essay on the book of matthew

The Gospel of Matthew: Summary and Outline

by Jeffrey Kranz | Sep 7, 2018 | Bible Books

The book of Matthew is the first Gospel (an account of Jesus’ life and ministry) in the New Testament. In Matthew, Jesus teaches people what it means to be part of his kingdom, the “kingdom of heaven.” He is betrayed and crucified. He rises again and commissions His disciples to spread the good news.

The apostle Matthew (who is traditionally credited with writing this book) seems to have written this Gospel to a Christian audience who was either Jewish or highly familiar with the Jewish religion. Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah (Mt 1:1), the promised descendant of King David who would bring God’s kingdom to earth and establish a time of peace and justice. Matthew quotes the Old Testament extensively, and places special emphasis on Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecies—which would have been important to a Jewish audience. Matthew tells us the story of Jesus with an emphasis on His role as Messiah, or Christ:

Jesus is the son of God. He is conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb (Mt 1:18–20), and God endorses Jesus as His beloved Son (Mt 3:17). He is God incarnate, living among men (Mt 1:23).
Jesus is the king. He is the son of King David (Mt 1:1). Jesus repeatedly declares that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mt 4:17), and tells many parables about it. The book of Matthew makes more mentions of the “kingdom of heaven” of “kingdom of God” than any of the other Gospels.
Jesus is the promised savior. He is the son of Abraham, through whom God had promised to bless all nations of the earth. Matthew emphasizes the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfills, from His birth (Mt 1:22–23; 2:5–6, 17–18) through His ministry and right up to His death and resurrection. He lives a righteous life, teaches us what it means to be righteous, and dies on a cross so that we can be right with God.

Matthew opens with a simple statement of who Jesus is (the Messiah), and closes with a simple statement of what we should do (make disciples for Him).

Theme verse of Matthew

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Mt 1:21)

Why Matthew was written

Outline of Matthew

Matthew is a phenomenal work of literature, arranged in a way that presents Jesus as the ultimate Jewish hero: the Messianic son of David, the prophet who surpasses Moses, and the seed of Abraham that blesses all the nations. These big themes are introduced in the book’s prologue, explored in the large middle section, and then resolved in the climax.

The bulk of Matthew is arranged into five main sections (which may have been in reference to the five-fold Law of Moses ). Each section opens with stories of Jesus’ life and ministry, and closes with a long set of teachings from Jesus, called “discourses.”

Prologue: Jesus’ birth and significance (Mt 1–2)
Jesus gains followers (Mt 3–4)
Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5–7)
Jesus works miracles (Mt 8–9)
Jesus sends his disciples (Mt 10)
Jesus is confronted, withdraws (Mt 11–12)
Parables about the kingdom (Mt 13:1–52)
Jesus is revealed as the son of God (Mt 13:53–17:27)
How “greatness” works in the Kingdom (Mt 18)
People struggle with Jesus’ kingship (Mt 19–23)
Teachings of judgment in the kingdom to come (Mt 24–25)
Climax: Jesus’ sacrifice, victory, and commission to his disciples (Mt 26–27)

More pages related to Matthew

Mark (next book of the Bible)
Malachi (previous)
Guide to the four Gospels

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The Gospel of Matthew: a Book Analysis

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Published: Mar 16, 2024

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Historical context, themes and structure, significance.

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The Gospel of Matthew

Since the times of the early church fathers, the apostle Matthew has always been accredited with the authorship of the first gospel (canonically). Even the title "According to Matthew" ( KATA MAQQAION ) is found in the earliest manuscripts, and was the most highly regarded and quoted of the gospels by the church fathers. [1] Matthew is also called Levi ( Mark 2:14 ; Luke 5:27 ), and was the son of Alphaeus ( Luke 5:27 ). He was a tax collector ( telwnhV ), probably stationed on a main trade route near Capernaum where he would have collected tolls for Herod Antipas from commercial traffic. [2] Additionally, being a tax collector might better qualify Matthew for his role as an official recorder of the life and actions of Christ. [3] After the resurrection there is no other mention of him in the New Testament.

According to the resources available to us, Papias (the Bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia ca. AD 130) was the first to associate the apostle Matthew with this document. Eusebius, the early church historian, records Papias' account: "Matthew collected the oracles ( ta logia ) in the Hebrew language, and each interpreted them as best he could." [4] This quote also introduces some problems. What was Papias referring to when he stated that Matthew wrote in the Hebrew dialect? Some have understood this not as a reference to the Hebrew as we have in the Old Testament, but instead the Syro-Chaldaic, [5] or Aramaic. On the other hand, most scholars insist that Matthew was originally written in Greek because many parts of the Gospel are extremely (if not identically) similar to Mark's, which was indubitably written in Greek. Others have also concluded that Matthew wrote two Gospels-one in a Palestinian language and the other in Greek. Ralph Martin's conclusion is that "Papias' tradition can at best relate only to a collection of material later used in the composition of the entire Gospel." [6]

Not until the eighteenth century did the question of authorship become an issue. More recently, since Matthew does rely heavily on Mark's Gospel (see "Date and Location of Composition" below), some scholars have discarded the idea that the author was one of the twelve apostles. On the other hand, Papias also said that Mark was the interpreter of Peter, [7] and therefore, the apostle Matthew would not have a problem with deferring to the early leader of the church. [8]

Date and Location of Composition

Various estimates have placed the date of Matthew's composition anywhere from AD 50 - to AD 100. But before a date can be decided, its relation to the Gospel of Mark must first be addressed. If Mark was written first, then Matthew must have a later date (and vice-versa). The most widely accepted hypothesis is that both Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source for various reasons. Matthew even reproduced about ninety percent of Mark, while Luke reproduced about sixty percent. [9] Without going into much detail on the dating of Mark's Gospel, [10] it was probably written somewhere between AD 50 and AD 55. Consequently, Matthew's Gospel could have reasonably been written anywhere between AD 55 and AD 60. This date allows time for Matthew to have access to Mark's Gospel, and suggests that he completed the Gospel before the destruction of the temple in AD 70, because it would seem strange for the author not to mention this event in light of chapter 24. [11] This dating also allows time for Luke to use Matthew's Gospel in composing his own Gospel, as well as its sequel (Acts, ca. AD 62).

Though dating the Gospel maybe difficult or complicated, it is even more problematic to determine where Matthew wrote the Gospel. Most scholars conclude that Matthew was written in either Palestine or Syria because of its Jewish nature. Antioch of Syria is usually the most favoured because many in the early church dispersed there ( Acts 11:19 , 27 ). Another reason for favouring Antioch is that the earliest reference to Matthew's Gospel was found in Ignatius' (the Bishop of Antioch) Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (ca. 110).

Purpose and Audience

It is quite obvious and widely accepted that Matthew was written to the Jews. For one, he focuses on the fulfillment of the Old Testament, even quoting from it sixty-two times, which is more than any other Gospel writer. Secondly it is interesting that Matthew does not explain Jewish culture like the other evangelists (cf. Mark 7:3 , John 19:40 ), which also adds to the argument that he is writing to Jews. Matthew uses the phrase, "kingdom of heaven," (the only author, in fact, to use this phrase) which can be considered as a "reverential Jewish expression" [12] -a term appropriate to a Jewish audience. His purpose in writing to the Jews was to show them that Jesus of Nazareth was the expected messiah and both his genealogy and his resurrection were legitimate proofs of this.

The overriding theme shows Jesus as the messiah, but there are also several minor themes, some of which directly relate to the major theme. These other themes include the kingdom of heaven, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders, Jesus as the fulfiller of the law, and the king who will return in the clouds.

