Gospel of Matthew

Conor D’Andrea, Ryan Pisano, Ryan Gochar, Niall Cope

Biographical info

• Saint Matthew wrote the first gospel.• Around A.D 124, bishop Popius said that

Matthew was compiling Jesus's sayings in the Aramaic language.

• He was a tax collector, as a result he was likely fluent in Greek and Aramaic.

• He was Jewish.• The gospel makes great links between the old

and New Testament.

Continued

• He has strong Jewish beliefs in his gospel because it was his religion.

• He assumes that his audience is of Jewish decent and understands Jewish customs.

• The gospel of Matthew is about 80 percent similar to the gospel of mark, but it takes out complicated Greek phrases.

• The gospel of Mathew was written at some time between 70-110 AD.

Continued

• He was one of the 12 Disciple of Jesus (obviously).

• Matthew died as a Martyr.

What Makes Matthew Unique?

• The Beginning– Mark’s Gospel• Immediately jumps into public teachings of Jesus

– Matthew’s Gospel• Explains the genealogy of Jesus, going back to David

and Abraham– Matthew 1:1-17

What Makes Matthew Unique?

• The Sermon on the Mount– Matthew• Jesus gives the beatitudes through the Sermon on the

mount.– Other Gospels• Luke- “on a level place.”• Mark- by a lake

The Gospel of Matthew: Main Themes

To Whom it was Written and Why

• Written for a predominately Greek-speaking Jewish Church– Most Likely in Antioch in Syria

• He had a Jewish background– Uses Several Jewish terms and mentions several

customs of the Jewish faith• Jews had been driven out of their synagogues (80s AD)– Wanted to ease tensions between Jews and Christians

What Image of Jesus this Gospel Portrays

• Jesus the Teacher– Sole teacher worthy of obedience

• A new “Moses”– Brings new law to God’s people– Old Law on Mt. Sinai Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

Sample Passage

• http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205-7

Important RQ’s

• Examples of Jewish influence on the Gospel• What is the Golden Rule?• What is a parable?• When as the Gospel of Matthew composed?• How was Jesus portrayed?• What was Matthew’s background?• How is Matthews Gospel different from other

Gospels.

• #Matthewforlifenumber1