The Synoptic Gospels & Acts

 


Andy's Note Cards: Gospel of Matthew

 

 

Introduction
The Gospel According to Matthew #42
New Jerome Biblical Commentary

NOTE CARDS

Andy Syring

 

 

 

I. Authorship: Date and Place of Composition:

  • Prestigious Gospel
    • Intrinsic merits
    • Name of apostle found in the text
    • Due to modifications it is thought not to be work of an eyewitness apostle
  • Gospel understood as mature synthesis (combines texts)
      •  Mark & collection sayings of Jesus (Q source)
        • shares sayings with Luke
    • Matthew may have been at start of gospel tradition if he gathered sayings of Jesus in a collection
      • Earliest (ca. AD 125) patristic source of information - Papias of Hierapolis suggests
        • Matthew complied Sayings in Aramaic
        • Everyone translated them as well as he could
        • Still leaves question -who wrote the full Gospel  in  Greek as we have today
    • Evangelist – an early Christian teacher & Church leader
    • A converted rabbi (applied loosely) and catechist
    • Less partisan and more biblical model of a scribe
    • Verses in text give description of his work and methods
    • Gospel contains some internal contradictions
  • Character of Gospel difficult question
    • Traditionally understood as Jewish-Christian
    • Recent claims Gentile-Christian outlook
      • Contact with Judaism broken
      • Explanation: Matthew’s community possibly place outside of Judaism by rabbis of Jamina
        • By a ban call birkat hamminim (ca.80 AD)
        • Because of ban it is possible that leaders in community still felt to be Jewish – belonging to the real Israel
        • Thus shows the Jewish and Gentile – Christian outlook found in Gospel
  • Date and place of Composition
    • Composed after Mark (AD 64-69) & before AD 110
    • Reasonable date of Gospel Ad 80-90 based on dialogue  evangelist had with rabbinic academy of Jamnia/Yavneh
    • Place of composition (locales)–
      • Judea, Antioch, the Phoenician cities of Tyre or Sidon, southern Syria, Alexandra and Edess

II. Literary Structure and Content

  • Evangelist – transmitter or traditions he received
  • Number of purposes in writing
    • To instruct and exhort members of his community
    • To provide liturgical reading and sermon material
    • To offer missionary address to outsides of good will
    • To offer apologetics and polemics directed to critics
  • Two broad categories of material
    • Narrative
    • Discourse
  • Rich combinations of goals and means  in Gospel by evangelist
  • Gospel seen as a liturgical lectionary, handbook, a story
  • Delicate balance of Q insertion into Mracan narrative framework
  • Matthew’s primary intent to write a handbook for church leaders to assist them in preaching, teaching, worship, mission, & polemic.

III. Matthean Theology

  • Two focuses in Gospel
    • Jesus Christ  &
    • Near approach of Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus
      • Focuses not to be separated but Gospel could be read by either one in view
    • Themes closest together at Gospel’s beginning
      • Jesus is set forth as royal Son of God and Immanuel
    • At the end of Gospel
      • Jesus is given all divine authority as Son of Man over the Kingdom of God, in heaven & on earth
  • Kingdom of God – great object of hope, prayer & proclamation  which unifies entire Gospel into Five Great Discourses
    • Contains God’s promise of salvation
    • Contains justice, peace, & joy
  • Moral Content leads to two other themes
    • Justice or Righteous  & the Law
  • Two other characteristic features of Matthew
    • Concern for the Church
    • & use of the Old Testament
  • Presupposes faith in Christ
  • Tries to provide guidelines and authoritative leaders
    • Authorization to decision making
    • Procedure for conflict resolution
    • Concern for straying sheep, little ones
  • The whole Gospel framed by a covenant formulary
    • God is united with his people through Jesus Christ
      • Outcasts of Israel and the Gentile converts become the new people of God
  • Covenant framework leads to Matthew’s use of OT
    • Added a series of 10 OT quotations introduced by a formula “This happened to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.”
      • Because of formula series have been called “fulfillment citations”
  • Three fold scheme of salvation history (by Walker, Strecker, Meier
    • A period of Israel stretching form Abraham to John Baptist
    • The time of Jesus’ own life
    • The time of the church, from the resurrection of Jesus until the end of the world
  • Two part scheme (by Kingsbury)
    • Israel
    • Jesus and the Church
  • Other reject category of salvation history altogether
  • Some take starting point of understanding the Gospel from its last verses

