The Gospel According to Matthew

Background Words about the New Testament. Our discussion about the Gospel of Matthew needs to begin with some words about the New Testament as a whole. Christians who believe that the only part of their Bible that is important is the New Testament should take a closer look at the Bible. The New Testament is important, but its significance depends, in large part, on the writings of the Old Testament. Here are just a few New Testament concepts that depend on the Old Testament for a more complete understanding: The concept of sin, mentioned often in the New Testament, finds it origin in the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve. The concept of the death of Jesus for sin is prefigured in the Old Testament sacrificial system with its emphasis on death and blood. The coming of a Messiah and Savior is forecast in the Old Testament. To ignore the Old Testament is to ignore an important resource for the understanding of our Christian faith.

The Importance of the Four Gospels. Just as the first five books of the Old Testament-Genesis through Deuteronomy-are considered to contain the heart of the Jewish faith, so the first four books of the New Testament-the four Gospels: Matthew through John-are considered to be at the heart of the Christian faith. They help the readers to come to belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and prepare us for the materials that follow the Gospels. The apostle Paul and other writers found in the New Testament may draw out the implications of the life and work of Jesus, but for the clearest picture of how Jesus lived, taught, died, and rose from the dead, the four Gospels are indispensable.

The Special Place of the Gospel According to Matthew. The Gospel of Matthew holds a special and critical place in the New Testament. Not only is it the first book of the New Testament, it also serves as the transition between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The opening verse of Matthew gives a clue to its importance: "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham. (1:1) Only Matthew has a genealogy which emphasizes the connection of Jesus with the Jewish people. In addition, Matthew contains numerous quotations from the Old Testament, often combining the quotations with the words, "And thus was fulfilled..." What is predicted in the Old Testament, says Matthew, finds its fulfillment in the life and work of Jesus the Christ. I once read the comment of a man who had been given just the New Testament to read. When he finished, he asked someone, "Where is the rest of the book?" He quickly realized that the New Testament is not complete without the Old.

Jesus, the Jews, and the Gospel of Matthew. The New Testament records in many places the hostility that began to develop between the established Jewish faith and the upstart offshoot that became known as Christianity. While the Christians originally considered themselves to be the fulfillment of Judaism and part of Judaism, it soon became obvious that there were clear and foundational differences between how the members of each group saw themselves and saw the others. Matthew's purpose was to show the Jews how Jesus and his ministry fulfilled what the Jewish scriptures had always taught. That his efforts have so far failed to convince the Jewish community at large is very evident.

Read and appreciate the New Testament, but remember, as Matthew goes to pains to show, that the New Testament does not give the whole story of God's work in the world and the corruption of that work through human beings. Only when that is fully understood can we truly appreciate the work done in and through Jesus.