The second half of Matthew follows Jesus from rising opposition in Galilee to his death and resurrection in Jerusalem. In Matthew 14–28, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus teaches that his kingdom is built on humble service, and he enters Jerusalem as King. He then gives his life on the cross, rises from the dead, and sends his followers to make disciples of all nations.
The Second Half of Matthew Opens: Peter’s Confession (Matthew 14–17)
After the first half of Matthew introduced Jesus as the Messiah, God with us, and the authoritative teacher of the kingdom, opposition from the religious leaders keeps growing. They expected a Messiah who would defeat the Romans, and they viewed Jesus as a false prophet and blasphemer. So Jesus increasingly withdraws to spend time with his disciples, feeding thousands, walking on water, and revealing more of who he is.
Then, near Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks his disciples the most important question anyone can answer.
Matthew 16:15-16 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Right after Peter’s confession, Jesus begins to explain that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and on the third day be raised to life (Matthew 16:21). The disciples struggle to accept it. They’re still expecting a conquering king, not a suffering one. But the cross was always God’s plan.
A Kingdom of Servants (Matthew 18–20)
As Jesus heads toward Jerusalem, he teaches his disciples that his kingdom works very differently from the world’s kingdoms. His followers are to humble themselves like children, forgive one another again and again, and refuse to seek revenge. When the mother of James and John asks Jesus to give her sons places of honor, he turns their expectations upside down.
Matthew 20:26-28 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus doesn’t reign as a military leader but as a servant. In his kingdom, we gain by giving ourselves away, and we follow his example of serving others. Most importantly, Jesus would lay down his life as a ransom, paying the price to set his people free.
The King Comes to Jerusalem (Matthew 21–27)
At Passover, Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey as crowds shout praise, fulfilling the prophecy of a humble king. He clears the temple, confronts the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, and teaches about his future return and final judgment. Then, at a final Passover meal with his disciples, he explains what his death will accomplish.
Matthew 26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
That same night Jesus is betrayed, arrested, abandoned by his friends, and condemned. He’s mocked as “King of the Jews” and crucified. Yet even in his death, his true identity breaks through. When the earth shakes, a Roman centurion guarding the cross exclaims, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54).
The Risen King Sends His Followers (Matthew 28)
Matthew’s story doesn’t end at the tomb. On the third day, just as Jesus had said, he rose from the dead. Women who came to the tomb found it empty and then met the risen Jesus himself. This isn’t a myth or a metaphor; it’s the historical event on which the Christian faith stands. Afterward, the eleven disciples met him on a mountain in Galilee, where he gave them their mission.
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew’s Gospel began with the promise of Immanuel, “God with us,” and it ends with Jesus promising to be with us always. The risen King now has all authority, and he sends his followers to share his good news with the whole world.
The Takeaway
The second half of Matthew shows Jesus as the suffering Messiah who serves, gives his life as a ransom, and rises from the dead. In Matthew 14–28, the King conquers sin and death, then sends his followers to make disciples of all nations with the promise that he will be with them always.
