- Resources
- New Testament
Book of Matthew
Pronunciation:
Authorship and Origin:
It is commonly accepted that Matthew, a Galilean Jew also called Levi, is the author of
this gospel. He worked as a tax-gatherer (sometimes called 'publican') for the Romans,
and was therefore hated by most fellow Jews. But Jesus called him to be a disciple, and the
book is written from the perspective of a disciple.
Matthew's purpose in writing the book was to show how Jesus fulfills the Davidic covenant
of kingship and the Abraham convenant of promise as seen in Genesis 15:18. Christ is the
King sprung from David as the prophets had predicted.
Matthew wrote in early Hebrew called Aramaic, but the earliest surviving copies of this book
are in Greek. This book was written between 40 and 80 A.D., although the exact date is in dispute.
Overview and Significant sections
The book records Jesus' genealogy, birth in Bethlehem, ministry, and predictions of His
second coming in power and glory. Three main themes from the book are:
- The manifestation of the Christ to Israel and the subsequent rejecting by the Jews.
- The sacrifice and resurrection.
- The risen Lord in ministry.
Jesus' role as a teacher is emphasized in this gospel. There are five great discources in this gospel
which form the framework of His teachings. They are:
In between, are narratives about where He went and what He did.
Alternatively, the book can be broken down into these sections:
- Chapters 1-2: The coming of Jesus as God's Messiah.
- Chapters 3-25: The ministry of the Messiah.
- Chapters 26-28: The humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah.
For more detailed study:
Read Chapter 1. (the entire book is available here.)
The Concise Matthew Henry Commentary on this book.
bible.org study of this book.
the World Wide Study Bible has Dictionary, Commentary, Scripture and sermons available
on this book.
