The Bible Syllabus - Matthew

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The Gospel according to

Matthew

Lindisfarne Gospels (Cotton MS Nero D. IV), c. A.D. 700.

London: British Library.

with

Dr. Bill Creasy

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Copyright © 2014 by William C. Creasy

All rights reserved. No part of this course—audio, video, photography, maps, timelines or other media—may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval devices without permission in writing or a licensing agreement from the copyright holder.

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The Gospel according to Matthew Introduction

Traditional Author: St. Matthew, the Apostle Traditional Date Written: A.D. 65-75 Period Covered: 6/5 B.C.-A.D. 32 The Gospel according to Matthew sits at the head of the New Testament, functioning as a swinging door that links the Old and New Testaments. Written by a Jew for a Jewish audience, Matthew begins with a genealogy: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham . . .” (Matt. 1:1). The first verse swings back to the Hebrew Scriptures and God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3, picks up God’s covenant with David in 1 Chronicles 17:10-14, and brings both forward to introduce his story. You will recall that God’s covenant with Abraham introduces the plan of redemption when God tells the great patriarch, “all the families of the earth will find blessing in you,” (Genesis 12:3), and in his covenant with David God says, “I will raise up your offspring after you who will be one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He it is who shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.” (1 Chronicles 17:11-14). In a metaphorical sense, the door of salvation swings on the hinges of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.

Matthew then continues by introducing a three-part genealogy that moves from Abraham through David, David through the Babylonian captivity, and the Babylonian captivity through the birth of Christ. In one deft movement Matthew not only links the entire linear narrative of the Hebrew Scriptures to the birth of Jesus, but he also makes the birth of Jesus the culminating event in Jewish history.

The Hebrew Scriptures end chronologically with Malachi, written c. 430 B.C.,

and Matthew begins chronologically with the birth of Jesus in 6/5 B.C. Between the two a variety of important events occur.

331 B.C. Alexander the Great defeats Darius, king of Persia, ending 200 years

of Persian rule. 323 B.C. Alexander dies on his return from Persia and his four generals divide

the kingdom: Antipater and Cassander get Macedon and Greece; Lysimachus gets Thrace and Asia Minor; Seleucus gets Syria; and Ptolemy gets Palestine and Egypt.

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167 B.C. Antiochus Epiphanes IV, a Selecuid king of Syria, attacks Jerusalem and desecrates the temple. Mattathias, a priest of Judea, raises a revolt against Syria, which is led by his son, Judas Maccabaeus. The revolution results in a brief period of Jewish independence.

63 B.C. The Roman general, Pompey, takes Jerusalem and the people of Israel

come under Roman rule. Israel stays under Roman rule throughout the entire period of the New Testament.

40 B.C. The Roman senate appoints Herod as king of Judea. 31 B.C. Caesar Augustus becomes Roman emperor, establishing Imperial

Rome and displacing the Roman Republic. 19 B.C. Herod the Great begins a major renovation and expansion of the

temple in Jerusalem. The work continues throughout the New Testament period until Jerusalem and the temple are destroyed in the Jewish revolt of A.D. 66-73.

During this “intertestimental” period (c. 430 B.C. through c. 100 B.C.) additional Scripture was written in Greek: among the historical books—Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees; among the wisdom books—The Book of Wisdom and Sirach; and among the prophets—Baruch, seven complete books in all. Additional Greek material was also added to Daniel and Esther. The Hebrew Scriptures, with the addition of this Greek “deuterocanonical” material, expanded the 39 books of the “common canon” of Hebrew Scripture to 46 books that comprised the fuller Greek “Septuagint canon,” the books accepted as the “Old Testament” by most Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. The full canon of Scripture—that is, what books (of both the Old and New Testaments) that were considered inspired by God and accepted by the Church as normative—remained in flux until A.D. 393 when the Council of Hippo produced a definitive list, which was then validated in A.D. 397 at the Council of Carthage, affirmed in A.D. 405 by Pope Innocent I and incorporated into St. Jerome’s translation of Scripture in the early 5th century A.D., the Latin Vulgate, which became the definitive “bible” of Christendom for the next 1,000 years. It is this larger canon of Scripture—the 73 books of the Greek Septuagint canon included in The Catholic Study Bible—we will be studying in our class.

In the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day, a number of divisions and factions had

developed within Judaism. The Pharisees emerged from the synagogues that were scattered throughout the Mediterranean world. Devout and holy people, the Pharisees observed the Mosaic Law, believed in immortality and resurrection, and held that the whole of the Hebrew Scriptures was the inspired word of God. The dark side of the Pharisees was excessive legalism and self-righteousness, which Jesus condemned. The Pharisees were the dominant sect of Judaism at the time of Jesus: Joseph, Mary and Jesus would have been included among them, as well as Paul and most of the Apostles.

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The Sadducees emerged from the priesthood and those associated with it. On the whole, they were people of high social status and wealth, with a vested interested in the functioning and finances of the temple in Jerusalem and in maintaining the status quo. Theologically conservative, they viewed the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) as the highest form of divine inspiration, relegating the rest of Scripture to a secondary position.

The Zealots were determined to end Roman oppression through violent

revolutionary means. We might think of them as Jewish patriots; the Romans thought of them as terrorists. Jesus included Simon the Zealot among his disciples (Matthew 10:4).

The Essenes were men who removed themselves from the constant strife of the

battling Jewish sects and lived ascetic lives in remote desert communities, spending their time in prayer, fasting and communal life and awaiting the coming of the “Righteous One.” Their thinking embraced a decidedly apocalyptic vision. John the Baptist may have been an Essene, and Jesus was clearly influenced by their thinking. The Essenes are not mentioned in Scripture, but Jesus possibly alludes to them in Matthew 19:11-12, as they renounced marriage, lived celibate lives and focused exclusively on the imminent coming of the kingdom of heaven.

