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Christ-Centered Exposition
Exalting Jesus in Matthew
Edited by David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, this new commentary series, projected to be 48 volumes, takes a Christcentered approach to expositing each book of the Bible.
Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. Readers will learn to see Christ in all aspects of Scripture, and they will be encouraged by the devotional nature of each exposition.
Exalting Jesus in Matthew is the second volume in the series and is solely authored by Platt (best-selling author of Radical ). Other projected contributors to the series include notable authors such as Russell D. Moore, Al Mohler, Matt Chandler, Francis Chan, Mark Dever, and others.
Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. Readers will learn to see Christ in all aspects of Scripture, and they will be encouraged by the devotional nature of each exposition.
Exalting Jesus in Matthew is the second volume in the series and is solely authored by Platt (best-selling author of Radical ). Other projected contributors to the series include notable authors such as Russell D. Moore, Al Mohler, Matt Chandler, Francis Chan, Mark Dever, and others.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
249 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
David Platt
141 books1,057 followersDAVID PLATT serves as Lead Pastor at McLean Bible Church in Washington, D.C. He is the founder and chairman of Radical (Inc.), an international ministry that serves the church for the cause of Christ—to glorify God by making disciples and multiplying churches among all nations. Resources from David Platt and Radical can be found at radical.net.
Books by David Platt include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, and Something Needs to Change, as well as the following volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series: Exalting Jesus in Matthew, Exalting Jesus in James, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, and Exalting Jesus in Galatians.
David Platt received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with his wife and four children, he lives in the Washington D.C. metro area.
Connect with David on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Books by David Platt include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, and Something Needs to Change, as well as the following volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series: Exalting Jesus in Matthew, Exalting Jesus in James, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, and Exalting Jesus in Galatians.
David Platt received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with his wife and four children, he lives in the Washington D.C. metro area.
Connect with David on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 15, 2025
This is a very good commentary for a first look at a Bible book. It has an outstanding outline, solid information, and is accessible. If you are looking for in depth language study, look elsewhere. If you want a good overview and solid material for sermon prep or group lessons, this is a great source.
My biggest complaint about this volume is the terribly insufficient handling of the Sermon on the Mount. They did publish a standalone volume to address this, but if you are studying the gospel of Matthew, I recommend picking up the companion volume for a better handling of the gospel as a whole.
My biggest complaint about this volume is the terribly insufficient handling of the Sermon on the Mount. They did publish a standalone volume to address this, but if you are studying the gospel of Matthew, I recommend picking up the companion volume for a better handling of the gospel as a whole.
February 11, 2020
These are some great commentaries to work through as a devotional. Of the few that I have read in this series, Platt's insights on Matthew have been the best! His writing is both clear and convicting throughout.
November 5, 2023
Platt flies through the gospel of Matthew in this short commentary which is often too brief to be helpful. I did occasionally find his outlining of the text useful, but on the whole this commentary is far better suited for a devotional read than an aid to preachers.
May 24, 2015
There is certainly no shortage today of commentary sets available to pastors, laymen, and students. These sets range from classic works to what seems to be a barrage of new efforts recently hitting the market. How does one decide what type of commentary set to utilize, let alone spend what could be a considerable amount of money completing? The answer to that question largely depends on what you are looking for in a commentary, specifically whether you desire a deep dive into every nuance of the text (the nerdy approach) or what could be considered a more pastoral perspective, a text that examines those nerdy elements when necessary yet provides the pastor with valuable insight that can be grasped by his parishioners. If the latter option is what you desire, then the Christ-Centered Exposition series should be at the top of your list of options.
Edited by David Platt, Daniel Akin, and Tony Merida, this commentary series is focused on providing the pastor with helpful tools to exegete Scripture and to in turn, share that needed and powerful exegesis in a manner that is understandable to their flock. The Matthew commentary which I recently had the pleasure of taking a look at is a fine example of what this series has to offer. As noted in the subtitle of this particular commentary, the focus is wholly on Jesus and examining the Messianic aspects of this particular gospel.
The format is such that if desired, the pastor can take each section and use it as the basis for a sermon series on Matthew. In fact, that is the overall intent of this commentary, namely to help pastors better note the main idea of a text, break it down into smaller outlined sections, and then to share the main idea and the truths subsumed within to a hungry flock of sheep that so desperately need to hear the truth of who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish and how that ties into a holistic understanding of the scarlet thread of redemption found throughout Scripture. To that end, this commentary meets and exceeds its intended goal.
