-14 Heaven; 19:13-15 Children

19:16-30 Possessions as a possible barrier to following Jesus - "The rich young man" - also 19:23-26 Heaven

Matthew 20:1-34

20: 1-16 Gods gifts may be granted to even the least deserving - "The workers in the vineyard paid the same wage" - also 20:1-2,16 Heaven

20:17-19 Jesus teaches about his death and resurrection for a third time

20:20-28 Jesus comes to serve - John and James want to be first!

20:29-34 The blind men near Jericho

TOWARDS THE END Spring c AD30

Matthew 21:1-46

21: 1-11 The final entry of Jesus into Jerusalem - also 21:2-5 Humility

21:12-17 Jesus drives the buyers and sellers from the Temple - also 21:12-13 Commercialising the church; 21:15-16 Children

21:18-22 The cursed fig-tree that withers away - also 21:21 Faith; 21:21-22 Prayer

21:23-27 The authority of Jesus is questioned

21:28-32 Those who won't accept God (1) "The two sons called to work" - also 21:31b-32 Equality in God's sight

21:33-46 Those who won't accept God (2) "the wicked tenants of the vineyard". Also "The rejected stone"

Matthew 22:1-46

22: 1-14 Those who won't accept God (3) "Invitations to the banquet for the king's son" - also 22: 2-3,14 Heaven

22:15-22 The Pharisees and Herodians question him - paying taxes - also 22:16b-21 Government; 22:16b-21 Taxes

22:23-33 The Sadducees question him - rising from death - also 22:29 The Holy Bible; 22:30 Heaven

22:34-40 A teacher of the Law (or scribe) questions him - the greatest commandment? - also 22:36-40 The Christian life in outline

22:41-46 Jesus in return, asks a question about the expected Messiah

Matthew 23:1-39

23: 1-39 Jesus criticises the teachers of the Law (or Scribes) and Pharisees - also 23: 2-3 Hypocrisy; 23:13-36 Religious hypocrisy; 23:22 Heaven

Matthew 24:1-51

24: 1-51 Jesus describes the end-times and His return - also 24:4-5,23-26 False Christian teaching, false prophets, cults

24:32-35 Being prepared for the end-times and the return of Jesus (1) "The lesson of the fig-tree" - also 24:34-35 The Holy Bible

24:42-44 Being prepared for the end-times and the return of Jesus (2) "The thief and the householder"

24:45-51 Being prepared for the end-times and the return of Jesus (3) "The faithful servants and the returning master"

Matthew 25:1-46

25: 1-13 Being prepared for the end-times and the return of Jesus (4) "The ten bridesmaids" - also 25: 1-46 Heaven

25:14-30 Being prepared for the end-times and the return of Jesus (5) "The talents of money"

25:31-46 Being prepared for the end-times and the return of Jesus (6) "The sheep and the goats" - also 25:34-40 Charitable giving; 25:34-40 Hospitality; 25:34-40 The hungry and thirsty; 25:34-40 The imprisoned; 25:34-40 The lonely; 25:34-40 The sick

Matthew 26:1-75

26: 1-2 Jesus predicts His death and resurrection before His anointing at Bethany

26: 3-5 The plot to kill Jesus

26: 6-13 The anointing of Jesus at Bethany - also 26: 7-13 Women

26:14-16 Judas Iscariot decides to betray him

26:17-29 The last supper - also 26:26-28 The Lord's Supper

26:30-46 The last night continued and the garden of Gethsemane - also 26:31-45a Human frailty

26:47-56 Jesus is betrayed and arrested

26:57-75 Jesus is tried before the Jewish authorities; Peter betrays him

26:67-68 Jesus is ill-treated during his trial - also 26:69-75 Betrayal

Matthew 27:1-66

27: 1-2 Jesus before the Jewish authorities - concluded

27: 3-10 Judas Iscariot commits suicide

27:11-26 Jesus before the Roman Pontius Pilate; the sentence

27:26b-31 Jesus is tortured

27:32-50 His crucifixion and death

27:45 Supernatural events as Jesus dies

27:51-53 Supernatural events as Jesus dies - concluded

27:54-56 Some of the people present

27:57-66 His burial

THE NEW BEGINNING Spring cAD30

Matthew 28:1-20

28: 1-8 The empty tomb

28: 9-10 The first appearance of Jesus - also 28: 9-10 Women

28:11-15 The empty tomb - concluded

28:16-17 The resurrection of Jesus and His appearances

28:18-20 His commission to preach the Gospel to the world - also 28:18 Unique claims of Christ; 28:18-19 Baptism; 28:18-19 The Holy Trinity; 28:18-20 Evangelism

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