CHAPTER TWO
OVERVIEW OF GOSPEL OF MATHEW
2.1 Introduction
The book of Matthew has always occupied a position of high esteem in the faith and life
of the church. The structure of Saint Matthew’s gospel has long remained obscure. Scholars
believe that Matthew wrote his gospel in a Semitic language, probably Hebrew. We do not know
what his manuscript looked like because the original and any copies that may have been made
from it have been lost. A Greek language version was made, some scholars think by Matthew
himself, and that too has been lost. But copies of this Greek version, of uncertain degrees of
relationship, have come down to us. This chapter presents an overview of the book of Mathew
with an attention on the authorship, date of writing, the Audience, occasion and purpose,
structure and key literary motifs and devices of the book of Mathew and also its major
theological themes.
2.2 The Authorship and Date of Writing
The apostolic origin and canonical rank of the gospel of Matthew were accepted without
a doubt by the early church. Although the discussion is complex and compound, Matthew
remains as the best candidate for the author of the gospel by his name. External evidences
suggested that Matthew was either cited or named as authentic during the first four centuries by
the following: Pseudo-Barnabas (c. 70-130); Clement of Rome (c. 95-97); Polycarp (c. 110-150);
Hermas (c. 115-140); Didache (c. 120-150); Irenaeus (c. 130-202); Justin Martyr (c. 185-255);
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215); Tertullian (c. 150-220); Origen (c. 185-254)l Cyril of
Jerusalem (c. 315-386); Eusebius (c. 325-340); Jerome (c. 340-420) and Augustine (c. 400).1
1
Craig Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2009, p.
14
According to tradition, this Gospel was written by Matthew (also called Levi), a former
tax collector and one of Jesus’ twelve disciples (Mark 3:18; Matt 9:9; 10:3; Luke 6:15;
Acts 1:13). The author implied by the text itself was clearly an early Jewish Christian
who was well-educated and multilingual (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek). He was also an
interpreter of earlier traditions, adopting and adapting several sources in the telling of his
tale (the Gospel of Mark, a hypothetical sayings-source scholars call “Q,” the OT, oral
tradition, and possibly a “special source” scholars call “M” or “special Matthew”). Most scholars
believe the Gospel of Matthew was written from Antioch in Syria during the
80’s C.E., after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E.2
As stated earlier, Matthew, surnamed Levi, had been a tax-collector. He became one of
Jesus’ earliest disciples.3 He was chosen to be one of the twelve apostles.4 Having been such a
close associate of Jesus during His earthly ministry is regarded as a firsthand account unlike
Luke who depended upon other eyewitnesses.5 Furthermore, based on the title of the book, the
book's earliest description it was ascribed to Matthew (c. A.D. 125).6 It is possible that Matthew
not only authored a Greek gospel, but a Hebrew gospel. The Hebrew was uninspired and lost. 7
The Greek account is the Gospel According to Matthew.
2
Mark A. Copeland, “The Gospel Of Matthew”, Sermons From Matthew. Accessed online @www.academia.com
3
Mt 9:9; Mk 2:14
4
Mt 10:2-3
5
Luke 1:1-4
6
Guthrie, NTI, p. 33.
7
Davies, W. D., Allison, Dale C. Matthew: A shorter Commentary. London ; New York : T & T Clark International,
2004, p. 34
The call of Matthew in both Mark and Luke is under the name of Levi.8 But in Matthew
it is by the name "Matthew".9 This could be a conscious, personal touch by Matthew to
emphasize his identity change due to following Jesus from his call.10 The writer refers to
Capernaum (Matthew's home town) with a special emphasis. The town is mentioned in a matter
of fact manner in 8:5; 17:24. It is also given as an extended description and identified with the
fulfillment of prophecy in Matthew 4:13ff. The town is called It is called the "Lord's own city" in
Matthew 9:1 and it is spoken against in the Lord's denunciation of the cities which where he had
ministered with no positive response in 11:23.11
It is possible that Matthew did not attach his name to the Gospel because he was a
humble man. This is stressed because he continually calls himself a tax collector unlike Mark
and Luke.12 He associates the publicans with sinners and tax collectors.13 He does not record the
stories which might exalt himself as Luke does (that of the Pharisee and the publican,14 or that of
Zacchaeus)15
Several theories have been formed as to whom the authorship of the gospel belongs.
