The Gospel According to Matthew
Mt was probably written ca. 80-85 CE. Although no one knows where it was written, some scholars think that it was written in Syrian Antioch. We don't have any significant evidence to indicate who the author was, although tradition has assigned this role to Matthew, the tax-collector who became a disciple (9.9). Papias, the bishop of Hierapolis, attributes this gospel to Matthew, but there is reason to doubt Papias' testimony. 1) If it were written by a disciple, it would probably not demonstrate so much literary dependence on Mk. 2) It is written in polished Greek, and it doesn't appear to be a translation from Aramaic.
For centuries, Mt stood as the church's preeminent gospel. Unlike Mk and Lk, it was thought to have been written by an apostle. It contains a great deal of teaching material (such as the Sermon on the Mount), and, unlike Jn and Mk, it contains a birth narrative. Some of the Christian faith's best known stories and sayings (such as the story of the wise men and the Beatitudes) come from Mt, whose Jesus is, on the whole, much more accessible than the cryptic and puzzling Jesus of Mk.
Mt seems to have a better command of Greek than Mk does. He often cleans up Mk's Greek. He also omits what seem to be superfluous details from Mk's account, and he organizes his material differently. Mt often shortens passages that he has taken from Mk, so when we see Mt expanding this material, we should be sure to pay attention. He also portrays the disciples much more positively than Mk does.
Internal features of the text of Mt seem to indicate that it was written for a community that was composed predominantly of Jewish Christians who had come into conflict with the larger body of Judaism. There is a strong emphasis on the fulfillment of scripture and a clear polemic against the Pharisees and the scribes. Jesus is depicted as the perfect lawgiver who demands and demonstrates complete obedience to the law.
