Reference: Matthew, The Gospel According To
Fausets
(See GOSPELS for its aspect of Christ compared with the other evangelists.)
Time of writing. As our Lord's words divide Acts (Ac 1:8) into its three parts, "ye shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth":
(1) the period in which the church was Jewish, Acts 1-11;
(2) the period when it was Gentile with strong Jewish admixture;
(3) the period when the Gentiles preponderated, Matthew's Gospel answers to the first or Jewish period, ending about A.D. 41, and was written probably in and for Jerusalem and Judea.
The expression (Mt 27:7-8; 28:15) "unto this day" implies some interval after Christ's crucifixion. Language. Ancient testimony is unanimous that Matthew wrote in Hebrew Papias, a disciple of John (the Presbyter) and companion of Polycarp (Eusebius, H. E. 3:3), says, "Matthew wrote his oracles (logia) in Hebrew, and each interpreted them in Greek as he could." Perhaps the Greek for "oracles," logia, expresses that the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew was a collection of discourses (as logoi means) rather than a full narrative. Matthew's Gospel is the one of the four which gives most fully the discourses of our Lord. Papias' use of the past tense (aorist) implies that "each interpreting" Matthew's Hebrew was in Papias' time a thing of the past, so that as early as the end of the first century or the beginning of the second the need for each to translate the Hebrew had ceased, for an authoritative Greek translation existed.
The Hellenists (Greek-speaking) Jews would from the first need a Greek version, and Matthew and the church would hardly leave this want unsupplied in his lifetime. Origen, Pantaenus, Eusebius (H. E. 6:25; 5:10; 5:8), and Irenaeus (adv. Haer. 3:1) state the same. Jerome (de Vir. Illustr. 3) adds, "who translated the Hebrew into Greek is uncertain." He identifies Matthew's Hebrew Gospel with "the Gospel of the Nazarenes," which he saw in Pamphilus' library at Caesarea. Epiphanius (Haer. 29, sec. 9) mentions this Nazarene Gospel as written in Hebrew. (Hebruikois grammasin) Probably this Nazarene was the original Hebrew Gospel of Matthew interpolated and modified, yet not so much so as the Ebionite Gospel. This view will account for the strange fact that nothing of the Hebrew Matthew has been preserved. Our Greek Gospel superseded the Hebrew, and was designed by the Holy Spirit (as its early acceptance, universal use, and sole preservation prove) to be the more universal canonical Gospel.
The Judaizing Nazarenes still clung to the Hebrew one; but their heresies and their corruptions of the text brought it into disrepute with the orthodox. Origen (on Prayer, 161:150) argues that epiousion, the Greek word for "daily" in the Lord's prayer, was formed by Matthew himself; Luke adopts the word. Eusebius (Lardher, Cred. 8 note p. 180) remarks that Matthew in quotations of the Old Testament does not follow the Septuagint, but makes his own translation. Quotations in his own narrative (1) pointing out the fulfillment of prophecy Matthew translates from the Hebrew. Quotations (2) of persons introduced, as Christ, are from the Greek Septuagint, even where differing from the Hebrew, e.g. Mt 3:3; 13:14. A mere translator would not have done so. An independent writer would do just what Matthew does, namely, in speeches of persons introduced would conform to the apostolic tradition which used the Septuagint, but in his own narrative would translate the Hebrew as he judged best under the Spirit.
These are arguments for Matthew's authorship of the Greek Gospel. Mark apparently alters or explains many passages found in our Matthew, for greater clearness, as if he had the Greek of Matthew before him (Mt 18:9; 19:1 with Mr 10:1; 9:47); and if the Greek existed so early it must have come from Matthew himself, not a transistor. The Latinisms (fragellosas, Mt 27:26; kodranteen, Mt 5:26) are unlike a translation from Hebrew into Greek, for why not use the Greek terms as Luke (Lu 12:59) does, rather than Graecised Latinisms? The Latinisms are natural to Matthew, as a portitor or gatherer of port dues, familiar with the Roman coin quadrans, and likely to quote the Latin for "scourging" (fragellosas from flagellum) used by the Roman governor in sentencing Jesus. Josephus' writing his history both in Greek and Hebrew (B. J. Preface 1) is parallel.