IV. Outline

  • Different outlines for Gospel of Matthew have been proposed
  • One is three-part structure based on
    • Words “from then on Jesus began to (4:17 and 16:21)
      • Would introduce the person of Jesus Christ
      • Would present the proclamation of Jesus
      • And the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus      
    • This plan is general and vague – follows Mark’s structure and does not show Matthean features
  • Another scheme
    • Chapters 1-9: presents Jesus as Messiah
    • Chapters 10:18: themes connected to the church
    • Chapters 19-28: journey to Jerusalem and the ministry of conflict and warning, culminating in the death, resurrection and Galilean farewell
  • Most unified and detailed outline (by C.H. Lohr)
    • Based on symmetry of ancient compositions
    • Employs concepts of inclusio or bracketing
      • Chiasmus or crisscrossing of literary statements
      • Ring composition technique
        • Matthew uses alternating rings of narrative and sermon of discourse
        • Built around central section consisting of seven parables about kingdom of God
      • Outline retains earlier discernments of five great discourses
    • 1-4 Narrative: Birth and Beginnings
    • 5-7 Sermon: Blessings, Entering the Kingdom
    • 8-9 Narrative: Authority and Invitation
    • 10 Sermon: Mission Discourse
    • 11-12 Narrative: Rejection by This Generation
    • 13 Sermon: Parables of the Kingdom
    • 14-17 Narrative: Acknowledgements by Disciples
    • 18 Sermon: Community Discourse
    • 19-22 Narrative: Authority and Invitation
    • 23-25 Sermon: Woes, Coming of the Kingdom
    • 26-28 Narrative: Death and Rebirth

 

 

Outline of Gospel:
I. Birth and Beginnings (1:1-4:22)
            A. The Genealogy of Jesus (1:1-17)
            B. The Birth of Jesus (1:18-25)
            C. The Visit of the Wise Men (2:1-12)
            D. The Flight to Egypt (2:13-15)
            E. The Slaughter of the Innocents (2:16-18)
            F. The Return of Egypt (2:19-23)
            G. The Preaching of John the Baptist (3:1-12)
            H. The Baptism of Jesus (3:13-17)
            I. The Temptation of Jesus (4:1-11)
            J. The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry (4:12-17)
            K. The Call of the Disciples (4:18-22)

II. The Sermon on the Mount (4:23-7:29)

  • Introduction (4:23-5:2)
  • The Exordium (5:3-16)
    • Beatitudes (5:3-12)
    • Salt and Light (5:3-16)
  • The New Ethic: Its Basic Legal Principles and Six Hypertheses (5:17-48)
    • The Higher Righteousness (5:17-20)
    • Anger (5:21-26)
    • Adultery (5:27-30)
    • Divorce (5:31-32)
    • Oaths (5:33-37)
    • Retaliation (5:38-42)
    • Love of Enemies (5:43-48)
  • Reformation of Works of Piety (6:1-18)
    • Almsgiving (6:1-4)
    • Prayer (6:5-15)
    • Fasting (6:16-18)
  • Further Instructions (6:19 – 7:12)
    • Treasure in Heaven (6:19-21)
    • The Single Eye (6:22-23)
    • God and Mammon (6:24)
    • On Care and Anxiety (6:25-34)
    • Judging Others (7:1-6)
    • Ask, Seek, Knock(7:7-12)
  • Conclusion of the Sermon (7:13-27)
    • The Narrow Gate (7:13-14)
    • Bearing Fruit (7:15-20)
    • An Episode in the Last Judgment Described (7:21-23)
    • Houses Built on Rock and Sand (7:24-29)

III. Authority and Invitation (8:1-9:38)

      • The Cleaning of a Leper (8:1-4)
      • The Cure of the Centurion’s Servant (8:5-13)
      • The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law (8:14-15)
      • The Sick Healed at Evening (8:16-17)
      • On Following Jesus (8:18-22)
      • Stilling the Storm (8:23-27)
      • The Cure of the Gadarene Demoniacs (8:28-34)
      • The Healing of the Paralytic (9:1-8)
      • The call of Matthew the Tax Collector (9:9-13)
      • The Question about Fasting (9:14-17)
      • The Healing of a Ruler’s Daughter (9:18-26)
      • The Healing of Two Blind Men (9:27-31)
      • The Healing of a Dumb Demoniac (9:32-34)
      • The Compassion of Jesus (9:35-38)

IV. Mission Discourse (10:1-42)

  • The Mission of the Twelve Apostles (10:1-4)
  • The Commissioning of the Twelve (10:5-16)
  • How to Face Future Persecutions (10:17-25)
  • Appropriate and Inappropriate Fear (10:26-31)
  • Confessing Jesus before People (10:32-39)
  • Rewards of Discipleship (10: 40-42)

V. Rejection by This Generation (11:1-12:50)

    • John the Baptist and Jesus (11:1-19)
    • Woes on the Cities (11:20-24)
    • Cry of Jubilee and Savior’s Call (11:25-30)
    • Plucking Eats of Grain on the Sabbath (12:1-8)
    • Healing the Man with the Withered Hand (12:9-14)
    • The Chosen Servant (12:15-21)
    • Jesus and Beelzebul (12:22-23)
    • A Tree and Its Fruits (12:33-37)
    • The Sign of Jonah (12:38-42)
    • The Return of the Evil Spirit (12:43-45)
    • Jesus’ Family (12:46-50)

