Essay on Matthew's Christology

Craig Blomberg, New Testament Scholar and Professor at Denver Seminary, provides an insightful commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Blomberg investigates the text using a historical, literary, and theology analysis. The commentary begins with an introduction analyzing the following 7 topics regarding the entirety of the Matthean Gospel: (1) structure, (2) theology, (3) purpose and audience, (4) sources, (5) date, (6) author, (7) and historicity and genre. Blomberg, then, throughout the rest of the commentary, provides a verse by verse discourse on the text by breaking it down into 3 main sections: (I) Introduction to Jesus’ Ministry (1:1-4:16), (II) The Development of Jesus’ Ministry (4:17-16:20), and (III) The Climax of Jesus’ Ministry (16:21-28:20).

The purpose of Matthew's gospel was to, "tell the story of how the coming of the Messiah has inaugurated a new phase in the history of God's people and to explain how they were expected to live in that new age." (Barr)

Jesus had no patience with Jewish leaders who disagreed with his conclusions because of the way Matthew describes Jesus’s personal religion as Torah Judaism. Church comes from the Greek word Ecclesia, although the church never existed in Jesus’s life. While Matthew was in the church he saw Jesus as a hero and labeled the Jewish leaders as ‘blind guides” and “hypocrites.” Even though he had a high disregard for the Jewish opponents, Matthew remained respectful to their self-righteous, hypocritical teachings and urged them to pay attention to the words of the church.

The Gospel of Matthew, at least in its final form, is dated in the 80s AD and was possibly written in Treasures New and Old (9: The Good News of Jesus) 2015 Syria. It gives us insights into the painful transition from Judaism to early Christianity, including a growing number of Gentiles. • Matthew’s community faces the problem of self-identity – Who are we? Where do we belong? Jewish Christians discussed among themselves what it means to follow Jesus, the Christ, and yet remain Jewish. Could these two things be reconciled? • Evidence of this dilemma occurs in those texts that describe the arguments that Jesus had with members of the Pharisaic group. The Pharisees were a reforming group within Judaism. They were sincere and genuinely concerned

The New Testament of the Christian Bible has been believed, critiqued, scrutinized, and intensely studied since it came into existence. Men and women around the globe have argued and interpreted sections of the book in several different ways. Whereas the entire book rarely agrees with most people’s ethical or spiritual values, portions of the book have become entwined with social and legal codes in the modern world. Chapters 5-7 of the book of Matthew, one of four gospel books that chronicle the life of Jesus, are commonly referred to at the Sermon on the Mount.

"The New Testament gospels are a twisted tale of political intrigue and religious power plays with stakes destined to shape the future of the world’s largest religion." (p.81) our New Testament gospels contain historical material, the theological editing is a factor that the discerning reader must constantly keep in mind." (pg.139). The gospel of Matthew implies that Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled with the amazing virgin birth of Jesus but the original text carries no meaning because it really had no meaning of importance in the text

Feinberg discusses key themes of Isaiah 53 that resonates with postmodern concerns. Feinberg points out themes that are taught by Isaiah’s prophesy as it relates to the Servant of the Lord. He highlights the themes: and fondness for narratives and relationships, spiritual dimensions and freedom within the community. Postmodernism is not needed to interpret Isaiah 53 or to know Christ as the Lord and Savior. The scripture in this particular chapter is in facet relevant to this day.

In the first paper, I made many connections between Matthew and James. I stated that James alluded to Matthew’s many teachings, but what I realized when

The Roman period was stable when Jesus was born and the struggles of the Jews were mainly of their own hearts. The Greek background is important to the gospel because the Hellenistic culture paved the way for world-wide proclamation of God’s message of salvation. All of human history revolves around Jesus, the Person. The gospel of Matthew recorded Jesus as the King promised from God who shall rule forever over Israel. Matthew’s gospel contains references to the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

Honors 151 – Exam 2 The gospels are meant to serve as a recollection of Jesus’ life and ministry. Although they are placed together at the beginning of the New Testament, the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John differ from one another. Matthew and Luke begin with the accounts of Jesus’ conception and birth, while Mark and John introduce us to an older Jesus prophesized by John the Baptist.

We begin our survey of the biblical theology of the New Testament with the Gospel of Matthew and his focus on the Lordship of Christ and our need for repentance. Christ’s identity is the focus of this Gospel because His identity holds the key to His claim to the throne of the kingdom. This question of Christ’s identity is a recurring theme in all of the Gospels, but it is especially poignant in Matthew’s account as he is asking the specific question: What proof is there that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah?

In the gospel of Matthew, he is writing to the Jews to show them proof through bloodline, that Jesus really is the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. In Matthew’s gospel, he has a genealogy line. In that line, he connects Jesus to David who was the king of Israel.

Collectively the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and are termed the synoptic gospels, because of their similar content. Likewise they share similar sequencing. As the first books of the New Testament, they serve as a recollection of Jesus life, works and also his death. Likewise, these three books present a common story and relates the same incidents in the life of Christ. The question of the relationship between the three is termed the synoptic problem, however, the three seem to share literally interdependence.

Powell discussed three major themes of Matthew’s Gospel. One of the themes was Jewish law and Christian faith. “Matthew's Gospel invariably presents Jesus as the good example of one who binds and looses the law in accord with God's will. In the same token, the Pharisees are made to serve as a bad example of people who do not know God’s will and therefore bind what should be loosed and loose what should be bound”(Powell, 79). This shows the little understanding the Pharisees have of the God’s will and Matthew is emphasizing, “The authority of emerging Christian community over against groups that make competing claims (Powell, 79). Professor Michael White says, “Matthews gospel was written for a Jewish Christian audience, for a community caught

Matthew and the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus revitalized the concept of the reign of God, affirming that it is both a present reality and a future hope. God is king of the universe and reigns over all things, both nature and human affairs. The command to love God and the command to love one's neighbor are the "clothespins" on which all the teachings of the law and the prophets hang (= are derived).