Christ in
three sets of fourteen each, chap. 1:17. To effect this, certain kings
of David's line are omitted--between Joram and Ozias (the Uzziah of the
Hebrews), Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah; between Josias and Jechonias,
Eliakim--and David is reckoned twice; once as the last of a set of
fourteen, then as the first of the following fourteen. The thoroughly
Jewish form of this introduction indicates the primary design of
Matthew's gospel, which was to exhibit to his countrymen Jesus of
Nazareth as their _long promised Messiah and king_. To this he has
constant reference in the facts which he relates, and which he connects
with the prophecies of the Old Testament by such forms of quotation as
the following: "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet," chaps. 1:22; 2:15, 23; 13:35; 21:4; 27:35; "that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet," chaps. 4:11;
8:17; 12:17; "then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the
prophet," chap. 2:17; etc. His direct references to the Old Testament in
proof of our Lord's Messiahship are more numerous than those of either
of the other evangelists. Peculiar to him is the expression "the kingdom
of heaven," to signify, in accordance with Rabbinic usage, the kingdom
which the Messiah was to establish in accordance with the prophecies of
the Old Testament; though he takes a spiritual view of its character,
and not the earthly and political view of the Jewish doctors. Another
designation of the same idea, common to him with the other evangelists,
is "the kingdom of God," which also was current among the Rabbins. This
"kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" is also the kingdom of the
Messiah. Chaps. 13:41; 20:21.

16. But precisely because Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah, his
mission is not to the Jews only, but _to all mankind_, in accordance
with the original promise to Abraham: "In thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed." Gen. 22:18. While he records the fact that our
Lord's personal ministry was restricted to the Jews (chaps. 10:5, 6;
15:24), he also shows from our Lord's own words that the unbelieving
"children of the kingdom"--the Jews as the natural heirs to the
Messiah's kingdom--shall be cast out, and the believing Gentiles
received into it (chaps. 8:11, 12; 21:43); and he brings his gospel to a
close with the great commission: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the