Based on Matthews Gospel

The Roman Empire

The Political Situation in Palestine

Matthew, the Author

 In the 1st Century, Romans ruled the Mediterranean

area known as Palestine (Israel) Jesus was born and lived in Palestine Town of Bethlehem, province of Judea in the Country of Palestine (Matthew 2:1)
What is the nationality of Jesus? Jew
Note: The capital city of the Roman Empire was Rome

 The distance of Rome to Palestine was 2400

kilometers To travel by the sea, they used ships and they made paved roads to travel by land. They had two methods to drive their ships Oars Sails They paved their roads with slab stones

 The Jews who were native in Palestine hated the

Romans but there was a group revolutionaries who were Jews who hated the Romans even more. The group was called Patriots and sometimes called Cananaeans. Theyre hope was to free their country from the hands of the Roman Emperor which the Romans titled Caesar who lived in Rome the capital city of the Roman Empire The Romans brutally crushed the revolt and killed through crucifixion thousands of captured Patriots.

 The Roman Emperor, obliged the Jews to pay taxes to

the Romans which brought the Jews sorrowful. The Romans gathered the taxes through tax collectors Jews but in conflict of interest with the Patriots. If the Patriots hated the Romans, the tax collectors supported and worked with the Roman. These made the Patriots and Tax Collectors enemies.

 Jesus chose and prepared 12 to carryout His mission.

2 of the 12 listed names of apostles in Mathew 10:1-4

where Matthew and Simon the Patriot. Matthew (the author of Matthew) was a tax collector while Simon was a Patriot they were enemies. The Kingdom of Heaven healed them and enveloped them with love which politically opposite from the Roman Empire, vindicated and made them found themselves together as Christ's apostles.

 The Kingdom of Heaven

Christ the King

The Five Steps in the Life of Christ

 We learned that the main theme of the book of

Mathew is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was the Messiah (Hebrew) or the Christ (Greek), the anointed one. It was customary that before a King starts his reign, hed be anointed with oil poured on his head as a sign that he has received. This customary was done by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury before the King seats on the throne, wear a crown and hold a scepter which was the symbols of his authority.

 Jesus was the Messiah whom all the Jews have been

waiting but they did not understand what His kingdom would be like. They thought it would be a political kingdom just like of the Roman Empire. We learned in Luke 4:18 that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and so the symbol of His rule was spiritual not political. Hebrews 1:8 described that the Kingdom of Christ is forever and ever. Hebrews 2:7 says, the crown of Christ is of glory and honor.

 Jesus seats not on a political throne but on the spiritual

hearts/lives of the people. Matthew 6:10 teaches us that the Kingdom of heaven is set up on earth when Christ is on the throne, ruling in the lives of those who do the will of Christ and not his own will. When we look for Christs will and obey it, the Kingdom of heaven has come with power in our lives because Christ is now ruling on the throne of our lives. Hebrews 2:7 says, the crown of Christ is of glory and honor. Let us look at Romans 14:17 and see for ourselves what the Kingdom of God is

 The kingdom of God is:

Righteousness
Joy Peace

Christ rule never comes by force but always by love.

Galatians 5:16-17 Paul describes a constant struggle in

the life of a believer between our own will (Kingdom of Satan) and the will of Christ (Kingdom of God). Jesus encourages us in Matthew 6:33, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God

 There are hidden references to the Kingdom of heaven

that we should take note and should learn to notice when we study the Bible: Crown Throne Christ Messiah Anointed Scepter David