This is the historical and cultural milieu in which Matthew’s narrative takes place,

and as with all art, the Gospel according to Matthew mirrors the time and culture from which it emerges.

Standing at the head of the New Testament, Matthew’s story plays an important

role in the literary structure of the Bible itself. Harvard Professor Frank Kermode observes that the Old Testament is to the New Testament as A is to B in Hebrew parallelism. If we look at an example of parallelism in Psalm 6:10 we read:

A The Lord has heard my plea; B The Lord will accept my prayer.

The B line doesn’t simply repeat A; it exceeds it, transforming the A line and fulfilling it. Note that the verb has heard in the first line is in the past tense, while the verb in the second line will accept is in the future tense. The psalmist’s condition hasn’t changed, but the strength of his faith has. A long, dark road of anguish and suffering lies behind the first line, while faith lies behind the second. So it is with the Old Testament and the New. The Gospel according to Matthew—the first book of the New Testament—reflects this pattern of “stepped-up” parallelism. It is intimately linked to the Old Testament, but it fulfills it, and in fulfilling it, transforms it.

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Matthew’s story is artfully structured, along the lines of Hebrew poetry: A Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, Son of God (1-4) Minor discourse: John the Baptist identifies the authority of Jesus (3:7-12) B Great Discourse #1: Demands of true discipleship (5-7) C Narrative: The supernatural authority of Jesus (8-9) D Great Discourse #2: Charge and authority of disciples (10) E Narrative: Jews reject Jesus (11-12)

F Great Discourse #3: Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven (13)

E’ Narrative: Disciples accept Jesus (14-17) D’ Great Discourse #4: Charge and authority of church (18) C’ Narrative: Authority and invitation (19-22) B’ Great Discourse #5: Judgment on false discipleship (23-25) A’ Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, suffering and vindicated (26-28) Minor discourse: Jesus identifies the authority of the church (28:18-20) Notice that the whole chiastic structure is enveloped by the name of Jesus. Reaching back to Isaiah 7:14, Matthew says, “they will call him Immanuel—which means ‘God with us’” (1:23). At the last line of the Gospel, Jesus says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (28:20). This device is common in Hebrew poetry—especially in the Psalms: it is called inclusio. Matthew builds the entire chiastic structure of his story on an underlying 3-part Christological foundation: 1) the person of Christ (1:1-4; 16), 2) the proclamation of Christ (4:17-16:20), and 3) the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ (16:21-28:20). In addition, prior to Chapter 13, the central element of the chiasm, Jesus directs himself to the Jewish people: they neither listen to him nor understand him; after Chapter 13, he directs himself to his disciples, who accept him and believe in him. The Greek word seismos rumbles beneath the narrative. It occurs seven times: 8:24, 21:10, 24:7, 27:54, 28:2, and 28:4. It suggests an earthquake, a sudden shock that shakes the story’s foundations, recalling Haggai 2:6-7:

For thus says the Lord of hosts: “In just a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, so that the treasures of all the nations will come in. And I will fill this house with glory,” says the Lord of hosts. If we move from the gospel’s overall structure to a particular story within the

structure, we see the same careful craftsmanship at work. Take, for example, the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. We read in Matthew 4: 23 that “He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.” As the story proceeds, we have several examples of Jesus’ teaching, preaching and healing. In Matthew 5-7 we experience his teaching.

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Matthew writes, “When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying . . ..” And here the teaching begins. It is a carefully structured, four-part exposition of the Law. Part 1 (5:3-16) introduces the teaching with nine striking and memorable statements: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land . . .” and so on. Notice that each statement takes the form of “Blessed are X for they shall be Y,” and each statement offers a paradox: the poor in spirit will have the kingdom of heaven; those who mourn will be comforted; and the meek are the last people one would think will inherit the land. The sequence ends with a final paradox: “blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you because of me.” The nine statements certainly capture the attention of Jesus’ audience! And then he follows up the “blessedness” with two statements of responsibility: 1) “you are the salt of the earth” and 2) “you are the light of the world.” With the blessedness spoken of in the previous nine statements comes responsibility to make people thirsty for God and to be an example to the world.

When we move to Part 2 (5:17-48), Jesus introduces six propositions that exceed

the Law. He is very clear that he has not “come to abolish the law or the prophets . . . but to fulfill” them (5:17). In his first proposition Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not [murder]; and whoever [murders] will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment” (5:21-22). Again, we have a clearly defined form, “You have heard it said X, but I tell you Y.” And each proposition takes us inside a principle of the Law. The premeditated murder of another human being is not an isolated event; it is the final act in a sequence of events. Jesus tells us that when we feel such anger toward another person deal with it at that point. Left to grow, it will result in murder. Likewise with adultery: like murder, it is the final act in a sequence of events. No one wakes up in the morning and says: “I think I’ll commit adultery today!” Rather, adultery, like murder, begins subtly, by looking at someone lustfully, and then it proceeds inexorably, step-by-step to the final act. Jesus tells us to nip such feelings in the bud. Each of the six propositions that exceed the law operates in the same way, each using the same formulaic statement, “You have heard it said X, but I tell you Y.”

Part 3 (6:1-7:6) addresses six concrete actions to implement the Law, the first

three focusing on the three pillars of devotional Judaism: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Each takes the common expression of an action and presents it paradoxically: 1) do not give to the needy with great show, but give anonymously; 2) do not pray to be seen, but pray privately; and 3) do not fast publicly, but fast in secret. Acquiring wealth, worrying and judging function in the same way.

