At a Glance
Matthew at a Glance
Matthew opens the New Testament as a bridge from the Old. It begins with Abraham and David and ends with a risen King sending His people to every nation.
- Author. Matthew, also called Levi, a tax collector whom Jesus called from his booth (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14). The book does not name its writer, but Christians have received it as Matthew's from the earliest centuries.
- Date. About AD 50 to 65, before Jerusalem fell in AD 70.
- Written To. Jewish readers first, to show that Jesus is the Messiah their Scriptures promised, and through them to all nations.
- Setting. The land of Israel under Roman rule, from Jesus' birth in the days of Herod the king (Matthew 2:1) to His death and resurrection when Pilate was governor (Matthew 27:2).
- Key Verse. Matthew 16:16, Peter's confession: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
- Key Word or Theme. Kingdom, which appears over fifty times. The phrase kingdom of heaven is found only in Matthew. The theme is Jesus the King and the kingdom He announced.
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Further reading
For Deeper Study
- Be LoyalAmazon Warren W. WiersbeA warm, practical walk through Matthew for the whole church.
- Behold the KingAmazon Stanley D. ToussaintA study of Matthew by a dispensational teacher, who reads the kingdom as the promised reign of David's Son.
- Exploring the Gospel of MatthewAmazon John PhillipsA clear, verse-by-verse exposition in the Exploring series.
- Foxe's Book of MartyrsAmazon John FoxeThe classic Protestant record of those who died for the faith, from the early church to the English Reformation.
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How the Bible Fits Together
The Bible is sixty-six books written by about forty men over some fifteen hundred years, yet it tells one story of God's redemption from creation to the new earth, and its center is Jesus Christ.
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