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
Hastings
MATTHEW, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO.
1. The First Gospel in the Early Church.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And they give for my food gall, And for my thirst cause me to drink vinegar.
Because Israel is a youth, and I love him, Out of Egypt I have called for My Son.
Rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo, thy King doth come to thee, Righteous -- and saved is He, Afflicted -- and riding on an ass, And on a colt -- a son of she-asses.
And all this hath come to pass, that it may be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
and he was there till the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I did call My Son.'
and he was there till the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I did call My Son.'
and coming, he dwelt in a city named Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophets, that 'A Nazarene he shall be called.'
that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets -- I did not come to throw down, but to fulfil;
And it came to pass, when Jesus ended these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,
And Jesus having entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion calling upon him,
and I say to you, that many from east and west shall come and recline (at meat) with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the reign of the heavens,
that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'Himself took our infirmities, and the sicknesses he did bear.'
And Jesus passing on thence, two blind men followed him, calling and saying, 'Deal kindly with us, Son of David.'
And as they are coming forth, lo, they brought to him a man dumb, a demoniac,
And it came to pass, when Jesus ended directing his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
At that time did Jesus go on the sabbaths through the corn, and his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck ears, and to eat,
that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
Then was brought to him a demoniac, blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
And he answering said to them, 'A generation, evil and adulterous, doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;
that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophet, saying, 'I will open in similes my mouth, I will utter things having been hidden from the foundation of the world.'
and he did not there many mighty works, because of their unbelief.
And Peter answering him said, 'Sir, if it is thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters;'
Then did he charge his disciples that they may say to no one that he is Jesus the Christ. From that time began Jesus to shew to his disciples that it is necessary for him to go away to Jerusalem, and to suffer many things from the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be put to death, and the third day to rise.
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, and James, and John his brother, and doth bring them up to a high mount by themselves, and he was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his garments did become white as the light, read more. and lo, appear to them did Moses and Elijah, talking together with him. And Peter answering said to Jesus, 'Sir, it is good to us to be here; if thou wilt, we may make here three booths -- for thee one, and for Moses one, and one for Elijah.' While he is yet speaking, lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My Son, -- the Beloved, in whom I did delight; hear him.' And the disciples having heard, did fall upon their face, and were exceedingly afraid, and Jesus having come near, touched them, and said, 'Rise, be not afraid,' and having lifted up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus only.
And they having come to Capernaum, those receiving the didrachms came near to Peter, and said, 'Your teacher -- doth he not pay the didrachms?' He saith, 'Yes.'
And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these words, he removed from Galilee, and did come to the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan,
'For the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a householder, who went forth with the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard,
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, unto the mount of the Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
And all this came to pass, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophet, saying,
'Hear ye another simile: There was a certain man, a householder, who planted a vineyard, and did put a hedge round it, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad.
'Because of this I say to you, that the reign of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth its fruit;
And having gone forth, Jesus departed from the temple, and his disciples came near to show him the buildings of the temple,
And when he is sitting on the mount of the Olives, the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence, and of the full end of the age?'
'Then shall the reign of the heavens be likened to ten virgins, who, having taken their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom;
For -- as a man going abroad did call his own servants, and did deliver to them his substance,
And it came to pass, when Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples,
Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 'And I took the thirty silverlings, the price of him who hath been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel did price,
And as he is sitting on the tribunal, his wife sent unto him, saying, 'Nothing -- to thee and to that righteous one, for many things did I suffer to-day in a dream because of him.'
And Pilate having seen that it profiteth nothing, but rather a tumult is made, having taken water, he did wash the hands before the multitude, saying, 'I am innocent from the blood of this righteous one; ye -- ye shall see;'
they gave him to drink vinegar mixed with gall, and having tasted, he would not drink.
having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them -- to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
And the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting, and they come and say to him, 'Wherefore do the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples do not fast?'
and the Pharisees said to him, 'Lo, why do they on the sabbaths that which is not lawful?'
and the scribes who are from Jerusalem having come down, said -- 'He hath Beelzeboul,' and -- 'By the ruler of the demons he doth cast out the demons.'
Then question him do the Pharisees and the scribes, 'Wherefore do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but with unwashed hands do eat the bread?'
And as he is going forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith to him, 'Teacher, see! what stones! and what buildings!' and Jesus answering said to him, 'Seest thou these great buildings? there may not be left a stone upon a stone, that may not be thrown down.'
