The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us (Resonate) [Paperback]

Matt Woodley (Author), Skye Jethani (Afterword), Leonard Sweet (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2011 | Series: Resonate

They say the Bible is true, but does it ring true? Does it resonate? In this journey through the Gospel of Matthew, Matt Woodley considers the audacious idea of a God with us--confronting us in the midst of all we've invested ourselves in and dedicated ourselves to, and encouraging us with the promise that the God who made us has a better life in mind for us. The Resonate series recovers the ancient wisdom of Scripture for a complex world. The stories and insights of each book of the Bible are brought into conversation with contemporary voices of hope and lament--the cultural messages we interact with on a daily basis. The Scriptures become a meeting ground where God is confronted with the pressing concerns of our day, and we are confronted in turn with a fresh experience of God's truth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Matt Woodley's commentary is a wonderful resource for every pastor trying their best to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ and the values recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. I found this work to be theologically intelligent, spiritually insightful and delightful to read. I kept thinking to myself, 'Reading Woodley is like reading F. Dale Bruner in dialogue with Philip Yancey.'" (Kevin J. Navarro, senior pastor of Bethany Evangelical Free Church and author of The Complete Worship Leader and The Complete Worship Service )

"This commentary by Matt Woodley is one you don't simply want to reference but read. Woodley rightly manages to find the note of grace and promise in every passage. This is a book about the gospel--good news--of Matthew. I can't imagine studying the first Gospel without this book within easy reach." (Mark Galli, senior managing editor of Christianity Today )

"There is an ancient way of reading Scripture known as lectio divina--reading and rereading and digesting a portion of the Bible, asking: What does it say? What did it mean then? What does it mean now? How does it call me to respond? Matt Woodley gives us more than a commentary; it is a contemporary lectio divina which may help any reader both to know and to live out the truth of God with us in everyday life! I am going to recommend it to many of my intellectually alert, culturally aware and spiritually serious friends." (Leighton Ford, president, Leighton Ford Ministries )

"As I read through Matthew Woodley's commentary on the book of Matthew, I was consistently surprised by his interaction with the text and the ideas and insights that developed as a result. This book is a gift and a challenge to pastors who want to think more theologically and to theologians who want to think more pastorally." (Tim Keel, teaching pastor at Jacob's Well Church, author of Intuitive Leadership )

"Throughout the pages of The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us, Matt Woodley makes accessible the truth of the incarnation of Christ through his own candid personal narrative and the inspirational stories of others. The reader is continually engaged from the divinely 'human' genealogy of Jesus to the promise of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit at book's end. This commentary provides a refreshing expository of an often familiar Gospel by provoking questions about the impact of God's coming kingdom in today's culture and society." (Reverend Mae Elise Cannon, author of Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World )

"The gift of Matt Woodley's Matthew commentary is application. He takes the central meaning of each ancient Gospel text and then, in refreshing ways, applies these meanings to real, earthy, human life today. I heartily recommend his work." (F. Dale Bruner, professor emeritus, Whitworth University, and author of Matthew: A Commentary )

"With an engaging, well-written narrative, Matt Woodley invites readers into the story of Matthew's Gospel with a pastor's sensitivity. This is a substantive and accessible commentary that readers will find hard to put down." (Ed Cyzewski, author of Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life )

"In Matt Woodley's capable hands, here theologically astute commentary meets culturally relevant story. Instead of only interacting with Matthean scholars, we also hear from Bono, Anne Lamott, J. R. R. Tolkien, Bob Dylan, etc. Simply put, Woodley interweaves these stories (and so many more) with Matthew's story of Jesus in order to show how the latter story resonates with our own. Make your way through this book then and you will not only find a readers' guide to Matthew and his most important themes, but you will find as well a telling critique of modern culture and church and their often misguided attempts to make sense of the mysteries of life. In the end, readers 'hear the story' and realize that the core of Matthew's message is simply this: Jesus came to embody the truth that we can trust God, that he really is good, and that he has come near to rescue us from ourselves. In Matthew's Jesus, God is not only with us, he is for us." (Steven A. Hunt, associate professor of biblical studies, Gordon College )

