Reference: Matthew, Gospel According to
Easton
The author of this book was beyond a doubt the Matthew, an apostle of our Lord, whose name it bears. He wrote the Gospel of Christ according to his own plans and aims, and from his own point of view, as did also the other "evangelists."
As to the time of its composition, there is little in the Gospel itself to indicate. It was evidently written before the destruction of Jerusalem (MT 24), and some time after the events it records. The probability is that it was written between the years A.D. 60 and 65.
The cast of thought and the forms of expression employed by the writer show that this Gospel was written for Jewish Christians of Palestine. His great object is to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah, and that in him the ancient prophecies had their fulfilment. The Gospel is full of allusions to those passages of the Old Testament in which Christ is predicted and foreshadowed. The one aim prevading the whole book is to show that Jesus is he "of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write." This Gospel contains no fewer than sixty-five references to the Old Testament, forty-three of these being direct verbal citations, thus greatly outnumbering those found in the other Gospels. The main feature of this Gospel may be expressed in the motto, "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
As to the language in which this Gospel was written there is much controversy. Many hold, in accordance with old tradition, that it was originally written in Hebrew (i.e., the Aramaic or Syro-Chaldee dialect, then the vernacular of the inhabitants of Palestine), and afterwards translated into Greek, either by Matthew himself or by some person unknown. This theory, though earnestly maintained by able critics, we cannot see any ground for adopting. From the first this Gospel in Greek was received as of authority in the Church. There is nothing in it to show that it is a translation. Though Matthew wrote mainly for the Jews, yet they were everywhere familiar with the Greek language. The same reasons which would have suggested the necessity of a translation into Greek would have led the evangelist to write in Greek at first. It is confessed that this Gospel has never been found in any other form than that in which we now possess it.
The leading characteristic of this Gospel is that it sets forth the kingly glory of Christ, and shows him to be the true heir to David's throne. It is the Gospel of the kingdom. Matthew uses the expression "kingdom of heaven" (thirty-two times), while Luke uses the expression "kingdom of God" (thirty-three times). Some Latinized forms occur in this Gospel, as kodrantes (Mt 5:26), for the Latin quadrans, and phragello (Mt 27:26), for the Latin flagello. It must be remembered that Matthew was a tax-gatherer for the Roman government, and hence in contact with those using the Latin language.
As to the relation of the Gospels to each other, we must maintain that each writer of the synoptics (the first three) wrote independently of the other two, Matthew being probably first in point of time.
Out of a total of 1071 verses, Matthew has 387 in common with Mark and Luke, 130 with Mark, 184 with Luke; only 387 being peculiar to itself. (See Mark; Luke; Gospels.)
The book is fitly divided into these four parts: (1.) Containing the genealogy, the birth, and the infancy of Jesus (1; 2).
(2.) The discourses and actions of John the Baptist preparatory to Christ's public ministry (3; 4:11).
(3.) The discourses and actions of Christ in Galilee (4:12-20:16).
(4.) The sufferings, death and resurrection of our Lord (20:17-28).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
truly I tell you, you will never get out till you pay the last halfpenny of your debt.
Then he released Bar-Abbas for them; Jesus he scourged and handed over to be crucified.
Hastings
MATTHEW, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO.
1. The First Gospel in the Early Church.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
All this happened for the fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had said by the prophet: I called my Son from Egypt.
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had said by the prophet: I called my Son from Egypt.
Then the saying was fulfilled which had been uttered by the prophet Jeremiah:
He went and settled in a town called Nazaret, so that what had been said by the prophets might be fulfilled: 'He shall be called a Nazarene.'
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee; ??13 he left Nazaret and settled at Capharnahum beside the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali
for the fulfilment of what had been said by the prophet Isaiah:
Do not imagine I have come to destroy the Law or the prophets; I have not come to destroy but to fulfil.
When Jesus finished his speech, the crowds were astounded at his teaching;
When he entered Capharnahum an army-captain came up to him and appealed to him,
Many, I tell you, will come from east and west and take their places beside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Realm of heaven,
As Jesus passed along from there, he was followed by two blind men who shrieked, "Son of David, have pity on us!"