Tell us when these things shall be? and what is the sign when all these may be about to be fulfilled?' And Jesus answering them, began to say, 'Take heed lest any one may lead you astray, read more. for many shall come in my name, saying -- I am he, and many they shall lead astray; and when ye may hear of wars and reports of wars, be not troubled, for these behove to be, but the end is not yet; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles; beginnings of sorrows are these. 'And take ye heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to sanhedrims, and to synagogues, ye shall be beaten, and before governors and kings ye shall be set for my sake, for a testimony to them; and to all the nations it behoveth first that the good news be proclaimed. 'And when they may lead you, delivering up, be not anxious beforehand what ye may speak, nor premeditate, but whatever may be given to you in that hour, that speak ye, for it is not ye who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 'And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child, and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death, and ye shall be hated by all because of my name, but he who hath endured to the end -- he shall be saved. 'And when ye may see the abomination of the desolation, that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (whoever is reading let him understand), then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and he upon the house-top, let him not come down to the house, nor come in to take anything out of his house; and he who is in the field, let him not turn to the things behind, to take up his garment. 'And woe to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; and pray ye that your flight may not be in winter, for those days shall be tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the creation that God created, till now, and may not be; and if the Lord did not shorten the days, no flesh had been saved; but because of the chosen, whom He did choose to Himself, He did shorten the days. And then, if any may say to you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Lo, there, ye may not believe; for there shall rise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall give signs and wonders, to seduce, if possible, also the chosen; and ye, take heed; lo, I have foretold you all things. 'But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of the heaven shall be falling, and the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. 'And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in clouds with much power and glory, and then he shall send his messengers, and gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the end of the earth unto the end of heaven. 'And from the fig-tree learn ye the simile: when the branch may already become tender, and may put forth the leaves, ye know that nigh is the summer; so ye, also, when these ye may see coming to pass, ye know that it is nigh, at the doors. Verily I say to you, that this generation may not pass away till all these things may come to pass; the heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. And concerning that day and the hour no one hath known -- not even the messengers who are in the heaven, not even the Son -- except the Father. Take heed, watch and pray, for ye have not known when the time is; as a man who is gone abroad, having left his house, and given to his servants the authority, and to each one his work, did command also the porter that he may watch; watch ye, therefore, for ye have not known when the lord of the house doth come, at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or at the morning; lest, having come suddenly, he may find you sleeping; and what I say to you, I say to all, Watch.'
And he, being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, at his reclining (at meat), there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very precious, and having broken the alabaster box, did pour on his head;
and they were giving him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, and he did not receive.
and he having seen their faith, said to him, 'Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'
and he having seen their faith, said to him, 'Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'
And he, having lifted up his eyes to his disciples, said: 'Happy the poor -- because yours is the reign of God. Happy those hungering now -- because ye shall be filled. 'Happy those weeping now -- because ye shall laugh. read more. Happy are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach, and shall cast forth your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake -- rejoice in that day, and leap, for lo, your reward is great in the heaven, for according to these things were their fathers doing to the prophets. But woe to you -- the rich, because ye have got your comfort. Woe to you who have been filled -- because ye shall hunger. 'Woe to you who are laughing now -- because ye shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you -- for according to these things were their fathers doing to false prophets. 'But I say to you who are hearing, Love your enemies, do good to those hating you, bless those cursing you, and pray for those accusing you falsely; and to him smiting thee upon the cheek, give also the other, and from him taking away from thee the mantle, also the coat thou mayest not keep back. 'And to every one who is asking of thee, be giving; and from him who is taking away thy goods, be not asking again; and as ye wish that men may do to you, do ye also to them in like manner; and -- if ye love those loving you, what grace have ye? for also the sinful love those loving them; and if ye do good to those doing good to you, what grace have ye? for also the sinful do the same; and if ye lend to those of whom ye hope to receive back, what grace have ye? for also the sinful lend to sinners -- that they may receive again as much.
And he said to them, 'When ye may pray, say ye: Our Father who art in the heavens; hallowed be Thy name: Thy reign come; Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on earth; our appointed bread be giving us daily; read more. and forgive us our sins, for also we ourselves forgive every one indebted to us; and mayest Thou not bring us into temptation; but do Thou deliver us from the evil.'
And the multitudes crowding together upon him, he began to say, 'This generation is evil, a sign it doth seek after, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet,
And he said unto his disciples, 'Because of this, to you I say, Be not anxious for your life, what ye may eat; nor for the body, what ye may put on;
for, as thou art going away with thy opponent to the ruler, in the way give diligence to be released from him, lest he may drag thee unto the judge, and the judge may deliver thee to the officer, and the officer may cast thee into prison;
And they questioned him, saying, 'Teacher, when, then, shall these things be? and what is the sign when these things may be about to happen?'
And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.
and he who hath seen hath testified, and his testimony is true, and that one hath known that true things he speaketh, that ye also may believe.
verily, verily, I say to thee, When thou wast younger, thou wast girding thyself and wast walking whither thou didst will, but when thou mayest be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another will gird thee, and shall carry thee whither thou dost not will;'
much in every way; for first, indeed, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God;