The great proof of Matthew's authorship of the Greek is that the Hebrew has left no trace of it except that which may exist in the Nazarene Gospel, whereas our Greek Matthew is quoted as authentic by the apostolic fathers (Polycarp, Ep. ii. 7; Ignatius, ad Smyr. 6; Clemens Romans i. 46; Barnabas, Ep. 4) and earliest Christians. Paul in writing to the Hebrew, Peter to the Jews of the dispersion, and James to the twelve tribes, write in Greek not Hebrew. How unlikely that Matthew's name should be substituted for the lost name of the unknown translator, and this in apostolic times; for John lived to see the completion of the canon; he never would have sanctioned as the authentic Gospel of Matthew a fragmentary compilation "in arrangement and selection of events not such as would have proceeded from an apostle and eye witness" (Alford). The Hebraisms accord with the Jewish character of Matthew's Gospel, and suit the earliest period of the church. At a later date it would have been less applicable to the existing state.
Early Christian writers quote the Greek, not the Hebrew, with implicit confidence in its authority as Matthew's work. The original Hebrew of which Papias, etc., speak none of them ever saw. If it had not been so, heretics would have gladly used such a handle against it, which they do not. The Syriac version of the second century is demonstrably made, not from its kindred tongue the Hebrew, but from the Greek Matthew; this to too in the country next Judea where Matthew wrote, and with which there was the freest communication. The Hebrew Matthew having served its local and temporary use was laid aside, just as Paul's temporary epistles (Col 4:16; 1Co 5:9) have not been transmitted to us, the Holy Spirit designing them to serve but for a time. Our Greek Matthew has few, if any, traces of being a translation; it has the general marks of being an independent work.
A translator would not have presumed to alter Matthew's original so as to have the air of originality which it has; if he had, his compilation would never have been accepted as the authentic Gospel of the inspired apostle Matthew by the churches which had within them men possessing the gift of "discerning spirits" (1Co 12:10). As Mark's name designates his Gospel, not that of Peter his apostolic guide, and Luke's name his Gospel not Paul's name, so if a translator had modified Matthew's Hebrew, his name not Matthew's would have designated it. All is clear if we suppose that, after inaccurate translations of his Hebrew by others such as Papias (above) notices, Matthew himself at a later date wrote, or dictated, in Greek for Greek speaking Jews the Gospel in fuller form than the Hebrew. His omission of the ascension (as included in the resurrection of which it is the complement) was just what we should expect if he wrote while the event was fresh in men's memory and the witnesses still at Jerusalem. If he had written at a later date he would have surely recorded it.
AIM. There is a lack in it of the vivid details found in the others, his aim being to give prominence to the Lord's discourses. Jesus' human aspect as the ROYAL. Son of David is mainly dwelt, on; but His divine aspect as Lord of David is also presented in Mt 22:45; 16:16; proving that Matthew's view accords with that of John, who makes prominent Jesus' divine claims. From the beginning Matthew introduces Jesus as "Son of David," but Mr 1:1 as "the Son of God," Luke as "the Son of Adam, the son of God" (Lu 3:38), John as "the Word" who "was God" (Joh 1:4). In the earlier part, down to the Baptist's death, he groups facts and discourses according to the subjects, not according to the times, whereas Mark arranges according to the times, in the places where they differ. Papias' description of the Hebrew Matthew as a studied arrangement (su
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And all this took place in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying; Behold, the virgin shall have gestation and bring forth a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God is with us.
Behold, the virgin shall have gestation and bring forth a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God is with us.
And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judea, art by no means the least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come a leader, who will shepherd my people, Israel.