Literary Structure, Coherence, and Unity

The structure of Matthew's Gospel is very remarkable. The Gospel can be divided into three parts: the prologue ( 1:1 - 2:23 ), the body ( 3:1-28:15 ), and the epilogue ( 28:16-20 ). Matthew constructed his body around five distinct discourses: the Sermon on the Mount ( 5:1-7:29 ), the Commissioning of the Apostles ( 10:1-42 ), Parables about the Kingdom ( 13:1-52 ), Relationships in the Kingdom ( 18:1-35 ), and the Olivet Discourse ( 24:1 - 25:46 ). [13] Each discourse also ends with a recognizable closing statement ( 7:28 , 11:1 , 13:53 , 19:1 , 26:1 ), for example: "When Jesus had finished saying these things...." Even more interesting are the intricate parallels between the first and fifth discourses, and the second and fourth discourses. This leaves the third discourse (Parables about the Kingdom) as the focal point. Though we are not sure about the comparison of Jesus' baptism with his death, there is a rather striking parallel between Emmanuel ( 1:23 ; lit. "God with us") and Jesus' last words, "And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age" ( 28:20 ). [14]

Bibliography

[1] A.W. Argyle. The Gospel According to Matthew . (London: Cambridge University Press, 1963), p. 1. [2] Michael J. Wilkins "Disciples" in Joel B. Green, et al Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels . (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1992), p. 180. [3] Robert Mounce. Matthew . (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), p. 1. [4] Hist. Eccl. 3.39.16 cf. 3.24.6 and 6.25.4 [5] The endnote in C. F. Cruse's of version of Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History (reprinted 1998) states the following, "The author here, doubtless means the Syro-Chaldaic, which sometimes Scripture and primitive writers called Hebrew." [6] Ralph P. Martin. New Testament Foundations: Volume 1 . (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975), p. 240. [7] Hist. Eccl. 3.39.15 [8] Robert Mounce. Matthew . (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), p. 2. [9] A.W. Argyle. The Gospel According to Matthew . (London: Cambridge University Press, 1963), p. 1. [10] See Introduction to the Gospel According to Mark . [11] Robert Mounce. Matthew . (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), p. 3 [12] R. E. Nixon. "Matthew"; in Donald Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary: Revised . (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1970), p. 814. [13] As R. T. France points out, it is important to know that in Matthew's case, "the main divisions are still debated" amongst commentators. Matthew . (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985), p. 56. [14] See R. E. Nixon. "Matthew"; in Donald Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary: Revised. (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1970), p. 813.

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Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew reveals Jesus as Israel's promised Messiah

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The Gospel of Matthew was written to prove that Jesus Christ is Israel's long-awaited, promised Messiah, the King of all the earth, and to make plain the Kingdom of God . The expression "kingdom of heaven" is used 32 times in Matthew.

Key Takeaways: Book of Matthew

The main purpose of the book of Matthew was to give proof to Jewish believers that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah.
Matthew is the first book of the New Testament.
While the author of the Gospel of Matthew is not identified, tradition has long assigned authorship to Matthew the apostle.
Matthew was written to Greek-speaking Jewish Christians.
Scholars are divided about the date the Gospel was written.
Matthew includes almost the whole book of Mark.
The Gospel of Matthew contains the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer , the Golden Rule, and the Great Commission .

As the first book in the New Testament, Matthew is the joining link to the Old Testament, focusing on the fulfillment of prophecy . The book contains more than 60 quotations from the Septuagint , the Greek translation of the Old Testament, with the majority found in Jesus' speeches. Matthew is the second longest of the four Gospels and contains more teachings of Jesus than any of the others.

Matthew appears to be concerned with teaching Christians who are new to the faith, missionaries, and the body of Christ in general. The Gospel of Matthew organizes the teachings of Jesus into five major discourses: the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), the Commissioning of the 12 Apostles (chapter 10), the Parables of the Kingdom (chapter 13), the Discourse on the Church (chapter 18), and the Olivet Discourse (chapters 23-25).

Author of the Gospel of Matthew

Although the Gospel is anonymous, tradition dating to at least the early second century names the writer as Matthew , also known as Levi, the tax collector and one of the 12 disciples. To a great extent, the content in Matthew is dependent on the Gospel of Mark in terms of arrangement and wording, with Matthew including ninety percent of Mark.

Date Written

The Gospel of Matthew was likely written about 60-65 A.D.

Matthew wrote as a Jew to fellow Greek-speaking Jewish believers in Palestine. Matthew also wrote as a Christian believer for Christian believers.

Landscape of Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew opens in the town of Bethlehem . It is also set in Galilee, Capernaum , Judea and Jerusalem.

Purpose and Themes in the Gospel of Matthew

The predominate feature of the Gospel of Matthew is that it emphasizes Jesus Christ's kingly glory, and shows him to be the true heir to the throne of David.

Matthew was not written to chronicle the events of Jesus' life, but rather to present undeniable evidence through these occurrences that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, the Messiah, Son of God , King of kings and Lord of lords. The book begins by accounting the genealogy of Jesus , showing him to be the true heir to David’s throne. The genealogy documents Christ’s credentials as Israel’s king. Then the narrative continues to revolve around this theme with his birth , baptism , and public ministry.

The Sermon on the Mount highlights Jesus' moral teachings and the miracles reveal his authority and true identity. Matthew also emphasizes Christ's abiding presence with humankind and the reality of the kingdom of God. Other minor themes in the Gospel of Matthew include the clash between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day, and Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law.

Key Characters

Jesus , Mary, and Joseph , John the Baptist , the 12 disciples, the Jewish religious leaders, Caiaphas , Pilate , Mary Magdalene .

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (NIV)

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (NIV)

Matthew 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (NIV)

Outline of the Gospel of Matthew:

The Birth of the King and Preparing to Receive Him - Matthew 1:1-4:11.
The Message and Ministry of the King - Matthew 4:12-25:46.
The Death and Resurrection of the King - Matthew 26:1-28:20.
Introduction to the Book of Matthew
Introduction to the Gospel of Mark
Know Your Bible: The Book of Matthew Explained
Introduction to the Gospel of Luke
Explaining the Differences Between John and the Synoptic Gospels
Jesus Feeds 5000 Bible Story Study Guide
The Gospels
Get to Know Jesus Christ, the Central Figure in Christianity
Get to Know the 12 Apostles of Jesus
The 66 Books of the Bible
How to Share Your Faith
Israel Tour Pictures: Photo Journal of the Holy Land
Holy Week Timeline: From Palm Sunday to the Resurrection
St. Mark the Evangelist: Bible Author and Patron Saint
The Names and Titles of Jesus Christ
Bible Story Summaries (Index)

Matthew: Jesus Is the Promised Messiah

The jewish gospel.

One of the most surprising things first-time readers of the New Testament discover is that the story of Jesus is told not once, but four times: The “Gospels” according to Matthew… Mark… Luke… and John. So why are there four Gospels in the New Testament? Why not just tell the whole story once? Throughout the centuries there have been numerous attempts to “harmonize” the Gospels into a single story.

One of the earliest of these was done by the early church father Tatian in the second century C.E. His work was called the Diatessaron , meaning “through the four,” and it sought to weave the four accounts into a single narrative. Tatian’s work gained great popularity and was used for centuries as the main lectionary on the Gospels in some Christian communities.

So should we have just one Gospel? For those who believe the Bible is God’s Word, the answer should be a resounding “No!” After all, it was the Holy Spirit who gave us four Gospels, each divinely-inspired by God himself. If we cut and paste them into the single gospel, we take four Spirit-inspired masterpieces and turn them into one un-inspired human work. Ironically, it is often the more conservative Christian churches, schools, and colleges that teach the Gospels as a harmonized “life of Christ,” rather than listening to each Gospel on its own terms. Their goals are noble: to tell the whole story of Jesus—but the result is flawed. This is because each Gospel represents a unique portrait of Jesus. Each Gospel writer has a particular story to tell and certain theological themes to emphasize. Merging them together into a single story risks missing each Gospel’s unique perspective. Worse, we risk missing the Holy Spirit’s message to us through the text. In this series of four short articles, we will look at the distinctive themes and theology of each of the four Gospels.

