ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Five Discourses of Matthew

Okay, so in a really cool book called the Bible, there is a part called the "Gospel of Matthew." In this part, Matthew talks about how a really cool guy named Jesus went around teaching good things to people. But Matthew doesn't just write down what Jesus says, he also groups them into five different types of speeches or talks that Jesus gave.

The first type of speech is called the "Sermon on the Mount." This is when Jesus went up a big mountain and talked to a bunch of people about how they should live their lives. He talked about things like being kind to others and not just doing good things for show.

The second type of speech is called the "Missionary Discourse." This is when Jesus sent his followers out to spread the good news that he was teaching. He told them that it wouldn't always be easy, but that they should keep going and be brave.

The third type of speech is called the "Parabolic Discourse." This is when Jesus talked in stories or parables to help people understand what he was teaching. He would tell stories about things like a farmer planting seeds or a lost sheep to explain big ideas.

The fourth type of speech is called the "Community Discourse." This is when Jesus talked to his followers about how they should live together and support each other. He talked about things like forgiving others and not judging people too harshly.

The fifth and final type of speech is called the "Eschatological Discourse." This is when Jesus talked about what would happen at the end of time, when everything would be made right again. He talked about things like the signs of the end and how people should be ready for it.

So, basically, the five discourses of Matthew are five different types of speeches that Jesus gave to teach people good things and help them live better lives.