Finally, Jesus offers an nine-part dramatic “call to action,” capped by the astonishment of the crowd (7: 1-29).

The symmetry of Jesus’ teaching adds to its impact and to his audience’s ability to

remember it: Part 1 begins with nine statements; Part 2 continues with six propositions

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that exceed the law; Part 3 offers six concrete actions to implement the law; and Part 4 closes with a dramatic nine-part call to action—9, 6, 6, 9.

Such a carefully structured teaching is not accidental: it reflects a master teacher

at work, as well as a master narrator carefully crafting his story. As we proceed through Matthew’s gospel we find such a master narrator at his

task. Keep in mind that Matthew is a Jewish author writing for a Jewish audience and that he uses literary techniques familiar to his readers. Our job as contemporary readers is to engage the gospel from this perspective, understanding how the story is told, understanding the historical and cultural context from which it emerges, and engaging the gospel on its own terms, not imposing ours upon it. In doing so we produce an authentic, nuanced reading and a much deeper understanding of the text.

And that is what becoming an educated reader of Scripture is all about.

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The Gospel according to Matthew Outline

I. Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, Son of God (1-4) A A. The Genealogy of Jesus (1:1-17)

i. Prologue (1:1) 1. Abraham to David (1:2-6a) 2. David to Babylonian captivity (1:6b-11) 3. Babylonian captivity to Jesus (1:12-16)

ii. Epilogue (1:17) B. The Birth of Jesus (1:18-2:23) i. Birth (1:18-25) ii. V isit of the Magi (2:1-12) iii. Flight to Egypt (2:13-18) iv. Return to Nazareth (2:19-23) II. Preparation (3:1-4:25)

A. John the Baptist paves the way (3:1-17) i. John arrives (3:1-6)

ii. Minor discourse: John identifies the authority of Jesus (3:7-12)

iii. John baptizes Jesus (3:13-17) B. Satan tempts Jesus (4:1-11) C. Jesus moves to Capernaum (4:12-17) D. Jesus chooses his disciples (4:18-22) E. Jesus begins preaching, teaching and healing (4:23-25)

III. Great Discourse #1: Demands of true discipleship (5-7) B A. Introduction (5:1-16) i. Prologue (5:1-2) ii. The fruits of blessedness (5:3-12) 1. Those who are poor in spirit (5:3) 2. Those who mourn (5:4) 3. Those who are meek (5:5) 4. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (5:6) 5. Those who are merciful (5:7 6. Those who are pure in heart (5:8) 7. Those who are peacemakers (5:9) 8. Those who are persecuted because of righteousness (5:10)

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9. Those who suffer because of Jesus (5:11-12)

iii. The responsibilities of blessedness (5:13-16) 1. Salt of the earth (5:13) 2. Light of the world (5:14-16) B. Six propositions that exceed the Law (5:17-48) i. Prologue (5:17-20) 1. Proposition #1: Murder (5:21-26) 2. Proposition #2: Adultery (5:27-30) 3. Proposition #3: Divorce (5:31-32) 4. Proposition #4: Oaths (5:33-37) 5. Proposition #5: Conflict (5:38-42) 6. Proposition #6: Love (5:43-48) C. Six concrete actions to implement the Law (6:1-7:6) i. Prologue (6:1) 1. Action #1: Almsgiving (6:2-4) 2. Action #2: Prayer (6:5-15) 3. Action #3: Fasting (6:16-18) 4. Action #4: Serving God (6:19-24) 5. Action #5: Not worrying (6:25-34) 6. Action #6: Not judging (7:1-6) D. Conclusion (7:7-29) i. Prologue (7:7-12) 1. The narrow gate (7:13-14) 2. A tree and its fruit (7:15-23) 3. Wise and foolish builders (7:24-27) IV. Narrative: The supernatural authority of Jesus (8-9) C A. The man with leprosy (8:1-4) B. The faith of the centurion (8:5-13) C. Peter’s mother-in-law (8:14-15) D. People of Capernaum (8:16-17) E. The cost of following Jesus (8:18-22) F. Jesus calms the storm (8:23-27) G. The demon-possessed men at Gadara (8:28-34) I. The paralytic (9:1-8) J. The calling of Matthew (9:9-13) K. The question about fasting (9:14-17) L. The dead girl at Capernaum (9:18-19; 23-26) M. The woman with the bleeding (9:20-22) N. The blind man (9:27-31) O. The deaf man (9:32-34) P. Epilogue (9:35-38)

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V. Great Discourse #2: Charge and authority of disciples (10) D A. Prologue (10:1-5a) B. Instruction (10:5b-42) VI. Narrative: Jews reject Jesus (11-12) E A. Prologue (11:1) B. John the Baptist doubts Jesus (11:2-19) C. Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum question Jesus (11:20-24) D. Jesus turns to the Father for support (11:25-30) F. The Pharisees doubt Jesus (12:1-14) G. Jesus heals the sick (12:15-21) H. The Pharisees doubt Jesus (12:22-37)

i. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with Beelzebub (12:24-37)

I. The Pharisees demand a miraculous sign (12:38-45) J. Jesus’ mother and brothers doubt him (12:46-50) VII. Great Discourse #3: Parables of the kingdom of heaven (13) F A. Prologue (13:1-3a) B. Parable of the seeds (13:3b-23) C. Parable of the weeds (13:24-30) D. Parable of the mustard seed (13:31-32) E. Parable of the yeast (13:33) F. Jesus explains the parables (13:34-43) G. Parable of the hidden treasure (13:44) H. Parable of the pearl (13:45-46) I. Parable of the net (13:47-50) J. Epilogue (13:51-58) VIII. Narrative: Disciples accept Jesus (14-17) E’ A. Doubt and resolve (14:1-36) i. John the Baptist beheaded (14:1-12a) 1. Jesus told (14;12b) ii. Jesus leaves Capernaum and the crowds follow him (14:13) 1. Jesus heals the sick (14:14) 2. Jesus feeds the crowd (14:15-21)

3. Jesus sends the disciples home and dismisses the crowd (14:22)

iii. Jesus prays (14:23-24) iv. Jesus returns to Capernaum, walking on the water (14:25-33) 1. Peter tests Jesus (14:28-32) 2. The disciples acknowledge Jesus as “Son of God” (14:33)

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v. The crowds acknowledge Jesus (14:34-36) B. Increasing confidence (15:1-16:12)

i. Pharisees criticize Jesus again (15:1-2) 1. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees publicly (15:3-11) 2. Jesus rebukes his disciples privately (15:12-20)

ii. Jesus travels to Tyre and Sidon and meets the Canaanite woman (15:21-28)

iii. Jesus feeds another crowd (15:29-39) iv. Pharisees ask for a sign again (16:1-4) 1. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees publicly (16:2-4) 2. Jesus warns the disciples about the Pharisees (16:5-12) v. Peter’s confession of faith (16:13-28) 1. Peter’s confession (16:13-16) 2. Jesus’ response (16:17-28) vi. The transfiguration (17:1-13) vii. Jesus heals the boy with a demon that his disciples couldn’t heal

(17:14-23) viii. Jesus pays the temple tax, although he declares he doesn’t have to

(17:24-27)

IX. Great Discourse #4: Charge and authority of the church (18) D’ A. Jesus defines the “greatest” in the kingdom of heaven (18:1-14) B. Jesus defines the church’s authority (18:15-20) C. Jesus defines the church’s obligation to forgive (18:21-35) X. Narrative: Authority and invitation (19-22) C’ A. Teaching on divorce (19:1-15) B. Teaching on secular wealth (19:16-30) C. Teaching on one’s position in the church (20:1-28) i. Jesus gives sight to the blind (20:29-34) D. Jesus enters Jerusalem (21:1-11) i. Jesus wrecks the temple (21:12-17) ii. Jesus prophesies the end of temple worship (21:18-22) E. The priests question Jesus’ authority (21:23-27) F. Jesus questions the priests’ and Pharisees’ integrity (21:28-22:14) i. The Pharisees strike back: paying taxes to Caesar (22:15-22)

ii. The Sadducees strike back: marriage and the resurrection (22:23-33)

iii. The Scribes strike back: the greatest commandment (22:34-40) iv. The Pharisees try again: “Whose son is the Christ?” (22:41-46)

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XI. Great Discourse #5: Judgment on false discipleship (23-25) B’ A. Jesus savages the religious leaders (23:1-39) B. Judgment (24:1-51) i. The disciples call attention to the temple buildings (24:1)

ii Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple (24:2) iii. The disciples rephrase their question (24:3) iv. Jesus answers their rephrased questions (24:4-35) 1. Answer regarding the destruction of the temple (24:5-6) 2. Answer regarding the sign of Jesus’ return (24:7-8)

3. Answer regarding the interval between the destruction of the temple and Jesus’ return (24:9-14)

4. Answer regarding Jesus’ return (24:15-35) 5. Answer regarding the time of Jesus’ return (24:36-51) v. What to do in the meantime (25:1-30) vi. What will happen when Jesus returns (25:31-46) XII. Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, suffering and vindicated (26-28) A’ A. The plot against Jesus (26:1-5) B. Jesus anointed at Bethany (26:6-13) C. Judas agrees to betray Jesus (26:14-16) D. The Passover meal (26:17-30) E. Jesus predicts Peter’s denial (26:31-35) F. Agony in the garden of Gethsemane (26:36-46) G. Jesus arrested (26:47-56) H. The trial (26:47-27:26) i. On trial before the Sanhedrin (26:47-75) 1. Peter’s denial (26:69-75) ii. On trial before Pilate (27:1-26)

1. Judas hangs himself (27:1-10) 2. The hearing (27:11-26)

I. The punishment (27:27-44) i. Jesus flogged (27:27-31) ii. Jesus crucified (27:32-44) iii. Jesus’ death (27:45-56) iv. Jesus’ burial (27:57-66) J. The resurrection (28:1-15)

K. Minor Discourse: Jesus identifies the authority of the church

(28:18-20) i. The great commission (28:19-20)

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The Gospel according to Matthew

Syllabus

Week 1 (January 19, 20, 21) Lesson #1: The World of the New Testament

Jesus was born into a world very different from that of the Old Testament. Although patriarchal, monarchial, polytheistic and slaveholding, the New Testament Roman Empire was not insular and tribal like that of the Old Testament; rather, it was “global,” comprising not just Italy and Europe of today, but the entire land mass surrounding the Mediterranean, including all of Asia Minor and North Africa. In Jesus’ day, the Roman Empire was multicultural and multilingual, with fully developed maritime trade, a network of more than 58,000 miles of roads (what we would call an Interstate highway system), a population of 50-60 million people, a large and robust economy, and vibrant cultural developments in art, theater, music, architecture and popular entertainment. It was also fraught with political strife and rebellious factions, none more troublesome than the Jews living in Palestine on the far-eastern edge of the Empire. Within Judaism intrigue, rebellion and infighting permeated society, with the Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes and Zealots vying for political power and influence. Jesus was born into this tumultuous world, and he lived on the extreme edge of its radical fringe.

Lesson #2: Just What Is a “Gospel”?

The word “gospel” derives from the Old English godspel, which means “good news.” Godspel is the Old English rendering of the Greek euangelion (eu = “good,” angelion = “message”). Euangelion is the word St. Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 15: 1 when he reminds the church at Corinth of “the gospel I preached to you.” As a literary genre “gospel” is unique. A gospel is not a biography of a person, although it does contain biographical information; it is not an historical account of a person, although it is rooted in historical time; it is not a fictional account of a person, although it does include miracles, wonders and the large dose of the wondrous and the supernatural. Rather, a “gospel” is an account of the “good news” of the coming Kingdom of God and of the redemption of humanity through

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the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A “gospel” reflects the understanding of who Jesus Christ is and what he did, in light of a living faith tradition, guided by the Holy Spirit, 30-‐60 years after the events it portrays. There are many gospel accounts, but common usage generally refers to the four canonical gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In this lesson we will explore how our four Gospels came to be written and how they are related one to the other.

Enrichment Material

Luke Timothy Johnson, “The Symbolic World of the New Testament,” The

Writings of the New Testament, pp. 17-‐81.

Luke Timothy Johnson, “The Christian Experience,” The Writings of the New Testament, pp. 83-‐135.

Luke Timothy Johnson, “The Synoptic Tradition,” The Writings of the New

Testament, pp. 137-‐142.

Week 2 (January 26, 27, 28) Lesson #3: The Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1: 1 – 2: 23)

Matthew opens with a genealogy that begins with Abraham and extends 14 generations to King David; 14 generations from David to the Babylonian captivity; and 14 generations from the Babylonian captivity to Jesus: 3 sets of 14 generations. Like a swinging door between the Old and New Testaments, Matthew’s genealogy swings back to the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12 and recalls the 2,000-‐year narrative of the Old Testament, leading directly to the birth of Christ and the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that “all the families of the earth will find blessing in [him]” (Genesis 12: 3).

Lesson #4: Prelude and Preparation (Matthew 3: 1 – 4: 11)

We read in Luke 3: 23 that Jesus began his public ministry at about thirty years old. To prepare for it John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River, opposite Jericho. Immediately after his baptism Jesus moves into the wilderness, where he fasts for forty days and forty nights, tempted by Satan. Having been tested, Jesus then returns home to Nazareth, quickly relocates to Capernaum on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee and chooses twelve disciples who will become his inner circle. That is the simple chronological sequence Matthew gives us, but it is a sequence loaded with content and fraught with meaning. We begin to explore it tonight.

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Assignment

Read: Matthew 1: 1 – 4: 11. Enrichment Material Donald Senior and Pheme Perkins, “The Gospels and Acts,” The Catholic Study

Bible, pp. 371-‐386. “The Gospels” and “The Gospel According to Matthew,” The Catholic Study Bible,

pp. 1331-‐1332; 1332-‐1336.

Luke Timothy Johnson, “The Gospel of Matthew,” The Writings of the New Testament, pp. 165-‐186.

Week 3 (February 2, 3, 4) Lesson #5: And So It Begins . . . (Matthew 4: 12-‐25)

After Jesus’ baptism and John’s arrest, Jesus relocates to Capernaum, which becomes the headquarters for his public ministry. Here he chooses his inner circle: Peter and Andrew, two brothers; and James and John, two brothers and the sons of Zebedee and Salome. Peter, Andrew, James, John and Zebedee are all from Bethsaida and they are partners in a commercial fishing business on the Sea of Galilee; Peter and Andrew now live in Capernaum, while James and John continue living in Bethsaida and are Jesus’ cousins; their mother, Salome, is Mary’s sister or sister-in-law. We then read that Jesus “went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people” (Matthew 4: 23). Teaching, preaching and healing formed the core of Jesus ministry, and we will explore each one in depth as we study our Gospel.

Lesson #6: The Sermon on the Mount, Part 1

(Matthew 5: 1–16) The Sermon on the Mount is a brilliant teaching, perfectly structured, consisting of

four perfectly balanced parts:

1) The “Beatitudes” (5: 3-12), a clever and memorable introduction consisting of eight counter-intuitive statements, capped by a ninth, all linked together by a repetitive syntactic pattern and the repetition of consonant and vowel sounds, closed by two dazzling metaphors of responsibility (5: 13-16).

2) Six propositions that exceed the Law (5: 17-48), presented as six counter-intuitive statements, linked by a repetitive syntactic pattern.

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3) Six concrete actions to implement the Law (6:1 -34), presented again as six counter-intuitive statements.

4) A nine-part “call to action,” capped by the astonishment of the crowd (7: 1-29). In this lesson we look in-depth at the “Beatitudes.” Assignment Read: Matthew 5: 1 – 7: 29.

Week 4 (February 9, 10, 11) Lesson #7: The Sermon on the Mount, Part 2

(Matthew 5: 17-‐ 48)

In this lesson we focus on Part 2 of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” six propositions that exceed the Law. Jesus begins this section by saying that he in no way seeks to eliminate or diminish the Law; rather, he strives to elevate the Law to an impossibly high level. He does so by probing the inner dynamics of the Law itself. Going far beyond simple “thou shalt not” statements, Jesus examines the behavior addressed by the Law, exploring the psychology of a person who breaks the Law, dissecting his motives and examining the addictive attraction that sin exerts on one’s heart and soul. As with the “Beatitudes,” Jesus presents these six propositions that exceed the Law with counterintuitive statements and repetitive syntactic structures: “You have heard it said A, but I tell you B; you have heard it said C, but I tell you D,” and so on.

Lesson #8: The Sermon on the Mount, Part 3

(Matthew 6: 1–34) In this lesson we focus on Part 3 of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” six concrete

actions to implement the Law. Beginning with the three pillars of devotional Judaism—almsgiving, prayer and fasting—Jesus explores the motives for devotional practices and for performing good works, or mitzvot, as well as what one might expect to get in return from doing them.

Assignment Read: Matthew 5: 1 – 7: 29.

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Week 5 (February 16, 17, 18) Lesson #9: The Sermon on the Mount, Part 4

(Matthew 7: 1-‐29)

As the “Beatitudes” introduce the “Sermon on the Mount” with eight counterintuitive statements, structured syntactically as “Blessed is A, for they shall be B,” capped by “Blessed are you . . .,” so does the “Sermon on the Mount” conclude with an nine-part call to action, capped by the astonishment of the crowd. Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” is the first of five “discourses” that comprise the basic structural framework of the Gospel according to Matthew and they provide the foundation on which Matthew builds his theology:

A Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, Son of God (1-4) Minor discourse: John the Baptist identifies the authority of Jesus (3:7-12) B Great Discourse #1: Demands of true discipleship (5-7) C Narrative: The supernatural authority of Jesus (8-9) D Great Discourse #2: Charge and authority of disciples (10) E Narrative: Jews reject Jesus (11-12)

F Great Discourse #3: Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven (13)

E’ Narrative: Disciples accept Jesus (14-17) D’ Great Discourse #4: Charge and authority of church (18) C’ Narrative: Authority and invitation (19-22) B’ Great Discourse #5: Judgment on false discipleship (23-25) A’ Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, suffering and vindicated (26-28) Minor discourse: Jesus identifies the authority of the church (28:18-20)

This is dazzling narrative art, intricately woven and rock-solid.

Lesson #10: Healings and Miracles (Matthew 8: 1 – 9: 38) We learned in Matthew 4: 23-25 that Jesus’ public ministry consisted of teaching,

preaching and healing. In Lesson #10 we examined Jesus’ healing and his power over both the natural and the supernatural, elevating him far above the mundane. There have been many great teachers and preachers, and there have even been great healers—like Elijah and Elisha who raised the dead—but none who controlled nature and confounded the supernatural world as we see Jesus do.

In this lesson Jesus rises above mere mortals, and we see the first signs of his divinity.

Assignment Read: Matthew 5: 1–7: 29; 8: 1 – 9: 38.

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Week 6 (February 23, 24, 25) Lesson #11: Discipleship . . . and Persecution! (Matthew 10: 1–42)

Once Jesus’ disciples have witnessed his teaching, preaching and healing, Jesus sends them out to do the same, but he does so with a dire warning: You won’t be welcomed; you will be hated, persecuted and killed! After 2,000 years of Christian history, during which Christianity became the dominant world religion and profoundly shaped western civilization, it is easy to overlook how radical Jesus’ message was, not only in his own time and culture, but also in ours. For the first 300 years after Jesus’ life on this earth, Christianity was a persecuted, minority religion in the Roman Empire, triggering wave after wave of brutal persecutions; only in the 4th century did Christianity gain legitimacy, and by the end of the 4th century it became the official religion of the Roman Empire. By A.D. 1000, Christianity ruled all of Europe and the remains of the Roman Empire with absolute authority in both secular and religious affairs, at every level in society. Yet, Jesus was first and foremost a radical reformer, a revolutionary living on the bleeding edge of the apocalyptic vision. He made people—especially those in power—extremely uncomfortable.

Lesson #12: Conflict and Confrontation (Matthew 11: 1 – 12: 50) As we move deeper into Matthew, Jesus takes on a decidedly sharper edge, not

suffering fools gladly. He seems deliberately to antagonize his opponents, escalating his encounters with them at every turn. What is going on here?


Enrichment Material

Dr. Bill Creasy, “Something Smells Fishy.” Video Bible Blast.

Week 7 (March 2, 3, 4) Lesson #13: “Let me tell you a story . . .” (Matthew 13: 1-53)

We learned in Lesson #5 that Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching, preaching and healing. We also learned in Lesson #5 that Jesus used several approaches to his teaching, including: expository teaching, dialectic and parables. Lesson #13 introduces us to Jesus’ use of parables.

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The word “parable” is a compound of two Greek words: para = “along side” (as in paramedic or paralegal) and bollo = the verb “to throw.” A parable is a succinct, didactic story thrown alongside a common, ordinary truth to illuminate that truth in a striking and memorable fashion. Jesus did not invent the parable as a teaching device. Parables are a type of mashalim, a form of comparison used in the Old Testament, such as Nathan’s story of the ewe-lamb in 2 Samuel 12: 1-7 and the story told by the woman of Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14: 1-13. Indeed, Greek rhetoricians used the term to describe a brief fictional narrative used for comparison, much like an extended metaphor. Although Jesus did not invent the parable, he was a master in using it. Jesus’ parables are clever and memorable, often delighting his audience with surprise and insight. In this lesson we’ll explore the parables in Matthew 13.

Lesson #14: Crisis (Matthew 13: 54 – 16: 12) In Lessons #s11 & 12 Jesus warned us that anyone who follows him will pay a price,

and it will be a high price, indeed. After the interlude of parables in Lesson #13, we find that Jesus’ reputation has spread, and in Lesson #14 mounting tensions escalate into crisis: Jesus is rejected in his hometown of Nazareth; Herod Antipas takes notice of him; John the Baptist is executed; and Jesus aggressively confronts the religious leaders who oppose him. Jesus’ high profile and radical message are quickly leading him into deep trouble.