The Gospel of the Messiah

Though probably not the first gospel to be written (Mark likely has that distinction), the Gospel according to Matthew comes first in our New Testament. This is appropriate since Matthew is the most Jewish of the Gospels and also the one most closely linked to the Old Testament and to the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. Matthew’s central theme is promise and fulfillment: God’s promises in the Hebrew Scriptures to bring salvation to his people Israel and to the whole world are being fulfilled with the coming of Jesus the Messiah . The Church’s response to this joyful news should be to go into all the world and make disciples (followers) of Jesus the Messiah (Matt 28:18–20).

The Genealogy

Every page of Matthew’s Gospel is steeped in this theme of promise and fulfillment. The Gospel begins with the announcement that, “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham,” followed by a detailed genealogy of 41 generations! While Western cultures tend to have little interest in genealogies, viewing them as tedious curiosities, Matthew and his readers would have considered this announcement to be the most exciting news of all time. The genealogy introduces Jesus as the “son of Abraham” and the “son of David,” meaning he is in the lineage of two of the most significant figures in biblical history.

God called Abraham to leave his homeland in Ur of Mesopotamia and to go to a place he would show him. God made a covenant with Abraham, promising to create from him a great nation (Israel), to give him the Promised Land (Canaan) and through his descendants to bless all nations of the earth (Gen 12:1–3). It is through the salvation available through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that all nations would be blessed.

Jesus is also introduced as the “son of David” (Matt 1:1). Twelve hundred years after Abraham, when Israel was established in the Land, God made a covenant with King David, promising him that his dynasty would be established forever and that one of his descendants would reign on his throne forever (2 Sam 7:11-16). This prophecy for the “Messiah"—the anointed king and Savior—was picked up and expanded by the later prophets (Isa 9:1–7, 11:1–16). The portrait they presented was not just a return to the glory days of Israel’s monarchy under David and Solomon. It was a promise for the restoration and renewal of all of creation, when “the wolf will live with the lamb… They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:6, 11:9). When Matthew presents a genealogy tracing Jesus’ lineage through David and Abraham, he is affirming that Jesus is the Messiah and Savior of the world, the focal point, and destination of human history.

You can read our blog Jesus & Genealogies to learn even more on this topic.

The Fulfillment Formulas

In addition to providing a genealogy confirming Jesus’ legitimate credentials as the Messiah, Matthew develops his promise-fulfillment theme through a series of “fulfillment formulas,” quotations from the Old Testament demonstrating Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy. The formula, which Matthew uses ten times, reads something like, “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet… .” For example, Jesus’ birth to a virgin fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 (Matt 1:22-23), his family’s escape to Egypt fulfills Hosea 11:1 (Matt 2:15), his ministry in Galilee fulfills Isaiah 9:2 (Matt 4:14–16), and so on.

In addition to these ten fulfillment formulas, Matthew cites or alludes to Scripture a dozen or more times without a formula, but in a way that indicates Jesus’ fulfillment of it. For example, when King Herod asks the chief priests and teachers of the law where the Messiah was to be born, they quote Micah 5:2 and 5:4 to confirm his Bethlehem birth. Similarly, Matthew identifies John the Baptist as “the one about whom it is written,” and then cites Malachi 3:1, “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”

Some have claimed that Matthew’s quotations of the Old Testament are often taken out of context, misrepresenting the original meaning of the text. For example, in its original context, Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I called my son,” was not a prophecy about the Messiah escaping to Egypt and then returning to Israel. In fact, it wasn’t a prophecy at all, but rather a statement by God concerning his deliverance of Israel in the exodus from Egypt. The full sentence in Hosea 11:1 reads, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” Israel, created as a nation by God, is described metaphorically as his “son.” So how can Matthew apply the passage to Jesus? Does he distort the meaning of the text to fit his agenda? Is he ignoring the most fundamental principles of biblical interpretation: context, context, context?

Typology: Jesus As the New Israel

In fact, a closer reading of Matthew’s Gospel provides a better solution. Christians in the West tend to look to prophecy for its apologetic value. Knowing something ahead of time is proof of the message’s divine origin. Yet for Matthew, the fulfillment of Scripture is less about apologetics and more about God’s sovereign purposes. The establishment of patterns of “fulfillment” confirms that all of human history is heading toward its goal and culmination in Christ.

Seen from this perspective, Hosea 11:1 is part of a larger Israel-Jesus typology that Matthew develops throughout his Gospel. Just as God brought his “son” Israel out of Egypt, so Jesus, the true Son of God, comes out of Egypt (Hos 11:1; Matt 2:15). Just as Israel was tested for 40 years in the wilderness, so Jesus is tested by Satan for 40 days in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11). While Israel repeatedly failed to obey God, Jesus remains faithful and obedient. Confirmation of this typology is that the three Old Testament passages that Jesus cites in response to the three temptations are all taken from Israel’s exodus account. (1) Israel failed to trust God when tested with hunger. Jesus depends completely on God, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” (2) Israel put God to the test at Meribah. Jesus refuses to test God by throwing himself from the pinnacle of the temple, citing Deuteronomy 6:16: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” (3) Finally, Israel turned to idolatry, breaking the command to worship God alone (Deut 9:12; Judg 3:5-7). Jesus refuses to worship Satan in exchange for the kingdoms of the world, citing Deuteronomy 6:13: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”

A Jesus-Israel typology is also evident in Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus as the “Servant of the Lord.” The term “Servant” appears repeatedly in Isaiah 40-55. Sometimes the Servant is identified with the nation Israel (Isa 41:8, 44:1, 44:21, 45:4 Isaiah 41:8, Isaiah 44:1, Isaiah 44:21, Isaiah 45:4) and sometimes as an individual who brings salvation to the nation (Isa 42:1, 49:5–7, 50:10, 52:13, 53:11). As God’s Servant, Israel was meant to be a light of revelation to the nations, revealing God’s glory (Isa 42:6, 49:6). But Israel turned inward and failed to fulfill their calling. Jesus, by contrast, remains faithful to his mission and shows himself to be the true Servant of the Lord. Matthew’s summary of Jesus’ ministry in 12:15-21 cites Isaiah 42:1-4, “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him… In his name the nations will put their hope.” In the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus fulfills the role of eschatological Israel.

We see then, that Matthew’s use of Hosea 11:1 is not a misapplication of an Old Testament text, but rather part of a profound typological presentation of Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel. As the Servant-Messiah and Son of God, Jesus represents the nation of Israel and succeeds where they failed. He will now fulfill Israel’s Old Testament mandate, to reveal God’s glory and take the message of salvation to the ends of the earth.

More typology may be seen in Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus as a new Moses. As Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive Israel’s first covenant, written on tablets of stone, so Jesus delivers his Sermon on the “Mount” to inaugurate the new covenant, which will be written on human hearts (see Jer 31:31–34). As Moses’ face was glowing when he came down from his encounter with God on Mount Sinai (Exod 34:29–33), so Jesus’ face shines with the sun’s brightness at his transfiguration (Matt 17:2). The structure of Matthew’s Gospel may also point in this direction. Just as Moses wrote five books of the Torah (Genesis–Deuteronomy), so Matthew presents five major discourses by Jesus: Sermon on the Mount (ch. 5-7), Commissioning the Twelve (ch. 10), Parables of the Kingdom (ch. 13), Church Life and Discipline (ch. 18), and Olivet Discourse (ch. 23-25). Jesus is a new Moses, inaugurating the new covenant and bringing the law given at Mount Sinai to its fulfillment.

These examples reveal that Matthew uses many titles for Jesus in his Gospel, including Messiah, King, Lord, Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, Immanuel, etc. All of these have their roots in the Old Testament and point in one way or another to the theme of fulfillment and the coming of the kingdom of heaven .

Matthew’s Identity, Audience, and Purpose in Writing

So who was Matthew and why did he write this Gospel? Strictly speaking, all four Gospels are anonymous, meaning that the authors do not name themselves. Church tradition, however, tells us that the author of the first gospel was Matthew, a tax collector Jesus called to be his disciple (Matt 9:9-13, 12:3). Mark and Luke call him “Levi” (Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27–32), perhaps indicating that he was a Levite (from the tribe of Levi). Little else is known about Matthew.

