Matthew’s Gospel has been cherished as “the ecclesiastical Gospel” and as “the teaching Gospel.” The only use of the word church in the four Gospels, for example, is found in Matthew, and the rhythm of the Lord’s Prayer and the organization of Jesus’ words in discourses evokes liturgical imagery. Matthew’s Gospel certainly is a treasure of the words of Jesus which are marked by stunning practicality and have proved perennially useful for ordering Christian community. But what else does the organization and substance of the Gospel of Matthew reveal?
In this commentary, Robert H. Smith examines the structure of the Gospel and the words of Jesus to uncover the meaning and purpose of Matthew. In addition to chapter-by-chapter commentary on the entire Gospel of Matthew, this volume also contains an outline of the entire book and a lengthy bibliography.
