Introduction to Matthew

Dr. Gail E. Terrell
Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Hamilton, Ohio

  1. Author.   The author of Matthew is not named within the text.   However, the Apostle Matthew has been considered from earliest times to be the author. Matthew is called Levi and had once been a hated publican (tax collector) for the Romans (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-32).   Although the date for the writing of Matthew is unknown, Matthew was possibly the first Gospel written, and was written in the period 37-68 A.D. (probably about 58-60 A.D.).  
  2. Recipients.   Matthew is written using Jewish terms and expressions understood by those familiar with the Old Testament.   Matthew has 65 direct quotations from the Old Testament, and regularly uses the expression that the scripture might be fulfilled.
  3. Theme.    Jesus, the King and promised Messiah, establishes and commissions His church.   Matthew begins by showing that Christ has the right to the throne because He was a Son or descendent of David in the royal lineage of Joseph, His mother’s husband and His legal father, although not His natural father.   Matthew ends with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) given to the Lord’s church whose first members were the apostles (I Corinthians 12:28).
  4. Key verses.   1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.   16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.   28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.   28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:   28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:   and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.   Amen.
  5. Key words used in Matthew:   kingdom of heaven – 32 times; fulfilled, fulfill – 18 times; church – 2 times (first usage in the Bible).
  6. References to the Lord’s church in Matthew:   the word church appears 2 times in Matthew:
    1. 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.   Jesus promises that His type of church will continue in perpetuity.   Jesus began building His church when He first called His disciples (I Corinthians 12:28) to be with Him and do His work during the years of His public ministry as recorded in the Gospels.
    2. 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:   but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen and a publican.   Jesus’ church is clearly in existence during this time of His public ministry because He instructs the church concerning differences among the brethren within the church.
  7. Matthew has 28 chapters, 1,071 verses and about 23,684 words.

Notes