For whom did Matthew write? While Mark tends to explain Jewish customs for his readers (Mark 7:2–4, 15:42), suggesting a predominantly Gentile audience, Matthew often presents them without explanation (ceremonial washings, Matthew 15:2; the temple tax, Matthew 17:24-27; phylacteries and tassels, Matthew 23:5; whitewashed tombs, Matthew 23:27). This suggests that Matthew’s audience is predominantly Jewish. Matthew also commonly uses the designation “kingdom of heaven” instead of “kingdom of God.” “Heaven” is a common Jewish circumlocution for “God,” used out of reverence for the divine Name. While these points would suggest a Jewish audience, Matthew also has some of the strongest indictments against the Jewish religious leaders. For example, what in Mark is a brief warning against the scribes (Mark 14:38-40) becomes in Matthew an extended tirade against the teachers of the law and the Pharisees (Matt 23:1–38). Jesus castigates them as hypocrites, blind guides, fools, greedy, self-indulgent, murderers, even sons of snakes. Strong language indeed!

So is Matthew pro-Jewish or anti-Jewish? His strong Jewish perspective and equally strong polemic against the Jewish leaders suggest that Matthew’s primary audience is a Jewish-Christian community in conflict and debate with the larger (unbelieving) Jewish community. Both sides, the church and the synagogue, are claiming to be the true people of God. Both claim Israel’s Scriptures as their legacy. For Matthew’s Jewish opponents, this fledgling movement represents heresy, followers of a false messiah. But for Matthew’s community, the prophecies have been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus the Messiah. The church represents the true people of God, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, who have embraced Jesus as the Messiah and accepted his message of the kingdom of God. In this context, Matthew’s promise-fulfillment theme serves as confirmation of the truth of the Gospel message and the authority of the Gospel messengers.

Mark L. Strauss is a professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary San Diego and author of numerous works, most relevent to today's topic being \"Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels.\" We would recommend any serious student of the Gospels give it a thorough read!

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Listen to Chuck Swindoll’s overview of Matthew in his audio message from the Classic series God’s Masterwork .

Who wrote the book?

While Matthew did not sign his own name to “his” gospel, the early church uniformly attested to the apostle’s authorship of the book. As early as AD 140, a Christian named Papias wrote that Matthew had compiled the sayings of the Lord in Hebrew (presumably before Matthew translated them into Greek for a larger audience).

Matthew’s name appears in all the biblical lists of the twelve apostles, though Mark and Luke refer to him as Levi. His history as a tax collector distinguished him from the other apostles, and immediately after his call to follow Jesus—an event he recorded in Matthew 9:9—Matthew hosted a feast for Jesus in his home with an invitation list made up of Matthew’s sinful friends. Apparently Matthew did not think it odd that Jesus and he would associate with the sinful and downtrodden of society.

Where are we?

Matthew is the most Jewish-centric of the four gospels. The apostle regularly invoked the writings of the Old Testament prophets in an effort to illustrate Jesus’s identity as Israel’s long-awaited Messiah.

However, the gospel of Matthew has been notoriously difficult to date. Several factors speak to a date ranging from AD 60–65. First of all, the book makes no mention of the destruction of the temple, an event which occurred in AD 70. Such a cataclysmic event likely would have received some comment, particularly in a book so clearly influenced by Judaism. The largely Jewish character of the book also suggests it was written at a time when much of the evangelism by Christians was directed more exclusively at Jews, something that became less and less common as the decades passed. Finally, many scholars believe Mark to have been the first gospel composed, making it most probable that Matthew was written soon after.

Why is Matthew so important?

The apostle Matthew, a Jew himself, offered a decidedly Jewish perspective on the ministry of Jesus. He included more than fifty direct citations—and even more indirect allusions—from the Old Testament. This exceeds any of the other gospels and indicates that Matthew had the Jewish population in mind when he sat down to write. Matthew’s extensive connections between Jesus and the Old Testament provide ample prophetic evidence for Jesus’s ministry but also give contemporary readers a glimpse into how first-century readers approached the Old Testament with a Christ-centered mind-set.

In addition, Matthew’s gospel answers the question on the mind of every Jewish reader: “If Jesus is the King of the Jews, then where is God’s promised kingdom?” Matthew reveals that Jesus did offer the kingdom to Israel, but the offer was rejected (Matthew 4:17; 16:13–28; 21:42–43). God’s primary work in the world is now accomplished through the building of Christ’s church, after which Jesus will come again to earth and establish His kingdom—ruling the world from Israel.

What's the big idea?

Matthew wrote his account of Jesus’s ministry to show that Jesus was and is indeed the King, Israel’s long-awaited Messiah. He reflected this concern in his opening line, “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). From there, Matthew consistently took his readers back to the Old Testament, providing Old Testament testimony regarding the birth of Jesus, Bethlehem as the location of Jesus’s birth, the flight to Egypt, Herod’s slaughter of the infants, and the beginning of Jesus’s ministry. In a world where many in the Jewish community had claimed the role of Messiah for themselves, Matthew’s commitment to grounding the life of Jesus in the Old Testament raised Jesus above the multitude of these false messiahs. The apostle painted a portrait of our Lord that highlights His uniqueness among all others to ever walk this earth.

How do I apply this?

After enduring four hundred years of prophetic silence, God’s people must have wondered whether or not He had deserted them. After centuries of regular communication from God, the people found themselves without a genuine prophet or spokesman for God. However, the ministries of John and Jesus reminded God’s people that He had not forgotten them. God’s silence during that period was merely a precursor to pulling the linchpin of His redemptive plan. God hadn’t forgotten—He remembered His people. Matthew made that clear.

It was true then, and it is certainly true today. Do you ever feel as though God has deserted you or that He sits in silence in the face of your requests? As we read through the pages of Matthew, not only do we see Jesus Christ revealed as Israel’s King and Messiah, but His coming to earth as God in the flesh reminds us of His deep love for us. Now resurrected and ascended, the Lord Jesus will always be with us, even to the end of time (Matthew 28:20).

Christ’s commission to His followers is still His mandate to us today: “Make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). Christ’s work of building His church is the work He does through each of us.

Bible Study Chart

Matthew overview chart.

View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Matthew , which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses.

View a list of Bible maps , excerpted from The Swindoll Study Bible.

Critical Introduction to the Book of Matthew

Introduction, critical issues, literary structure, place in the storyline of the bible, major themes and theological message, personal reflection on the book of matthew, works cited.

The book of Matthew is the first in the New Testament and was written by Saint Matthew, the evangelist. The book primarily discusses the accounts of the life and death of Jesus Christ. The gospel was initially written in Greek sometimes after 69 CE and depended on the earlier gospel according to (Alexander, and Rosner 44). Matthew narrates the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham’s perspective and mentions significant details about the times of Jesus Christ, who was born of virgin Mary and came to rescue the human beings. This paper researches the critical issues that relate to the book of Matthew.

As highlighted in the introductory paragraph, the book of Matthew was written by St. Matthew the evangelist. St Matthew was one of Jesus Christ’s disciples and was regarded as a tax collector. Matthew was born during the first century AD in Capernaum and venerated in Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, Anglicans Communion among others. He was also known as Levi and was one of the few evangelists who existed then (Bruce 55). The bible records that Matthew followed Jesus and was one of the witnesses of Jesus Christ’s ascension after His resurrection.

Most scholars have contradicted the issue about when the book of Matthew was written. However, it is believed that the gospel was written between AD 70 and 80. The range may probably range between AD 70 and 100 according to pre-70 date issues (Meade 30). According to modern scholars in theology, some of the materials which are attributed to the date range of the book cannot be verified hence it would remain the subject matter of discussion.

