CHAPTER ONE
The Gospel of Matthew
Introduction
Authorship and Date
While contemporary scholars often deny that Matthew wrote the First Gospel, a great deal of evidence exists for attributing the authorship of the First Gospel to him. One line of argumentation is the title itself. The extant manuscripts of all four Gospels include the titles. For example, the title of the First Gospel reads, âAccording to Matthewâ (kata Maththaion), and the title of the Second Gospel reads, âAccording to Markâ (kata Markon). Lukeâs and Johnâs Gospels follow suit. Many commentators supposed that the early church tagged the four Gospels after their publication to differentiate them from one another. But recently, a handful of scholars have argued that these titles are original. If the titles were present upon publication, then they go a long way in determining authorship. Matthew, also known as Levi (Mark 2:14 // Luke 5:27â28), was a Jewish tax collector and one of the Twelve (Matt. 9:9; 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). This explains why within the First Gospel an emphasis on taxation is discernable (see 9:9; 10:3; 17:24â27). The early church, too, assumes that Matthew wrote this Gospel (e.g., Irenaeus, Haer. 1.26.2, 3.1.1; Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 1.7.10, 3.24.5, 3.39.16).
The dating of the First Gospel turns on its relationship to Markâs and Lukeâs Gospels and on the predictive nature of the Olivet Discourse (24:1â25:46). Since it appears that Matthew depends on Mark, a Gospel likely published in the early to mid-60s, and many of the events outlined in the Olivet Discourse were initially fulfilled in AD 70, Matthewâs Gospel was likely published in the mid to late 60s.
Purpose
Matthew, possibly writing from Antioch of Syria, writes to a largely Jewish audience and to some gentile Christians. Jesus of Nazareth, the First Gospel argues, is the centerpiece of the history of redemption. All of Israelâs institutions, events, and individuals as chronicled throughout the Old Testament anticipate Jesus as the long-awaited Davidic King and true Israel. Jesus is also âImmanuelââGod has drawn near to humanity (Matt. 1:23). Mark highlights the preparation and mysterious arrival of the kingdom, Luke underscores its scope, and Matthew puts his finger on the growth of the kingdom.
Outline
Matthew, Mark, and Luke generally trace Jesusâs ministry along geographic lines, moving from Jesusâs baptism in Judea to his public ministry in Galilee and then to Jerusalem. Matthew, though, intersperses five blocks of teaching that outline a particular dimension of the eternal kingdom (5:1â7:29; 10:1â11:1; 13:1â53; 18:1â19:1; 23:1â26:1). Jesusâs teaching also explains and reinforces his actions.
Prologue (1:1â3:17)
The Genealogy (1:1â17)
The Birth of Jesus (1:18â25)
Flight to Egypt (2:1â18)
Home in Nazareth (2:19â23)
John the Baptist (3:1â17)
Baptism of a Remnant of Israelites (3:1â12)
Baptism of Jesus as True Israel (3:13â17)
Stage 1: Jesus in Galilee (4:1â18:35)
The Wilderness Temptation and the Beginning of Jesusâs Public Ministry (4:1â25)
Success in the Judean Wilderness (4:1â11)
Announcing the Kingdom in Galilee (4:12â17)
Calling the First Disciples and Healing the Sick (4:18â25)
The Sermon on the Mount (5:1â7:29)
The Nine Blessings or âBeatitudesâ (5:1â12)
Jesus and the Law (5:13â48)
Participation in the New Temple (6:1â18)
Social Implications of Living in the Overlap of the Ages (6:19â7:12)
Three Warnings (7:13â29)
Faith That Heals and Perseveres (8:1â34)
Cleansing the Leper, the Centurion, and a Multitude (8:1â17)
Following the Lord of Creation (8:18â34)
Following King Jesus as the Life-Giving Son of God (9:1â34)
The Healing of the Paralytic and the Calling of Matthew (9:1â13)
New Wineskins and the In-Breaking of the New Age (9:14â26)
An Unexpected Messiah and the Hardening of the Jewish Leaders (9:27â34)
Appointing the Twelve Disciples (9:35â10:42)
The Need for a Faithful Shepherd (9:35â38)
The Twelve Disciples as Faithful Shepherds (10:1â42)
Galileeâs Rejection of John and Jesus (11:1â30)
John the Baptist (11:1â19)
Judgment upon Unbelieving Cities (11:20â24)
The Hidden Wisdom of God (11:25â30)
Growing Conflict with the Jewish Leaders (12:1â50)
Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath (12:1â14)
Jesus as Isaiahâs Suffering Servant (12:15â21)
Continued Blindness (12:22â50)
Parables of the Kingdom (13:1â52)
The Parable of the Sower and the Mysteries of the Kingdom (13:1â50)
Comprehension of the Mysteries of the Kingdom (13:51â52)
Rejection and Revelation (13:53â14:36)
Rejection at Home (13:53â58)
Herodâs Rejection of John the Baptist (14:1â12)
The Feeding of the Five Thousand (14:13â21)
Walking on the Water (14:22â36)
The End-Time Restoration of the Gentiles (15:1â39)
Eating with Unwashed Hands (15:1â20)
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman (15:21â28)
The Feeding of the Four Thousand (15:29â39)
The Heresy of the Jewish Leaders and the Truthful Confession of Peter (16:1â28)
Jewish Leaders Test Jesus (16:1â4)
