Matthew and the New Exodus

In the last blog we learned that Jesus came to RULE as KING (just like David in the Old Testament)! But as we'll soon see, Matthew also makes it clear that Jesus came to FREE people (just like Moses did in the Old Testament)! But what did Jesus set out to FREE people from? SIN. Right? It's undeniable that Jesus came to FREE you and me from SIN (past, present, and future). But this is only part of the story.

How do I know this to be true? Well, Jesus also cast out demons (Matt. 9:32-34), healed the sick (Matt. 9:18-26, 27-31), raised people from the dead (Matt. 9:18-26), and overturned tables in the Temple (Matt. 21:12). These happenings were just as much a part of Jesus' ministry and message as was the forgiveness of sin. So how do these aspects of Jesus' life fit into his ministry and message? Simple. Jesus didn't just come to FREE people from SIN, He came (more generally) to FREE people (and creation) from EVIL (and its CURSED RULE)! In other words, King Jesus has come to FREE people from an EVIL kingdom and bring them into His GOOD kingdom (which is evil-LESS and curse-FREE).

JESUS AND THE FINAL JUBILEE
Matthew begins this theme of FREEDOM right out of the gates with his symbolically structured genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. Notice that the genealogy ends with the birth of Jesus and covers 42 generations (14 multiplied by 3) or six sevens of generations. What does this tell us? The birth of Jesus symbolically inaugurates the final seven generations before the arrival of the Jubilee generation (the fiftieth generation). In other words, Matthew is using the concept of the Jubilee year from Leviticus 25:10-11 to bring symbolic significance to the birth (and life) of Jesus: With the birth of Jesus (whose name according to Matt. 1:21 means "God is salvation"), God is inaugurating a renewed RESCUE plan and a new EXODUS, that will ultimately lead to a final JUBILEE.

JESUS IS A NEW MOSES
Matthew further develops this idea of a new EXODUS by typologically identifying Jesus with the life and times of MOSES. Just like Jesus...Israel escaped death by going to Egypt [Gen. 42; Matt. 2:13], Israel was called out of Egypt [Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:15], Moses escaped death even though all the Israelite baby boys were killed by the Pharaoh [Exod. 1:15-16; Matt. 2:16], Moses went into the 'wilderness' for 40 units of time [Exod. 16:35; Matt. 4:1], and Moses received the law on a 'mountain' for 40 days and 40 nights [Exod. 24:18; Matt. 4:2, 5:1]. In this way [often referred to as typology], Matthew presents Jesus as a new TYPE of MOSES who will bring about a new TYPE of EXODUS!

But that's not all! Just as Moses was (and still is) identified with the LAW (or Torah) so too does Matthew identify Jesus with the LAW (or Torah). Matthew accomplishes this by the way in which he structures his book. Outside of an introduction and conclusion, Matthew's gospel contains five core sections [paralleling the five books of the Torah] all of which end with a block of teaching that are marked off by the common refrain "When Jesus had finished" (7:28-29; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1-2; 26:1-2). Take a look for yourself...

Matthew 1-2 [Introduction]
Matthew 3-7 [Torah block in chapters 5-7]
Matthew 8-10 [Torah block in chapter 10]
Matthew 11-13 [Torah block in chapters 13]
Matthew 14-18 [Torah block in chapter 18]
Matthew 19-25 [Torah block in chapters 24-25]
Matthew 26-28 [Conclusion]

What is Matthew trying to communicate through this structure? Notice that the book of Exodus uses the refrain "When Moses had finished" after Moses comes down from Sinai and gives the people all the commands the Lord had given him (Exodus 34:33). Doesn't this sound just like Matthew's refrain? Might it be that Matthew is trying to show that Jesus' life and teaching (much like Moses' life and teaching) constitutes a renewed TORAH to guide the community and the individual lives of God's people?

THE BOTTOM LINE
So how does this relate to our lives today? Well, it provides a glimpse into the MISSION that Jesus' life set out to accomplish. What was Jesus' mission according to Matthew? King Jesus came to FREE people from the reign of EVIL by bringing them into His GOOD kingdom to live under His TORAH-RULE. And while Jesus' life inaugurated His kingdom and kingship, we, his disciples, are called to live under His kingship and continue to expand His kingdom by FREEING people until He returns. This is what it means to FOLLOW JESUS!

And the crazy thing is that Jesus' mission is no different from that given to Israel in the Old Testament based on the Abrahamic Covenant! And so it is no surprise that Abraham also takes center stage in the Gospel of Matthew. We will look into this angle of Matthew's gospel in the next blog! In the meantime, may you make Jesus' mission the mission of YOUR life for his honor and glory!