Our class was looking for a study on the Gospel of Matthew. I found a fairly recent book titled Matthew: The Gospel of Promised Blessings by Matthew Skinner. Rather than cover the book in total and in sequence, Skinner chooses different themes that the original author was attempting to convey. It was an interesting and rewarding approach.
Like other books published by Abingdon Press, there is an accompanying DVD and Leader Guide. We used a couple of the DVD videos in the course of our study, but found there was plenty to discuss without them. It took us about three months to cover the six chapters!
Skinner is both a pastor and professor at Luther Seminary where he is the current chair of the New Testament department. He frequently counsels other ministers on how to handle the difficult passages of Matthew, as many can portray harsh division and judgment. Skinner does a good job of putting Matthew’s message into the context of its time.
The book starts with the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, coupling that with a couple of parables which appear near the end of Matthew (Workers in the Vineyard & Sheep and Goats). Many other of Matthew’s more challenging messages, stories, and parables are covered in the ensuing chapters.
If your group is looking for additional insight on the Gospel of Matthew, look no further. As always, if you like my lesson plans, share them to your social media accounts using the links on the right and/or add comments below.