The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary

This commentary on Matthew offers a unique interpretive approach that focuses on the socio-historical context of the gospel and the nature of Matthew’s exhortation to his first-century Christian audience. By merging a careful study of Matthew’s Gospel in relation to the social context of the ancient Mediterranean world with a detailed look at what we know of first-century Jewish-Christian relations, Craig Keener uncovers significant insights into the Gospel not found in any other Matthew commentary. In addition, Keener’s commentary is a useful discipleship manual for the church. His approach recaptures the full “shock effect” of Jesus’ teachings in their original context and allows Matthew to make his point with greater narrative artistry. Keener also brings home the total impact of Matthew’s message, including its clear portrait of Jesus and its call for discipleship, both to the Gospel’s ancient readers and to believers today. Thoroughly researched, the book includes a 150-page bibliography of secondary sources, and more than 150 pages of indexes.

Offering verse-by-verse commentary, this 1,090 page commentary is fantastic addition to the Socio-Rhetorical Commentary Series (10 Vols.) already available in Logos, perfect for scholars, students, and laity. With our digital format, you can link your favorite Bible to The Gospel of Matthew for ease of scrolling, and running a Passage Guide search will provide results from Keener’s work.