The Gospel of Matthew By: Pat Bivons Ryan Nolan Harrison Kunkel Kevin Carder Brad Schulze Michael Feihe

Biography of Matthew Matthew was one of Jesus‘s apostles. He was a tax collector. –Matthew was especially hated because he was a Jewish tax collector. He was called by Jesus to follow him. Jesus was criticized for eating with him and other sinners/tax collectors.

Was Matthew, the Apostle, the author? If the Apostle Matthew was not the writer, it was an early Christian-Jew with the same name. The fact that the Apostle Matthew is the author of the Gospel of Matthew is disputed.

Evidence That It Was a Different Author Probably not an eyewitness account –The material is thought to be borrowed from Mark’s Gospel which is not an eyewitness account –Matthew used a document called Q which was a compiling of Jesus’s sayings to write his own Gospel

Matthew’s View of Jesus Appeared to many before appearing to the disciples Went to disciples in Galilee Gives appearance of Jesus’ birth, and family. Shows Jesus’ role by referring to the Old Testament Gospel

Who it was written to? Written to readers of the Christian faith. Wanted to show Jesus as he was prophesized. Purpose was to send forth message Called for all to worship the lord.

The Badge of Matthew The symbol that represents Matthew is a human/angel. It is the only one of the Gospels to not be represented by and animal. Each symbol of the Gospels was picked depending on the style of the writing in each Gospel. Matthew’s purpose is to depict Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, his Gospel is often know as the fullest and most well rounded of all four Gospels.

The Uniqueness of Matthew Matthew was the first Gospel put into Cannon by the Catholic Church. His Gospel is reflected upon by many biblical scholars as the most accurate and most reliable.

Ministry into the Great Multitude 23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon- possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[a] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.a Mathew 4:23-25

Teaching about the Law 17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Review Questions List and explain the three major parts into which Matthew divides his Gospel: Prologue- Jesus’ early years Body- Jesus kingdom teaching Epilogue- Jesus’ death and rising

List and explain: How Matthew portrays his Gospel as a kind of Christian Torah. He uses the five instructions of Jesus which are: Its demands, Its proclamation, Its development, Its structure, Its completion.

List and explain: Why Matthew takes pains to match up Jesus’ life with prophecies. Matthew wanted to show how Jesus and his teachings fulfill Jewish prophecy and teaching.

List and explain: Why the expression “The Gospel according to Matthew” is significant. The phrase is significant because it leaves open the possibility that an associate of Matthew recorded. The same phrase is also true for the other Gospels.

List and explain: Matthew’s Jesus portrait: Matthew’s portrait of Jesus is that of teaching the Messiah, and that Jesus fulfills Jewish hopes and dreams.

Bibliography birthofjesus/introduction/profile- matthew.html?loc=m1&pg=4http:// birthofjesus/introduction/profile- matthew.html?loc=m1&pg=4 mlhttp://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/21.ht ml htmhttp:// htm