"At last, a commentary that is as readable as it is reliable! Woodley's commentary on Matthew is conversational, culturally aware, applicable to my context as a teacher and preacher, and biblically faithful. Nine times out of ten, I am disappointed when I read through a commentary because it is either too academic for my purposes as a preacher or too generic for my purposes as a teacher. But not so with Woodley's commentary on Matthew! It is both educational and entertaining." (The Rev. Derek Cooper, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biblical studies and historical theology, Biblical Seminary )

"All of us who teach the Bible passionately want to make clear the connection between accurate truth and practical application. If this is what you are seeking, then read the Resonate Series. This commentary on Matthew thinks with me, unveils exegetical insight and addresses how truth from this vital Gospel account impacts the life that I live in a world watching my life." (Bruce W. Fong, Ph.D., Sunset Church, San Francisco )

"In The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us, Matt Woodley masterfully paints a portrait of our Lord through a relevant commentary on this important Gospel. This thematic study sheds new light on foundational truths, making orthodox theology accessible in our current cultural context." (Kevin Palau, president, Luis Palau Association )

"The Bible is too easily treated as a flat treasury of divine data, rather than the vibrant and living self-giving revelation of a trinitarian God. As we open the Bible we are invited to step back into that world in order to understand what the writer wrote under divine inspiration. Yet we are also continually invited to stay firmly rooted in our contemporary world, for in the Bible God speaks with absolute relevance. This journey through Matthew's Gospel combines effective commentary with engaging relevance. Whether you are officially a preacher, or not, read this book with your Bible open and converse with Immanuel--you will want to share the blessing with others!" (Peter Mead, minister-at-large, Operation Mobilization, and preaching trainer, Langham Preaching )

"Woodley's work brings both Christ and Matthew near; we experience them present with us, speaking to us about things that matter then and now." (Mark DeYmaz, pastor, Mosaic Church of Central Arkansa, and author, Building a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church and Ethnic Blends )

Product Details

• Paperback: 301 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (September 28, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083083642X
• ISBN-13: 978-0830836420
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #484,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear & Accessible for the "Boy That Driveth the Plough", November 7, 2011

By 

Darryl Dash "DashHouse" (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us (Resonate) (Paperback)

There are lots of good commentaries out there, but this commentary claims to be different. According to the foreword, it's "a hybrid commentary where the best in biblical scholarship is coupled with theological reflection on the text that is accessible to that 'boy that driveth the plough'" - the ordinary blue-collar worker, in other words. "Instead of proceeding verse by verse," the editor writes, "the author of each Resonate volume draws insights from the featured book's major themes, all the while attentive to the context in which these themes are developed." This sounds good. Many commentaries are too technical for many readers; others are too simplistic. There is room for a commentary series that is substantive but not overwhelming. I was curious to find out if this commentary fits the bill.

This commentary does go below the surface. For instance, the over aching theme of Matthew 1:1-4:11 is the identity and mission of Jesus, according to the commentary. So far, so good. But it gets better. Woodley picks up on the theme of Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel in the first chapters. Not only is this true, but it's easily missed, even by many preachers. He manages to uncover this without becoming unnecessarily technical or dense. This is a commentary that's actually readable. He can even bring out the adventure in the opening genealogy of Matthew!

The writing is crisp. For instance: "A nice God, a decent God, a semi-loving God, a predictably righteous God would send us some help, maybe an angel or a prophet or a sacred text --- at least some advice. We could respect and admire a God like that. But the Gospel of Jesus' mercy goes far beyond conventional righteousness, decency and niceness. At Christmas God became a naked baby. You can't get more vulnerable than that."

This commentary does a good job of opening up the text, and underlining some of the important themes that may otherwise be missed. It's not a technical commentary, and I definitely need those as well. But I think I would read a commentary like this in the early stages of mapping out a sermon series based on Matthew. And I would definitely recommend it to a number of people in the church I pastor, people who genuinely love God's Word and are looking for a commentary that won't overwhelm them. This commentary highlights the main themes and make the text clear.

