Some thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew

 


     Worship.  This is a recurrent theme in Matthew’s Gospel.  The magi “make obeisance”[1] to Jesus (2.11; cf. 2.2, 8).  During Jesus’ testing in the desert, Satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he will “make obeisance” to him.  Jesus retorts that it is written that one should only make obeisance to God (4.9-10).  Various characters make obeisance to Jesus throughout the narrative – a leper (8.2), Jairus the ruler of the Capernaum synagogue (9.18), the disciples (14.33), a Canaanite woman (15.25), the mother of James and John (20.20), the women at the tomb on Easter morning (28.9) and other disciples that saw him after his resurrection (28.17).  Jesus is worthy of worship because he is “God with us” (1.23; 28.20).

     The Devil.  Hart’s translation renders each Greek word that denotes “the Devil” differently in the desert temptation episode.  Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tried by “the Slanderer”[2] (4.1; diabolos; cf. 4.5, 8, 11).  “The Tempter” challenges him to turn stones into bread (4.3; peirazo).  Jesus finally dispatches “the Accuser”[3] after resisting the third temptation (4.10; Satanas).  Satan will continue to appear in the narrative, though most of the time, “he” will be in human guise: 16.23; 9.34; 12.9-14, 22-37; 27.12.

     Jesus as Master/teacher.  “…seeing the crowds, Jesus ascended the mountain; and when he seated himself his disciples approached him…and he taught them…” (5.1-2).  Moses, the original law-giver, was considered to be “the Teacher” of Israel (cf. Mt. 23.2-3; Jn. 9.28).  By ascending “the mountain” and adopting the stance of a teacher (i.e. sitting down), Jesus shows himself to be a new Moses.  This recalls Moses ascending Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 commandments from Yahweh (cf. Ex. 19-34).  The “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt. 5—7) is the “new law”, that “surpasses the righteousness of the Pharisees” (5.20).  Jesus contrasts his “yoke”, which is mild and light (11.29-30), with that of the Pharisees, which is heavy (23.4).  This is an image which describes obedience, just as a pair of oxen in a yoke would be compelled to obey their master (cf. 1 Kings 19.19).  Jesus constantly denounces the hypocritical way that the Pharisees have interpreted and applied the law of Moses, making people’s lives burdensome, all the while appearing to be “righteous” (cf. Mt. 23.1-32).  Matthew’s Gospel is structured into 5 “blocks” of Jesus’ teaching, interspersed with 5 sections of Jesus’ actions.  This recalls the 5 books of the law (of Moses) from the Hebrew Scriptures.  Thus, Jesus is presented as the head of the renewed people of God, the one that all faithful people must now obey.  To be a member of God’s people, from now on, means becoming a disciple of Jesus, and obeying his commandments (28.19-20).


[1] David Bentley Hart, The New Testament: A Translation (2nd edition), Yale University Press, 2023.  The KJV renders the Greek verb “proskuneo” as “to worship”.

[2] KJV: “Devil”.

[3] KJV: “Satan”.

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