Nevertheless, Matthew the tax collector (Matt.9:9) makes the best case for author accreditation.
Eusebius supports the claim with mentions of one Bishop of Hierapolis to have the earliest
8
Mk. 2:14; Lk.5:27ff
9
Matt. 9:9
10
Guthrie, NTI, p. 44.
11
Mark A. Copeland, “The Gospel Of Matthew”, Sermons From Matthew. Accessed online @www.academia.com
12
Matthew 9:9; 10:3; cf. Mk. 3:18; Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13
13
Matthew 9:11; 18:17; 21:31-32.
14
Luke 18:9-14
15
Luke 19:1-10
tradition of the passage dating the text between 80-95AD. It is also documented that it might
have been written before 70AD. Irenaeus says it was written when Peter and Paul were preaching
in Rome Eusebius states that this was done when Matthew left Palestine and went to preach to
others (Historia Ecclesiastica, III, 24). Clement of Alexandria said that the presbyters who
succeeded each other from the beginning declared that “the gospels containing the genealogies
(Matthew and Luke) were written first” (Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica, VI, 14). Hence, a date
before 70 A.D. is considered by many to be the most feasible.16
Several details suggest that Matthew was written after the destruction of the
Temple. For example, Matthew 17:24-27 refers to “collectors of the double drachma.”
This could be a reference to a two-drachma tax levied by the emperor Vespasian on the
Jews in the aftermath of the Jewish War; on the other hand, it could simply be a general
tax paid to the Jerusalem Temple prior to the War.17 In addition, some scholars argue that
the parable in Matthew 22:1-14 (especially v.7) is too close to the reality of Jerusalem’s
destruction to have been written before 70 C.E. In the parable, a king whose invitation to
a wedding is spurned sends armies to destroy the city (which does not happen in the
parallel version in Luke 14:15-24).
2.3 The Audience, Occasion and Purpose of the Book of Matthew
It has been observed that Matthew wrote for the Jews. Matthew’s gospel was designed to
convince Jews that Jesus is the Messiah this is because the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy is a
recurring theme - e.g., Mt 1:22-23; 2:4-6,14-15, 17-18,23. Furthermore, Genealogy was certainly
important to the nation of Israel. Furthermore, the special characteristics of Mathew shows that it
16
Mark A. Copeland, “The Gospel Of Matthew”, Sermons From Matthew. Accessed online @www.academia.com
17
Craig Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2009.
is a Jewish Gospel as scholars noted its frequent appeal to OT prophecies and that its
organization is mostly topical, as opposed to strictly chronological (a common style in Jewish
literature). Thus Matthew appears to have been written with a Jewish audience in mind.18
Another peculiarity with Mathew in assessing its audience is that it is mostly regarded as
Ecclesiastical Gospel. This is concluded based on the fact that it is the only gospel which
mentions the word “church” - It foretells its beginning - Mt 16:18 and describes some of the life
in the church - Mt 18:15-17. It contains lengthy discourses especially beneficial to those in the
church - the sermon on the mount - Mt 5-7; the many parables - Mt 13 and the Olivet discourse Mt 24-25. It contains admonitions important to disciples of Christ which could be found in the
importance of doing the Father’s will - Mt 7:21-23; observing all that Jesus commanded - Mt
28:20.19 In other words, this was a gospel designed for use by those in the early church.
