Synoptic Gospels: Matthew - Exam 3

When was the Gospel of Matthew written?

75-80 AD

Do we know who the author of the Gospel of Matthew was?

no

What are the theories of who the author of the Gospel of Matthew was?

1. Matthew was one of Jesus' 12 disciples

2. Matthew was the disciple of Matthew who was a disciple of Jesus

What does the Gospel of Matthew say Jesus came to do?

Jesus was not there to abolish the law of Moses or the prophets but rather to fulfill them → complete its meaning

Who did Matthew portray Jesus to be new version of?

Moses

How does the Gospel of Matthew portray Jesus as the new Moses?

- when Moses was born, Pharaoh ordered the killing of Hebrew baby boys

- Moses survived and eventually became the leader who delivered the Israelites from slavery

- when Jesus was being born, King Herod ordered the killing of young boys in Bethlehem because he feared the birth of a rival king

- Jesus survives because Joseph is warned in a dream to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt

Why does the Gospel of Matthew start with the genealogy of Abraham and David?

Matthew was a Jew writing to Jews, so the only way they would accept Jesus as the Messiah is if He was a descendant of Abraham and David

How does the Gospel of Matthew prove Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and David?

- Joseph was descended from Abraham and David

- Joseph was betrothed to Mary when she became pregnant

- Mary's pregnancy creates a problem because Joseph knows he is not the biological father

- Joseph initially considers ending the relationship quietly, but an angel appears to him in a dream and tells him to take Mary as his wife

- Joseph obeys and names the child Jesus

Why does Joseph naming Jesus in in the Gospel of Matthew matter?

- Joseph was the only link to get Jesus to be a descendant of Abraham and David

- in Judeo law, the Jewish male who names a baby is considered the father

- this means that Joseph was Jesus' father

What does betrothed mean?

a legally binding, promise of marriage even though the couple does not yet live together or share physical relations

What is the Sermon on the Mount?

a collection of Jesus' ethical teachings

How does the Sermon on the Mount open in the Gospel of Matthew?

with beatitudes

What are beatitudes?

- a series of blessings written as "blessed"

- the attitudes and qualities that should characterize people who follow Jesus

ex. blessed are the poor in spirit

What does blessed mean?

the type of happiness that comes from discovering meaning in life

What topics does Jesus teach in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew?

1. murder is more than physically killing someone

2. women

3. adultry

4. divorce

What did Jesus teach about murder in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew?

- murder isn't just the physical act, but also belittling another human being

- anger and contempt toward others are also serious moral concerns and violate the purpose of God's law

- calling another person "raca" is a serious moral offense

What does raca mean?

someone is worthless or a fool

What did Jesus teach about women and adultery in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew?

- women should no longer be considered "chattel" or property

- looking at someone with lust is the same as committing adultery in your heart

- adultery involves more than physical actions; it also involves dehumanizing another person

What did Jesus teach about divorce in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew?

- at the time, men generally had greater legal power to initiate divorce than women

- Jesus restricts the reasons a man can divorce his wife, giving an exception related to sexual immorality (cheating)

- Jesus didn't want men to continue treating women as "disposable"

What did Jesus say for us to be during the Sermon on the Mount?

Be ye perfect

What does be ye perfect mean?

- Christians should strive to become more like God by reflecting his love, kindness, forgiveness, and righteousness in their everyday lives

- connects to sanctification

What is sanctification?

the process of becoming more holy and Christlike

What two things does the Lord's Prayer teach us in the Gospel of Matthew? (the Sermon on the Mount)

1. who God is

2. who we are in relationship to God

What is the judgment story in the Gospel of Matthew? (the Sermon on the Mount)

- Jesus warns people against judging others harshly or hypocritically while ignoring their own mistakes (ch. 7)

- Jesus teaches that people should examine their own behavior before criticizing others (ch. 7)

- Jesus judges how we behave, and we are held accountable for our actions (ch. 25)

- simply claiming to believe in Jesus is not enough → we must demonstrate that faith (ch. 25)

What is the foundation story in the Gospel of Matthew? (the Sermon on the Mount)

- the parable of the wise and foolish builders

- Jesus compares people who hear and practice his teachings to a wise man who builds his house on rock

- Jesus compares people who hear but do not practice his teachings are like a foolish man who builds on sand

- we can't just hear Jesus' words, we must put them into practice

Why does Jesus end the Sermon on the Mount with the foundation story?

- knowing Jesus' teachings is not enough

- true discipleship requires putting Jesus' teachings into practice