The Gospel of Matthew

Authorship, Date and Place

Traditionally, the Gospel was written by Matthew Levi the tax collector who was called by Jesus to become one of the Twelve (9:9-13; 10:3). There are very few details about him in the New Testament and he appears finally in Acts 1:13. He does not sign his Gospel, so we might ask why Matthew is attributed as the author.

(a) Matthew’s authorship is a tradition that goes back to the second century. Papias, a member of the early church, wrote (c.135AD) “Matthew recorded the oracles in the Hebrew tongue, and each interpreted them to the best of his ability.” Irenaeus (c.150AD) wrote: “Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome and the laying the foundations of the church.” Perhaps an early copy of the Gospel was originally written in Hebrew and later translated into Greek.

(b) The methodical arrangement of the Gospel suggests a book-keeper. As a tax collector he must have been literate and accustomed to taking notes as part of his business activity. The use of nomisma – the current state coin – (22:19) may reflect a tax collector’s experience.

The Gospel was probably written some time between 50 and 70AD (it is already being quoted in 85-90AD), perhaps in Jerusalem or at Antioch. The northern territory of Caesarea Philippi was renamed by King Herod to “Banias” in 62 AD, which points to each of the Synoptics being written before that time. According to tradition, Matthew died preaching in Ethiopia.


Special Features of Matthew

The content and organisation of this Gospel have led many to suggest that it was prepared for Christian teachers in the early church. The biography of Jesus is in two parts. The first indicates the rise of Jesus’ preaching ministry, which brings Him into public prominence; the second marks the beginning of the decline of His popularity and points towards the culmination of His life at the cross. Both of these two parts begin with the phrase “From that time” (4:17; 16:21).

The Gospel is strongly Jewish in character. For example, the “kingdom of heaven” is used instead of “kingdom of God” to avoid the use of the divine Name (compare Matthew 4:17 with Mark 1:15); the mission of the church is firstly to the Jews (10:5-6); as is Jesus’ own ministry (15:26); and the genealogy of Christ (alluding to the book of Genesis) goes back to Abraham (1:1-2). The Jewish themes may be for a Jewish audience, or perhaps for Gentile Christians; to help them understand the Old Testament roots of their new faith.

Matthew has a special interest in the number five, in keeping with the Pentateuch, the five books of the Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy). The book is divided into five main blocks of text with the phrase “When Jesus had finished…” concluding each section. See 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1 and 26:1. There are also five major discourses in the Gospel: the Sermon on the Mount (Chs. 5-7); the Charge to the Twelve (10); the Kingdom Parables (13); the Sayings on Greatness and Forgiveness (18); and the Discourse on the End of the Age (24). In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew may well be picturing Jesus as the new Moses, bringing the New Covenant to the people of God.
The author also has an emphasis on fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, containing at least sixty references to the Old Testament (mainly from Isaiah and the Psalms). Matthew’s concern, said Vincent Taylor, was to show that “Christianity is not an accident but a consummation.” Twelve verses of his Gospel are introduced by an expression similar to “All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said.…” See 1:22; 2:5,15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 27:9. The life and teaching of Jesus are presented as the fulfilment of the promises of God to Israel.

However, the Jewish theme is not exclusive. Jesus marvels at the faith of two Gentiles in the book and meets their needs: the Centurion (8:10) and the Canaanite woman (15:28). After the resurrection, the mission to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (10:6) becomes the Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations” (28:19).

Matthew also has an interest in the church. The word church or ekklesia only occurs in Matthew’s Gospel where it appears twice (16:18 and 18:17). The case of the wayward and erring member is dealt with (18:10-20). Theologically, Matthew may view the church as the new Israel. Of course, while the word ekklesia only occurs in this Gospel, it can been argued that the concept of the church exists in Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom in all four Gospels.


Exclusive Details of Matthew

Joseph’s vision (1:20-24); the visit of the Magi (2:1-12); the flight into Egypt (2:13-15); the massacre of the infants (2:16); the coin in the fish’s mouth (17:24-27); the death of Judas (27:3-10); the dream of Pilate’s wife (27:19); the resurrection of holy people as Jesus dies (27:52-53); the bribery of the guard (28:11-15); and the command to baptise and make disciples (28:19-20).


Jesus Christ in Matthew

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is Messiah, the King of the Jews. In the very first verse, He is the Son of Abraham and the Son of David (1:1). The question “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?” (2:2) sets the tone for the whole book. The true King Jesus is contrasted with the false King Herod; note the royal entry into Jerusalem (21:5-7) where Zechariah 9:9 is quoted. He is addressed as “Son of David” nine times (e.g. 9:27). Note also the accusation on the cross (27:37); plus the references to Jerusalem as “the holy city” and the “city of the great king” (5:35). The Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned thirty-seven times. Like the priests and Kings in the Old Testament, Jesus is anointed for service in the Jordan by the Holy Spirit, who is the source of His power (12:28). The miracles of Jesus show that He is Messiah and it is a feature in Matthew for the sick to come before Him for help, as though coming before a King. However, although Messiah, King and Son of David are all titles for the expected human saviour, Matthew’s Jesus also promises to be an omnipresent Lord (18:20; 28:20). He is worshipped when He walks on the water (14:33); after His resurrection from the dead (28:9, 17) and sends His disciples out as His ambassadors into the entire world. He has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (28:18). Jesus is the Great Commission in 11:28-30.