If you're looking for a commentary that opens up the themes of Scripture in a clear and accessible way, then this one is worth a look.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More than Your Usual Commentary, November 11, 2011

By 

Tonto De Pluma "Lisa Colón DeLay" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us (Resonate) (Paperback)

If you aren't used to reading bible commentaries (some are extremely dry and academic, using lots of Greek and Hebrew to explain things), then I highly recommend this new Resonate Series from Likewise, at IVP. They published one of the Gospel of John. This one on Matthew is the 2nd. More are coming.

I got a copy of IVP's Matthew commentary from the publisher, and the more I read, the more it had an impact on me. The power of Matthew's gospel is amazing, and this commentary takes Jesus' life, death, and resurrection seriously.

I found this book to be a helpful resource for pastors, teachers, spiritual leaders, and lovers of the Word who need a thorough synopsis. Matt Woodley also points out some concepts missed in many other commentaries and typical sermons. The author maps out the territory of Matthew, in normal language, for one to get a lay of the land, or survey the crucial themes. You'll find vignettes of pertinent personal stories, and the gospel of Matthew covered in sections and main points. The style is very pastoral, like a casual but deep personal interaction. (Don't expect a commentary in the vein of D.A. Carson, Craig L. Blomberg, or Craig S. Keener, and the like. Some of these commentaries, while very helpful, go verse by verse and are chiefly informative, not pastoral. For this mistaken categorizing, of sorts, it doesn't play on the same field as traditional commentaries, so I won't give it 5 stars.) Rather, this commentary has a personal touch. This doesn't take away from the book, but it surprises you or changes your expectations with regards to "a scholarly commentary". This work has narrative finesse.

Yes, pastors can quickly mine it for some perfunctory and fresh teaching ideas, but more than that, Woodley whets the reader's appetite to dig further into the Word and the amazing mystery of an active and loving God who came to be *with us*.

Now for Exposing The Best Kept Secret of "Matthew: God with Us"

I'm feeling compelled to tell you what I *wish* the book would be used for most...I don't think the publishers really had this in mind, exactly...or they probably wouldn't have categorized it as a commentary in the first place.

It would be best used in one-to-one and small group discipling. It's great material to develop spirit-filled, potential leaders, and those hungry for more of God and his Word. It's written in a way that begs for an intimate and richer discussion, not just a proclamation from the front of the building (i.e. sermon, homily, etc.). This book has discipleship written all over it.

My background is Spiritual Formation. I've focused on the whys and hows and history of spiritual growth in Christians throughout the history of the Church. I've spent plenty of time answering the question: "What makes Christ-like followers?". That's why when I read Woodley's book, I knew right away that it was an excellent resource to incite spiritual growth on a personal level. I'm sorry, but sermons be danged, I'd like to see it used for discipleship over and above use as a tool for sermon preparation. I just think it's a better fit for this, in my opinion.

If you want to take this sort of thing on in your life, get this book right away. Find a peer, a friend, a hungry seeker or Christian, or get a mentor, and work through this book together, with the Bible in hand. If you want a powerful, down-to-earth examination of Matthew's gospel with many practical applications within the pages, you have it is this book.

I do look forward to the other Resonate books in this series.

4.0 out of 5 stars Readers will be hard-pressed to find a more fun yet informative commentary, February 12, 2012

By 

Michael Dalton (Eureka, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Gospel of Matthew: God with Us (Resonate) (Paperback)

Readers will be hard-pressed to find a more fun yet informative commentary than The Gospel of Matthew by Matt Woodley. The same could be said of the first volume in the Resonate series, The Gospel of John: When Love Comes to Town by Paul Louis Metzger. Having enjoyed these first two, I welcome the opportunity to read and review any of the planned future releases.

