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A look ahead at Matthew’s
narrative.
Year A begins 1st Sunday of
Advent 07
Although the Gospel of Matthew was not the first gospel
written, it is generally regarded as the most important
and was placed first in the collection of writings that
constitute the New Testament. In addition to materials
found in the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Matthew contains
a large number of Jesus’ sayings and discourses
and also a group of stories not found in any of the
other Gospels. Matthew contains an extensive account
of Jesus’ teachings and as such is considered the
most authentic and fundamental doctrine of the Christian
religion.
The sayings and discourses of Jesus are apparently taken
in large part from an older document known as “The
Sayings of Jesus,” or the Q source,
and are combined with the narrative found in Mark in
the following manner: The author of Matthew uses the
same sequence of events that are recorded
in Mark, but at appropriate intervals he interrupts
the narrative and inserts a group of sayings. When Matthew
reaches that place in the Marcan
narrative where Jesus teaches the people, he inserts
a group of sayings. The organization of these sayings
into a single sermon thus appears to be
the result of Matthew’s arrangement. One example
of this kind is usually referred to as the Sermon on
the Mount. The materials included in this
sermon also can be found in the Gospel of Luke, but
they are scattered throughout Luke instead of being
grouped together.
Another rather striking characteristic of the Gospel
of Matthew is its high regard for the teachings of the
Old Testament. There are
approximately fifteen instances in which Matthew interprets
some event in the life of Jesus as a fulfillment of
a prophecy in the Old Testament.
Evidently the author of Matthew did not think of Christianity
as something that involved a definite break with the
Jewish religion. Not for a moment
did he think that Jesus changed or set aside the requirements
of the Mosaic Law. In his zeal to show a close relationship
between Jesus and the
Old Testament, Matthew appears at times to make references
to incidents in the life of Jesus for no other reason
than to document them as fulfilling
Old Testament prophecy.
A third characteristic of the Gospel of Matthew is its
interest in ecclesiastical affairs. Matthew begins with
a genealogy of Jesus that
traces his ancestry as far back as Abraham. The ancestry
is traced on the side of Joseph, although the author
later definitively states that Joseph
was not Jesus’ father. Following the genealogy
is an account of the wise men’s visit to Jesus’
birth site, Herod’s attempt to destroy the newborn
child, and the flight into Egypt for the child’s
protection. After the death of Herod, the family returned
and settled in the Galilee town of
Nazareth, which, according to Matthew, fulfilled another
Old Testament prophecy.
Following the introductory stories, Matthew continues
his gospel by narrating the events in Jesus’ public
career in the same sequence as they
are found in Mark. As mentioned before, this sequence
is interrupted at appropriate intervals for the insertion
of discourses that Jesus delivered
on various occasions. This scheme enables Matthew to
combine Jesus’ teachings and events in one continuous
narrative. While the author of the
Gospel of Mark seems to have been impressed most of
all with the wonderful deeds that Jesus performed, Matthew
places the major emphasis on the
marvelous things that Jesus taught. Some of the teachings
were spoken directly to the inner group of disciples,
but at different times and
places Jesus addressed the multitudes, among whom were
many who gladly heard him. Often Jesus spoke in parables,
for in this way he could
communicate his ideas concerning the kingdom of heaven
in language that the people could understand because
the parables were drawn from people’s
own experiences.
Paul insisted that salvation is obtained by faith and
not by obedience to laws. Many Jewish Christians did
not agree with this individualistic
attitude. The author of the Gospel of Matthew appears
to have been one of them. According to his version of
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
stated, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and
earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least
stroke of a pen, will by any means
disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
When the woman responds, “Yes, Lord, but even the
dogs eat the crumbs that fall from
their master’s table,” Jesus commends her
for her faith and heals her daughter.
This narrative of the woman and her daughter represents
only one aspect of the Gospel of Matthew. Many other
passages indicate that the gospel was
intended for all people and not merely for Jews. The
early church seems to have entertained two different
views concerning the coming of the kingdom
of God. In the Gospel of Matthew, certain passages support
each view. Jesus will descend to earth on the clouds
of heaven in power and great
glory. Then the kingdom of God will be established,
of which there will be no end.
Matthew’s gospel closes with accounts of Jesus’
resurrection and his appearance to the disciples. The
women were commissioned to go and tell
Jesus’ disciples that Jesus would meet the disciples
in Galilee. Because Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, was
dead, there were only eleven disciples
left. The disciples met with Jesus in Galilee as they
had been directed to do, and there Jesus instructed
them, “Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations. . . . And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.”
Throughout the year beginning on Advent Sunday we will
explore the themes in this Gospel and allow Matthew
the evangelist leads us though our weekly
devotions and prayers in this coming liturgical year.
Yours Sean
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