The Gospel of Matthew: Torah for the Church
Overview
The Gospel of Matthew was written to prove to the Jews that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Christ, the fulfillment of their Scriptures. It contains the most thorough and organized presentation of Christ’s teaching anywhere in Scripture. Thus, the Gospel of Matthew is like the Christian Torah—the record of God’s words and deeds through Christ. Matthew’s Gospel also stresses the church, since it is the true Israel, the holy remnant, whose message is to be taken to Jews (and Gentiles) everywhere. In The Gospel of Matthew: Torah for the Church, Farley works from a literal translation of the original Greek and examines Matthew section by section, explaining its meaning in contemporary language.
Top Highlights
“That is why Christ taught the masses in parables. The true and humble of heart would learn, but the unbelieving and stubborn would not.” (Page 180)
“Such eating was specifically allowed by the Law (Deut. 23:25). Because this occurred on one of the Sabbaths, however, the Pharisees could see only violations of the Law.” (Page 163)
“In fact, Jewish thought of that day made it impossible for a pious man to approach conjugally a woman who had been the object of the Spirit’s power. Jewish midrash (or Bible commentary) from that time, speaking about Eldad and Medad (who received the Holy Spirit in power; see Num. 11:26), lamented, ‘How sad for the wives of those men!’ because such closeness to God meant they were now pledged to celibacy. Joseph, pious man that he was, would have shared such sentiments, which were general in his day, and would not have approached Mary conjugally after she had received the fullness of the Spirit and conceived her Son (Luke 1:35). Taking her home meant therefore that he lived with her as her protector and as the foster-father of her Son.” (Page 28)
“Matthew’s Gospel is the story of how God fulfilled His word to Israel and sent them His Messiah, who in turn carried out the work of redemption. It is like the Christian Torah, the record of God’s words and deeds through Christ. Matthew’s Gospel is, accordingly, the most Jewish of the four Gospels.” (Page 15)
“The lawyer knows that some commandments in the Law are pivotal, weightier than others” (Page 297)
- Title: The Gospel of Matthew: Torah for the Church
- Author: Lawrence R. Farley
- Series: The Orthodox Bible Study Companion
- Publisher: Ancient Faith
- Print Publication Date: 2009
- Logos Release Date: 2013
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. N.T. Matthew › Commentaries
- ISBNs: 9780982277072, 0982277075
- Resource ID: LLS:GSPLMTTHWTRHCHR
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:55:28Z