Matthew’s intended audience was probably a relatively well-to-do city church made up
mostly of educated Jews who already believed Jesus was the Messiah, but who disagreed
amongst themselves about the import of the Law. Several features of the Gospel suggest that it
was written for a Jewish audience. For example, unlike Mark, Matthew does not explain Jewish
customs (compare Matt. 5:1-9 to Mark 7:1-13); he portrays Jesus as a new Moses and Jesus’
teachings as a new Torah; he cites the Hebrew Scriptures and refers to OT figures often, usually
in order to demonstrate that Jesus fulfills Jewish prophecy.20 For instance, in the birth narrative,
Matthew describes Joseph taking Jesus and Mary to Egypt, and back out to Nazareth. Matthew
then quotes Hosea 11:1: “This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the
18
Mark A. Copeland, “The Gospel Of Matthew”, Sermons From Matthew. Accessed online @www.academia.com
19
Mark A. Copeland, “The Gospel Of Matthew”, Sermons From Matthew. Accessed online @www.academia.com
20
R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew. NICNT; Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2007.
prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son’” (Matt. 2:15). Other examples include Matt. 3:3
(quoting Isa. 40:3), Matt. 4:4-10 (quoting Deut. 8:3; Psalm 91:11-12; Deut. 6:13, 16), Matt.
12:17-21 (quoting Isa. 42:1-4), and Matt. 21:4-5 (quoting Isa. 62:11), to give just a few of many.
By one count, Matthew includes 61 quotations from the Old Testament, compared to 31 in Mark,
26 in Luke, and 16 in John. Underlying these quotations is the conviction that God actively
works, accomplishing the divine purposes foretold in the Jewish Messianic prophecies.
The purposes of Matthew are many, according to David,21 they are summarized below:
A. He desires to show that the major events in the life of Jesus took place in fulfillment of
prophecy--He is Messiah
B. He desire to show the comprehensiveness of the message of salvation to include the Gentiles
C. He desires to provide an apologetic for the many questions which would have been raised
against Jesus--illegitimacy of birth, residence of Jesus in Nazareth rather then Bethlehem,
stealing of the body of Jesus
D. He desires to teach the commandments of Jesus by recording five major discourses
throughout the book
E. He desired to demonstrate the reason the message moved from the Jews to the Gentiles (their
apathy and rejection of the King)
F. He desired to prove to the Jews that the kingdom program of God had not failed, and was still
in effect
In essence, the purposes which Matthew’s gospel served in the first century were simple:
(a) To confirm faith in Jesus as God’s Anointed One (the Messiah); (b) To instructing disciples
on living the Christian life. Also, it can serve a similar purpose for today’s Christians in term of
21
David E. Gannett-Malick Introduction to Matthew
(a) Increase our faith in Jesus as the Christ and (b). Instruct us in the righteousness expected of
those in His kingdom.22
2.4 Basic Structure and Key Literary Devices of book of Matthew
Contrary to modern perceptions, early Greek versions do show the structure—but not the
way modern readers expect. Matthew wrote his gospel in paragraphs grouped into larger
symmetrical units called chiasms. A chiasm is a passage of several paragraphs (or other units) so
written that the last paragraph of the chiasm is linked to the first paragraph, the second-last
paragraph is linked to the second paragraph, and so on. It is the linking of
paragraphs this way that binds them together as a chiasm. A chiasm usually has a freestanding
central paragraph about which the others are arrayed. Chiasm is the only structure Matthew used
in his gospel.23
The linking of the paragraphs of a chiasm is done by parallelism. Parallelism consists in
the repetition of words or phrases. A differently inflected form of a word may be used and
occasionally a synonym is used; for example, Matthew uses the word treasures in 6:19 and
repeats it in 7:6 as pearls. Sometimes two words are repeated in reverse order to produce what is
called inverted parallelism.24 There are other kinds of chiasms and other uses of parallelism in
Hebrew literature but here we are considering only those Matthew used to shape his gospel. A
22
Elaine M. Wainwright, “The Gospel of Matthew,” in Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (ed.) Searching the Scriptures:
A
Feminist
Commentary.
