Matthew offers the most systematic arrangement of Jesus' teaching in the New Testament, and the early church used it heavily for its instruction of converts. Because of its emphasis on the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, Matthew is well suited as the opening book of the New Testament. In it the promises of GOD are recalled and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ is announced.
Author: Anonymous; It has traditionally been attributed to Matthew
Date: Between 50 and 65 A.D.
Author: Although this gospel doesn't identify its author, early church tradition attributes it to Matthew, apostle and ex-tax collector. Other than his name and occupation, very little is known about him. Tradition says that he preached the gospel in Palestine for fifteen years after the resurrection of Jesus, and that he led missionary campains in other nations.
Date: The external evidence, such as that cited in Christian literature of the first century, gives testimony of the early existence and use of the Gospel according to Matthew. The ecclesiastical leaders of the 2nd and 3rd centuries were generally in agreement that Matthew was the first gospel to be written, and various references in their works indicate that it was written between 50 and 65 A.D. However, many modern experts believe that Matthew and Luke leaned decisively on Mark to write their Gospels, and accordingly judge Matthew to be of a later date. The continuous tensions between Jews and Gentiles that are reflected in this Gospel suggest a period when Judaism and Christianity still had things in common.
Writing about A.D. 130, Papias, bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) records, "Matthew collected the oracles in the Hebrew (that is, Aramaic) language, and each interpreted them as best he could." Until Comparative studies of the Gospels in modern times, the church understood "oracles" to refer to the first Gospel and considered Matthew to be the author.
This conclusion, however, is full of problems. Our Gospel of Matthew is written in Greek, not Aramaic (as Papias records); and no copy of an Aramaic original of the gospel has ever been found. The Greek of the gospel cannot readily by translated back into Aramaic; and this strongly indicates that the gospel is not a Greek translation of an Aramaic original. Moreover, it is now generally agreed that Mark is the earliest of the four gospels and that the author of Matthew substantially used the Gospel of Mark in writing this gospel.
If the apostle Matthew wrote the gospel, one would wonder why he quoted so extensively from Mark (601 of Mark's 678 verses appear in Matthew), who was not a disciple of Jesus. Such observations virtually eliminate the possibility of the apostle Matthew being the author of the gospel.
The most promising way out of this dead-end street is to understand the "oracles" mentioned by Papias, not as the Gospel of Matthew, but as a collection of Jesus' sayings collected by the apostle Matthew. Later these sayings were used by an unknown author as a source for the present Gospel. The actual author probably was a Palentinian Jew who used the Gospel of Mark, plus a Greek translation of Matthew's Aramaic "oracles", and composed the gospel in Greek. The name of the gospel, therefore, stems from the apostle Matthew on whom the author draws, in part, to compose his work. This interpretation has the benefit of paying Papias' testimony the respect it deserves, as well as honoring the problems mentioned above.
Purpose: Matthew's intent is to show Jesus, not only as Messiah, but as the Son of David, and elaborates this truth in a manner that could help Christians in their controversies with the Jews. It demonstrates that the Old Testiment prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus, and that the Law acquires new significance and is complimented in the person, words and work of Christ. Matthew also points out that Israel's rejection of Christ is according to prophecy and that such rejection made way for the transference of the divine privileges of the chosen people from the Jewish community to the Christian. "The kingdom of GOD shall be taken from you [Israel] and will be given to a people that produce the fruits of it" (21:43).
Historical Setting: The Gospel of Matthew is full of clues that it was written to convince Jewish readers that Jesus is the Messiah. First, the author makes no attempt to translate or explain Jewish words and practices. Also, the gospel quotes more frequently from the Old Testament than does any other gospel. Most important, however, Jesus is portrayed as a descendant of the three greatest personalities of the Old Testament, although he surpasses them. Matthew traces Jesus' genealogy back to Abraham (1:2), the father of the faith.
In the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), Jesus appears as a royal teacher whose authority exceeds that of Moses, the founder of the faith. And Jesus fulfills the hopes of David, the greatest king of Israel. He is born in Bethlehem (mentioned five times in chapter 2), and like David he appears as a king (19:28). He is frequently recognized as "the son of David" (9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 21:9,15), although in truth He is David's "LORD" (22:41-46).
Matthew appealed to a Jewish audience, but not exclusively. The visit of the wise men from the (Gentile) East (2:1-12) hints of the gospel's rejection by the Jews and its acceptance by the Gentiles (21:43; also 4:15-16; 8:5-13; 12:18-21; 13:38). Furthermore the Great Commission - the command to "make disciples of all the nations" (28:19) - indicates an interest beyond the confines of Judaism. We can conclude that Matthew was written to Jews and Jewish Christians to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. It also shows that the gospel does not lead to narrow Jewish concerns (chapter 23), but out into the Gentile world.
Theological Significance: Matthew's main subject is the "kingdom of Heaven" or "kingdom of GOD". This kingdom is mentioned 51 times in the Gospel of Matthew, twice as often as in any other gospel. The kingdom is already here in Jesus (12:28), but it is not yet fulfilled (13:43; 25:34). The kingdom cannot be earned (19:23); it can be received only by those who recognize that they do not deserve it (5:3; 21:31). The kingdom extends like a fishing net, gathering people from every part of society (13:47), offering new life in the life-changing presence of GOD (8:11). The kingdom is more valuable than a precious gem (13:45-46), and it excludes any and all competitors for its allegiance (6:33).
2. Matthew has a special interest in the church, which by the time this gospel was written had become the dominant factor in the lives of Christians. Indeed, Matthew is the only gospel to mention the word" church" (16:18; 18:17).
3. Matthew has a strong interest in eschatology (the doctrine of last things) - that is, in the second coming of Jesus, the end of the age, and the final judgment (chapter 25).
4. Matthew has a great interest in the teachings of Jesus, especially concerning the kingdom of GOD (chapters 5-7; 10; 13; 18; 24-25).
5. Matthew writes to show that Jesus is the King to whom GOD has given power and authorityy to redeem and to judge mankind (1:1-17; 2:2; 21:1-11; 27:11,37; 28:18).
Some of the above information was found in the Illustrated Bible Dictionary, pps. 686-689.
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