Starting February 2017 Courageous Men of the Word is beginning a study of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew meaning “gift of the Lord,” was the other name of Levi, the tax collector who left everything to follow Christ. The Jewish flavor of Matthew’s gospel is remarkable. This is evident even in the opening genealogy, which Matthew traces back only as far as Abraham. Matthew’s purpose is somewhat narrower: to demonstrate that Christ is the King and Messiah of Israel. His purpose is clear: to demonstrate that Jesus is the Jewish nation’s long-awaited Messiah. Matthew groups his narrative material around 5 great discourses. He makes no attempt to follow a strict chronology, and a comparison of the gospels reveals that Matthew freely places things out of order. He is dealing with themes and broad concepts, not laying out a timeline. In this study we will explore the entire Gospel, and it is our prayer that through your group discussions you may see God working in your life.