Occasions that led to the composition of the book of Matthew is Antioch in Syria that hosted Matthew for a long while because it was where many people used to go to church. For instance, Ignatius who quoted Matthew severally was from Antioch (Alexander, and Rosner 64). The congregation in Antioch was comprised of Jews and Gentiles and therefore, this would lead to the problems about legalism and antinomianism that Matthew sought to address then.

The Gospel of Matthew is grounded on sources that existed for some period. Matthew based his perspectives on Mark and the Logia , which is often regarded as ‘The Sayings of Jesus.’ Additionally, sources such as M seem to add on the latter in significant ways as far as the gospel of Matthew is concerned (Meade 36). Some of Mathew’s introductory narratives are unique from other books of the gospel. For instance, the birth of Jesus, the wise men meeting King Herod, the flight to Egypt among others are stories based on oral and unknown written sources (Goldstone 731). However, the content is seen in the book of Mark and the Logia hence Matthew could have drawn his point from the latter.

The book of Matthew has remarkable literature and it is arranged in ways that present Jesus as the extraordinary Jewish hero. First, Matthew’s work regards Jesus as the Messianic son of David, a prophet who was beyond Moses’s power and the seed from Abraham’s lineage that brought blessings to the whole world (Goldstone 732). Matthew presented who Jesus is and does not state the purpose explicitly. The first outline can be based on discourse in the book that showed Jesus as the ultimate prize that God had given and also the powerful person who had come from God’s place (Alexander, and Rosner 54). These discourses show the listing of the sermon on the mount, the parables, the church of the earlier times, and the issues relating to the end of times. However, this account comes after the first approach to Jesus’s growth and popularity while transitioning from childhood to adulthood with His tasks highlighted.

The outline of Matthew is arranged to show a prologue that relates to Jesus’s birth and significance. There follows the teaching and ministry of Jesus where there is an account of how Jesus gets the followers and the sermon in the mountain (Bruce 65). Jesus’s miracles and works are done by disciples are noted in the order of literature in Matthew’s book. Within the context, the author narrates confrontations of Jesus and parables about the kingdom of God. Jesus is revealed as the son of God (Meade 76). The sequence then shows how people then struggled with the kingship of Jesus and the teachings about judgment and the waited kingdom that would come after the end of times. Lastly, Matthew shows the climax, where the sacrifice, victory, and commissioning of disciples by Jesus is evident.

The bible is a diverse collection of writings that brings the idea that is just one book. According to God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts, the bible is not a collection of individual books together but one book telling a single story. Therefore, Matthew being one of the books fits the projections of Roberts in the attempt to recognize the storyline of the holy book. Roberts focused on the idea of ‘The Kingdom of God’ and the unity as brought in the bible scriptures (Roberts 29). The book of Matthew notes various elements on the kingdom of God in the outline of its literature. Similarly, there is unifying agenda especially for the Jews and Gentiles hence Robert’s opinion tallies with the entire book of Matthew and what the author intended to communicate.

The first part of the book by Roberts talks about the pattern of the kingdom. Therefore, the book of Matthew takes place in this chapter since there is a notation on God’s people, then God’s rule, and the blessings (Goldstone 732). About the ‘Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew describes it as a process that follows various events. In the gospel book, God starts to act as the ruler, and therefore, there is a manifestation of God being the supreme in the world of people. In Matthew 3:2, Matthew is referring to the kingdom of heaven as a phrase to show the powerful regime by the creator of the universe (Roberts 59). Therefore, the salvation that shows the entry requirement to the kingdom in the book of Matthew, conforms to what Roberts argued about God’s desire to live with human beings.

The book of Matthew is centered on five themes that the Christian faithful can relate to. The major themes are compassion & forgiveness, hypocrisy, immortality, sin, and prophesy (Collins 59). Chapter 9 of the gospel book talks about what Jesus can do when it comes to forgiveness. Apostle Peter, who is mostly referred to as Jesus’s main man, had turned their back on Jesus three times. However, Jesus did to hold grudges with peter rather, He forgave him all the time. Matthew 6:14-15 says ‘For if you forgive men in their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…’ (Bruce 63). Similarly, the Lord’s prayer which is recorded in the book of Mark, that Matthew is alleged to use as a source appended two verses that give a notion about forgiveness. Compassion comes when one is willing to forgive for instance, in incidents about debts and recovery on the same.

The hypocrisy theme is majorly seen in Pharisees and priests then, who taught about the kingdom of God but never adhered to their teaching. Immortality which centrally refers to the life after death is what Matthew taught on the kingdom of heaven. The book of Matthew would relate many instances by giving scenarios and comparing them with what the kingdom of God would be like. The theme of sin is evident in Matthew 9:1-8 the chapter talks about the authority to forgive sins (Harrison 41). To avoid sin, Jesus told His disciples to let the enemies be by forgiving them and teaching them about doing favorable actions on other people. About prophesy, Jesus started by telling the people then that He was the promised Messiah whom Isaiah had talked about.

The book of Matthew tells the Christian faith that Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy about saving human beings to be free from sin and also prophesying about what the kingdom of heaven would be like. Matthew had many Jewish audiences and therefore, he would use many prophecies as seen in the Hebrew bible to lure them that Jesus was the Messiah. In Mathew 1:1, Jesus is introduced as the son of David, whom God had promised to establish a dynasty from his lineage (Francis 65). Therebefore, the segment depicts fulfilled prophesy in the Old Testament about the coming of Jesus and His powerful missions.

The gospel of Matthew is one of the technical written compositions on the contemporary issues of the world, the vision of Jesus, and the life that God wants His people to live. Through the book, it is clear that Matthew was inspired by the Holy Spirit to record various incidents on the proper life people should live (Collins 89). The book is appropriate to drawing someone near to God when they focus on the theme of forgiveness of sin, the kingdom of God, and the prophetic accounts. There is a unique approach to who God is and what Christians should learn from the narrations of the story. The gospel of Matthew presents who Jesus is including the role and manifestation He gives on the nature of God (Harrison 41). Jesus teaches Christians that by believing in Him and swerving God, that would be an assurance to God’s kingdom.

When believers in Christ read the book, they have knowledge and thoughts on the essentials of living a holy life. Matthew’s words of wisdom about the ideal lifestyle and the joy of the Lord are helpful to keep someone’s faith stable in Christ. Salvation is also evident from the teachings of Matthew since he incorporated the issues about living a life without impurities. The source of Matthew’s gospel and scriptures is not that important but the relevance of his composition and the desire of God. With the book in place, many people can get the required moral standards based on Matthew’s content on the importance of the kingdom of heaven.

Alexander, T. Desmond, and Brian S Rosner. New Dictionary of Biblical Theology . Yield Ventures, 2000.

Bruce, F. F. The New International Commentary on The New Testament . Eerdmans, 1988.

Collins William. ESV Study Bible . Wil-P, 2016.

Francis, Leslie J. “Gospel for The Outsider: The Gospel in Luke and Acts; Gospel of Fulfilment: Exploring the Gospel of Matthew”. Rural Theology , vol 18, no. 1, 2020, pp. 64-65. Informa UK Limited , Web.

Goldstone, Matthew. “The Gospel According to The Hebrews and The Gospel of The Ebionites Ed. By Andrew Gregory”. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly , vol 80, no. 4, 2019, pp. 730-732. Project Muse , Web.

Meade, Christopher P. New Testament Alive: Vol. I-The Gospel of Matthew . Leadership Alive, Inc., 2019.

Roberts, Vaughan. God’s Big Picture . Intervarsity Press, 2003.

Harrison, Rolald. The New International Commentary on The Old Testament . NICOT, 2020.

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Analysis of the Book of Matthew Research Paper

Introduction, the author and the recipient, the central theme, scriptural passages.

To better understand the Bible and the New Testament specifically, one should thoroughly explore their content. A way of doing so is by focusing on the Book of Matthew. Although one cannot accentuate the significance of one book over others, and Matthew is not the longest one or earliest in chronological order, it reflects important matters of life, death, and resurrection (Powell, 2018). Analysis of the Book of Matthew provides more insight into Jesus and raises essential discussions.

