Gospel of Matthew: Chapter Outline

¶ … Gospel of Matthew: Chapter outline

Heading: Biography

Subheading: Back story

Jesus' origins -- Davidic line

Infancy gospel

John the Baptist's insight

Jesus' temptation

Heading: Teaching and preaching

Subheading: Sermon

Sermon on the Mount: Loving thy enemies

Sermon continued: Forgiving trespasses

Sermon continued: Beware false prophets

Subheading: Establishing Jesus' mission

Healing leper

Authority to forgive sins

Twelve apostles

Subheading: Establishing Jesus' message

Wisdom of babes

Contradicting Sabbath laws

Parables

John's beheading

Subheading: Jesus' divinity established to believers

Loaves and fishes

Chapter 16: Jesus identified as Son of the living God

Chapter 17: Prophesy of the meaning of the coming death and resurrection of Jesus

Chapter 18: Theme of forgiveness in teachings

Chapter 19: Valorization of the poor

Last first, first last

Subheading: Foreshadowing of destruction of Jerusalem

Chapter 21: Parable of vineyard

Chapter 22: Conflict with Pharisees

Chapter 23: Calls of woe to Jerusalem and Pharisees

Chapter 24: Disciples ask for signs

Chapter 25: Kindness to strangers

Heading: Passion

Chapter 26: Gethsemane

Chapter 27: Trial, Pilate, death

Chapter 28: Resurrection

Structural relationships, strategic areas, theological questions:

Jesus' relationship to Israel: This is evidenced in the two introductions to the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus' relationship with Israel is established as conflicted (in the example of Herod's persecution of Him as a future king) yet it is also harmonious (given Jesus' ties to the Davidic line of kings). Strategic area: Jesus as teacher or 'rabbi,' role he fulfills in book. Question: If Jesus is the Son of God and will save all of humankind, what is his specific relationship to Israel?

Jesus' relationship to the poor vs. The rich: Jesus is shown valorizing the life of the poor in the Sermon on the Mount, versus the worldliness of the 'rich young man' unwilling to give up his wealth and be 'perfect' to follow Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, there is repeated use of language of healing the sick, and Jesus performs miracles healing the infirmities of the blind and lame, thus helping the helpless. Jesus uses the language of the vineyards in his parables and feeds and sustains life in his miracles, as in the example of the loaves and fishes. Strategic area: Jesus specifically as the advocate of the vulnerable and 'have-nots' in the gospels. Question: If the most important aspect of one's life is the relationship one has with God in heaven, not one's wealth on earth, why does Jesus repeatedly redress these inequities by performing miracles to help the poor and sick?

Jesus' adversarial relationship with authority: Jesus' fate is paralleled in John the Baptist's demise at the hands of Herod. John's fate foreshadows Jesus in terms of his adversarial relationship with leaders. A critical turning point is when Jesus 'recognized' John and later by Peter as the Son of God. Question: In terms of Jesus' establishment of his identity, why is Jesus recognized by these figures? Why does he come into conflict with some types of authority, like the Pharisees, but not with others?

Literary forms and genres:

The overall genre of the work is a gospel, literally the 'good news' of Jesus' teachings. The Gospel of Matthew contains several genres within its general structure. This is evidenced in the first chapter's list of Jesus' linage, recalling similar lists in the Old Testament, tracing the line of Israel. Second is the nativity gospel, or story of the hero's extraordinary origins, along the lines of Moses' story of persecution and salvation from death as a baby from Genesis. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is a dogmatic illustration of the role of Jesus as teacher to his followers. Jesus also teaches his disciples and others through parables, through miracles, and by quoting and interpreting scripture in a prophetic style. The final genre of the Gospel of Matthew is that of the Passion story, the narrative present in all of the gospels, of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Atmosphere: The atmosphere of the Gospel of Matthew is of a world of great hypocrisy. There is a tension between the exterior world and the interior world. Jesus teaches his followers to look beyond the surface. In the world, unjust and hypocritical people have power. The truth is revealed through inward actions, not exterior manifestations of wealth and pious display. This is why little children may lead, and the meek shall inherit the earth.

Critical questions:

Author: The author is identified as Matthew, one of the disciples, although not self-identified during the actual narration, which depicts many conflicted scenes, between Jesus and his disciples where the author 'sides' with Jesus.

Place: Roman-occupied Jerusalem

Date of writing: Set during the years of Roman governship, although Jesus' words foretell an end to the existence of Jerusalem.

History of composition: Parallels the other synoptic gospels, although it is longer than the Gospel of Mark, indicating it post-dates that gospel,

Recipients: The stress upon the Davidic line in the book suggests a likely Jewish Christian audience, not a purely gentile audience, despite the hostility shown to the Pharisees.

Major questions and impressions:

Who is Jesus to Matthew (as opposed to the Jesus of the other gospels)?

How is Jesus identified as 'special' in ways specific to the Gospel of Matthew, and in ways common to other books of the Bible? The identity of Jesus as Jewish, and as a teacher or rabbi to his followers (this is the most static, 'talky' Jesus of all the gospels) is critical.