An example of the quality exegesis and application provided by David Platt, the author of the Matthew contribution to this series, can be observed in his treatment of the Sermon on the Mount. Any pastor who has taught through this portion of Matthew understands that one could spend several months examining and teaching on all this section of this gospel has to offer. Platt, instead of diving into a verse by verse, piece by piece analysis, takes a “30,000 foot view of the sermon, seeking to get at the heart of Jesus’ message.” After establishing the overall setting of the sermon focusing on points to pay attention to such as matters of literary and historical importance, Platt then proceeds to the text, providing the reader with some sort bursts of excellent biblical exegesis. He does not spend much time analyzing every Greek word or digging too deep into the text as after all that is not his focus. His purpose is to give that 30,000 foot overview, spending most of his efforts at extracting how this Sermon on the Mount presents to us as the people of God the message that the law intended all along, namely the need to be that set apart ecclesia/assembly that exhibits in their hearts and actions their love for God and their fellow man.
In order to help the reader think even further about the text under examination, Platt provides a helpful “Reflect and Discuss” section. These questions can be used by the reader for their own personal growth and study of Scripture and perhaps more importantly for the intended audience of this commentary series, that being pastors, these questions can form the basis for concepts to include in a sermon or teaching on this material. Pastors who read the excellent exegesis and who take the time to answer these reflection and discussion questions will find themselves very much prepared to present not just a quality sermon, but a message that helps their flock grasp the underlying meaning, purpose, and application of the text. If there is anything that determines the quality of a commentary series, it is those factors, and this commentary set meets and exceeds all of those.
As noted, in the world of commentary series there is much to choose from and often it is difficult to know what to buy and what to pass on. I highly recommend the Christ-Centered Exposition series and in particular, the Matthew commentary in this series authored by David Platt. It is highly readable, expertly written, replete with helpful insight and biblical exegesis, and it will serve as a great tool for sermon preparation and personal study for years to come. I look forward to the other contributions that will be coming to this quality commentary series.
I received this book for free from B&H Publishing for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Edited by David Platt, Daniel Akin, and Tony Merida, this commentary series is focused on providing the pastor with helpful tools to exegete Scripture and to in turn, share that needed and powerful exegesis in a manner that is understandable to their flock. The Matthew commentary which I recently had the pleasure of taking a look at is a fine example of what this series has to offer. As noted in the subtitle of this particular commentary, the focus is wholly on Jesus and examining the Messianic aspects of this particular gospel.
The format is such that if desired, the pastor can take each section and use it as the basis for a sermon series on Matthew. In fact, that is the overall intent of this commentary, namely to help pastors better note the main idea of a text, break it down into smaller outlined sections, and then to share the main idea and the truths subsumed within to a hungry flock of sheep that so desperately need to hear the truth of who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish and how that ties into a holistic understanding of the scarlet thread of redemption found throughout Scripture. To that end, this commentary meets and exceeds its intended goal.
An example of the quality exegesis and application provided by David Platt, the author of the Matthew contribution to this series, can be observed in his treatment of the Sermon on the Mount. Any pastor who has taught through this portion of Matthew understands that one could spend several months examining and teaching on all this section of this gospel has to offer. Platt, instead of diving into a verse by verse, piece by piece analysis, takes a “30,000 foot view of the sermon, seeking to get at the heart of Jesus’ message.” After establishing the overall setting of the sermon focusing on points to pay attention to such as matters of literary and historical importance, Platt then proceeds to the text, providing the reader with some sort bursts of excellent biblical exegesis. He does not spend much time analyzing every Greek word or digging too deep into the text as after all that is not his focus. His purpose is to give that 30,000 foot overview, spending most of his efforts at extracting how this Sermon on the Mount presents to us as the people of God the message that the law intended all along, namely the need to be that set apart ecclesia/assembly that exhibits in their hearts and actions their love for God and their fellow man.
In order to help the reader think even further about the text under examination, Platt provides a helpful “Reflect and Discuss” section. These questions can be used by the reader for their own personal growth and study of Scripture and perhaps more importantly for the intended audience of this commentary series, that being pastors, these questions can form the basis for concepts to include in a sermon or teaching on this material. Pastors who read the excellent exegesis and who take the time to answer these reflection and discussion questions will find themselves very much prepared to present not just a quality sermon, but a message that helps their flock grasp the underlying meaning, purpose, and application of the text. If there is anything that determines the quality of a commentary series, it is those factors, and this commentary set meets and exceeds all of those.
