The Gospel According to Matthew

Author: (top)

Although technically, like the other three Gospels, that according to Matthew is anonymous, it is quite clear that the early Church Fathers held Matthew the Apostle to be the author of the Gospel. The text itself is said to attest to Matthean authorship in that it is only in this Gospel (of the canonical gospels) that refers to "Matthew the Tax Collector" as opposed simply to "Matthew"; which is taken to be a modest form of self-deprecation - i.e., an indication that the author was referring to himself.

It is apparent from the content of the gospel that the author quoted a great deal from the gospel According to Mark. Some suggest that this indicates non-apostolic authorship - for who would quote from a secondary source when he himself was a primary source? However it doesn't seem unlikely that Matthew would have a problem quoting from Mark if he knew that Mark's record flowed from the memories of Peter and supplemented his own memories in some way.

Therefore, we hold the Apostle Matthew to be the author of the First Gospel.

Date: (top)

The Gospel According to Matthew was probably written between 60-70 AD, although it has become popular to date it between 80-100.

Content: (top)

1:1-4:25 The birth and early ministry of Jesus

1:1-17 The genealogy of Jesus.
1:18-25 The birth of Jesus.
2:1-12 Magi visit Jesus bringing gifts.
2:13-23 Jesus, Mary and Joseph escape Herod to Egypt, but return after he dies.
3:1-12 John the Baptist prepares the way for the Lord.
3:13-17 Jesus Baptised.
4:1-11 Jesus tempted.
4:12-17 Jesus begins to preach.
4:18-22 Jesus calls His first disciples.
4:23-25 Jesus teaches, preaches and heals.

5:1-7:29 The Sermon on the Mount

5:1-12 Jesus teaches concerning the godly approach to life, with 'the beatitudes'.
5:13-16 Jesus teaches concerning the Christian witness with the examples of salt and light.
5:17-20 Jesus teaches concerning the fulfillment of the law.
5:21-26 Jesus teaches concerning anger.
5:27-30 Jesus teaches concerning lust.
5:31-32 Jesus teaches concerning divorce.
5:33-37 Jesus teaches concerning oaths.
5:38-42 Jesus teaches concerning revenge.
5:43-48 Jesus teaches concerning enemies.
6:1-4 Jesus teaches concerning the needy.
6:5-15 Jesus teaches concerning prayer.
6:16-18 Jesus teaches concerning fasting.
6:19-24 Jesus teaches concerning that which we serve.
6:25-34 Jesus teaches concerning God's providence.
7:1-6 Jesus teaches concerning judging others.
7:7-12 Jesus teaches concerning God's providence, with a call to 'ask, seek and knock'.
7:13-14 Jesus teaches concerning the way to 'life' with the illustration of narrow and wide gates.
7:15-23 Jesus teaches concerning true believers.
7:24-27 Jesus teaches concerning the application of His teaching.
7:28-29 The crowd reacts to Jesus' teaching with astonishment.

8:1-13:23 Jesus heals and teaches

8:1-4 Jesus heals a man with leprosy.
8:5-13 Jesus heals a servant of a centurion with great faith.
8:14-17 Jesus heals many.
8:18-22 Jesus teaches concerning the cost of following Him.
8:23-27 Jesus calms a storm.
8:28-34 Jesus heals two demon-possessed men.
9:1-8 Jesus heals a paralytic and announces that his sins are forgiven.
9:9-13 Jesus calls Matthew.
9:14-17 Jesus teaches concerning fasting.
9:18-26 Jesus heals a dead girl and a sick woman.
9:27-31 Jesus heals two blind men.
8:32-34 Jesus heals a mute man.
9:35-38 Jesus teaches, preaches and heals.
10:1-42 Jesus sends out the twelve, warning of persecutions to come.
11:1-19 Jesus teaches concerning Himself and John the Baptist.
11:20-24 Jesus pronounces woe on unrepentant cities.
11:25-30 Jesus promises rest for the weary who come to Him.
12:1-14 Jesus shows that He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
12:15-21 Jesus is shown to be God's chosen servant.
12:22-37 Jesus teaches regarding that which makes a kingdom.
12:38-45 Jesus promises the sign of Jonah.
12:46-50 Jesus teaches concerning his family.
13:1-9 Jesus teaches concerning foundation of faith, with the parable of the sower.
13:10-17 Jesus explains why He talks in parables.
13:18-23 Jesus explains the parable of the sower.