New
York:
Crossroad,
1994.
635-77.
23
Bernard Sadler, The Structure of Matthew: The structure Saint Matthew gave his gospel. Frenchs Forest, NSW,
Australia, 2013, p. 6
24
Bernard Sadler, The Structure of Matthew: The structure Saint Matthew gave his gospel. Frenchs Forest, NSW,
Australia, 2013, p. 7
chiasm of five paragraphs can be seen at 15.21 - 16.20 in the outline on page 14, and in the text
on pages 45 - 46. The arrowed lines here represent the linking of parallel words.25
a) (15.21 - 15.28) has the word son
b) (15.29 - 15.39) has the word loaves
c) (16.1 - 16.4)
d) (16.5 - 16.12) repeats the word loaves
e) (16.13 - 16.20) repeats the word Son
If the repeated phrases are set out one below the other, they can be linked by lines like this:
son
loaves
loaves
Son
The X thus formed looks like the Greek letter chi, so this criss-cross arrangement of
words is given the name chiasmus or chiasm. The name is then applied to the group of
paragraphs in which the words so arranged are used, in this case the paragraphs of Chapter IV
Part 5.26 Many chiasms in Matthew’s gospel have only three paragraphs. Since a chi cannot be
drawn from the repetition of a single word or phrase but needs four terms, a chiasm can be made
from three paragraphs only if the third paragraph repeats in reverse order two words or phrases
25
Bernard Sadler, The Structure of Matthew: The structure Saint Matthew gave his gospel. Frenchs Forest, NSW,
Australia, 2013, p. 8
26
Rocco A. Errico and George M. Lamsa, Aramaic Light on the Gospel of M atthew: a Commentary on the
Teachings
of Jesus from the Aramaic and Unchanged Near Eastern Customs (Santa Fe, NM : Noohra Foundation,
2000).
from the first paragraph. Here is a three-paragraph chiasm seen in the outline on page 12 and in
the text on page 29: They constitute Part 3 of Chapter II.27
a) (6.1 - 6.4) has the words in secret and thy Father
b) (6.5 - 6.15)
c) (6.16 - 6.18) repeats the words as thy Father and in secret
This inverted parallel now produces a chi for the chiasm:
in secret
thy Father
thy Father
in secret
The first five chiasms of the gospel are printed in the outline on page 11 and in the text
on pages 22 - 26. The paralleled words are printed in Bold type. In the outline they are shown
down the left hand margin of page 11. The first chiasm begins at 1.1 and ends at 1.17. Its
paralleled words are david and Abraham repeated as Abraham and david. The second chiasm
begins at 1.18 and ends at 2.12. The paralleled words in it are mother and Mary repeated as Mary
and mother. These five chiasms are arranged in symmetrical pairs either side of a central
chiasm.28
All fifteen paragraphs contained in those five chiasms are bound together another way in
one larger chiasm. The paralleled words of this larger chiasm are printed in Bold Italic type. In
the outline on page 11 they are printed down the right hand margin of the page. The first
paragraph contains two words that are repeated in reverse order in the last paragraph to produce
27
Bernard Sadler, The Structure of Matthew: The structure Saint Matthew gave his gospel. Frenchs Forest, NSW,
Australia, 2013, p. 7
28
Bernard Sadler, The Structure of Matthew: The structure Saint Matthew gave his gospel. Frenchs Forest, NSW,
Australia, 2013, p. 6
an inverted parallel. Matthew uses this device in a large chiasm to indicate the beginning and the
end of a chapter. In this chapter the first paragraph contains Jacob and brethren and the 15th
paragraph contains them repeated as brethren and James.29
2.5 Gospel structure of Book of Matthew
The whole gospel has seven chapters, all beginning and ending with an inverted parallel.