As noted, in the world of commentary series there is much to choose from and often it is difficult to know what to buy and what to pass on. I highly recommend the Christ-Centered Exposition series and in particular, the Matthew commentary in this series authored by David Platt. It is highly readable, expertly written, replete with helpful insight and biblical exegesis, and it will serve as a great tool for sermon preparation and personal study for years to come. I look forward to the other contributions that will be coming to this quality commentary series.
I received this book for free from B&H Publishing for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
January 9, 2018
This commentary is not strictly exegetical and is not academic, but David Platter provides an excellent commentary for devotional reading and as a help to sermon preparation. It aims absolutely Christ-centred, as the series promises, and gets to the heart of the text with application to the whole person. There are review questions for reflection and discussion. Highly recommended.
February 21, 2017
Beat devotional companion commentary series I've ever read. It's filled with stories and illustrations which make it readable, but include helpful outlining and summarizing that's extremely useful in teaching and remembering for yourself. Any of these books in this series is a perfect fit for small groups!
January 31, 2018
Excellent commentary
Reads as a sermon with a strong emphasis on the Great Commission. Ties back in to the parallels of Moses and the exodus beautifully, and dives into the Old Testament references well.
Reads as a sermon with a strong emphasis on the Great Commission. Ties back in to the parallels of Moses and the exodus beautifully, and dives into the Old Testament references well.
April 29, 2016
A great devotional commentary. Not exegetical, not verse-by-verse. But an easy and insightful way to read through Matthew. Reads like a good sermon.
May 2, 2022
This was an awesome commentary on the book of Matthew. There are 29 “chapters” that tackle various chunks of scripture, which don’t always equal an entire chapter of the book of Matthew. For example, the first chapter of Exposition, “The Gospel of the Kingdom” covers chapter 1 verses one through seventeen in the book of Matthew. The second chapter completes the commentary of chapter one verses 18-25. “The King’s Sermon” chapter covers the Sermon on the Mount, which is chapters 5-7 of Matthew.
I found this to be easy to read and relatable. David Platt dives into the Jewish audience that Matthew would have been writing for as well as the history of their culture and connecting how they would have understood the things Jesus said and taught based on their experiences and backgrounds. He also recognizes how often Jesus quotes scripture and takes the reader to those places in the Old Testament so we can see how Jesus fulfilled prophecy.
I really like how at the end of each chapter he included reflection questions that review what he taught but then ask you to go deeper and apply your new knowledge to everyday life. I appreciated having this as a resource while I wrote lectures for Bible Study Fellowship this year. I would highly recommend this to anyone studying the book of Matthew or leading a small group. I’ve since purchased other commentaries in the “Christ-Centered Exposition” series.
I found this to be easy to read and relatable. David Platt dives into the Jewish audience that Matthew would have been writing for as well as the history of their culture and connecting how they would have understood the things Jesus said and taught based on their experiences and backgrounds. He also recognizes how often Jesus quotes scripture and takes the reader to those places in the Old Testament so we can see how Jesus fulfilled prophecy.
I really like how at the end of each chapter he included reflection questions that review what he taught but then ask you to go deeper and apply your new knowledge to everyday life. I appreciated having this as a resource while I wrote lectures for Bible Study Fellowship this year. I would highly recommend this to anyone studying the book of Matthew or leading a small group. I’ve since purchased other commentaries in the “Christ-Centered Exposition” series.
November 9, 2024
There is a lot of really good teaching in this book. My issue isn’t with what is taught in the book. My issue is this isn’t a commentary on Matthew. This is a collection of sermons which loosely tie to the book of Matthew. Loosely may be too harsh a word, but I was hoping to dive deeply into the book of Matthew and understand it on a deeper level. The were several chapters that barely examined the text. One example is the chapter on the crucifixion. It covers chapters 26-27 which is a lot of text. But it takes 33% of the chapter to even mention a verse in the book of Matthew. Then it covers maybe 5-10% of the verses in this section. It is a chapter on the crucifixion, but it isn’t about what Matthew is teaching us about the crucifixion.
November 23, 2021
I enjoyed reading this commentary in addition to our church's reading plan as we spent the last year in the book of Matthew. It was more big picture than in great depth, but it still was a good addition to my Matthew study.
August 12, 2020
My current fave commentary series keeps on delivering!!
April 27, 2022
Excellent commentary that lives up to its name-exalting Jesus through the study of Matthew.
June 17, 2022
This volume is another great contribution to the Christ-Centered Exposition series. Platt brings up such rich treasures contained in the Gospel of Matthew.
May 9, 2023
Not too academic and yet very insightful commentary.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews