Outline

I. Key topics/themes

1. Matthew an abbreviation of Mark
2. Adds five blocks of teaching material from Jesus
3. Jesus as inaugurator of a New Covenant
4. Jesus as interpreter of Mosaic Law
5. Jesus as fulfiller of messianic prophecy
6. Interest in the establishment and mission of the church

II. Relation to the Hebrew Bible

1. Matthew's interest in Jesus' Hebrew lineage
2. The women in Jesus' lineage
3. Jesus presented as fulfiller of messianic prophecy in the Hebrew Bible
4. Jesus as the teacher and fulfiller of principles of the Mosaic Torah

III. Authorship, purpose, sources, and organization

1. Earliest traditions identifying the author of Matthew
2. Matthew and Judaism
1. Author steeped in exegesis of the Hebrew Bible
2. Matthew's view that the Law is binding on all Christians
3. Matthew's use of pesher and midrash

3. Date and place of composition
1. May have been written in Antioch in Syria
2. Represents a transitional type of Jewish Christianity very interested in appealing to Gentiles

4. The author's purposes
1. To demonstrate Jesus' credentials as Israel's true Messiah
2. To present Jesus as supreme interpreter of the Mosaic Torah
3. To instruct the Christian Church in correct belief and behavior

5. Structure and use of sources

6. Organization of Matthew's Gospel

IV. Introduction to the Messiah: infancy narrative (1:1-2:23)

1. Full of proof texts from Hebrew Bible
2. Matthew's Christian reading of the Hebrew Scriptures
3. The identity of the Magi
4. Attempts to explain the star
5. The scriptural significance of Jesus being born in Bethlehem
6. The scriptural significance of Herod's attempts to kill the young Jesus

V. The beginning of Jesus' proclamation (3:1-4:25)

1. The temptation
1. Matthew's dramatic expansion of Mark's version into three scenes
2. Jesus tempted to use messianic power to fulfill personal need
3. Jesus tempted to use messianic power to gain public acclaim
4. Jesus tempted to use messianic power to gain worldly power by cruelty and violence

VI. First major discourse: the Sermon on the Mount (5-7)

1. The Beatitudes
1. Radical reversal of the world's social values
2. The Torah as eternally binding

2. The antitheses
1. Sets of contrasting statements
2. Contrast between teaching of Hebrew Bible and Jesus' interpretation
3. Jesus rejects the lex talionis or law of retaliation
4. May be instructions on how the oppressed can disempower their oppressors
5. The golden rule as the summation of "the Law and the prophets"

3. Jesus' assertion of personal authority to interpret the Hebrew Scriptures

VII. First narrative section: ten miracles (8:1-9:38)

1. Based largely on Markan material
2. Features a story about the great faith of a Gentile soldier

VIII. Second major discourse: instructions to the twelve apostles (10)

1. Apostles instructed for missionary journey among Jews
2. Strong eschatological tone of these instructions
3. The Son of Man to have come before their missionary trip is complete

IX. Second narrative section: questions and controversies (11:1-12:50)

1. Jesus and John the Baptist
1. John questions Jesus' messiahship
2. Jesus' response a summary of his mighty works

2. Harsh sayings against those who reject Jesus's message

X. Third major discourse: parables on the Kingdom (13:1-52)

1. The reason outsiders do not understand Jesus' parables
2. The Twelve presented as insiders who do understand
3. Images of the kingdom in the parables of Jesus

XI. Third narrative section: from the rejection in Nazareth to the transfiguration (13:53-17:27)

1. Matthew's close following of Mark's material at this point
2. Peter and the church
1. Peter as the "rock" on which Jesus will build his church--only in Matthew
2. Peter awarded spiritual powers that are honored in heaven and on earth

XII. Fourth major discourse: instructions to the church (18)

1. A set of disparate sayings brought together by Matthew and applied to the church
2. Instructions for administering a Christian community
3. The right of congregations to ostracize disobedient members

XIII. Fourth narrative section: the Jerusalem ministry (19:1-22:46)

1. Discipleship and suffering
1. Follows Mark's lead in emphasizing connection between discipleship and suffering
2. Jesus predicts suffering of the sons of Zebedee

2. Entrance into Jerusalem
1. Jesus rides on two animals--attempt to interpret Zech. 9:9 literally
2. Jesus repeatedly hailed as "Son of David"

3. The Church replaces Israel
1. Extreme hostility toward Jewish leaders in Matthew
2. Three parables that condemn the Jewish religious leaders

XIV. Fifth major discourse: warnings of final judgment (23-25)

1. Jesus' "woes" against the scribes and Pharisees
2. The coming destruction of the Temple as evidence of God's wrath toward Israel
3. An ethical paradox: Jesus' attitude of forgiveness and Matthew's harsh attitude toward Jewish religious leaders
4. The frequent misuse of Matthew to promote anti-Semitism
5. The fall of Jerusalem and the Parousia

XV. Fifth and final narrative section: the Passion story and resurrection (26-28)

1. Miraculous signs
2. The centurion's reaction
3. The empty tomb
4. Plot to discredit the Resurrection
5. Postresurrection appearances and the great commission

XVI. Summary

1. Matthew a comprehensive survey of Jesus' teaching
2. Presents Jesus as fulfillment of Hebrew Scriptures
3. Presents Jesus as authoritative interpreter of Mosaic Torah
4. Balances Mark's emphasis on Jesus' deeds with an emphasis on Jesus' teachings
5. Shifts Mark's emphasis on eschatology by emphasizing obedience of the church as it awaits Christ's return
6. Emphasizes divinely directed and supernatural character of Jesus' life