1.1 Bookends to Mark.
Both Matthew and Luke have birth narratives and (along with John) stories of Jesus' resurrection appearances. How do these "bookends" give shape to the narrative and help to define who Jesus is?
| Mark | Matthew | Luke | |
| Birth narrative | 1:1-2:23 | 1:1-2:52 | |
| Life and teachings | 1:1-10:52 | 3:1-20:34 | 3:1-19:27 |
| Passion | 11:1-16:8 | 21:1-27:66 | 19:28-23:56 |
| Resurrection | 16:1-8 | 28:1-8 | 24:1-12 |
| Appearances | [16:9-20] | 28:9-20 | 24:13-53 |
1.2. Five Blocks of Teaching.
Matthew's structure seems to include alternating blocks of narrative and discourse. How does this formal structure define and describe Jesus for Matthew's readers?
Some think Matthew’s Gospel intentionally mirrors the five books of the Law of Moses. But whether or not Matthew portrays Jesus as a new Moses, he does include many teachings to guide the community of Jesus’ disciples. E.g., on prayer and fasting (Matt 6), on sinful members (Matt 18), on divorce (Matt 19).
In the Judaism of Matthew’s day, there was much discussion about how to interpret and obey the Law of Moses. One of the groups that sought to spell out how to live faithfully under God’s Law was a Jewish commune headquartered near the Dead Sea at Qumran. Their so-called Community Rule or Manual of Discipline (1QS) laid down orders for the life of the community or Yahad. How do the demands of Jesus compare with the demands of the Community Rule?
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| 3:1-4:25 | Baptism, Temptation, Beginnings | 5:1-7:29 | Sermon on the Mount |
| 8:1-9:38 | Miracles | 10:1-11:1 | Commission/training of the Twelve |
| 11:2-12:50 | Miracles & Opposition | 13:1-52 | Parables of the Kingdom |
| 13:53-17:27 | Miracles, Transfiguration, Warnings | 18:1-35 | Humility and Forgiveness |
| 19:1-22:46 | Questions, Predictions, Conflict | 23:1-25:46 | Against the Pharisees; Apocalypse |
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1.3. Six Antitheses of Matthew 5:21-48
You have heard it said . . . . . . . . . . . . . but I say to you . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:21-26 no murder no anger 5:27-30 no adultery no lust 5:31-32 tolerate divorce no divorce 5:33-37 keep your vows avoid vows 5:38-42 limit retaliation don't resist 5:43-48 love neighbours love enemies ANGER: God does not simply judge violent deeds but also harsh words and angry thoughts. Is anger always wrong? What angered Jesus?
LUST: Serious sin calls for radical steps. Did Jesus mean for his followers to take his counsel literally?
DIVORCE: unlawful divorce generates adultery. Did Deut 24:1-4 legalize, or assume, divorce? Is Jesus more or less restrictive than Deuteronomy?
VOWS: Jesus’ followers must be known for absolute integrity. It distorts OT teaching (Lev 19:12; Num 30:2; Deut 23:21) to suggest only some vows are binding (cf. Mt 23:16-22).
NON-RESISTANCE: Jesus’ followers are not to take advantage of their rights. Was the intent of the Lev 24:19-20 to prevent excessive retribution by linking punishment to crime?
LOVE OF ENEMIES: Jesus extends the love command to all mankind. Lev 19:18 does not call for hatred of enemies. To love enemies is to act like God.
1.4. Fulfillment Citations:
central to Matthew's Gospel is the claim that Jesus Christ embodies
and fulfills the OT story.
Matthew OT Prophetic passage Geographical Location 1:23 Isaiah 7:14 2:6 Micah 5:2 Bethlehem 2:15 Hosea 11:1 Egypt 2:18 Jeremiah 31:15 Ramah 2:23 Isaiah 11:1? Nazareth
1.5. Israel Typology: Matthew presents Jesus as the "new Israel."
Jesus in Matthew Israel in OT Travel down to Egypt 2:13-14 Gen 46:3-4 Joseph offers protection 2:14 Gen 45-48 A new king emerges 2:15a Exod 1:8 Called out of Egypt 2:15b Exod 6 “Baptism” in the waters 3:13-15 Exod14-15 Called God’s Son 3:17; 17:5 Exod 4:22-23; Hosea 11:1 Lead into the wilderness 4:1 Deut 8:2a forty of testing and fasting 4:2 Deut 8:2b-3 During Jesus’ wilderness
temptations, he recalls
Israel’s wilderness testings.4:3
4:7
4:10Deut 8:3
Deut 6:16
Deut 6:13Conquering the land 4:23-25 Joshua Twelve tribes/disciples 10:2-4 Gen46:8-27 Encounter God on mount 17:1-3 Exod 19ff