First, to examine the Book of Matthew, one should identify the Author and investigate their personality. Although the book is also known as “the Gospel according to Matthew,” many people believe that Matthew did not write it (Powell, 2018, pp. 60-61). The Book of Matthew has its differences from previous books, as it is perceived to be written by a Jewish Christian familiar with the Roman culture (Powell, 2018). Moreover, as the book is one of the Gospels, its Author was influenced by the Old Testament’s stories (Powell, 2018). With that being said, one should analyze the Author’s identity based on the Bible. In general, the book tells the story of Jesus and his ministry, showing the Author’s knowledge about Christ and interest in details, such as genealogy (King James Bible, Matt. 1:1-17). Overall, while the Author’s actual identity in the Book of Matthew is unknown, he is thought to be a Jewish Christian devoted to Jesus.

Second, the Recipient of the Book is as important as its Author. Powell (2018) states that all books of the New Testament were written because of Jesus, so one can assume that the Recipient is any person who needs to learn more about Christ. However, the Book of Matthew is written in Greek and is perceived to be more appealing to those in urban areas, which may have initially narrowed the audience (Powell, 2018). Despite that, the book implies that the Recipient can be anyone who needs Jesus, as he heals people and has followers in Galilee, Jerusalem, Jordan, and many other places (King James Bible, Matt. 14:24-25). Therefore, the Recipient of the Book of Matthew can be any person who is in need to realize the significance of Jesus.

The central theme of the book of Matthew centers on Jesus and through his journey can teach valuable lessons. On Jesus’s example and based on his words, one can learn to resist the devil, find good in sorrows and peace, and realize the significance of having true faith (King James Bible, Matt. 4:1-11, 5:3-12, 17:20). Furthermore, research shows that the Book of Matthew is meant to teach people to be compassionate to all humankind (Ukeachusim et al., 2021). While the book focuses on the story of Jesus, it raises several questions about life and can provide support to those in need.

Although there is a deep meaning behind scriptural passages in the Book of Matthew, some of them strike me more than others. In particular, Jesus’s words listing blessed people appealed to me the most upon my very first reading and still come to my mind (King James Bible, Matt. 5:3-12). I was and still am impressed by the presented possibilities for people regardless of their position. However, I also think that some passages should not be emphasized above others, as their true value is in unity.

To summarize, the Book of Matthew shows the importance of Jesus in the lives of people. Although the Author of the book is unknown, one can assume that he was a person invested in Christ and his teachings. Those teachings can be perceived to be oriented to a wide range of followers who are supposed to have strong faith and demonstrate compassion towards each other.

King James Bible. (n.d.). The King’s Bible . Web.

Powell, M.A. (2018). Introducing the New Testament: A historical, literary, and theological survey (2 nd ed.). Baker Academic.

Ukeachusim, C. P., Ituma, E. A., & Uroko, F. C. (2021). Understanding compassion in the Gospel of Matthew. Theology Today, 77 (4), 372-392. Web.

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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MATTHEW

This paper discusses introductory issues in the Gospel of Matthew

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Part of the International Critical Commentary. The author is Allen, Willoughby Charles, 1867-1953. As far as I know this book is in the public domain and I freely publish it here for people who search for a free but older commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. It is also available in archive.org in many other formats. Published 1907 by C. Scribner's sons, New York. (Openlibrary Edition: OL23291838M, Openlibrary Work: OL252717W)

Bartosz Adamczewski

This monograph presents an entirely new solution to the synoptic problem. It demonstrates that the Acts of the Apostles functioned as the structure-giving hypotext for the Gospel of Matthew. Accordingly, the Gospel of Matthew is a reworking of not only the Gospel of Luke, but also, in a strictly sequential way, of the Acts of the Apostles. This strictly sequential, hypertextual dependence on Acts explains the Matthean relocations of the Marcan and Lucan material, numerous Matthean modifications thereof, and many surprising features of the Matthean Gospel. Critical explanations of such features, which are offered in this monograph, ensure the reliability of the new solution to the synoptic problem.

ETS (papers) 1054

Robert Gundry

[Here I] defend my recently published commentary on Matthew against the criticisms of two evangelical scholars, Donald A. Carson (“Gundry on Matthew: A Critical Review,” TrinJ 3 ns (1932) 71-91) and Philip Barton Payne (“The Question of Midrash and History in the Gospels: A Critique of R. H Gundry’s Matthew,” Gospel Perspectives [ed. R. T. France and D. Wenham; Sheffield: JSOT, 1983] 3. 000-000). But before responding to their criticisms. I thank them for taking the commentary seriously enough to spend their energies in writing reviews of article length. Far better to be refuted than ignored. My last thanks go to Douglas Moo for his criticisms, just presented. But my apologies, too, for not including his paper, along with Carson's and Payne’s, in my response. I had to write the response before receiving Moo’s paper last week. The final draft of Payne’s review has not yet reached me, so I had to work from an early draft discussed by the Tyndale Fellowship in Cambridge, England, last summer. But since Payne has written me that the final draft “does not address some particularly evangelical concerns,” it may be just as well for me to respond to the early draft. No one should think that the vigor of my response exposes a lack of friendliness to my critics. I certainly didn’t infer from the vigor of their criticisms any lack of friendliness to me. [N.B. For my later response to Moo’s criticisms, see “A Response to Matthew and Midrash,” also posted here. – RHG 1-12-2023]

Romulo Olalia

Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations

John Kampen

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Book of Matthew CEB

Chapters for matthew, summary of the gospel of matthew.

This summary of the Gospel of Matthew provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Gospel of Matthew.

Although the first Gospel is anonymous, the early church fathers were unanimous in holding that Matthew, one of the 12 apostles, was its author. However, the results of modern critical studies -- in particular those that stress Matthew's alleged dependence on Mark for a substantial part of his Gospel -- have caused some Biblical scholars to abandon Matthean authorship. Why, they ask, would Matthew, an eyewitness to the events of our Lord's life, depend so heavily on Mark's account? The best answer seems to be that he agreed with it and wanted to show that the apostolic testimony to Christ was not divided.

Matthew, whose name means "gift of the Lord," was a tax collector who left his work to follow Jesus ( 9:9-13 ). In Mark and Luke he is called by his other name, Levi.

Date and Place of Writing

Some have argued on the basis of its Jewish characteristics that Matthew's Gospel was written in the early church period, possibly the early part of a.d. 50, when the church was largely Jewish and the gospel was preached to Jews only ( Ac 11:19 ). However, those who have concluded that both Matthew and Luke drew extensively from Mark's Gospel date it later -- after the Gospel of Mark had been in circulation for a period of time. See essay and chart, p. 1943. Accordingly, some feel that Matthew would have been written in the late 50s or in the 60s. Others, who assume that Mark was written between 65 and 70, place Matthew in the 70s or even later. However, there is insufficient evidence to be dogmatic about either view.

The Jewish nature of Matthew's Gospel may suggest that it was written in the Holy Land, though many think it may have originated in Syrian Antioch.

Since his Gospel was written in Greek, Matthew's readers were obviously Greek-speaking. They also seem to have been Jews. Many elements point to Jewish readership: Matthew's concern with fulfillment of the OT (he has more quotations from and allusions to the OT than any other NT author); his tracing of Jesus' descent from Abraham ( 1:1-17 ); his lack of explanation of Jewish customs (especially in contrast to Mark); his use of Jewish terminology (e.g., "kingdom of heaven," where "heaven" reveals the Jewish reverential reluctance to use the name of God; see note on 3:2 ); his emphasis on Jesus' role as "Son of David" ( 1:1 ; 9:27 ; 12:23 ; 15:22 ; 20:30-31 ; 21:9,15 ; 22:41-45 ). This does not mean, however, that Matthew restricts his Gospel to Jews. He records the coming of the Magi (non-Jews) to worship the infant Jesus ( 2:1-12 ), as well as Jesus' statement that the "field is the world" ( 13:38 ). He also gives a full statement of the Great Commission ( 28:18-20 ). These passages show that, although Matthew's Gospel is Jewish, it has a universal outlook.

