Matthew is a teaching gospel. Rev. Gary Kennedy introduces Jesus as a teacher by reading from the Gospel of Luke 4:14, 16, 18-19, and then verse 21 where Jesus stated “Today this scripture has been fulfilled . . .” Then in Luke 5:17 “On one of those days, as he was teaching, . . .and the power of Lord was with him to heal.” And Jesus healed a paralyzed man because of the faith of his friends and the people were amazed. (vs26) Then in verse 27 “After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, [Matthew] . . .and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he left everything, and rose and followed him.” Matthew was literate and reported much of Jesus’ teaching including the Sermon on the Mount – The Beatitudes which were not a list of rules for Christians to live by but instead a reminder of who we are in God’s eyes following our repentance. Read Matthew 5:1-12 with new eyes.