Lesson # 1

September 9, 2005
INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW
Matthew is a synoptic Gospel from the Greek term synopsis meaning seeing together.

AUTHOR, DATE AND PLACE OF WRITING

-The persecution affected the Church and many Christians fled Jerusalem (Acts)

-Levi, as a tax collector, had proper training to write this gospel

-The influence of Mark’s gospel on the book of Matthew

-The Gospel According to Matthew was written in the second part of the first century.

-There is a strong Hebraic influence on the book

PURPOSE
-The Gospel according to Matthew links the Old Testament and Jesus’ life

-Matthew was inspired to provide a manual for the Jews

-God had a plan for humanity and he accomplished it through Israel

-Jesus is the accomplishment of all the prophecies of the Old Testament

-The Gospel requires discipleship (total allegiance and obedience).

-Jesus is the Messiah expected by the Jews

-Matthew presents many titles for Jesus

Goal: This is a lesson that introduces us to the book of Matthew. The author presents the life of Jesus
through his teachings, miracles, and life events. We will come to know Jesus on a deeper level by
accepting Him as the savior of world promised from Eden.

Lesson # 1
1
September 9, 2005
INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW
1Matthew is the first of the synoptic Gospels. The term synoptic is from the Greek and it means to see
together. The reason for this designation is because the same events are presented in Matthew, Mark and
Luke in a similar pattern. Although there are nuances in the presentations, they basically agree on the turn
of events.

AUTHOR, DATE AND PLACE OF WRITING

The gospel according to Matthew is believed to have been written during the second part of the first
century. Many elements affect the date selected. Some of them are ridiculous while others make sense.
The events reported in the book as the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple cannot be taken as proof
of a very late date of writing simply because the prophecies made by Jesus predicting such events are not
considered to be original material but rather redaction work or the product of a much later publication.
Nevertheless, the date must coincide with the authorship and the location where the book must have
originated. Considering the persecution experienced by the first Christian church, it is safe to speculate
that the writer of this gospel was no longer in Jerusalem. Although there are many objections are raised
for a possible authorship by Matthew, the tax collector called by Jesus to be a disciple, but it is most
probable.

The profession of Levi would qualify him to write this magnificent literary masterpiece. It reveals the
most precious saying of Jesus with total accuracy in regards to the other gospel. The Roman tax collector
had the duty of both collecting the taxes of the government and keeping accurate records of the
collections. Due to the state of corruption in Roman society, the law was very rigid with people dealing
with public funds. Therefore, it was an essential requirement for the tax collector to be a good record
keeper paying attention to details.

Despite the possibility that Matthew, called also Levi (Mk 2v14; Lk 5v27), might have already possess a
copy of the gospel of Mark, he went further in putting all the sayings of Jesus to be found. There is
minimal information presented by Jesus that is omitted by Matthew.

I would not dismiss the general understanding that Mark wrote his gospel before the other three, based on
the fact that Peter is believed to have had a great influence on the writer. The general consensus is that
Peter, who actually retold the events to Mark, died in Rome under the reign of Nero around the mid
sixties. For this reason, we would assume Matthew’s writing to come a bit later after that. There are
some contentions on this point because Matthew is considered by many as an eyewitness to most of the
events that took place in the life of Jesus, while Mark would not qualify as one. But the fact that Peter is
considered as the source of Mark would support such a position. Matthew could have had the necessary
information yet use Mark’s manuscript as an outline to present his understanding and view of what took
place.

The Q source (from the German Quelle) can be seen as another document used by Matthew in addition to
Mark’s manuscript, but at the same time can be also His personal notes. Although Matthew would qualify
as an eyewitness, there are certain events that took place in his absence since he was not a member of the
inner circle (John, James and Peter).
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Matthew is believed to have written his gospel while outside of Jerusalem. Taking the persecution that
befell on the church after the many miracles performed by the disciples and the fear of the Jews. There
was a wide spread dispersion in all the surrounding regions. Many options are presented for a possible
location. They vary from broad geographical areas to specific cities. The mention of Palestine is usually
mentioned as the location of Matthew’s community, yet it is believed that he could have been somewhere
in the Diaspora. We ought to take into consideration the fact that most of the disciples spread through the
Roman Empire under the persecution perpetrated by the Jews against the church. Besides the broad
identification of Palestine and the Diaspora in general, some cities were mentioned as possible sites of the
Matthean community such as: Caesarea Maritimis, the Transjordan, Phoenicia, Alexandria, Edesa, Syria,
and even Antioch where there was a large Jewish community. It became safer for a Christian to be in any
other city outside of Jerusalem. Paul’s conversion can attest to that, since the church used this persecution
as a means to grow and spread throughout the kingdom. Other means were sought to stop this new faith.
Matthew had a responsibility to present a continuation of Jesus’ teaching and the Torah. Where there
would be differences, they were explained as the true application of Jesus’ intention. The language used
in the book tends to suggest a certain link between the communities of the author and the theology
adopted. Although the date is very difficult to determine but the close relationship between the book and
the Jewish religion has led the church fathers to place it at the beginning of the New Testament around
when the books were brought into a single volume around the second century of our era.