Matthew's main purpose is to prove to his Jewish readers that Jesus is their Messiah. He does this primarily by showing how Jesus in his life and ministry fulfilled the OT Scriptures. Although all the Gospel writers quote the OT, Matthew includes nine proof texts unique to his Gospel ( 1:22-23 ; 2:15 ; 2:17-18 ; 2:23 ; 4:14-16 ; 8:17 ; 12:17-21 ; 13:35 ; 27:9-10 ) to drive home his basic theme: Jesus is the fulfillment of the OT predictions of the Messiah. Matthew even finds the history of God's people in the OT recapitulated in some aspects of Jesus' life (see, e.g., his quotation of Hos 11:1 in 2:15 ). To accomplish his purpose Matthew also emphasizes Jesus' Davidic lineage (see Recipients, p. 1945).

The way the material is arranged reveals an artistic touch. The whole Gospel is woven around five great discourses: (1) chs. 5-7 ; (2) ch. 10; (3) ch. 13; (4) ch. 18; (5) chs.24-25 . That this is deliberate is clear from the refrain that concludes each discourse: "When Jesus had finished saying these things," or similar words ( 7:28 ; 11:1 ; 13:53 ; 19:1 ; 26:1 ). The narrative sections, in each case, appropriately lead up to the discourses. The Gospel has a fitting prologue ( chs. 1-2 ) and a challenging epilogue ( 28:16-20 ).

The fivefold division may suggest that Matthew has modeled his book on the structure of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the OT). He may also be presenting the gospel as a new Torah and Jesus as a new and greater Moses.

His Genealogy (1:1-17)
His Birth (1:18 -- 2:12)
His Sojourn in Egypt (2:13-23)
His Forerunner (3:1-12)
His Baptism (3:13-17)
His Temptation (4:1-11)
The Beginning of the Galilean Campaign (4:12-25)
The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7)
A Collection of Miracles (chs. 8-9)
The Commissioning of the 12 Apostles (ch. 10)
Ministry throughout Galilee (chs. 11-12)
The Parables of the Kingdom (ch. 13)
Herod's Reaction to Jesus' Ministry (14:1-12)
To the Eastern Shore of the Sea of Galilee (14:13 -- 15:20)
To Phoenicia (15:21-28)
To the Decapolis (15:29 -- 16:12)
To Caesarea Philippi (16:13 -- 17:20)
Prediction of Jesus' Death (17:22-23)
Temple Tax (17:24-27)
Discourse on Life in the Kingdom (ch. 18)
Teaching concerning Divorce (19:1-12)
Teaching concerning Little Children (19:13-15)
The Rich Young Man (19:16-30)
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (20:1-16)
Prediction of Jesus' Death (20:17-19)
A Mother's Request (20:20-28)
Restoration of Sight at Jericho (20:29-34)
The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as King (21:1-11)
The Cleansing of the Temple (21:12-17)
The Last Controversies with the Jewish Leaders (21:18 -- 23:39)
The Olivet Discourse (chs. 24-25)
The Anointing of Jesus' Feet (26:1-13)
The Arrest, Trials and Death of Jesus (26:14 -- 27:66)
The Earthquake and the Angel's Announcement (28:1-7)
Jesus' Encounter with the Women (28:8-10)
The Guards' Report and the Jewish Elders' Bribe (28:11-15)
The Great Commission (28:16-20)

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Conclusion to Matthew

God cares about our work, and the Scriptures have much to say about this. As noted at the beginning, the Gospel according to Matthew addresses the theology and practice of work on many fronts: leadership and authority, power and influence, business practices, truth and deception, treatment of workers, conflict resolution, wealth and the necessities of life, workplace relationships, investing and saving, rest, and living in God’s kingdom while working in secular places.

Christians often assume that our lives are to be split into two realms, the secular and the sacred. Our work can become merely a way of earning a living, a secular activity with no godly significance. Going to church and personal devotion are assumed to be the only sacred elements of life. A misreading of Matthew could support this split. The kingdom of the earth could represent the material, secular parts of life; and the kingdom of heaven, the sacred, ethereal parts. But a true reading of Matthew is that both kingdoms include all of life. The kingdom of God has both material and spiritual aspects, and so does the kingdom of the fallen earth. The Christian way is to put our entire life, including our work life, at the service of God’s kingdom, which Christ is bringing to earth even now.

Jesus calls his followers to live and work in the midst of the fallen world, while holding fast to God’s purposes, virtues, and principles. For individual Christians, the sacred and the secular cannot be separated. “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). In this universe created and sustained by God, there is no “secular” space, immune to his influence, out of his control, or upon which he does not claim sovereignty.

But while the kingdom of darkness remains, the kingdom of God is also at hand. The world’s people and systems often do not reflect the ways of God. Those called by Christ have to learn how to serve God’s kingdom faithfully while learning to exist amid the very real powers that oppose God’s way. The Christian worldview cannot be one of escape or disregard for this world. Above all people, Christians should rightly be engaged in creating structures that reflect the kingdom of God in all realms of life, the workplace included. We are to model the practices of God’s kingdom in our workplaces, especially practices in which we turn over our power and wealth to God and depend on his power and provision. This is what it means to live (not just speak) the paradigmatic prayer of the Lord, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

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Introduction to the Book of Matthew
The Kingdom of Heaven Has Come Near (Matthew)
Working as Citizens of God’s Kingdom (Matthew 1-4)
Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1-2)
Jesus Calls the Disciples (Matthew 3-4)
The Kingdom of Heaven at Work in Us (Matthew 5-7)
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)
"Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit, for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:3)
"Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, for They Will be Comforted" (Matthew 5:4)
“Blessed Are the Meek, for They Will Inherit the Earth“ (Matthew 5:5)
"Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness" (Matthew 5:6)
“Blessed Are the Merciful, for They Will Receive Mercy” (Matthew 5:7)
"Blessed Are the Pure in Heart, for They Will See God" (Matthew 5:8)
"Blessed Are the Peacemakers, for They Will Be Called Children of God" (Matt 5:9)
"Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake" (Matt 5:10)
Salt and Light in the World of Work (Matthew 5:13-16)
What Is Righteousness? (Matthew 5:17-48)
Wealth and Provision (Matthew 6)
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread (Matthew 6:11)
Store Your Treasure in Heaven, Not on Earth (Matthew 6:19-34)
Moral Guidance (Matthew 7)
“Do Not Judge, So That You May Not Be Judged” (Matthew 7:1-5)
Do to Others as You Would Have Them Do to You: The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12)
Jesus Heals Many (Matthew 8-9)
Laborers Deserve Their Food (Matthew 10)
Tales of Two Kingdoms (Matthew 11-17)
My Yoke Is Easy (Matthew 11:28-30)
Working on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8)
Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13)
Paying Taxes (Matthew 17:24-27 and 22:15-22)
Living in the New Kingdom (Matthew 18-25)
Conflict Resolution (Matthew 18:15-35)
The Rich Young Man (Matthew 19:16-30)
The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)
Servant Leadership (Matthew 20:20-28)
Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)
Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-41)
The Great Commandment is a Great Framework (Matthew 22:34-40)
Parable of the Faithful Servant (Matthew 24:45-51)
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
The Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30)
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (Matthew 27-28)
Go and Make Disciples (Matthew 28:16-20)
Key Verses and Themes in Matthew

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Explore what Matthew says about the kingdom of God and your work. The lessons in each chapter are great for small group or individual study. Lessons include scripture references, reflections questions and prayer.

(Volume 4: Matthew-Acts) What does the Bible have to say about work? This one-of-a-kind Bible resource answers that very question.

If you like reading the Theology of Work Bible Commentary free online, you might enjoy it in print!