Every chapter is divided into five Parts each consisting of either a three-paragraph chiasm or a
five-paragraph chiasm. Matthew’s plan is quite regular. Odd-numbered chapters have all Parts
composed of three paragraphs. Even-numbered chapters II and VI have Parts 1, 3 and 5
composed of three paragraphs and Parts 2 and 4 composed of five paragraphs. In each chapter
we expect, and in fact find, different subject matter.
Chapter IV, standing alone at the centre and focal point of the gospel, has a unique
structure. All Parts except Part 3 have five paragraphs. Part 3 is like a sub-chapter or a chapter
within a chapter. As well as being part of the 29-paragraph chiasm that constitutes Chapter IV, as
can be seen from the parallels down the right hand margins on pages 14 and 15, it also begins
and ends with an inverted parallel like a separate chapter. It is divided into three chiasms, each
containing three paragraphs. This unique structure emphasises the importance of Chapter IV, and
particularly of Part 3.
Finally, the gospel as a whole is structured in the form of a large chiasm that arranges
chapters symmetrically. This means that the seventh chapter corresponds to the first, the sixth
chapter corresponds to the second, and the fifth chapter corresponds to the third. The manner in
which the chapters are linked by paralleled words is shown in the outline on page 19. The
29
Rocco A. Errico and George M. Lamsa, Aramaic Light on the Gospel of M atthew: a Commentary on the
Teachings of Jesus from the Aramaic and Unchanged Near Eastern Customs (Santa Fe, NM : Noohra
Foundation, 2000), p. 56
paralleled words are placed in the central paragraph of each chapter Part, that is, in paragraph (b)
of the three-paragraph chiasms and in paragraph (c) of the five-paragraph chiasms. They are
printed in the outlines and in the text in bold small capitals.30
The parallels we are dealing with are contained in text written in Greek and parallels that
are clear in the one language can become obscured or lost if translated inconsistently into another
language. Conversely, many new parallels that do not exist in the original language can appear
when a text is translated. To minimize confusion arising from this, one of the most literal of the
available English translations, the Douay-Rheims, has been used for the text. Even in the Douay
version several of the Greek parallels are obscured, so in the gospel text the Byzantine majority
Greek has been supplied for all parallels. Greek is also supplied in the chapter outlines where a
parallel is not clear. To simplify the text visually, Greek articles are omitted in most cases.31
Psalm references in the footnotes follow the Greek numbering system used in the Douay
Version and the Vulgate. Many modern vernacular versions follow the Hebrew numbering
system, so where the referenced psalm has a Hebrew number different to the Greek number, the
Hebrew number is given in parentheses.32
2.6 Major Theological Themes in the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew’s is the most clearly organized of the four canonical Gospels. Matthew adheres
fairly closely to the structural outline of his source, the Gospel of Mark, although he clearly
found Mark’s beginning and ending to be insufficient, since he added the infancy narrative and
post-resurrection scenes to his version of the story. Alternating between blocks of narrative and
30
France, R. T. The Gospel According to Matthew : An Introduction and Commentary. Eerdmans ed. The
Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press.1985
31
Hagner, Donald A. Matthew. 2 Vols. World Biblical Commentary 33A, B. Dallas. 1993
32
Gundry, Robert. Matthew: A Commentary on His Literary and Theological Art. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans. 1994.
blocks of discourse, Matthew’s Gospel is built around five major speeches of Jesus, each of
which concerns the Kingdom of Heaven:

5-7 Sermon on the Mount (The Ethics of the Kingdom)

10 Commissioning the Twelve (The Mission of the Kingdom)

13 Parables (The Nature of the Kingdom)

18 Community Instructions (The Governance of the Kingdom)

23-25 The Olivet Discourse (The Future of the Kingdom)33
It is a theologically mature piece, dealing with complex topics like eschatology (i.e., what
followers of Jesus might hope for), a mission to all nations, salvation history, ecclesiology (i.e.,
how followers of Jesus should behave in community), and how the commandments of Jesus
relate to the Mosaic Torah (was Jesus a lawmaker, or a lawbreaker?).
