Gospel of Matthew
[4][5] The gospel reflects the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes, chief priests and Pharisees[6] with the position that the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken away from them and given instead to the church.
Traditionally attributed to the Apostle Matthew, the predominant scholarly view is that it was written in the last quarter of the first century by an anonymous Jew familiar with technical legal aspects of scripture.
[8] According to church tradition originating with Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD),[14] it was written by Matthew, the companion of Jesus, but this presents numerous problems,[9] and most modern scholars hold that it was written in the last quarter of the first century by a male Jew who stood on the margin between traditional and nontraditional Jewish values and who was familiar with technical legal aspects of scripture being debated in his time.
[15][16][b]However, scholars such as N. T. Wright[17] and John Wenham[18] hold there are problems with dating Matthew late in the first century, and argue that it was written in the 40s–50s AD.
[c] Whether the Gospels were composed before or after 70 AD, according to Bas van Os, the lifetime of various eyewitnesses that includes Jesus's own family through the end of the First Century is very likely statistically.
[22] This does not necessarily show a linear approach of continual development and addition only, as some of what Paul the Apostle says is more similar to Matthew's details.
[26][27] Alan Kirk praises Matthew for his "scribal memory competence" and "his high esteem for and careful handling of both Mark and Q", which makes claims the latter two works are significantly different in terms of theology or historical reliability dubious.
[31] Many of the quotations of the scriptures in Matthew are more closely matched with the Masoretic,[32] leading many scholars to believe that the author could understand Hebrew.
[52] Jesus commissions the Twelve Disciples and sends them to preach to the Jews, perform miracles, and prophesy the imminent coming of the Kingdom, commanding them to travel lightly, without staff or sandals.
The discourse is a set of parables emphasizing the sovereignty of God, and concluding with a challenge to the disciples to understand the teachings as scribes of the Kingdom of Heaven.
[56] The fourth narrative section reveals that the increasing opposition to Jesus will result in his crucifixion in Jerusalem, and that his disciples must therefore prepare for his absence.
[citation needed] Jesus travels toward Jerusalem, and the opposition intensifies: he is tested by the Pharisees as soon as he begins to move toward the city, and when he arrives he is soon in conflict with the Temple's traders and religious leaders.
[63] There will be false Messiahs, earthquakes, and persecutions, the sun, moon, and stars will fail, but "this generation" will not pass away before all the prophecies are fulfilled.
[64] Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph and drives the money changers from the Temple, holds a Last Supper, prays to be spared the coming agony (but concludes "if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done"), and is betrayed.
After the resurrection the remaining disciples return to Galilee, "to the mountain that Jesus had appointed", where he comes to them and tells them that he has been given "all authority in heaven and on Earth."
He gives the Great Commission: "Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you".
[71] The gospel has been interpreted as reflecting the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes and Pharisees.
[7] The divine nature of Jesus was a major issue for the community of Matthew, the crucial element marking them from their Jewish neighbors.
[76] There is a broad disagreement over chronology between Matthew, Mark and Luke on one hand and John on the other: all four agree that Jesus's public ministry began with an encounter with John the Baptist, but Matthew, Mark and Luke follow this with an account of teaching and healing in Galilee, then a trip to Jerusalem where there is an incident in the Temple, climaxing with the crucifixion on the day of the Passover holiday.
