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Based on Matthews Gospel

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The Roman Empire

The Political Situation in Palestine

Matthew, the Author

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In the 1stCentury, Romans ruled the Mediterraneanarea known as Palestine (Israel)

Jesus was born and lived in Palestine

Town of Bethlehem, province of Judea in theCountry of Palestine (Matthew 2:1)

What is the nationality of Jesus?

JewNote: The capital city of the Roman Empire was Rome

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The distance of Rome to Palestine was 2400kilometers

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

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The Jews who were native in Palestine hated theRomans but there was a group revolutionaries whowere 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 titledCaesar 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.

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The Roman Emperor, obliged the Jews to pay taxes tothe Romans which brought the Jews sorrowful.

The Romans gathered the taxes through tax

collectors Jews but in conflict of interest with thePatriots.

If the Patriots hated the Romans, the tax collectorssupported and worked with the Roman.

These made the Patriots and Tax Collectorsenemies.

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Jesus chose and prepared 12 to carryout His mission.

2 of the 12 listed names of apostles in Mathew 10:1-4where Matthew and Simon the Patriot.

Matthew (the author of Matthew) was a taxcollector while Simon was a Patriot they wereenemies.

The Kingdom of Heaven healed them and enveloped

them with love which politically opposite from theRoman Empire, vindicated and made them foundthemselves together as Christ's apostles.

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The Kingdom of Heaven

Christ the King

The Five Steps in the Life of Christ

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We learned that the main theme of the book ofMathew 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 asign that he has received.

This customary was done by the Arch-bishop of

Canterbury before the King seats on the throne, weara crown and hold a scepter which was the symbolsof his authority.

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Jesus was the Messiah whom all the Jews have beenwaiting but they did not understand what Hiskingdom would be like. They thought it would be apolitical kingdom just like of the Roman Empire.

We learned in Luke 4:18 that Jesus was anointed withthe Holy Spirit and so the symbol of His rule wasspiritual 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.

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Jesus seats not on a political throne but on the spiritualhearts/lives of the people.

Matthew 6:10 teaches us that the Kingdom of heaven is setup 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 isnow 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

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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 inthe 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

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There are hidden references to the Kingdom of heaventhat we should take note and should learn to noticewhen we study the Bible:

Crown

ThroneChrist

Messiah

Anointed

Scepter

David