As they went out, a dumb man was brought to him, who was possessed by a daemon,
After finishing these instructions to his twelve disciples, Jesus removed from there to teach and preach among their towns.
At that time Jesus walked one sabbath through the cornfields, and as his disciples were hungry they started to pull some ears of corn and eat them.
Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw.
He replied to them, "It is an evil and disloyal generation that craves a Sign, but no Sign will be given to it except the Sign of the prophet Jonah;
There he could not do many miracles owing to their lack of faith.
Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is really you, order me to come to you on the water."
Then he forbade the disciples to tell anyone he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he had to leave for Jerusalem and endure great suffering at the hands of the elders and high priests and scribes, and be killed and raised on the third day.
Six days afterwards Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high hill by themselves; in their presence he was transfigured, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes turned white as light. read more. There appeared to them Moses and Elijah, who conversed with Jesus. So Peter addressed Jesus and said, "Lord, it is a good thing we are here; pray let me put up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, in him is my delight: listen to him." When the disciples heard the voice they fell on their faces in terror; but Jesus came forward and touched them, saying, "Rise, have no fear." And on raising their eyes they saw no one except Jesus all alone.
When they reached Capharnahum, the collectors of the temple-tax came and asked Peter, "Does your teacher not pay the temple-tax?"
When Jesus finished saying this he moved from Galilee and went to the territory of Judaea that lies across the Jordan.
For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard;
When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage at the Hill of Olives, then Jesus despatched two disciples,
This took place for the fulfilment of what had been spoken by the prophet,
Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-vat inside it, and built a watchtower: then he leased it to vinedressers and went abroad.
I tell you therefore that the Realm of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that bears the fruits of the Realm.
So Jesus left the temple and went on his way. His disciples came forward to point out to him the temple-buildings,
So as he sat on the Hill of Olives the disciples came up to him in private and said, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign of your arrival and of the end of the world?"
Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.
For the case is that of a man going abroad, who summoned his servants and handed over his property to them;
When Jesus finished saying all this he said to his disciples,
Then the word spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: and I took the thirty silver pieces, the price of him who had been priced, whom they had priced and expelled from the sons of Israel;
Besides, when he was seated on the tribunal, his wife had sent to tell him, "Do nothing with that innocent man, for I have suffered greatly to-day in a dream about him.")
Now when Pilate saw that instead of him doing any good a riot was rising, he took some water and washed his hands in presence of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this good man's blood. It is your affair!"
they gave him a drink of wine mixed with bitters; but when he tasted it he would not drink it.
go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit,
As the disciples of John and of the Pharisees were observing a fast, people came and asked him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, and your disciples do not fast?"
The Pharisees said to him, "Look at what they are doing on the sabbath! That is not allowed."
But the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul," and "It is by the prince of daemons that he casts out daemons."
Then the Pharisees and scribes put this question to him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders? Why do they take their food with 'common' hands?"
As he went out of the temple one of his disciples said to him, "Look, teacher, what a size these stones and buildings are!" Jesus said to him, "You see these great buildings? Not a stone shall be left on another, without being torn down."
"Tell us, when is this to happen? What will be the sign for all this to be accomplished?" So Jesus began: "Take care that no one misleads you: ??6 many will come in my name saying, 'I am he,' and mislead many.
