Bible Study - St Matthew
An Introduction to the Gospels.
St. Matthew's Gospel
1. What’s special about Matthew’s Gospel? Matthew’s was the favourite book of early Christianity, always first in order, the most-quoted by the Church Fathers. While it does describe Jesus’ activity, it particularly focuses upon his teaching. Matthew’s emphasis is upon the living Christ accompanying his church as its Teacher.
2. Who wrote it? The Gospel itself, like all the other Gospels, is anonymous. The name of Matthew as an apostle may well have been attached to it, adding greater weight and authenticity.
Whoever the author was, we can surmise him to have been of Jewish background, but speaking Greek and growing up in a Greek city. His standard Bible was the Scriptures in Greek (the Septuagint) as opposed to Hebrew. He was likely to be some kind of teacher for his community.
It is thought to have been written in or around Antioch. It is likely that the writer belonged to a Jewish Christian community, which was open to Gentile Christianity.
3. Who was it written for? Members of Matthew’s own community to instruct them in their own faith. The community no longer saw itself as a renewal movement within Judaism, but it was engaged in a mission to the Gentiles, to the “nations”, of which Israel is one.
4. When? It is thought to be written around the year 90, (between 80 and 100) and is probably written about 20 years after Mark’s Gospel.
5. Why? Whereas Mark’s Gospel seems to have been written in and for a Gentile Christian community, it would seem that Matthew’s was written in and for a primarily Jewish Christian community. Unlike Mark, he does not need to explain Jewish practices and customs. It would seem that his community is still subject to the disciplinary measures of the synagogue authorities. Although it is the most Jewish of the Gospels, it is not a Gospel which is uncritical of Judaism, and there are times when there is a clear distance and even alienation from Jewish ways and where these may be described as “their scribes”, “their synagogues” and to “the Jews”, as though they were another group. Matthew’s community was apparently a movement still related to Judaism, but which saw itself as the authentic people of God, experiencing itself as a persecuted minority at the hands of the dominant leadership of the Pharisees. Matthew belongs to the Christian community, distinct from the non-Christian world, both Jewish and Gentile. Matthew does not seek to represent a new religion called Christianity over against another religion called Judaism. He does not regard the church as “the new Israel” that replaces “the old Israel”. Matthew regards the Christian community of Jews and Gentiles as the continuation of the people of God which will come to fulfilment when the 12 tribes of Israel are regathered. It is the only Gospel to use the word “church” to describe the community of believers and is very concerned with the development and life of such a community. Interestingly, it has no reference to any kind of ministerial structure or rank in the church. Peter has considerable significance in Matthew’s Gospel and is seen as key representative of the apostles.
6. How? The Gospel is carefully structured to facilitate memory. The genealogy with which it begins acts as a bridge connecting the Gospel with the story of salvation in the Hebrew Bible. There are frequent quotations from that Hebrew Bible to establish such a link and to present Jesus as the one who fulfils those Scriptures. Matthew uses Mark’s Gospel as a major source, as well as material not contained in Mark. Matthew stands in a long biblical and Jewish tradition in which creative retelling of stories and teaching (called Midrash) was the accepted means of interpretation. The writer was steeped in his community’s sacred texts and traditions and treats them all with great seriousness and respect without being slavishly bound to any of them.
There are 5 major blocks of teaching (all of which are very significant). 5 is in itself significant-the Pentateuch –the 5 books of Moses, the books of the Law were the foundation of Jewish teaching.
Block 1 is the Sermon the Mount chapters 5 to 7
Block 2 is what is called he Missionary Discourse, Jesus sending his disciples out in mission as his representatives and with his authority. This is found in chapter 10.
Block 3 is the collection of parables in chapter 13 portraying the hiddeness of the Kingdom of Heaven in the present, in conflict with the evil kingdom of this age, but ultimately triumphing over it.
Block 4 is in chapter 18 and is concerned with the internal needs of the church, with its needs both of rigorous discipline and of profound forgiveness if its members are to live together as Christ’s disciples.
Block 5 is chapters 23 to 25 and is called the Judgement discourse. The quality of life called for is set in a specific context of the ultimate universal judgment and triumph of God’s Kingdom.
The narrative of Jesus’ life is broader than in Mark’s Gospel, from birth to death and resurrection.
This is one way of understanding the structure of Matthew’s Gospel: -
The 5 blocks of teaching are fitted into the chronology of Jesus’ life and the teachings tend to parallel the narrative like this:-
The 5 blocks of teaching are fitted into the chronology of Jesus’ life and the teachings tend to parallel the narrative like this:-
Chapters 1-4 Birth and beginnings
Teaching Block 1 Blessings, entering the Kingdom -The Sermon on the Mount chapters 5-7
Chapters 8-9 Jesus’ authority and invitation
Teaching Block 2 Mission discourse chapter 10
Chapters 11-12 Jesus rejected by this generation
Teaching Block 3 in chapter 13 parables of the Kingdom
Jesus acknowledged by the disciples Chapters 14-17
Teaching Block 4 Internal needs of the church in chapter 18
Chapters 19-22 again concerned with Jesus’ authority and invitation
Teaching Block 5 the Judgment Discourse
Chapters 26-28 Death and resurrection (paralleling the first section of birth and beginnings and could be described as death and rebirth).
- What’s it about?
Each of the Gospels was addressed to the church to help the Christian community understand, clarify and share its faith in Jesus as the Christ.
Matthew was himself an interpreter, standing in the living streams of tradition, interpreting the meaning of the Old Testament into the new situation by reflecting on the whole life of Jesus.
Acknowledgements- M. Eugene Boring (!)