The False Teaching of the Jewish Leaders (16:5â12)
Peterâs Confession and Jesusâs Prediction of Death (16:13â28)
Jesus as the Enthroned Son of Man and Faithful Israel (17:1â27)
The Transfiguration (17:1â20)
The Suffering Son of Man and the Temple Tax (17:22â27)
Relating to One Another within the Kingdom (18:1â35)
A Kingdom Outlook (18:1â5)
Persevering in the Kingdom (18:6â9)
Promoting the Worth of Kingdom Citizens and Preserving the End-Time Temple (18:10â35)
Stage 2: The Journey to Jerusalem (19:1â20:34)
On the Road to Jerusalem (19:1â30)
Disputation with the Jewish Leaders on Divorce (19:1â12)
Entry into the Kingdom (19:13â30)
A Suffering Son of David (20:1â34)
Parable of the Vineyard Workers (20:1â16)
Third Passion Prediction and a Request for Honor (20:17â28)
Healing Two Blind Men (20:29â34)
Stage 3: Jesus in Jerusalem (21:1â28:20)
The Arrival of Israelâs King and Its Implications (21:1â22:46)
Triumphal Entry (21:1â11)
Judging Israelâs Temple and the Cursing of the Fig Tree (21:12â22)
Parables of the Two Sons and the Wicked Tenants (21:23â46)
Parable of the Banquet (22:1â14)
War of Words (22:15â46)
Judgment upon Israelâs Religious Authorities (23:1â39)
Hypocrisy (23:1â12)
The Seven Woes (23:13â39)
Destruction of Israelâs Temple and the Return of the Son of Man (24:1â25:46)
Jesus as the Crushing Stone (24:1â3)
Judgment upon Israelâs Temple (24:4â35)
The Second Coming (24:36â25:46)
The Son of Manâs Betrayal and Trial before the Sanhedrin (26:1â75)
Jesus as the Anointed King (26:1â16)
Jesusâs Faithfulness as the Passover Lamb (26:17â46)
Jesusâs Arrest and Trial and Peterâs Denial (26:47â75)
The Son of Manâs Death (27:1â66)
The âHanding Overâ of Jesus and the Death of Judas (27:1â10)
Jesusâs Trial and Sentencing before Pilate (27:11â26)
Jesusâs Crucifixion and Burial (27:27â66)
The Exalted Son of Man and the Great Commission (28:1â20)
The Empty Tomb (28:1â10)
The Great Deception (28:11â15)
The Great Commission (28:16â20)
Prologue (1:1â3:17)
The Genealogy (1:1â17)
Two of the four Gospels include a genealogy. Luke squeezes his between Johnâs imprisonment and the wilderness temptation (Luke 3:21â37), but the First Gospel is the only one that leads with it (1:1â17). Matthew not only opens his Gospel with a genealogy; he introduces the genealogy (and the prologue) with a critical phrase: âthe genealogy [biblos geneseoÌs] of Jesus Christ.â The wording alludes to two salient texts from the Genesis narrative: âthis is the account [hÄ biblos geneseoÌs] of the heavens and the earthâ (2:4) and âthis is the written account [hÄ biblos geneseoÌs] of Adamâs family lineâ (5:1). The connection is intentional, setting the whole of Jesusâs ministry on a redemptive-historical trajectory. Jesus, the last Adam, has come to reverse the effects of the first Adamâs transgression and establish the new ageâthe age of righteousness and obedience. The first creation was marked with a genealogy, and now the new creation will follow suit. By opening the genealogy with an allusion to Genesis 2:4 and 5:1, Matthew indicates that all of the First Gospel, at some level, should be read as an account of Jesus bringing life to a fallen world.
Matthew explicitly describes Jesus as âthe Messiah the son of David, the son of Abrahamâ (1:1). By ordering Davidâs name before Abrahamâs even though Abraham came first, the evangelist draws attention to Jesusâs royal pedigree. Above all, the genealogy impresses upon Matthewâs readers that Jesus is the long-awaited Son of David. Heâs cut from the same royal cloth. The structure of the genealogy, too, reflects an emphasis on Jesusâs messiahship. Matthewâs arrangement contains three chronological sections: premonarchical period (1:2â6a), monarchical period until the exile (1:6bâ11), and the deportation until the long-awaited Messiah (1:12â16).
In addition to the genealogyâs Davidic focus, one can discern Godâs sovereign hand in the unfolding of Israelâs history. As we read about the people of God in the OT, we may wonder why biblical authors included so many odd stories with seemingly incidental details. But if we take a step back, as Matthew does, and look at the history of redemption from Godâs perspective, we discover that there are no random events. God plans all of it, from beginning to end, so that a redeemer would arrive and bring his glory to the ends of the earth.
Why does Matthew include the patriarch Abraham in a genealogy so focused on David? Matthew does so for at least three cardinal reasons: God assured Abraham that he would be the father of a âgreat nation,â the nation would occupy the promised land (Gen. 12:1â9; 15:4â20, etc.), and Israel would bless the nations (Gen. 12:3). Jesus is not simply a descendant of Abrahamâhe is the descendant, and as such he fulfills Godâs promises to Israelâs patriarchs. Jesus is true Israel who, on account of his obedience, inherits the true land of promise (i.e., the new creation) and âblessesâ the gentiles. All three dimensions of the Abrahamic covenantâinnumerable descendants, des...