And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judea, art by no means the least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come a leader, who will shepherd my people, Israel.
and was there until the death of Herod: in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying; Out of Egypt have I called my son.
and was there until the death of Herod: in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying; Out of Egypt have I called my son.
A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children; and was not willing to be comforted, because they are not.
This is the one, who is spoken of by Isaiah the prophet saying, The voice of one roaring in the wilderness; Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight His paths.
This is the one, who is spoken of by Isaiah the prophet saying, The voice of one roaring in the wilderness; Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight His paths.
This is the one, who is spoken of by Isaiah the prophet saying, The voice of one roaring in the wilderness; Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight His paths.
And He responding said; It has been written, A man shall not live upon bread alone, but upon every word coming forth through the mouth of God. Then the devil takes Him into the holy city and stood Him on the pinnacle of the temple, read more. and says to Him; If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down; for it has been written, That He will give His angels charge concerning thee, and upon their hand they will bear thee, lest thou mayest dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him; Again it has been written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
If having fallen down thou mayest worship me: then Jesus says to him, Get behind me, Satan; for it has been written; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.
in order that the word having been spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Thou land Zabulon and land Naphtali, way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,
Thou land Zabulon and land Naphtali, way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the valley and shadow of death, light sprang up.
the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the valley and shadow of death, light sprang up.
Blessed are they that mourn: because they shall be comforted.
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not murder; and whosoever may murder shall be in danger of the judgment;
Truly I say unto you, You can not go out from thence until you have paid the last farthing. You have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery.
And it was said, Whosoever may send away his wife, let him give her a divorcement.
Again you have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths.
You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
You have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.
And Jesus says to him, See that you may tell no one; but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
And Jesus hearing, was astonished, and said to those following, Truly I say unto you, I did not find so great faith in Israel. And I say unto you, that many will come from the east and from the west, and sit up with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of the heavens: read more. but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
in order that the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, He took our infirmities, and carried our sicknesses.
in order that the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, He took our infirmities, and carried our sicknesses.
But having gone, learned what this is, I wish mercy and not sacrifice: for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
For I came to divide a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: and the enemies of a man will be the inmates of his own house.
The blind are looking up, and the lame are walking about, the lepers are being cleansed, and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised, and the poor are having the gospel preached unto them:
for this is he, concerning whom it has been written, Behold, I send my messenger before my face, who will prepare thy way before thee.
And if you wish to receive it, he is Elijah, who is to come.
And He said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those with him?
Have you not read in the law, that the priests in the temple do profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?
But if ye had known what this is, I wish mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the innocent.
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul took delight: I will place my Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim judgment to the Gentiles. He will not strive, nor scream, nor shall any one hear His voice in the streets. read more. The bruised reed He will not break, and He will not quench the smoking wick, until He may send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.
For as Jonah was in the stomach of the whale three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
The queen of the south will rise in judgment with this generation, and condemn it: because she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a greater than Solomon is here.
And the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled unto them, saying, By hearing ye shall hear, and may not understand; and seeing you shall see, and may not perceive.
And the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled unto them, saying, By hearing ye shall hear, and may not understand; and seeing you shall see, and may not perceive.
And the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled unto them, saying, By hearing ye shall hear, and may not understand; and seeing you shall see, and may not perceive. Because the heart of this people is waxed gross, and they heard heavily with their ears, and closed their eyes; lest they may see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I shall heal them.
in order that the word spoken by Isaiah, the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables: I will make known the things which have been hidden from the foundation.
Then the scribes and Pharisees, who are from Jerusalem, come to Jesus, saying, Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
And Jesus says to them; How much bread have ye? And they said, Seven loaves and a few fishes.
And Simon Peter responding said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as the light.
And Jesus responding said to them, Elijah indeed comes, and will restore all things:
And if thine eye offend thee, cast it from thee: it is good for thee having one eye entering into life, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of the fire.
But if thy brother may sin, go, and convict him between thee and him alone: if he may hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother:
And it came to pass when Jesus finished these sermons, He departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea, beyond the Jordan.
