This Sunday we
begin a new year for the Church. The reading of the lectionary is a three year
cycle and this year is Year ‘A’. the lectionary for year ‘A’, especially in
Ordinary time, finds its centre of gravity in the Gospel of Matthew.
Authorship
Since the times of the early church fathers, the apostle
Matthew has always been accredited with the authorship of the first gospel
(canonically). Even the title "According to Matthew" (KATA MAQQAION)
is found in the earliest manuscripts, and was the most highly regarded and
quoted of the gospels by the church fathers. [1] Matthew is also called Levi
(Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27), and was the son of Alphaeus (Luke 5:27). He was a tax
collector (telwnhV), probably stationed on a main trade route near Capernaum
where he would have collected tolls for Herod Antipas from commercial traffic.
[2] Additionally, being a tax collector might better qualify Matthew for his
role as an official recorder of the life and actions of Christ. [3] After the
resurrection there is no other mention of him in the New Testament.
According to the resources available to us, Papias (the
Bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia ca. AD 130) was the first to associate the
apostle Matthew with this document. Eusebius, the early church historian,
records Papias' account: "Matthew collected the oracles (ta logia) in the
Hebrew language and each interpreted them as best he could." [4] This
quote also introduces some problems. What was Papias referring to when he
stated that Matthew wrote in the Hebrew dialect? Some have understood this not
as a reference to the Hebrew as we have in the Old Testament, but instead the
Syro-Chaldaic, [5] or Aramaic. On the other hand, most scholars insist that
Matthew was originally written in Greek because many parts of the Gospel are
extremely (if not identically) similar to Mark's, which was indubitably written
in Greek. Others have also concluded that Matthew wrote two Gospels-one in a Palestinian
language and the other in Greek. Ralph Martin's conclusion is that
"Papias' tradition can at best relate only to a collection of material
later used in the composition of the entire Gospel." [6]
Not until the eighteenth century did the question of
authorship become an issue. More recently, since Matthew does rely heavily on
Mark's Gospel (see "Date and Location of Composition" below), some
scholars have discarded the idea that the author was one of the twelve
apostles. On the other hand, Papias also said that Mark was the interpreter of
Peter, [7] and therefore, the apostle Matthew would not have a problem with
deferring to the early leader of the church. [8]
Date and Location
of Composition
Various estimates have placed the date of Matthew's
composition anywhere from AD 50 - to AD 100. But before a date can be decided,
its relation to the Gospel of Mark must first be addressed. If Mark was written
first, then Matthew must have a later date (and vice-versa). The most widely
accepted hypothesis is that both Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source for
various reasons. Matthew even reproduced about ninety percent of Mark, while
Luke reproduced about sixty percent. [9] Without going into much detail on the
dating of Mark's Gospel, [10] it was probably written somewhere between AD 50
and AD 55. Consequently, Matthew's Gospel could have reasonably been written
anywhere between AD 55 and AD 60. This date allows time for Matthew to have
access to Mark's Gospel, and suggests that he completed the Gospel before the
destruction of the temple in AD 70, because it would seem strange for the
author not to mention this event in light of chapter 24. [11] This dating also
allows time for Luke to use Matthew's Gospel in composing his own Gospel, as
well as its sequel (Acts, ca. AD 62).
There is an argument, coming from the tone of Matthew’s
language that the gospel was written after the tumultuous events of AD 70. This
work was necessitated by a severe crisis in the author’s own community.
Stringently Jewish in its origins, Matthew’s audience had experienced the
trauma of the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in AD 70. With the loss
of its ritual traditions as well as loss of control over the land, the Torah
gained great prominence in Jewish life, but was interpreted in various ways by
various groups among the Jews.
One group sought guidance in the Torah for living in what
they believed would be a short interim period before God would vindicate his
people and bring in a new age.
With the Torah as its source, another group sought to
develop a Judaism that could be lived without temple or land, one that could
exist and be lived in any place at any time.
