Like the Apostle Matthew Crafted a Clear Message for "All”

Matthew, the author of one of the four Gospels in the New Testament, had a specific audience in mind when he wrote his Gospel – the Jewish community. Let's explore how Matthew carefully constructed his Gospel to convey important messages to his readers in a way that anyone can understand.

1. Portraying Jesus as a New Moses:

Matthew wanted his Jewish audience to see Jesus as a new Moses, someone who brings a fresh message and guidance for their lives. To emphasize this, he structured his Gospel with five major teachings, called discourses, including the famous Sermon on the Mount. These teachings highlighted the teachings of Jesus, much like Moses brought the commandments from God.

2. Inclusive of the genealogy:

Matthew's genealogy of Jesus is different from the one found in Luke's Gospel. Matthew starts with Abraham, highlighting that through the covenant, all nations, not just the Israelites, would be blessed. Interestingly, he includes four Gentile women in Jesus' family tree, like Tamar and Rahab. This emphasises the importance of Gentiles in the story of Jesus. Matthew also doesn't name Bathsheba but rather as the wife of Uriah. This subtle choice suggests that the Messiah's salvation extends to the Gentiles.

3. Literary "Bookends":

Matthew used a literary technique called "bookends" to group sections of his Gospel together. This encourages readers to see these sections as connected units. He emphasized the importance of the Jewish mission but also highlighted the inclusion of Gentiles. For instance, he quoted Jesus instructing the Apostles to focus on "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" while framing his Gospel with a gentile context. This highlights that Jesus came not only for the Jews but for all people.

4. Connecting Chapters with Textual "Bookends"

In chapters 4:23 and 9:35, Matthew used textual bookends to show that the material between them should be read together. For example, the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7 should be considered along with the miracles in chapters 8 and 9. This reinforces the idea that Jesus is not only a teacher (word) but also a healer and miracle-worker.

5. "The Coming One" Concept

In chapters 3-11, Matthew merged the idea of Jesus as the Messiah in both word and deed. He highlighted John the Baptist's role by connecting his earlier prophecies about the Messiah with a new dimension to the messianic expectation. This emphasizes the message that Jesus is the expected Messiah.

In summary, Matthew's Gospel is not a regular biography but a powerful testimony of Jesus as the Christ. He carefully wove together teachings, experiences, and stories to showcase Jesus as the new Moses, the Messiah of both words and deeds, and the Savior who preached and performed miracles. Matthew's Gospel invites all readers, not just the Jewish audience, to see the bigger picture of Christ's ministry and its significance. It is a valuable part of Christian teachings that's accessible to everyone.

Reflective Questions

1. How does understanding Matthew's unique approach to presenting Jesus as a new Moses help us appreciate the significance of Jesus' teachings in the Gospel of Matthew?

2. Matthew's inclusive genealogy highlights the importance of Gentiles in the story of Jesus. How can this perspective influence our understanding of the universality of God's salvation?