Week 8 (March 9, 10, 11) Lesson #15: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16: 13 – 17: 27)

In Lesson #15, Jesus takes his disciples 69 km (about 43 miles) north of the Sea of Galilee to Panias, (renamed Caesarea Philippi in A.D. 14 by Phillip II, in honor of Caesar Augustus), a Greco-Roman town at the southwestern foot of Mt. Hermon. Since the 3rd century B.C. Panias had been a cult center for worship of the Greek God, Pan. Here, only one thing happens: Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (16: 13), and Peter replies on behalf of the group: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (16: 16). Six days later on the Mt. of Transfiguration, the voice of God the Father validates Peter’s confession of faith in the presence of two credible witnesses, Moses and Elijah (as required by Deuteronomy 19: 15).

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With Jesus’ identity confirmed, Jesus tells his disciples that they are heading immediately south to Jerusalem, where he will suffer, be killed and on the third day be raised. This is stunning—and dreadful—news, news his disciples cannot comprehend and refuse to accept.

Lesson #16: Demands of Discipleship (Matthew 18: 1 – 20: 34) With Jesus’ identity fully known, his disciples struggle with the implications of that

identity, both for Jesus and for themselves. For Jesus, being “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” means suffering and death at the hands of the religious and political leaders; for his disciples it means taking up their own cross, being a servant of all and possibly being killed themselves.

All of this directly contradicts everything people believed about the Messiah. Jesus’ disciples are left dazed and confused, while as readers we are left to ponder our

own position in light of this startlingly new “Kingdom.”

Assignment Read: Matthew 18: 1 -‐ 20: 34. Enrichment Material

Dr. Bill Creasy, “Peter, Pan and the Prophets,” Video Bible Blast.

Week 9 (March 16, 17, 18) Lesson #17: The Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21: 1-‐46)

Jesus enters Jerusalem on the most crowded day of the year, the beginning of Passover—the largest of three annual pilgrimage festivals, during which the population of Jerusalem swells from 100,000 to 1,000,000 people. Jesus enters Jerusalem, not as a humble servant, but as a king to the cheers of thousands: “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest!” (21: 9). At a time of escalating political tension; at a time of mounting religious turbulence; at a time of civil terrorism and treason—Jesus’ actions are utterly incendiary. And then he lights a match.

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Lesson #18: Flashpoint! (Matthew 22: 1 – 23: 39) With each passing day of “Holy Week” Jesus escalates his encounters with the

religious leaders, culminating in seven scathing denouncements, calling them hypocrites, blind guides, a brood of vipers and murders—all this, as he whips the ever-growing crowds into a frenzy.

Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect, along with a contingent of up to 3,000 Roman

legionnaires, has moved up from their headquarters at Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean coast to the Antonio Fortress in Jerusalem, where they monitor closely Jesus’ activities—and go on high alert, fearing a revolt and the inevitable blood bath that would result.

The religious leaders, too, fear that if Jesus continues down this path he will put

Jewish religious freedom and the very survival of the nation at risk. As the physicist Carl Sagan once said of the 20th-century nuclear arms race: the

United States and the Soviet Union “are like two sworn enemies standing waist deep in gasoline, one with three matches, the other with five.” And so it is with Jesus and the religious and political authorities.


Enrichment Material

Dr. Bill Creasy, “Figs, Trees and Curses.” Video Bible Blast.

Dr. Bill Creasy, “Taxes for Caesar,” Video Bible Blast.

Week 10 (March 23, 24, 25) Lesson #19: The Apocalyptic Vision (Matthew 24: 1 – 25: 46) After savaging the religious leaders in Matthew 23, Jesus abruptly turns his back on

them and steams up the Mt. of Olives. His disciples—astonished and frightened—trail along behind him, speechless. Finally, one of them—to break the tension—points out how beautiful the Temple looks! Jesus spins around, jabs a finger at the Temple complex and explodes: “You see all these things . . . there will not be left here a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (24: 2).

Jesus’ disciples are dumbfounded, and they ask, stuttering: “Tell us, when will this

happen . . .?” (24: 3). Jesus answers with the “Olivet Discourse,” a profoundly

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disturbing insight into a time of “great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor will ever be” (24: 21). Indeed, within the lifetime of many who lived in Jesus’ generation, the Jewish revolt of A.D. 66-73 fulfilled Jesus’ vision, resulting in the siege of Jerusalem and the total destruction of the Temple. The historian Tacitus writes that during the revolt of A.D. 66-73 no fewer than 600,000 Jews fought the Romans in Jerusalem; those captured were crucified, up to 500 per day; and historians today estimate that 1.2 million Jews died during the span of the Revolt. It was the greatest catastrophe in Jewish history until the Nazi holocaust of 1939-1944.

Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse” fits squarely into the genre of “apocalyptic literature,” and foreshadows the masterpiece of that genre, the book of Revelation.

Lesson #20: The Judas (26: 1 -‐ 25)

As Passover nears, the religious leaders know that if Jesus returns to the Temple complex in the morning and escalates once again, the city will erupt in an all-‐out riot and thousands will die.

They need a plan, and Judas provides one.

Judas is a far more complex character one might think. Judas was one of the original twelve disciples, part of Jesus’ “inner circle”; Judas witnessed the entire three years of Jesus’ public ministry, watching and listening to his teaching, preaching and healing; Judas was present at Caesarea Philippi, agreeing with Peter’s confession of faith; and Judas was told of the extraordinary events on the Mt. of Transfiguration, when God the Father validated Peter’s confession of faith in the presence of Moses and Elijah. Why would such a man “betray” Christ?

In this lesson we will explore the character and motives of Judas Iscariot. Assignment Read: Matthew 24: 1 – 26: 25.

Week 11 (March 30, 31; April 1) Lesson #21: In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 1: “Preparation”

(Matthew 26: 26–56) From the moment Jesus descended from the Mt. of Transfiguration in Lesson #15 he set his face like flint and moved directly into the shadow of the cross. In Lesson #21 we begin with the Passover meal in Jerusalem—Jesus’ “Last Supper”—and move through his arrest at the Garden of Gethsemane.

