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 and forms a community of disciples, of how he taught the people through such events as the Sermons, discipleship, miracles etc...
#1 - AUTHORSHIP
Matthew was a publican or custom-house officer (Matt. 9:9; Mk. 2:14; Lk. 5:27). His responsibility is to collect tax. His position alienated himself from the great majority of Jewish people who regarded the tax collector as apostate traitors.
The first Gospel is traditionally ascribed to Matthew who is also known as Levi, a tax collector whom Jesus called to be one of his twelve disciples (Matt. 9:9-13; 10:3).
Practically nothing is known of him except his name and occupation. After the listing of the apostles in the book of Acts (Acts 1:13); he disappeared from the history of the church.
Nowhere in the first Gospel is he explicitly called its author, but the early writers of the church who discuss the authorship credit it to Matthew. Eusebius (AD 325) and Papias (AD 100) as saying that Matthew had composed in Aramaic the oracles of the Lord which were translated into Greek. Irenaeus also stated that Matthew issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect.
The Gospel by Matthew was seen by the early church as important and was most highly valued and widely read of all the four Gospels. It was therefore placed first in the NT canon as the genealogy that introduces the Gospel proved a convenient link between OT and NT.
#2 - DATING OF THE GOSPEL
Probably 85 AD; the reason for dating Matthew to the last quarter of the first century are:
1. The apparent reference to the fall of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:2
2. Matthew‟s use of Mark (written AD 65-70)
3. The nature of the teaching opposed in Matthew, known from the Pastoral Epistles, the letters of John, the book of Revelation, Jude, 2 Peter and elsewhere as a strong threat in the late first and early second centuries.
"He was the son of Alphaeus and was the first century Galilean."
#3 - PLACE OF ORIGIN
The place of writing could be Antioch. The quotations of the Gospels in the early patristic writings like those of Papias and of Ignatius agree most closely with the text of Matthew and show that this first Gospel was probably the favourite of the Syro-Jewish church.
Furthermore, the church at Antioch was the first to have a markedly Gentile constituency which spoke both Aramaic and Greek. While absolute proof that the Gospel originated at Antioch is lacking, there is no other place more suitable for it.
#4 - PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL
The content and organization of each canonical book reflect some definite purposes behind its writing. Therefore, author develops certain themes and goals;
The FIRST purpose was clearly points out in the opening verse of the book: “the book of generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1). He wants to demonstrate that Christ is the rightful heir to the promises of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.
The SECOND purpose akin to the first was to present Jesus Christ as the King of Israel, as the exact fulfilment of the OT prophecies. Although Matthew does portray Christ as a teacher of men and the saviour of sinners, he puts greater emphasis upon Jesus‟ royalty and upon his relationship to the kingdom.
The THIRD, the structure of Matthew is built around double outline which can be traced by recurring phrases in the book. There are two points of division: the first in Matthew 4:17,
“From that time” Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent ye ...heaven is at hand,” and second in Matt. 16:21, “From that time” began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and the third day be raised up.
The first point indicates the rise of Jesus‟ preaching career which brought him into public prominence. The later passage marked the beginning of the decline of his popularity and pointed toward the culmination of his career at the cross. This was clearly marked in the Gospels.
#5 - SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
MATTHEW IS THE GOSPEL OF DISCOURSE In each of the sections is one long specimen of discourse, as the following table shows:
SECTION | DISCOURSE |
The Prophecies Realized 1:1-4:11 | Preaching of John 3:1-12 |
The Principles Announced 4:12-7:29 | The Sermon on The Mount 5:1-7:29 |
The Power Revealed 8:1-11:1 | The Commission 10:1-42 |
he Program Explained 11:2-13:53 | The Parables 13:1-52 |
MATTHEW IS THE GOSPEL OF THE CHURCH
Matthew‟s Gospel is the only one in which the word “church” occurs (16:18; 18:17). Both of these passages were spoken by Christ, showing that he had a definite idea of the church as an institution to come. The utterances of Jesus are embodied in Matthew may indicate that it was written for a young and struggling church that needed encouragement and discipline.
MATTHEW IS THE GOSPEL OF THE KING
The doctrine of kingdom is not only emphasised in Matthew but also through all of the Gospel the royalty of Christ is prominent. The genealogy in the first chapter follows the royal line of Judah. The entry into Jerusalem stresses His arrival as King, riding on the ass‟s colt. In the eschatological discourse He predicts that he will sit on the throne of his glory. The inscription over the cross, placed by Pilate was “This is Jesus the king of Jews”
#6 - OUTLINE
The Prophecies of the Messiah Realized – 1:1-4:11
The Principles of the Messiah Announced – 4:12-7:29
The Power of Messiah Revealed – 8:1-11:1
The Program of Messiah Explained – 11:2-13:53
The Purpose of Messiah Declared – 13:54-19:2
The Problems of the Messiah Presented – 19:3-26:2
The Passion of the Messiah Accomplished – 26:3-28:10
Epilogue 28:11-20