Matthew’s Jesus is a king, set against the “kings of the earth” (Matt. 17:25). The word
“Christ” means “Anointed One.” In the Old Testament, anointing signified a divine covenant
between God and the king of Israel (e.g., Saul, David, and Solomon; see especially the account
of Jehu’s anointing in 2 Kgs 9:1-13). In Matthew, Jesus is repeatedly called the “Son of David,”
a phrase that carries overtones of royalty (9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9, 15); and he is even
greater than David in Matt. 22:41-45. As a “Son of David” in the promised everlasting Davidic
dynasty (2 Sam. 7:11-16), Jesus brings about the kingdom of heaven – the blessing for which the
Jewish nation had been waiting a very long time.34
Matthew’s Jesus is a king; he is also a teacher – a rabbi – and his disciples are learners (in
Greek, the word is mathetos, “one who is trained/taught”). In Matthew, Jesus is a master
33
Donald Senior, Matthew (Abingdon New Testament Commentaries; Nashville: Abingdon, 1998), p. 45
34
Keener, Craig S. Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999
storyteller: he often tells parables as a teaching tool, especially to describe the kingdom of
heaven (notice how six of the eight parables in Matthew 13 begin with the phrase, “The kingdom
of heaven is like...”). Matthew also tends to provide allegorical interpretations to explain the
parables. For example, chapter 13 starts with Jesus telling the well-known parable of The Sower
and the Soils (13:1-9), then he describes the reason for parables (13:10-17), and finally, he
explains the Parable of the Sower allegorically (13:18-23).
Still, even as Matthew’s Jesus is a teacher, he is more than a teacher. For Matthew, Jesus
is the embodiment of Wisdom. Matthew 11:19 speaks of Wisdom being justified by her deeds
(cf. Luke 7:35, where she is justified by her children); the context of Matt. 11:1-19 suggests that
Jesus himself does Wisdom’s deeds. In Matthew 11:28-30, we find a version of a wisdom saying
found in Sirach, an apocryphal Old Testament writing. In Sirach, Wisdom calls people to come
close and dwell with her, where they will find rest (Sir 51:23-27). In Matthew, Jesus speaks these
words in Wisdom’s place.
Matthew polishes the portrait of the disciples, who are dull and uncomprehending in
Mark’s Gospel. Peter plays an especially prominent role in Matthew: this is the only place we
find the story of Peter trying to walk out to Jesus on the water (14:28-31), the only mention of
Peter’s question about how many times to forgive (18:21-22), and the only place we are told that
Peter is the “rock” upon which Jesus will build his church (Matt. 16:17-19). Peter’s depiction in
Matthew has led many to associate this Gospel with Christians who had a special regard for
leadership of Peter, who was later revered as a prominent leader of Christian communities both
in Antioch and Rome.
Matthew also (in)famously vilifies the leaders of the Jewish people, particularly the
Pharisees. It is important for us to remember that for Jews, Pharisees are positive. They sought
faithful adherence to God’s law, and offered sophisticated, learned interpretations of the Torah;
many consider them to be the spiritual fathers of modern Judaism. In Matthew, however, they are
Jesus’ opposition; he condemns their “hypocrisy” and includes a long list of “woes” and
unfavorable comparisons (Matt. 23:1-39). The prediction that there will be “weeping and
gnashing of teeth” at judgment time is repeatedly directed at the religious leaders. Especially
troubling is the “blood curse” of Matt 27:25, which, as we shall see, reflects Matthew’s attempt
to make sense of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. Some scholars have taken this harsh
polemic as evidence that Matthew’s community had been expelled from the synagogue. Though
the specific situation is difficult to know with absolute certainty, we can see clearly that there
was serious tension between Matthew’s community of Christ-followers and the Jewish leaders
with whom they interacted.