And when you hear of wars and rumours of war, do not be alarmed; these have to come, but it is not the end yet. For nation will rise against nation, and realm against realm; there will be earthquakes here and there, and famines too. All that is but the beginning of the trouble. read more. Look to yourselves. Men will hand you over to Sanhedrins and you will be flogged in synagogues and brought before governors and kings for my sake, to testify to them. (Ere the end, the gospel must be preached to all nations.) Now when they carry you off to trial, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; say whatever comes to your lips at the moment, for he who speaks is not you but the holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, the father will betray his child, children will rise against their parents and kill them, and you will be hated by all men on account of my name; but he will be saved who holds out to the very end. But whenever you see the appalling Horror standing where he has no right to stand (let the reader note this), then let those who are in Judaea fly to the hills; a man on the housetop must not go down into the house or go inside to fetch anything out of his house, and a man in the field must not turn back to get his coat. Woe to women with child and to women who give suck in those days! Pray it may not be winter when it comes, for those days will be days of misery, the like of which has never been from the beginning of God's creation until now ??no and never shall be. Had not the Lord cut short those days, not a soul would be saved alive; but he has cut them short for the sake of the elect whom he has chosen. If anyone tells you at that time, 'Look, here is the Christ,' or, 'Look, there he is,' do not believe it; for false Christs and false prophets will rise and perform signs and wonders to mislead the elect if they can. Now take care! I am telling you of it all beforehand. But when that misery is past, in those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not yield her light, the stars will drop from heaven, and the orbs of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Then he will despatch his angels and muster the elect from the four winds, from the verge of earth to the verge of heaven. Let the fig tree teach you a parable. As soon as its branches turn soft and put out leaves, you know summer is at hand; so, whenever you see this happen, you may be sure He is at hand, at the very door. I tell you truly, the present generation will not pass away till all this happens. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words never. Now no one knows anything about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father. Take care, keep awake and pray; you never know the time. It is like a man leaving his house to go abroad; he puts his servants in charge, each with his work to do, and he orders the porter to keep watch. Watch then, for you never know when the Lord of the House will come, in the late evening or at midnight or at cock-crow or in the morning. Watch, in case he comes suddenly and finds you asleep. Watch: I say it to you, and I say it to all."
Now when he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, lying at table, a woman came up with an alabaster flask of pure nard perfume, which had cost a great sum; the flask she broke and poured the perfume over his head.
They offered him wine flavoured with myrrh, but he would not take it.
When he saw their faith he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
When he saw their faith he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
Then, raising his eyes he looked at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you poor! the Realm of God is yours. Blessed are you who hunger to-day! you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep to-day! you shall laugh. read more. Blessed are you when men will hate you, when they will excommunicate you and denounce you and defame you as wicked on account of the Son of man; rejoice on that day and leap for joy! rich is your reward in heaven for their fathers did the very same to the prophets. But woe to you rich folk! you get all the comforts you will ever get. Woe to you who have your fill to-day! you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh to-day! you will wail and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you! that is just what their fathers did to the false prophets. I tell you, my hearers, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you: bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If a man strikes you on the one cheek, offer him the other as well: if anyone takes your coat, do not deny him your shirt as well; give to anyone who asks you, and do not ask your goods back from anyone who has taken them. As you would like men to do to you, so do to them. If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Why, even sinful men love those who love them. If you help only those who help you, what merit is that to you? Why, even sinful men do that. If you only lend to those from whom you hope to get something, what credit is that to you? Even sinful men lend to one another, so as to get a fair return.
He said to them, "When you pray, say, Father, thy name be revered, thy Reign begin; give us our bread for the morrow day by day, read more. and forgive us our sins for we do forgive everyone who has offended us; and lead us not into temptation."
As the crowds were thronging to him, he proceeded to say, "This is an evil generation: it demands a Sign, but no Sign will be given to it except the Sign of Jonah;
To his disciples he said, "Therefore I tell you, do not trouble about what you are to eat in life, nor about what you are to put on your body;
Thus, when you go before the magistrate with your opponent, do your utmost to get quit of him on the way there, in case he hales you before the judge; then the judge will hand you over to the jailer and the jailer will throw you in prison.
So they asked him, "Teacher, and when will this happen? What will be the sign for this to take place?"
So the Logos became flesh and tarried among us; we have seen his glory ??glory such as an only son enjoys from his father ??seen it to be full of grace and reality.
He who saw it has borne witness (his witness is true; God knows he is telling the truth), that you may believe.
Truly, truly I tell you, you put on your own girdle and went wherever you wanted, when you were young; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands for someone to gird you, and you will be taken where you have no wish to go"
Much in every way. This to begin with ??Jews were entrusted with the scriptures of God.
after that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles,