Introduction to Matthew

Name

The title “Matthew” comes from the name of the book’s author. Matthew means “Gift of God.”

Author

Matthew is the accepted author of the Gospel of Matthew, although Matthew does not specifically identify himself as the author. One of Matthew’s authorship’s most telling signs is his focus on money, statistics, and numbers in general. This aligns well with his occupation as a tax collector.

Genre

Gospel

Literary Form

Narrative. The Gospel of Matthew includes five significant sections of Discourse: 5:1-7:29, 10:1-42, 13:1-58, 18:1-35, and 24:1-25:46.

Time Frame

Matthew records the life of Jesus from His birth in 4 B.C. through His crucifixion and resurrection in 33 A.D. It is impossible to date the writing of the Gospel of Matthew with certainty. Most scholars accept a date range of between 50-70 A.D.

Emphasis

The emphasis of the Gospel of Matthew is on presenting Jesus as King of the people of God. Matthew is a bridge or a gateway between the Old and New Testaments. It has the strongest connection to the Old Testament as Matthew presents the unfolding of God’s plan and the fulfillment of prophecy in the life of Jesus Christ.

 Outline

1. Birth and Infancy of Jesus (1:1-2:23)
2. Jesus ministry begins (3:1-4:25)
3. Jesus teaches the disciples (5:1-7:29)
4. Jesus’ authority and power  (8:1-9:38)
5. Disciples and their ministry begins (10:1-10:42)
6. Responses to Jesus’ ministry (11:1-12:50)
7. Jesus’ parables describing the Kingdom (13:1-13:58)
8. Jesus ministry ends in Galilee (14:1-17:27)
9. The character of the disciples (18:1-18:35)
10. Jesus’ ministry on the way to Jerusalem (19:1-20:34)
11. Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem (21:1-23:39)
12. Jesus’ prophecies about His return and the end of the age (24:1-25:46)
13. Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion (26:1-27:66)
14. Jesus’ resurrection (28:1-28:20)