13:24-52 Jesus teaches concerning the Kingdom of Heaven

13:24-30 The parable of the weeds.
13:31-35 The parable of the mustard seed and the yeast.
13:36-43 Jesus explains the parable of the weeds.
13:44 The parable of the hidden treasure.
13:45-46 The parable of the pearl.
13:47-50 The parable of the fisherman's net.
13:51-52 Jesus concludes this teaching.

13:53-25:46 Jesus teaches, preaches and heals

13:53-58 Jesus shows that in his hometown a prophet is not rightly honoured.
14:1-12 John the Baptist is beheaded.
14:13-21 Jesus feeds 5,000.
14:22-33 Jesus walks on water.
14:34-36 Jesus heals many.
15:1-20 Jesus teaches concerning being clean and unclean.
15:21-28 Jesus heals the daughter of a canaanite woman with great faith.
15:29-31 Jesus heals many.
15:32-39 Jesus feeds 4,000.
16:1-4 The Pharisees and Saducees test Jesus.
16:5-12 Jesus warns His disciples to be on their guard against the teaching of the Pharisees and Saducees.
16:13-20 Peter confesses Jesus to be the Christ.
16:21-23 Jesus predicts His death.
16:24-28 Jesus warns of the cost of following Him.
17:1-13 Jesus' transfiguration.
17:14-21 Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy.
17:22-23 Jesus again predicts His death.
17:24-27 Jesus pays the temple tax.
18:1-4 Jesus teaches concerning humility in the Kingdom of Heaven.
18:5-9 Jesus teaches concerning the consequences of sin.
18:10-14 Jesus teaches concerning the love of God for us, with the parable of the lost sheep.
18:15-17 Jesus teaches concerning the treatment of a brother who sins.
18:18-20 Jesus teaches concerning unity of believers.
18:21-35 Jesus teaches concerning forgiveness in the Kingdom of heaven, with the parable of the unmerciful servant.
19:1-12 Jesus teaches concerning divorce.
19:13-15 Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to those like little children.
19:16-26 Jesus shows that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven - but with God all things are possible.
19:27-20:16 Jesus teaches that the first will be last, and the last first, with the parable of the hired workers.
20:17-19 Jesus for the third time predicts His death.
20:20-28 The mother of Zebedee's sons asks that they could sit on either side of Jesus in His Kingdom.
20:29-34 Jesus heals two blind men.
21:1-11 Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly.
21:12-17 Jesus clears the temple and heals many.
21:18-22 Jesus makes a fig tree wither and teaches concerning faith.
21:23-27 Jesus' authority is questioned.
21:28-32 Jesus teaches concerning the importance of 'performance' in your reaction to God, with the parable of the two sons.
21:33-46 Jesus teaches regarding the Israelite's relationship with God, with the parable of the tenants.
22:1-14 Jesus teaches concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, with the parable of the Wedding Banquet.
22:15-22 The Pharisees try to trick Jesus, but Jesus teaches to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's and God what is God's".
22:23-33 Jesus teaches concerning marriage at the resurrection.
22:34-40 Jesus relates the two greatest commandments.
22:41-46 Jesus teaches concerning Himself.
23:1-39 Jesus pronounces woes against the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for their hypocritical ways.
24:1-51 Jesus teaches concerning the end of the age and warns His followers to be ready.
25:1-30 Jesus teaches concerning the Kingdom of Heaven with the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents.
25:31-46 Jesus teaches concerning His future coming in glory, with the parable of the sheep and goats.

26:1-28:20 The Passion of Jesus, according to Matthew

26:1-5 The chief priests and the elders plot against Jesus.
26:6-13 A woman anoints Jesus with perfume.
26:14-16 Judas agrees to betray Jesus.
26:17-30 Jesus and His disciples celebrate the Passover and institute the Lord's Supper.
26:31-35 Jesus predicts Peter's denial.
26:36-46 Jesus prays at Gethsemane.
26:47-56 Jesus arrested.
26:57-68 Jesus on trial before the Sanhedrin.
26:69-75 Peter denies knowing Jesus.
27:1-2 The chief priests and elders decide to put Jesus to death.
27:3-10 Judas hangs himself.
27:11-26 Jesus before Pilate.
27:27-31 Soldiers mock Jesus.
27:32-56 Jesus crucified and dies.
27:57-66 Jesus is buried in a new tomb, with a guard.
28:1-10 Jesus rises from the dead.
28:11-15 The guards are told to lie about what they saw.
28:16-20 Jesus meets the disciples in Galilee and instructs them to make disciples of all the earth.