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This is extraordinarily complex and nuanced material, and we shall do our best to grasp the ineffable.

Lesson #22: In the Shadow of the Cross, Part 2: “The Trial”

(Matthew 26: 57 – 27: 26)

The Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of blasphemy, a capital offense under Mosaic Law. But the trial must be kept quiet, lest it trigger the riot that the religious leaders and the Romans fear. Thus, Caiaphas the high priest calls an evening executive session of the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish body of elders. Key members of the Sanhedrin meet at the home of Caiaphas, where Jesus is found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Although the Jews are free under Roman rule to exercise their own religious laws and customs, they are not free to carry out capital punishment: that is the exclusive purview of the Roman government. The Jewish leaders therefore bring Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect who has taken up residence in the Antonio Fortress during Passover, along with his troops, keeping a watchful eye on the crowds and maintaining security. As a Roman Prefect, Pilate has four primary responsibilities: 1) governance; 2) collecting taxes; 3) maintaining law and order; and 4) exercising criminal and civil judicial functions. Wanting a death sentence, the Jewish leaders bring Jesus before Pilate and accuse him not of blasphemy (for blasphemy is not a capital offense under Roman law), but treason, claiming to be a king: that is a capital offense. Like Judas, Pilate is a more complex person than often thought. In this lesson we will not only follow the trial itself, but we will explore Pilate’s motives and actions as a Roman Prefect. Assignment Read: Matthew 26: 26 – 27: 26.

Enrichment Material

Dr. Bill Creasy, “Peter’s Predicament.” Video Bible Blast.

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Week 12 (April 6, 7, 8) Lesson #23: Crucifixion (Matthew 27: 27– 66)

Crucifixion is a brutal and extraordinarily painful way to die. Persian impalement was its antecedent, but the Romans practiced crucifixion from the 6th century B.C. through the 4th century A.D., the practice being abolished by the Emperor Constantine in A.D. 337, out of reverence for Christ. Crucifixion was intended to punish an offender in the most painful way possible and also to terrorize and dissuade others from committing similar crimes. The historian Tacitus records that in Rome the place of crucifixion was outside the Esquiline Gate where there were upright beams permanently fixed in the ground. The convicted criminal would typically carry the crossbeam, which could weigh over 100 pounds. At the place of execution he would be tied or nailed to it through the wrists and the crossbeam would be raised and affixed to the upright; his feet would then be nailed to the upright. Crosses today have been stylized in paintings, sculptures and other forms of art. Josephus, the Judean historian of the generation immediately after Christ, writes in his Siege of Jerusalem that “the soldiers out of rage and hatred nailed those they caught, one after one way, and another after another, to the crosses, by way of jest,” suggesting that there was no standardized way to crucify a person: whatever worked at the time and place would do. In this lesson we will examine Jesus’ crucifixion in detail, not just the physical act of crucifixion, but we will examine crucifixion from the much more important perspective of seeing it through Jesus’ eyes.

Lesson #24: Resurrection (Matthew 28: 1-‐20) In 1 Corinthians 15 St. Paul defines the “gospel”—the “good news”—as the death, burial and resurrection of Christ—who he is and what he did on our behalf. In this final lesson on the Gospel according to Matthew we will examine Jesus’ resurrection from several perspectives: 1) the literal, bodily resurrection of Christ, as it is told in our four Gospels; 2) the central role that Jesus’ resurrection plays in our salvation; and 3) the promise of resurrection that Jesus gave us.

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The Gospel according to Matthew Bibliography

W.F. Albright and C.S. Mann. Matthew (The Anchor Bible, vol. 26). Garden City, New

York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1982. David R. Bauer. Structure of Matthew’s Gospel: a Study in Literary Design (Bible and

Literature Series, 15). Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1989. Raymond E. Brown. The Birth of the Messiah, a Commentary on the Infancy Narratives

in Matthew and Luke. New York: Doubleday, 1979. Raymond E. Brown. The Death of the Messiah, 2 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1994. B. Cobbey Crisler. “The Acoustics and Crowd Capacity of Natural Theaters in

Palestine.” Biblical Archeologist, 39 (December, 1976), pp. 128-141. John R. Donahue. The Gospel in Parable: Metaphor, Narrative and Theology in the

Synoptic Gospels. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press, 1990. William D. Edwards, et al. “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.” JAMA, 255 (March

21, 1986), pp. 1455-1463. David E. Garland. Reading Matthew: a Literary and Theological Commentary on the

First Gospel. Macon, Georgia: Smyth & Helwys Publishers, 1999. David B. Howell. Matthew’s Inclusive Story: a Study in the Narrative Rhetoric of the

First Gospel. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1990. Luke Timothy Johnson. The Writings of the New Testament, 3rd edition. Minneapolis:

Fortress Press, 2010. Leon Morris. The Gospel according to Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B.

Eerdmans Publishing Company; Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1992. Barclay Moon Newman and Philip C. Stine, eds. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew.

London, New York, Stuttgart: United Bible Societies, 1992. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). Jesus of Nazareth, the Infancy Narratives. New

York: Doubleday, 2012. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). Jesus of Nazareth, from the Baptism in the

Jordan to the Transfiguration. New York: Doubleday, 2007.

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Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). Jesus of Nazareth Part Two: Holy Week, from

the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011.

Ricard L. Rohrbaugh and Bruce J. Malia. Social-Scientific Commentary on the Synoptic

Gospels, 2nd ed. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press, 1993.

The Bible Syllabus - Matthew

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