Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew

• Matthew is one of two Gospels written directly by one of the 12 disciples
• Gospel of Matthew was the church’s most popular Gospel in the decades up to the time of Irenaeus in AD 180.^[1]
• Matthew emphasizes Jesus' fulfillment of God's messianic promises, bridging the OT and the NT. Matthew portrays Jesus as the promised by rejected King of the Jews.

Author

• Like the other canonical gospels, Matthew is anonymous
• Title ascribed to the Gospel to Matthew is early if not original
  • Generally, titles are necessary to to distinugish one Gospel from the other Gospels (the other three canonical gospels and the non-canonical gospels)

External evidence

• Papias as quoted by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History from early fourth century
  • We have no original works from Papias
  • Papias received his information directly from those of Jesus' closest disciples including Matthew
  • Irenaeus (AD 130-200) claimed that Papias was a disciple of the apostle John.

Internal evidence

• Author was a Jewish Christian
• Naming the tax collector Matthew instead of Levi (Mark and Luke) seems to indicate Matthew's personal touch.
• Matthew uses the precise term nomisma ("state coin") in the disucssion of the imperial taxes in Matthew 22:15-22. Mark and Luke use the Grek term denarion.
  • This suggests the expertise of a former tax collector.

Date

• Internal Evidence suggests before AD 70
  • Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:2
    • If you deny Jesus' capability of predictive prophecy, you can doubt it was written before AD 70.
  • Matthew 17:24-27 containing instruction of the two-drachma temple tax, but this was collected by Rome after the fall of Jerusalem to support the pagan temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in Rome. I doubt Matthew would include this account after AD 70 since this may be interpreted as supporting pagan idolatry.
  • Special references to sacrifices and sacrificial theology seems to best fit a date of compoisition before the temple was destroyed and the sacrificial system had ended.
• External Evidence
  • Irenaeus claimed that Matthew wrote his gospel while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome in Against Heresis 3.1.1
  • Some hold to Matthew written between AD 35-50 and was the first canonical gospel written.
• Matthean Priority
  • A full discussion of the Synopic Problem is beyond the scope of this introduction.
  • I believe that Matthew was written without depending on Mark’s gospel.
  • I adopt this view because there is both internal evidence and external evidence since this view is supported by the early church fathers.
    • Irenaeus believed Matthew was written first. ^[2]
    • Clement wrote that Mark was written third before Matthew. ^[3]
    • Origen wrote that Matthew was written first. ^[4]
  • A lot of evangelicals including DA Carson hold to Markan priority based on internal evidence and explaining away the external evidence from Papias and church tradition regarding Matthean priority.

Location

• Cannot be sure where Matthew wrote the gospel. Most think either in Palestine or Syria, with Antioch of Syria being a popular suggestion.
• If we assume Matthew wrote his gospel in Antioch of Syria, the church in Syria was the original intended audience.
• No matter where the gospel was written, Matthew's gospel was widely circulated soon after its composition.
• It was early quoted by Ignatius in Antioch first, Polycarp in Smyrna, and Justin Martyr in Ephesus. 2 Clement was probably written in Alexandria, and it quotes from Matthew.

Purpose

• Matthew's focus was Jesus' identity
  • Jesus is the Messiah, the long-awaited King of God's people
  • Jesus is the new Abraham, the founder of a new spiritual Israel consisting of all people (Jews and Gentiles)
  • Jesus is the new Moses, the deliver and instructor of God's people
  • Jesus is Immanuel, the virgin-born Son of God who fulfilled the promises of Isaiah and the OT.
• Matthew is a theological biography
  • historical account of Jesus' life and his teachings that explains his spiritual significance.
• Two main truths
  • Jesus is the fulfillment of OT messianic prophecy
  • God's Great Commission includes the Gentiles since followers are commanded to make disciples of "all nations."

Literary Structure

• Matthew's gospel centers on the five major discourses of Jesus
  • chapters 5-7 (Sermon on the mount)
  • chapter 10 (Instruction to the twelve disciples)
  • chapter 13 (parables of the kingdom)
  • chapter 18 (more parables of the kingdom)
  • chapters 24-25 (Olivet discourse)
• Each of these discourses is set off from the adjacent narrative portions with the phrase "when Jesus had finished saying these things."
• Follows a general chronological order
  • Genealogy, birth, baptism, Ministry in Galilee, journey to Jerusalem, trial, crucifixion, resurrection