Chapter 8
Matthew’s Portrait of Jesus: The
Great Teacher
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Key Topics/Themes
• Matthew an abbreviation of Mark
• Five blocks of teaching material
• Jesus as inaugurator of a New
Covenant
• Jesus as interpreter of Mosaic Law
• Jesus as fulfiller of messianic prophecy
• Interest in establishment/mission of the
Church
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Relation to the Hebrew Bible
• Matthew’s interest in Jesus’ Hebrew
lineage
• Women in Jesus’ lineage
• Jesus as fulfiller of messianic prophecy
in Hebrew Bible
• Jesus as teacher and fulfiller of
principles of the Mosaic Torah
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Authorship and Purpose
• Matthew and Judaism
• Date and place of composition
• Author’s purposes
– Demonstrate Jesus’ credentials as Israel’s
true Messiah
– Present Jesus as supreme interpreter of
Mosaic Torah
– Instruct Christian Church
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Sources and Organization
• Structure and use of sources
– Use of Mark
–Q
–M
– Matthew’s editing of Mark
• Organization of Matthew
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Introduction: Infancy
Narrative (1:1-2:23)
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Full of proof texts from Hebrew Bible
Matthew’s reading of Hebrew Bible
Identity of the Magi
The star
Bethlehem
Herod attempts to kill Jesus
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Beginning of Jesus’
Proclamation (3:1-4:25)
• The temptation
• Expansion of Mark’s version into three
scenes
– Tempted to fulfill personal need
– Tempted to gain public acclaim
– Tempted to gain worldly power by cruelty
and violence
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First Discourse: Sermon on
the Mount (5-7)
• The Beatitudes
• The antitheses
• Jesus’ assertion of personal authority to
interpret the Hebrew Scriptures
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First Narrative Section: Ten
Miracles (8:1-9:38)
• Based largely on Markan material
• Story about the faith of a gentile soldier
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Second Discourse:
Instructions to the Twelve (10)
• Apostles instructed for missionary
service among Jews
• Strong eschatological tone
• Son of Man to have come before
missionary trip is complete
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Second Narrative Section:
Questions/Controversies
(11:1-12:50)
• Jesus and John the Baptist
– John questions Jesus’ messiahship
– Jesus’ response a summary of his mighty
works
• Harsh sayings against those who reject
Jesus’ message
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Third Discourse: Parables on
the Kingdom (13:1-52)
• The reason outsiders do not understand
Jesus’ parables
• The Twelve as insiders who do
understand
• Images of the kingdom in the parables
of Jesus
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Third Narrative Section:
Rejection to Transfiguration
(13:53-17:27)
• Matthew’s close following of Mark at this
point
• Peter and the Church
– Peter as the “rock” on which the Church
will be built
– Peter awarded spiritual powers that are
honored in heaven and earth
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Fourth Discourse: Instructions
to the Church (18)
• Disparate sayings brought together by
Matthew and applied to the Church
• Instructions for administering a Christian
community
• The right of congregations to ostracize
disobedient members
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Fourth Narrative Section:
Jerusalem Ministry (19:122:46)
• Discipleship and suffering
• Entrance into Jerusalem
• The Church replaces Israel
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Fifth Discourse: Warnings of
Final Judgment (23-25)
• Woes against scribes and Pharisees
• Coming destruction of Temple
• An ethical paradox: forgiveness or
judgment?
• Misuse of Matthew to promote antiSemitism
• The fall of Jerusalem and the Parousia
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Fifth Narrative: Passion and
Resurrection (26-28)
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Miraculous signs
The centurion’s reaction
An empty tomb
Plot to discredit the Resurrection
Postresurrection appearances and the
great commission
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Summary
• A comprehensive summary of Jesus’
teaching
• Jesus the fulfillment of Hebrew
Scriptures
• Jesus the authoritative interpreter of
Mosaic Torah
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Summary (cont’d.)
• Balances Mark’s emphasis on Jesus’
deeds with emphasis on his teachings
• Shifts Mark’s emphasis on eschatology
by stressing obedience of the Church as
it awaits Christ’s return
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