And He responding said to them, Have you not read, that the one having made them from the beginning made them male and female? And He said, On account of this a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife; and they two shall be one flesh.
They say to Him, Then why did Moses command to give a book of divorcement, and to send her away?
He says to Him, What? And Jesus said to him, Thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt hot steal, thou shalt not bear false witness,
Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh, meek, and seated upon a donkey, even a colt, the progeny of the work-beast.
And the multitudes going forward, and following, continued to cry out, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!
and He says to them, It has been written, My house shall be called a house of prayer: but you make it a den of thieves.
and said to Him, Do you hear what they are saying? And Jesus says to them, Yes: have you not read, That out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Jesus says, Have you not read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has come to be the head of the corner: this was with the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes?
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saying, Teacher, Moses said, If any man may die, not having children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
And He said to him; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
in order that all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah the son of the blessed, whom they slew between the temple and the altar, may come upon you.
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, that ye can see me no more until you can say; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Then when you may see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth know),
And immediately, after the desolation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from the heavens, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words can not pass away.
But as were the days of Noah, so indeed shall be the coming of the Son of man.
Then Jesus says to them, You will all be offended in me this night: for it has been written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.
Then Jesus says to him, Turn away thy sword into its place; for all taking the sword shall perish by the sword.
Jesus says to him, Thou didst say it. Moreover I say unto you, that, Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
And taking counsel, they purchased with them the field of the potter, for a burying place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called, The field of blood, to this day.
Therefore that field has been called, The field of blood, to this day. Then the word having been spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, was fulfilled, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, whom they of the sons of Israel did value;
Then he released unto them Barabbas.And having scourged Jesus, delivered Him up that He should be crucified.
And crucifying Him, they divided His garments, casting the lot,
He trusted in God; let Him now deliver Him, if He wishes Him; for He said, I am the Son of God.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, \i Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, \i Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
and having come out of the tombs after His resurrection came into the holy city and appeared unto many.
And on the following day, which is after the Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, saying,
And they having received the money, did as they were instructed: and this report is current among the Jews until this day.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
And the Pharisees and certain ones of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem, gather to Him. And seeing certain ones of His disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands. read more. For the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they diligently wash their hands, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders. And from the forum, unless they may baptize themselves, they do not eat: and many other things which they have received to hold, the baptism of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and couches.
If thine eye may offend thee, cast it from thee: it is good for thee entering into the kingdom of God having one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell;
Rising up thence He comes into the coasts of Judea, through the region beyond the Jordan; and the multitudes again come to Him, and, as was His custom, He again taught them.
And when you may see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not (let him that readeth know), then let those in Judea fly to the mountains:
And it already being evening, since it was the Preparation, which is the day before the Sabbath,
I say unto you, You can by no means come out thence, till you have even paid the last mite.
He led him to Jesus. Jesus looking upon him said; Thou art Simon the Son of Jonah, thou shalt be called Cephas (which is interpreted, Peter).
And it was the preparation of the passover: and was about the sixth hour. And he says to the Jews, Behold, your King!
Then the Jews, in order that the bodies may not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, since it was the Preparation (for the day of that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate, that they might break their legs, and take them down.
Then on account of the Preparation of the Jews (because the sepulcher was near), they placed Jesus there.
But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost having come upon you, and shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and in Samaria, and into the extremity of the earth.
And when the letter may be read by you, cause that it may also be read in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you may also read the letter from Laodicea.
For if the word having been spoken by angels was stedfast, and every disobedience and transgression received a just recompense of reward;
since it behooved him frequently to suffer from the foundation of the world: but now in the end of the ages he has been made manifest unto the removal of sin through the sacrifice of himself.
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you may fall into manifold temptations.
But the one having looked into the perfect law which is the law of liberty, and having remained in it, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, he shall be happy in his work.
But, my brethren, before all, swear not, neither by heaven, or by earth, or any other oath: but let your conversation be yes yes; and no no; lest you may fall under condemnation.