Matthew is believed to have written his original manuscript in Hebrew and it was later translated in
Greek. This has found some support from the work of Papias, a church father, who lived around the first
half of the second century. According to his work, he wrote in the language of the Hebrews. This has
been explained to mean Hebraic language, while others attempt to see a text in Koine Greek that is tainted
of Aramaic and Hebraic construction, adage and style. David E. Garland disagrees with this assertion.
He states: “Whether he was the Matthew who left his tax office to follow Jesus as a disciple (9:9; 10:3) is
questionable. What can be said with more confidence about the one who penned this Gospel is that he
belonged to a Hellenized Jewish culture, was able to write good Greek, and was well versed in the
Scriptures.”

PURPOSE
The book of Matthew provides a wealth of information from the Old Testament and serves as a great
connection between the two parts of the Bible. There is a connection presented in the genealogy found in
Matthew that goes beyond the Davidic connection all the way to Abraham, considered the father of the
Jewish people through a promise from Yahweh. We cannot dismiss the importance of the O. T in the
history and understanding of Christianity. Therefore, the purpose of this book can be seen as making a
connection between Judaism and the faith of the new converts. Furthermore, it is believed that Matthew
was driven by the Holy Spirit to write down the events that took place during Jesus’ earthly life to reach
out and educate Jews who would believe in Jesus after his death. The central message of Matthew is
pointing toward Jesus as the Messiah who fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament and the
promises made by Yahweh to Israel. William Barclay believes that the first Gospel found in the order of
the New Testament was written by a Jew for the Jews.

One should not deny the Jewishness of the writing found in this book. It makes the Christian Church a
Jewish experience that God has sent to the rest of the World. There is a stern presentation of the rejection
of Israel. A point of contention for many scholars who feel that the message was geared totally to the
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Jews, while others believe that it was a presentation of how God had rejected Israel totally. There are
many instances where a foreign (pagan) influence is presented in the Book. The presentation of the Magi,
the four women inserted in the genealogy of Jesus and the great commission can serve as examples. Yet,
it is clear that God opened a door so His Sovereign plan of salvation and redemption could come to
fruition, with His people set aside for a while to be restored in the future (Matth. 23v39; 24v30; 27v25).
Garland states: “One should not conclude too quickly, however, that Matthew was written primarily for
Jews. The Gospel contains significant material that smacks of an anti-Jewish bias (see 21v43; 23v32-33,
35; 27v25), and it also reflects an interest in the inclusion of gentiles into the church (8:11-12; 12:21).
Jesus’ final command ordains that disciples come from all the nations (28v19).”

One of the greatest purposes of the book of Matthew is that it was a great (teaching) catechism tool. The
new church needed material to communicate the truth about Jesus and the presentation and language
made it possible through this book. The connection made and the way everything is presented in this text
made it possible to instruct the Jews who became converted about what Jesus really meant to their soul.
For this reason, we find strong emphasis put on the discipleship issue. Total allegiance and obedience is
required of the believer (Matth. 7v21; 12v46-50). With the presentation of Jesus’ miracles there seems to
be an omnipresent saving faith where a total restoration is announced (Matth. 9v22, 28; 15v28).

The Gospel according to Matthew gives us a vivid presentation of Jesus through the different titles and
roles attributed to Him. Despite all the great titles attributed Jesus, it is clear that Matthew wanted his
readers to remember Him as the Suffering Servant who accepted to abdicate his throne, come on earth and
die for the sins of humanity before reigning victoriously in an eternal kingdom that would include His
church (redeemed).

Jesus is presented under many titles in the book of Matthew. Among them, he is presented as a great
teacher who did not only possess great oratory skills but communicated strong ethical instructions that
even illuminated the Torah. The titles presented in this book have to do with the objective and purpose of
this writing. He is presented as the Son of David. This is a connection with the royal kingship of Israel
which gives legitimacy to the reign of the coming Messiah.

There is great tension in the Gospel according to Matthew between the terms Son of God and Son of man.
It is believed by most scholars based on the text of other evangelists that the term son of man usually
attributes a position of higher honor to Jesus among all other men, but in the book of Matthew it is clear
that it mostly refers to the humanity of the savior much more than a title of exaltation. The term Son of
God makes an identification of the essence and nature instead of a relationship of progenitor. The title
son of God is a powerful designation in Matthew to reveal the messianic identity of Jesus.

Jesus is recognized and identified as the Kurios (Lord) which is equivalent to the Adonai (Lord) in
Hebrew used in place of pronouncing the word Yahweh. Although Matthew does not go to the length of
John in presenting Jesus’ deity, but with the use of Kurios would be the strongest affirmation of deity in
the Jewish setting. “Immanuel, God with us” attest to the fact that Matthew himself recognized the deity
of Jesus because he presented Him as the forgiver of sin (Matth. 9v2), the one to be worshiped (Matth.
14v33), etc.