The Theology of Work Bible Commentary is an in-depth Bible study tool put together by a group of biblical scholars, pastors, and workplace Christians to help you discover what the whole Bible--from Genesis to Revelation--says about work. Business, education, law, service industries, medicine, government--wherever you work, in whatever capacity, the Scriptures have something to say about it. This edition is a one-volume hardcover version.

Contributors: Jonathan Pennington and Alice Mathews Adopted by the Theology of Work Project Board July 6, 2011. Revised Nov. 4, 2011. Image by Used under license from Veer . Used by permission.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License . Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

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COMMENTS

The Gospel of Matthew: Summary and Outline
The book of Matthew makes more mentions of the "kingdom of heaven" of "kingdom of God" than any of the other Gospels. Jesus is the promised savior. He is the son of Abraham, through whom God had promised to bless all nations of the earth. Matthew emphasizes the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfills, from His birth (Mt 1:22-23 ...
Book of Matthew
Guide to the Book of. Matthew. This is one of the earliest official accounts of Jesus of Nazareth. While the book itself is anonymous, the earliest reliable tradition links it to Matthew the tax collector, one of the twelve apostles that Jesus appointed, who appears in the book himself ( Matt. 9:9, 10:3 ). For about 30-40 years, the apostles ...
The Gospel of Matthew: a Book Analysis
The Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, is a pivotal text in Christianity. Written by an anonymous author, traditionally believed to be the Apostle Matthew, this gospel provides a unique perspective on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this essay, we will explore the themes, structure, and ...
Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew
Even the title "According to Matthew" ( KATA MAQQAION) is found in the earliest manuscripts, and was the most highly regarded and quoted of the gospels by the church fathers. [1] Matthew is also called Levi ( Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27 ), and was the son of Alphaeus ( Luke 5:27 ). He was a tax collector ( telwnhV ), probably stationed on a main trade ...
Gospel of Matthew Introduction: Jesus as Savior and King
Matthew was not written to chronicle the events of Jesus' life, but rather to present undeniable evidence through these occurrences that Jesus Christ is the promised Savior, the Messiah, Son of God, King of kings and Lord of lords.The book begins by accounting the genealogy of Jesus, showing him to be the true heir to David's throne.The genealogy documents Christ's credentials as Israel ...
1. Matthew: Introduction, Argument, and Outline
39 Cf. S. D. Toussaint, Behold the King: A Study of Matthew, 15-18, for additional arguments of the Jewish character of both the book and the audience. 40 Eduard Schweizer, "Matthew's Church," in The Interpretation of Matthew, ed. by G. Stanton, 129. 41 Quite popular is the view that Antioch of Syria was the place of destination. This ...
Matthew: Jesus Is the Promised Messiah
Jesus is a new Moses, inaugurating the new covenant and bringing the law given at Mount Sinai to its fulfillment. These examples reveal that Matthew uses many titles for Jesus in his Gospel, including Messiah, King, Lord, Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, Immanuel, etc. All of these have their roots in the Old Testament and point in one way ...
Matthew Summary
The book of Matthew is a Gospel that contains Narrative History, Genealogy, Parables, Sermons, and some Prophetic Oracles. It was written by Matthew (Levi), the Disciple of Christ around 48-50 A.D. The key word in Matthew is "Kingdom" and is used 28 times. The personalities of this book include the Messiah Jesus Christ, His parents Mary and ...
Book of Matthew Overview
Matthew is the most Jewish-centric of the four gospels. The apostle regularly invoked the writings of the Old Testament prophets in an effort to illustrate Jesus's identity as Israel's long-awaited Messiah. However, the gospel of Matthew has been notoriously difficult to date. Several factors speak to a date ranging from AD 60-65.
Critical Introduction to the Book of Matthew
The book of Matthew is the first in the New Testament and was written by Saint Matthew, the evangelist. The book primarily discusses the accounts of the life and death of Jesus Christ. The gospel was initially written in Greek sometimes after 69 CE and depended on the earlier gospel according to (Alexander, and Rosner 44).
Book of Matthew
See essay and chart, p. 1943. Accordingly, some feel that Matthew would have been written in the late 50s or in the 60s. Others, who assume that Mark was written between 65 and 70, place Matthew in the 70s or even later. However, there is insufficient evidence to be dogmatic about either view.
Bible: The New Testament The Gospel According to Matthew (Matthew
A summary of The Gospel According to Matthew (Matthew) in Various's Bible: The New Testament. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Bible: The New Testament and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
Gospel of Matthew Essay
Matthew was one of the Savior's twelve disciples. Before Matthew became a disciple he was a tax collector/publican (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2014). Matthew was known as the son of Alphaeus. In the historical book of Matthew he presents Jesus as the Messiah; meaning "the Anointed One" (Slick, 2015).
PDF The Gospel Of Matthew
Matthew, surnamed Levi, had been a tax-collector, one of Jesus' earliest disciples (Mt 9:9; Mk 2:14). He was chosen to be one of the twelve apostles (Mt 10:2-3). A close associate of Jesus during His ministry, Matthew's gospel is a first hand account, unlike Luke who depended upon other eyewitnesses (Lk 1:1-4). Date.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels.It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes to his people (the Jews) but is rejected by them and how, after his resurrection, he sends the disciples to the gentiles instead. Matthew wishes to emphasize that the Jewish tradition should not be lost in a church that was increasingly ...
Analysis of the Book of Matthew
The Central Theme. The central theme of the book of Matthew centers on Jesus and through his journey can teach valuable lessons. On Jesus's example and based on his words, one can learn to resist the devil, find good in sorrows and peace, and realize the significance of having true faith (King James Bible, Matt. 4:1-11, 5:3-12, 17:20).
Who wrote the book of Matthew? Who was the author of Matthew?
The first Gospel narrative in the New Testament canon is the book of Matthew, though many scholars have concluded that Mark was the first Gospel to be written. Matthew presents Jesus as the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament, and commentators agree that it is the most Jewish Gospel of the four accounts.
Book Of Matthew
Book Of Matthew. Matthew- The book of Matthew is a Gospel that contains Narraitive History, Genealogy, Parables, Sermons, and some Prophetic Oracles. It was composed by Matthew (Levi), the Disciple of Christ around 48-50 A.D. The catchphrase in Matthew is " Kingdom" and it utilized 28 times. The identities of this book incorporate the ...
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MATTHEW
Billy C Sichone. This treatment gives a bird's eye overview of the gospel of Matthew, highlighting some salient points worth considering. It mentions the author, purpose and nature of the gospel of Matthew. This is a very good introduction and summary for one seeking to investigate the Gospel. Download Free PDF.
Book of Matthew
Matthew's main purpose is to prove to his Jewish readers that Jesus is their Messiah. He does this primarily by showing how Jesus in his life and ministry fulfilled the OT Scriptures. Although all the Gospel writers quote the OT, Matthew includes nine proof texts unique to his Gospel ( 1:22-23; 2:15; 2:17-18; 2:23; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13: ...
An exegesis of matthew
An Exegesis of Matthew 5:1-12. Matthew 5:1-12, commonly known as the Beatitudes, has been loved by every generation since first pronounced by Christ two thousand years ago. Matthew writes this record of the life, ministry and teaching of Jesus, and he places this message soon after Jesus' baptism and calling of the disciples.
Conclusion to Matthew
Conclusion to Matthew. God cares about our work, and the Scriptures have much to say about this. As noted at the beginning, the Gospel according to Matthew addresses the theology and practice of work on many fronts: leadership and authority, power and influence, business practices, truth and deception, treatment of workers, conflict resolution ...
The Book of Matthew: Its Literary, Cultural, Social and Moral Value
In my opinion, one of the most important world masterpieces we can study is the Gospels in the Bible. Especially the Gospel of Matthew. This book continues to make a profound influence on thousands of people on the earth. It is inspires, teaches, demands, and gives us hope. It sets essentia...

The Gospel of Matthew: Summary and Outline

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