VI. Parables of the Kingdom (12:1-52)

  • The Parable of the Sower (13:1-9)
  • The Purpose of the Parables (13:10-17)
  • The Parable of the Sower Explained (13:18-23)
  • The Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (13:24-30)
  • The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven (13:31-33)
  • Jesus’ Use of Parables (13:34-35)
  • The Interpretation of the Parable of the Weeds (13:36-43)
  • The Parables of the Treasure, The Pearl, and the Dragnet (13:44-50)
  • Old and New (13:51-52)

VII. Acknowledgment by Disciples (13:53-17:27)

  • The Rejection of Jesus in His Own Country (13:53-58)
  • The Death of John the Baptist (14:1-12)
  • The Feeding of the Five Thousand (14:13-21)
  • Walking on the Water (14:22-23)
  • The Healing of the Sink in Gennesaret (14:34-36)
  • Jesus and Pharisaic Tradition on Purity and Vows (15:1-20)
  • The Canaanite Woman’s Faith (15:21-28)
  • The Healing of Many People (15:29-31)
  • The Feeding of the Four Thousand (15:32-39)
  • The Demand of a Sign (16:1-4)
  • The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (16:5-12)
  • Peter’s Confession (16:13-20)
  • 1ST Prediction of the Passion and Sayings on Discipleship (16:21-38)
  • The Transfiguration (17:1-3)
  • The Healing of the Moonstruck Boy (17:14-20)
  • Second Passion Prediction (17:22-23)
  • The Stater in the Fish’s Mouth (17:24-27)

VIII. Community Discourse (18:1-35)

  • True Greatness (18:1-5)
  • Leaders Who Cause Little Ones to Sin (18:6-9)
  • The Parable of the Lost Sheep (18:10-14)
  • Trial Procedures (18:15-20)
  • The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (18:21-35)

IX. Authority and Invitation (19:1-22:46)

  • Teaching about Divorce (19:1-12)
  • Little Children Blessed (19:13-15)
  • The rich Young Man (19:16-30)
  • The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (20:1-16)
  • The Third Prediction of the Passion (20:17-19)
  • The Request of the Sons of Zebedee (20:20-28)
  • The Healing of Two Bind Men (20:29-34)
  • The Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem (21:1-11)
  • The Cleansing of the Temple (21:12-17)
  • The Cursing of the Fig Tree (21:18-22)
  • The Authority of Jesus Questioned (21:23-27)
  • The Parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32)
  • The Parable of the Vineyard and the Wicked Tenants (21:33-46)
  • The Parable of the Marriage Feast (22:1-14)
  • Paying Taxes to Caesar (22:15-22)
  • The Question about the Resurrection (22:23-33)
  • The Great Commandment (22:34-40)
  • The Question about David’s Son (22:41-46)

X. Woes and Eschatological Discourse (23:1-25:46)

    • Woes against the Scribes and Pharisees (23:1-36)
    • The Lament over Jerusalem (23:37-39)
    • The Eschatological Discourse (24:1-25:46)
      • The Destruction of the Temple and the Beginning of the Woes (24:1-14)
      • The Great Tribulation (24:15-28)
      • The Coming of the Son of Man (24:29-31)
      • The Lesson of the Fig Tree (24:32-35)
      • The Unknown Day and Hour (24:36-44)
      • The Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant (24:45-51)
      • The Wise and Foolish Virgins (25:1-13)
      • The Parable of the Talents (25:14-30)
      • The Judgment of the Nations (25:31-46)

XI. Death and Rebirth (26:1-28:20)

  • The Suffering and Death of Jesus (26:1-27:66)
    • The Plot to Kill Jesus (26:1-5)
    • The Anointing at Bethany (26:6-13)
    • Judas’ Agreement to Betray Jesus (26:14-16)
    • The Passover with the Disciples (26:17-25)
    • The Institution of the Lord’s Supper (26:26-30)
    • Peter’s Denial Foretold (26:31-35)
    • The Prayer in Gethsemane (26:36-46)
    • The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus (26:47-56)
    • Jesus before the Sanhedrin (26:57-68)
    • Peter’s Denial of Jesus (26:69-75)
    • Jesus Brought before Pilate (27:1-2)
    • The Death of Judas (27:3-10)
    • Jesus Questioned by Pilate (27:11-14)
    • Jesus Sentenced to Die (27:15-26)
    • The Soldiers Mock Jesus (27:27-31)
    • The Crucifixion of Jesus (27:32-34)
    • The Death of Jesus (27:45-56)
    • The Burial of Jesus (27:57-61)
    • The Guard at the Tomb (27:62-66)
  • The Resurrection and the Great Commission  (28:1-20)
    • The Resurrection of Jesus (28:1-10)
    • The Report of the Guard (28:11-15)
    • The Great Commission (28:16-20)

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