Lesson 4

Question 1

Be able to discuss authorship, provenance, and date of Matthew’s Gospel, including differing views of the above.

Answer 1

1. Author- Matthew
   a. Uniformity in titles
   i. The titles were added early and do reflect the author of the book.
   b. Witness of Church Fathers
   i. Papias: writing 125AD records 1st century testimony that Matthew was one of the first authors.
   ii. Irenaeus: Also mentioned Matthew as author
2. Internal details
   i. Province – was it written by a Palestinian Jew that new the background and culture of the times
   ii. One of the most Jewish Gospels written in a Jewish center (Palestine, Antioch, etc).
3. Jewishness
   i. Jerome – Thinks Palestine
   ii. Ignatius – Thanks Antioch
   iii. Most likely
4. Either Palestine or Antioch:
5. Date
   a. Late Date - A.D. 80-100
   i. Assumptions (e.g., destruction of Jerusalem mentioned)
   ii. Dependence upon Mark
   iii. References to the church in Matthew 16:18
6. Early Date - Prior to A.D. 70
   i. Matthew is author – Would be too old if written past 70s
   ii. Irenaeus: Matthew published his gospel “while peter and Paul were preaching in Rome”
   Preaching in Rome was 60s and 70s
   (cited in Eusebius, His. Eccl. 5.8.2)
   iii. References seem to indicate the temple is still standing (e.g., 17:24-27)
   iv. Temple tax.
7. Most likely:
   i. Prior to A.D. 70.
8. Purpose
   i. Convince his audience that Jesus is the Messiah.
9. Audience
   i. Jews

Question 2

Detail and evaluate Matthew’s literary structure, what are the “5 Books of Matthew”, is this a consistent way to view the text?

Answer 2

1. Literary Structure
a. Indicator: “When Jesus had finished saying these things”
Memorize => (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1)
i. Suggested by B.W. Bacon to represent the “Five Books of Matthew”, sort of a new Pentateuch for the Jews.
2. Overview
i. Block 1
1. 1-4 Narrative
2. 5-7 Sermon 1: Sermon on the Mount
ii. Block 2
1. 8-9 Narrative
2. 10 Sermon 2: Sending out the 12
iii. Block 3
1. 11-12 Narrative
2. 13 Sermon 3: Kingdom Parables
iv. Block 4
1. 13:53-17:27 Narrative
2. 18 Sermon 4: Christian Community
v. Block 5
1. 19-22 Narrative
2. 23-25 Sermon 5: Pharisees and Eschatology
vi. 26-28 Narrative
3. Evaluation
i. Critique
1. Forced. The narrative sections are not purely narrative and the preaching sections are not purely preaching
2. Does not emphasize the crucifixion and resurrection
ii. Counter
1. There is a 5 fold structure in the text
2. Possible that the Gospel authors wrote with intention to be scripture as a new covenant text for a new church.

Question 3

Give evidence that Matthew’s Gospel is aimed at a Jewish audience.

Answer 3

1. Jewishness
   a. Features
   i. Untranslated Aramaic terms (5:22)
   ii. Unexplained Jewish practices (washing of hands, Matt 15, was explained in Mark)
   iii. Mention of Phylacteries (23:5)
   iv. Genealogy traced through Abraham and not Adam, as in Luke
   v. Sometimes cites the OT not from LXX but from Masoretic Text (or perhaps makes his own translation)
   vi. Distinctive title “Son of David”
   vii. “Kingdom of Heaven” instead of “Kingdom of God”

Question 4

Explain Matthew’s emphasis concerning the Gentiles in his Gospel.

Answer 4

2. Strong emphasis on Gentile Mission
   i. Gentile Magi (2:1-12)
   ii. Parable of the Wicked Tenants (21:34): Only Matthew mentions that the kingdom will be taken away and given to another.
   iii. Great Commission (28:16-20)
   iv. Negative towards Jews, emphasizing future judgement

Question 5

Compare and contrast Matthew’s genealogy with Luke’s, what is different and what does it signify?

Answer 5

5. Differences with Luke’s Genealogy?.
6. Lukes’s genealogy goes all the way to Adam
7. Some names are different. (Some believe that they contradict each other.
8. Theory: Matt directs the lineage legally through Joseph while Luke is tracing lineage ethnically through Mary.

Signifies different emphasis: While Matt is emphasising the keeping of the covenant promise God made to Abraham, Luke tracing Jesus back to Adam presumably seeing Jesus as another or as a “Last Adam” (Reference Paul in 1Cor 15:22)

Question 6

Discuss the various interpretive opinions for the Sermon on the Mount.

Answer 6

1. Anabaptist
A. Historical category out of the reformation. (went further than reformers).
B. Brand new set of Laws, from Jesus, only for the church.
C. The OT law is gone and this is the New Law.
D. Take the laws literally in regards to how one lives.
1. Passivists
2. No card playing, etc.

2. Lutheran
A. Regard the law as an impossible ideal.
B. Designed to expose sin, impossible to keep the law.
C. Drive us to Christ
D. Does not say anything about law is given to us to keep the law.

3. Liberal
A. What is means to be a good person.
B. Guide to being moral
C. Basis of salvation - being good and better than most.
D. Usually taught moralistically
E. Was also taught as how society / politics should operate.

4. Classical Dispensationalist
A. This is not for the Church
B. We are not under law but under grace.
C. Designed for the future melenial kingdom.
D. Designed to show the Jews future society w/in melenial kingdom

5. Reformed
A. Describes the character a beliver should have.
B. It’s obeyed. not to be saved, but because we are saved.
C. It is NOT for a future melenial kingdom but for here and now.
D. It is NOT an entirely new law but is consistant with the OT law.
E. We agree that the law points to Christ and exposes sin, However, it is positive for the believer.
F. We not trying to be saved from the law but, through Christ’s grace, we can strive to obey.
G. Be the Psalmist - bless is the man who meditates on God’s law.
H. Multi-Dimentional
1. Drives us to follow Christ.
2. Once in-Christ, gives us a way of life to strive for by God’s grace.