Speaking from this group, Matthew presents Jesus as the
Torah’s fulfilment and definitive interpreter. Jesus fulfils and even
transcends its categories and promises in his own person. Matthew’s point was
that if you want a sure interpretation of the Torah, look at the teaching and
to the person of Jesus himself.
It’s no wonder that these groups soon found themselves n
real tension with one another. Their differences proved irreconcilable. Strong
divisions arose even within families.
As time passed and God did not intervene in a definitive
apocalyptic way, the first group virtually disappeared. Left with rabbinic
Judaism and early Christianity, both have continued to evolve even in our own
time. The division of church from synagogue was understandably painful and
bitter. Accusation and insults were hurled in both directions
Though dating the Gospel maybe difficult or complicated,
it is even more problematic to determine where Matthew wrote the Gospel. Most
scholars conclude that Matthew was written in either Palestine or Syria because
of its Jewish nature. Antioch of Syria is usually the most favoured because
many in the early church dispersed there (Acts 11:19, 27). Another reason for
favouring Antioch is that the earliest reference to Matthew's Gospel was found
in Ignatius' (the Bishop of Antioch) Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (ca. 110).
Purpose and
Audience
It is quite obvious and widely accepted that Matthew was
written to the Jews. For one, he focuses on the fulfilment of the Old
Testament, even quoting from it sixty-two times, which is more than any other
Gospel writer. Secondly it is interesting that Matthew does not explain Jewish
culture like the other evangelists (cf. Mark 7:3, John 19:40), which also adds
to the argument that he is writing to Jews. Matthew uses the phrase,
"kingdom of heaven," (the only author, in fact, to use this phrase)
which can be considered as a "reverential Jewish expression" [12]-a
term appropriate to a Jewish audience. His purpose in writing to the Jews was
to show them that Jesus of Nazareth was the expected messiah and both his
genealogy and his resurrection were legitimate proofs of this.
Themes
The overriding theme shows Jesus as the messiah, but
there are also several minor themes, some of which directly relate to the major
theme. These other themes include the kingdom of heaven, the conflict between
Jesus and the religious leaders, Jesus as the fulfiller of the law, and the
king who will return in the clouds.
Literary Structure, Coherence, and Unity
The structure of Matthew's Gospel is very remarkable. The
Gospel can be divided into three parts: the prologue (1:1-2:23), the body
(3:1-28:15), and the epilogue (28:16-20). Matthew constructed his body around
five distinct discourses: the Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:29), the Commissioning
of the Apostles (10:1-42), Parables about the Kingdom (13:1-52), Relationships
in the Kingdom (18:1-35), and the Olivet Discourse (24:1-25:46). [13] Each
discourse also ends with a recognizable closing statement (7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1,
26:1), for example: "When Jesus had finished saying these things...."
Even more interesting are the intricate parallels between the first and fifth
discourses, and the second and fourth discourses. This leaves the third
discourse (Parables about the Kingdom) as the focal point. Though we are not
sure about the comparison of Jesus' baptism with his death, there is a rather
striking parallel between Emmanuel (1:23; lit. "God with us") and
Jesus' last words, "And surely I will be with you always, to the very end
of the age" (28:20). [14]
Matthew is the only Evangelist who shares the eight Beatitudes with his readers. His Gospel faithfully reports how Jesus described who will be truly blessed by God in the Kingdom and the attitudes and actions that are required for those who follow the new Law Jesus came to bring.
After Jesus’ Ascension, Matthew preached the Gospel, as Jesus asked his disciples to do. It is believed that he established Christian communities in Ethiopia and other sections of the continent of Africa. Tradition tells us that he died as a martyr.
The symbol for Matthew’s Gospel is a man with wings. Matthew wrote about Jesus’ Incarnation and his Gospel makes clear that Jesus was true God and true man. Matthew is the patron saint of bankers, because he dealt with money as a tax collector. But anyone who reads Matthew’s Gospel knows that money was not important to him. What was important was believing in and living as a follower of Christ. Matthew helps us to remember that it is our faith in Jesus that makes us truly rich
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