The Gospel of Matthew: Background and Author

The author of the Gospel of Matthew was a highly skilled writer. It was likely written between 50 and 70 AD, and early church fathers all agree that the author was the apostle Matthew. Although the Gospel of Matthew may not have been the first Gospel written, it is placed first in the New Testament. This is because its connection to the Old Testament is greater than that of the other Gospels, allowing it to serve as a continuation of the Old Testament and a bridge between the Old and New Testaments.

The earliest believers in the apostolic age were all Jews, so the relationship between the Gospel and the Old Testament was crucial to preaching the Gospel at that time. The Gospel of Matthew was originally intended for Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire, so it delves into this issue more deeply than the other three Gospels. The book begins with a long genealogy, followed by discussions of the Law and tradition, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and Jesus’ conflicts with Judaism. Matthew directly quotes the Old Testament 29 times and alludes to it indirectly 121 times. When writing, Matthew particularly enjoyed emphasizing, “This was to fulfill what the prophet had said,” a phrase that appears 13 times in the story of Jesus’ birth alone. Matthew also quotes from the prophets Micah, Hosea, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. This Gospel also discusses many specific issues of concern to Jewish readers, such as fasting (Matthew 6:16-18), observing the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-14; 24:20), sacrifices (Matthew 5:23-24), the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27), and the teachings of the scribes (Matthew 23:3, 23). The Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Hebrews are the two most Jewish books in the New Testament.

The Gospel of Matthew is also known as “the Gospel of the Church.” It was the most frequently quoted Gospel in Christian writings of the second century, not only because it is the only Gospel that uses the word “church” (Matthew 16:18; 18:17), but also because its content is highly suitable for teaching new believers and training church leaders. For the same reasons, the Gospel of Matthew is very suitable for new Christians today. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave us the Great Commission to fulfill before His return: “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). The apostle Matthew faithfully recorded Jesus’ instructions to His disciples. The Gospel of Matthew reads like a custom-made disciple-training manual, specifically designed to teach believers how to become disciples of Jesus.

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.