Matthew, the author of this Gospel, was one of Jesus’ disciples (pupils) and an apostle (missionary).  His parents were devout in their Jewish faith and had high hopes for him (Matthew means ‘gift of the Lord’).  His other name ‘Levi’ (used by Luke and Mark in their Gospels) indicates he might have come from priestly ancestors.  However, he had become socially despised because he was a tax collector - with a bad reputation for greed and fraud, and for collaborating with the occupying Roman forces.  

Matthew’s personal story of transformation came when he was sitting in his tax collector’s booth as Jesus walked by and called him to follow.  Matthew responded immediately, presumably leaving his unfinished business and the cash he was accumulating, and went with Jesus (Matthew 9:9).  Matthew was so overjoyed that Jesus wanted him and was willing to accept and forgive him, that he hosted a dinner with other dishonest and immoral people, and Jesus was the guest of honour (Matthew 9:10-13).  Then just before Jesus when back to heaven, Matthew and the other apostles were commissioned to spread the gospel (Matthew 28:16-20), transformed from enemy collaborator to trusted ambassador.

But Matthew does not start his gospel with his own story.  He starts with statements about Jesus, because the gospel is His story.  Writing mainly to a Jewish audience, Jesus is announced as both the Messiah (God’s anointed Saviour - ‘Christ’ in Greek), and also a direct human descendent of King David and the patriarch Abraham.  Jesus’ historical credentials were important for Jewish readers because they show an unbroken line all the way from Abraham: that meant He was a true Jew (1 Timothy 2:5-6).  An unbroken line from David meant He was God’s King-in-waiting (Psalm 2:6-7).  Although the genealogy goes to Joseph, who was not the biological father of Jesus (the Holy Spirit was), Joseph was the human authority over the household into which Jesus was born (Matthew 1:16).

Jesus was not a mythical character.  He had a physical birth and carefully recorded life, but at the beginning Matthew wanted his readers to understand that Jesus is not only fully God in a human body, but that He is also a man under God's law (Galatians 4:4).  As a descendent of King David, He has the right and responsibility to rule His people.  This is the Jesus who Christians believe in: God with authority and man with humility (Philippians 2:5-11).  For Him to be willing to die to save us is truly awesome.  Christians need to have a new confidence in the unique person of Christ.  If we share our faith without explaining who Jesus is, we rob the gospel of its power.  Then how can our friends believe in Him if they are confused about His identity?