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 Our Greek Gospel superseded the Hebrew, and was designed by the Holy Spirit (as its early acceptance, universal use, and sole preservation prove) to be the more universal canonical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
Now all this has come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel," which is, being interpreted, God with us.
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel," which is, being interpreted, God with us.
"And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the governors of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Governor, who shall be shepherd of My people Israel."
"And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the governors of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Governor, who shall be shepherd of My people Israel."
and was there till the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."
and was there till the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."
"A voice in Ramah was heard, weeping and great mourning; Rachel, weeping for her children; and she was not willing to be comforted, because they are not."
for this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah, the prophet, saying, 'A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'"
for this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah, the prophet, saying, 'A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'"
for this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah, the prophet, saying, 'A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'"
But He, answering, said, "It has been written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" Then the Devil takes Him into the holy city, and placed Him on the pinnacle of the temple, read more. and says to Him, "If Thou art a Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it has been written, 'He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee; and on their hands they shall bear Thee up; lest at any time Thou shouldest dash Thy foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it has been written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"
Then Jesus saith to him, "Depart, Satan; for it has been written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.'"
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, "Land of Zebulon and land of Naphtali, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
"Land of Zebulon and land of Naphtali, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: The people that were sitting in darkness saw a great Light; and to those sitting in a region and shadow of death Light arose."
The people that were sitting in darkness saw a great Light; and to those sitting in a region and shadow of death Light arose."
"Happy are the meek: because they shall inherit the earth.
"Ye heard that it was said to the ancients, 'You shall not kill; and whosoever kills shall be in danger of the judgment.'
Verily I say to you, in no wise shall you come out thence, till you pay the last farthing. "Ye heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'
"And it was said, 'Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement;'
"Again ye heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord your oaths;"
"Ye heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,'
"Ye heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy;'
And Jesus saith to him, "See that you tell no one: but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
And Jesus, hearing it, wondered, and said to those following Him, "Verily I say to you, with no one in Israel did I find such faith. And I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven; read more. but the sons of the Kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth."
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses."
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses."
But, going, learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice;' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
for I came to set a man at variance with his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and the man's foes will be those of his own house-hold.
the blind receive sight, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have the Gospel proclaimed to them.
This is he of whom it has been written, 'Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.'
and, if ye are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is about to come.
But He said to them, "Did ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those with him?
Or did ye not read in the law that, on the sabbath, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
And, if ye had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' ye would not have condemned the guiltless;
"Behold, My servant Whom I chose, My Beloved, in Whom My soul delighted. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare judgment to the gentiles. He will not strive, nor cry aloud; nor will any one hear His voice in the streets: read more. A bruised reed will He not break, and a smoking flax will He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory; And in His name will the gentiles hope."
For, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
"A queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
And to them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'With hearing ye will hear, and will not understand; and, seeing, ye will see, and will not perceive;
And to them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'With hearing ye will hear, and will not understand; and, seeing, ye will see, and will not perceive;
And to them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'With hearing ye will hear, and will not understand; and, seeing, ye will see, and will not perceive; for the heart of this people was made gross, and with their ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I should heal them.'
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."
Then there come to Jesus, from Jerusalem, Pharisees and scribes, saying, "Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition 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 saith to them, "How many loaves have ye?" And they said, "Seven, and a few little fishes."
And Simon Peter, answering, said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
and He was transfigured before them; and His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as the light.
And He, answering, said, "Elijah, indeed, comes, and will restore all things;
"And, if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you; it is good for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Hell of fire.
"And, if your brother sin against you, go show him his fault between you and him alone. If he hear you, you gained your brother;
And it came to pass that, when Jesus finished these words, He departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judaea, beyond the Jordan.
And He, answering, said, "Did you not read that He Who made them from the beginning made them 'male and female,' and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh?"
They say to Him, "Why, then, did Moses command to give her a bill of divorcement, and to put her away?"
He says to Him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness;
"Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, meek and mounted upon an ass, and on a colt, a foal of a beast of burden.'"
And the multitudes, who were going before Him, and those who were following, were crying, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
And He saith to them, "It has been written, 'My house, shall be called a house of prayer; but ye are making it a den of robbers!'"
and said to Him, "Dost Thou hear what these are saying?" And Jesus saith to them, "Yes; did ye never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou didst perfect praise!'"
Jesus saith to them, "Did ye never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made head of a corner; this was from the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes?'
And he who falls on this stone shall be broken in pieces; but on whomsoever it falls, it will scatter him as dust."
saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If any one die, having no 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?' He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
A second like it is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
that upon you may come all the righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel, the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Behold, your house is left to you desolate! For I say to you, ye shall in no wise see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed is He That cometh in the name of the Lord!'"
"When, therefore, ye see the abomination of the desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (let him that reads understand),
"And, immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;
The heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
For as the days of Noe were, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man.
Then Jesus saith to them, "All ye will be made to stumble because of Me this night; for it has been written, 'I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered abroad.'
Then saith Jesus to him, "Return your sword to its place; for all taking a sword will perish by a sword.
Jesus saith to him, "You said it: nevertheless I say to you, henceforth ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
And, taking counsel, they bought with them the field of the potter, for a burial-place for the strangers. Wherefore, that field was called "A field of blood" until this day.
Wherefore, that field was called "A field of blood" until this day. Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him Who was priced, Whom some of the sons of Israel priced,
Then he released to them Barabbas; but, having scourged Jesus, he delivered Him up to be crucified.
And, having crucified Him, they divided His garments among them, casting lots;
He has trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He desireth Him; because He said, 'I am God's Son.'"
And, about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "My God! My God! Why didst Thou forsake Me?"
And, about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "My God! My God! Why didst Thou forsake Me?"
and, coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered into the holy city, and appeared to many.
And on the morrow which, indeed, is the day after the Preparation, the high priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,
And they, taking the silver, did as they were instructed. And this account was spread abroad among the Jews, until this day.
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God's Son.
And there gather together to Him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem, and saw that some of His disciples ate bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands. read more. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands thoroughly, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; and, coming from the marketplace, unless they immerse themselves, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they received to hold; as, immersion of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels.
And, if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is good for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into Hell,
And, rising up thence, He cometh into the borders of Judaea, and beyond the Jordan. And multitudes come together to Him again; and, as He was wont, He was teaching them again.
But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, (let him that reads understand), then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains;
And, evening having already come, since it was the Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
I tell you, you will in no wise come out thence, till you shall pay even the last mite."
He led him to Jesus. Jesus looking on him, said, "You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Cephas," (which is translated Peter).
And it was the Preparation of the passover: it was about the sixth hour. And he says to the Jews, "Behold, your King!"
The Jews, therefore, (since it was the Preparation), that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, (for the day of that sabbath was great), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and they be taken away.
There, therefore, on account of the Preparation of the Jews (because the tomb was near), they laid Jesus.
but ye shall receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the utmost limit of the earth."
and to another, workings of mighty deeds; and to another, prophecy; and to another, discerning of spirits; to another, various kinds of tongues; and to another, interpretation of tongues.
And, when the letter may be read among you, cause that it be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans, and that ye also read the one from Laodicea.
For, if the word spoken through angels became steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a righteous recompense,
else had it been needful for Him ofttimes to suffer since the founding of a world; but now, once for all, at the end of the ages, He hath been manifested for the putting away of sin through the sacrifice of Himself.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall in with manifold temptations;
But he who looks carefully into a perfect law??hat of liberty??nd remains by it, becoming not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work??his man shall be happy in his doing.
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, either by Heaven, or by earth, or by any other oath; but let yours be "the yes, yes," and "the no, no"; that ye fall not under condemnation.