"Read" is the key word. Standard commentaries of the past are rightly regarded as reference works, consulted but not usually read from cover to cover. Purists may not take to this series like those who favor narrative accounts. If one was to relate this to Bible translation, this series is closer to dynamic equivalence than literal. Those who like The Message bible should appreciate that this is like a paraphrase.

Woodley reads between the lines to give a sense of a passage, which is broken into small segments. Each section focuses on a different theme or topic and can be read in just a few minutes. I read them like a devotional because they are not only short but inspirational. At the same time, they inform and accurately convey meaning, while challenging the reader and making the content applicable. The pop culture/current event references, while not overdone, make it entertaining.

I appreciate Woodley's emphasis on following in the "little way," a reference to St. Therese of Lisieux, "a nineteenth-century French Carmelite nun who based her faith in Jesus on a very Matthew-like approach to the spiritual life." It reminds me that that though we all fall short in many ways, we are not disqualified. Our failures highlight our need for Christ, which is something we never get beyond. Woodley writes, "For the most part, Jesus asks us to follow him with our little faith, allowing the Father to work through our poverty of spirit, failures and suffering, our quiet obedience and trust, and our small acts of mercy toward sinners, outcasts, the poor and the forgotten. This `little way' makes discipleship accessible to all of us¯except the self-righteous and the alleged experts" (19).

It gives hope to "little faiths" and those that we meet in the stories that Woodley shares. They are the last and least. Their situations are compelling because of the honesty in which they are told and in the reality that they convey. It is part of what makes this commentary so readable. Even a non-religious person should be able to comprehend the message. They may even find themselves drawn to the One who says in Matthew's gospel, "Come to me."

This King who invites participation in his kingdom is a major theme in Matthew's gospel, and Woodley moves it beyond a personal concern for salvation, "If the kingdom of heaven has indeed come to us in the presence of Jesus, then as his followers we will care about our choices as consumers and how those choices promote exploitation rather than compassion. I will consider these things because Jesus and his coming kingdom address large, global issues of economic justice, human rights and environmental wholeness. There is nothing that does not have kingdom implications" (56).

Occasionally, I wonder if the emphasis on social justice and related issues is actual or imposed on the Scriptures? The church has often swung between extremes. Woodley joins the chorus of those who offer a corrective to those that have overlooked these issues. The tendency is to readily see in keeping with our bent and background and be blind to other things. I appreciate Woodley's balanced perspective.

He paints a wonderful portrait of the kingdom, but he is also realistic, "In this life, all wounds do not get healed; all aches do not get fulfilled; all wrongs do not become right; all stories do not end in triumph. In the words of the apostle Paul, we're suspended between the coming of the kingdom and the fulfillment of the kingdom" (125).

Woodley is also relevant. I see it in relation to the Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus video, which has millions of views and sparked lots of debate. In the section titled SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS he writes, "According to Jesus, this penchant for `church-free' or `church-lite' discipleship (let's call it JNC, or `Jesus but no church') isn't just an innocent difference of opinion; it's a colossal rejection of Jesus' plan for a new genesis. Jesus restores the world through a new community, a specific, concrete group of real human beings¯amazing, gifted and fabulous, as well as difficult, annoying and flawed¯who live with him" (172).

In no way does he minimize the difficulty, "Loving, working for and living within his church isn't easy. At times it feels like carrying a cross. Throughout the history of Christian spirituality much has been written about cross-bearing and self-denial, but in the context of this story, carrying our cross includes a call to enter and remain in Jesus' broken church" (175).

He summarizes it like this, "In other words, while being fully human just like Jesus, honestly expressing my pain and disappointment, I make a choice to follow Jesus by walking the path of love. Like John of the Cross, who was wounded and betrayed by his own community, I can declare, `If I put love into a community I will always have love to draw out of that community.' So I choose to put love into the community even when I don't feel love from that community" (175).

Woodley consistently gets at the heart of Matthew's gospel. His illuminating stories and insights have a place next to the more formal commentaries. There is a place for both and those who have one alongside the other will be well-served.