New Testament Chaplaincy
Through the Gospel of Matthew
Essay For Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministry
CHPL500:
James Michael Bishop
January 21, 2024
Table of Contents
1: The Calling
2: The Foundation
3: The Mission
4: The Great Commission
5 The Conclusion
The irrefutable Holy Scripture is full quantitative examples of the incarnate Christ’s
exuberant gifts of word and action regarding demonstrating the power of God. It is through these
exceptional instances of immaculate actions that we can apply the same attributes to the modern-
day responsibilities of a chaplain. By examining the Gospel of Matthew, using the New King
James Version of the Holy Scriptures, I will provide an expository divulgence of Jesus Christ’s
incarnational ministry of presence and His ministry in Word that has a direct correlation on how
chaplains should model their behavior.
1: The Calling
Are you listening? As chaplains we answer a calling to a unique vocation of servanthood.
I am reminded of the calling of four disciples. In Mattew Chapter 4: 18-22, “18 And Jesus,
walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I
will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John
his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and
immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.”1 Chaplains, like the disciples,
listened to the irresistible and undeniable calling they have heard to follow Jesus and took action
leaving their professions, dropping everything to begin a lifelong adventure of serving the needs
of others. Jesus also mentions that He will make the disciples fishers of men. As chaplains, we
have the privilege to traverse the mission field, ministering to the needs of many, whether it is
providing physical needs such as bringing someone a cold water, a snack, exercising the ministry
of presence or ministering to their spiritual needs and being a voice for Christ, chaplains too are
1 Jeremiah, David. 2013. The Jeremiah Study Bible. Brentwood, Tenn.: Worthy Publishing.
fishers of men. “In providing spiritual care to people who have different views on religion and
spirituality, the chaplain needs to be confident in what he or she believes. This provides the
foundation from which they provide care and guides them in how they care for others.2
2: The Foundation
As we can also glean from Chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus applies
foundational traits that every chaplain, despite which occupational field they support, can model
by His actions and word that he states when confronted with temptation by Satan. Chapter 4: 1-2,
“1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when
He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.”3 First, we see Jesus, being
led by the Spirit where He fasted from impurities. Chaplains must allow the Holy Spirit lead to
them in their actions as well, as Jesus was led by the Spirit, chaplains too, must submit to the
direction the Holy Spirit. As chaplains, we can also fast from the impurities of the world and
spend time with the Holy Scripture and in prayer to strengthen our walk for the calling we
received. The scripture above mentions that Jesus was led to be tempted. As Chaplains, our
mission field largely exists in the humanistic world of secularism. Temptations will be around
every corner, and depending on your mission field, you may find you alone. Once again, I will
allude to the importance of fasting, being in the Word and in constant prayer to reinforce your
walk because as we will further discuss Satan will not stop at attempting to destroy you and your
purpose.
Moving further through the Gospel of Matthew Ch 4 we see Satan come to Jesus at his
weakest moment after the 40 days of fasting. In Matthew 4:3-4 we see the first temptation to
2 Caleb. 2022. “Important Skills for Chaplaincy.” Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care. September 10, 2022.
https://chaplaincyandspiritualcare.com/important-skills-for-chaplaincy/.
3 Jeremiah, David. 2013. The Jeremiah Study Bible. Brentwood, Tenn.: Worthy Publishing
befall Jesus. “3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “3 If You are the Son of God,
command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘as Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”4 A
simple temptation, one that attacks the flesh and weakness of the moment. However, it is during
this time that Jesus shows us true strength that exists through the Word of God found only in the
Holy Scripture. Jesus invokes scripture mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy 8:3. As shown
above the verse states that Man shall not live by bread alone. Satan continues to entice Jesus with
temptation only to have Jesus combat him with scripture. By example Jesus refutes the
temptations by Satan by applying the one thing that as chaplains we can reach back to when
finding ourselves being attacked at our weakest moments. Simply, quoting scripture out loud or
silently.by modeling Jesus’ actions and words, can we refocus our mind and deny our flesh in
that moment of weakness and thus maintain the foundational solidity of our ministry as we
engage those in our occupational field.
3: The Mission
In Matthew Chapter 25, we can almost see a summation of the roles of a chaplain. In the
words spoke by Jesus in Matthew 25: 31-36, Jesus speaks of when all nations are gathered before
Him while He is on the throne, and He will separate us as a shepherd will his sheep from the
goats. Then Jesus beginning in verse 34 to 36, “34 Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed
clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to
4 Ibid., 1287
visit me.”
5Jesus in these words show us the importance of our actions and our presence as
chaplains. The role of the chaplain encompasses so many varieties of ministerial care. Through
words and actions of just being in the presence with someone who is hurting, chaplains
epitomize these above verses. Chaplains can assist with physical food for those who are
physically hungry as well as provide spiritual food found in the Scriptures to feed those spiritual
needs. The same can be mentioned providing a simple glass of water and teaching about the
living water found through Jesus Christ. As the verses continue, we can gather the importance of
action and being present. Drawing from my experience as a Fire Department Chaplain, I am
reminded of a time where I escorted a wife out of a house whose husband suicided. She was in a
state of emotional shock; I sat with her for hours, listening to every word she spoke, even if it
was a circular conversation. I would explain to her the steps Law Enforcement was taking inside
her house as well, help her understand what was being asked of her by the authorities, notify
family friends on her behalf, as well as prayed with her. When family arrived and she was saying
her farewells to all that have helped her, she gave me a strong and long hug. This showed me
how just being in her corner, being present with her during this, the worst time of her life, meant
so much to her. This is what I see the responsibility of the chaplain, to be ready and willing to be
in the battle alongside them, empathize with their emotional mental state, to be their spiritual
rock, and provide the light of Christ, to unequivocally do all that Jesus mentioned in the verses
above, and so much more.
4: The Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20 “18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
5 Ibid.,1327
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.”6. Chaplains, receive their spiritual marching orders through these verses on their mission,
regardless of the occupation they are in. As seen as the spiritual professional in their secular
humanistic environment, chaplains, bring the inspiring words of Christ. Chaplains can exercise
their calling through the great commission, by leading corporate worship, performing weddings,
funerals, providing prayers at special events, and by meeting individuals on a one-on-one basis.
Chaplains, have the distinctive privilege being able encounter those that would never walk
through a door of a building of worship, reaching, teaching, and edifying new believers,
empowering, and encouraging believers on their walk with Christ.
5: Conclusion
Through Jesus Christ’s incarnational ministry of presence and His ministry in word we
can perceive the direct correlation on how chaplains should model their behavior. From the
chaplain’s calling, foundation of their walk and their ministry, the mission they perform, and the
great commission they are commanded to accomplish, chaplains strive to reflect Christ through
word and action. As Jesus says in Matthew 9:37-38 “37 Then he said to his disciples, “The
harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send
out workers into his harvest field.” ,
7the chaplain is laboring in the middle of the harvested field.
6 Ibid., 1336
7 Ibid., 1297
Bibliography
1: Jeremiah, David. 2013. The Jeremiah Study Bible. Brentwood, Tenn.: Worthy Publishing.
2: Caleb. 2022. “Important Skills for Chaplaincy.” Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care. September
10, 2022. .https://chaplaincyandspiritualcare.com/important-skills-for-chaplaincy/
3: Jeremiah, David. 2013. The Jeremiah Study Bible. Brentwood, Tenn.: Worthy Publishing
4: Ibid., 1287
5: Ibid., 1327
6: Ibid., 1336
7: Ibid., 1297
