What Is the Gospel of Matthew?

Original photo by Brett Jordan

The gospel of Matthew (a.k.a. The Gospel According to Matthew) is traditionally the first book of the Christian New Testament and is an account of Jesus’s life and ministry. It is one of three books called the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

Definitions

Some brief definitions before we get into themes and content for the gospel of Matthew.

• Gospel: from the Greek euangelion, which literally translates to “good news.” In Christianity, this refers specifically to “the good news about or of Jesus, the Christ.” I usually make a distinction between lower case “g” gospel and upper case “G” Gospel. The former refers to a particular message, such as the “gospel of Matthew,” and the latter refers to an overarching interpretation of what Jesus’s message was, as a whole (the Gospel).
• Synoptic gospels: three of the four New Testament writings that tell the story of Jesus’s life and ministry. These three gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are believed to have shared sources and tell many of the same stories, often in the same order. “Synoptic” is from the Greek sunopsis, meaning “seen all together” and refers, here, to the similarities between the accounts.
• Source: a document used as a reference by an author. The gospel of Matthew is thought to have two primary sources: 1) The gospel of Mark and 2) a source commonly referred to as “Q”, which is thought to have been a collection of the sayings of Jesus.

When Was the Gospel of Matthew Written?

The gospel of Matthew seems to have been written near the end of the first century C.E. (A.D.), possibly between 70-100 C.E. Since the gospel of Mark was likely one of Matthew’s sources, it has to have been written sometime after Mark, and Mark is generally dated to the 70’s C.E. My understanding is that this date is accepted by a majority of scholars, but there is also a possibility for an earlier version that we don’t have a copy of. More on that below under “Who Wrote the Gospel of Matthew?“.

The gospel of Matthew is also the only gospel that mentions “the church.” Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter (from the Greek petros, from the Aramaic kefa, both meaning rock); he tells Peter, “on this rock I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18, NRSVUE). Later, it’s stated that issues of recurring sin should be brought “to the church” (Matthew 18:17, NRSVUE). This mentioning of the church, as a whole, might indicate a writing date long enough after Jesus’s death for “the church” to have become well-established.

Who Wrote the Gospel of Matthew?

The author of the gospel of Matthew is anonymous. While some New Testament writings have clearly stated authors, such as 1 Corinthians, the gospel of Matthew never mentions its author. Church tradition, however, maintains that it was written by Matthew, the tax collector and apostle of Jesus. Eusebius of Caesarea, a third-fourth century Greek historian, claims Papias of Hierapolis attests to Matthew as its original author.

Of Matthew [Papias] had stated as follows: “Matthew composed his history in the Hebrew dialect, and everyone translated it as he was able.”

Eusebius. Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History. Translated by C. F. Cruse. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2009. Pg. 106

While Papias claims that the original version composed by Matthew was written in Hebrew, my understanding is that only Greek versions of the gospel of Matthew have ever been discovered. Also, Eusebius was referencing Papias’s five-book work, Interpretation of Our Lord’s Declarations, which didn’t survive. There are couple of other ancient sources that attest to the apostle Matthew as the author, but, again, this is contested by modern Biblical scholars.

The possible existence of a Hebrew gospel of Matthew written by Jesus’s apostle would place the original version of the book earlier in the first century than 70 C.E. The apostle Matthew was believed to have died just before 70 C.E. in Ethiopia, so if he wrote later in life, the gospel of Matthew would predate the gospel of Mark, and that’s part of the reason it’s contested.

When Do the Events of the Gospel of Matthew Take Place?

Narratively, the events of the gospel of Matthew take place almost entirely within the life of Jesus with the exception of the intro leading up to Jesus’s birth (the genealogy and pregnancy, Matthew 1:1-25a). Historically, however, we don’t know the exact dates.

Jesus may have been born as early as 6-4 B.C.E., and he’s believed to have begun his ministry at the age of 30. That ministry lasted about three years, so all of the events from Matthew 3-28 probably occurred between 24-26 C.E. and 27-29 C.E.

According to the author, the genealogy spans 42 generations “from Abraham to…the Messiah.” (Matthew 1:17) While those generations might not be historically accurate, Abraham to Mary and Joseph covers the entire Old Testament, which is over 1500 years.

Despite the miraculous nature of Mary’s conception, there isn’t anything unusual mentioned about the pregnancy, so that would have spanned nine-ten months.

Outline of the Gospel of Matthew

Outlines of the gospel of Matthew vary from person to person, but generally, there are at least three major sections.

1. Jesus’s genealogy, birth, and early childhood (Matthew 1:1-2:23)
2. Jesus’s ministry (Matthew 3:1-25:46)
3. Jesus’s death and resurrection (Matthew 26:1-28:20)

Each of these sections can be broken out into subsections, or those subsections can be presented as their own “major” sections. For example, BlueLetterBible.org, adapting from the Wycliffe Study Bible Commentary, suggests an eight-point outline:

1. The birth and childhood of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-2:23)
2. The preparation for the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-4:11)
3. The ministry of Jesus in Galilee (Matthew 4:12-18:35)
4. The ministry of Jesus in Perea (Matthew 19:1-20:16)
5. The ministry of Jesus in Judea (Matthew 20:17-34)
6. The ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-25:46)
7. The suffering of Jesus (Matthew 26:1-27:66)
8. The resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:1-20)

The Bible Project, on the other hand, uses a seven-point outline:

1. Matthew 1-3: Jesus as the Messiah and Immanuel (God With Us)
2. Matthew 4-7: Arrival of God’s Kingdom and the Sermon on the Mount
3. Matthew 8-10: The Kingdom’s Power and Invitation to Discipleship
4. Matthew 11-13: Different Reactions to Jesus
5. Matthew 14-20: What It Means for Jesus to Be the Messiah
6. Matthew 21-25: Jesus Confronts Israel’s Leaders
7. Matthew 26-28: Jesus’ Trial, Crucifixion, and Resurrection

In both cases, each section can be further divided into subsections.

Different outlines tend to emphasize different literary details or thematic elements, and each has its own merits. The three-point outline provides a high-level view of events (pre-ministry, ministry, death/resurrection), which can be useful for first-time students just beginning to familiarize themselves with the gospel of Matthew.

The Blue Letter Bible eight-point outline provides more precise understanding of where different stories can be found and who the narrative audiences are in each story. This might be more helpful for Bible study discussions.

The Bible Project seven-point outline highlights theological themes concerning Jesus’s divinity and its implications, which might be useful in theological and/or philosophical discussions.

Other outlines might emphasize specific claims, such as starting or ending sections in places where the author states that Jesus is the son of God or centering sections around fulfillments of prophecy. Following is the outline I like to use with some brief descriptions of each section:

1. Jesus’s genealogy, birth, and early childhood (Matthew 1:1-2:23) — author’s introduction of Jesus as the Messiah and fulfiller of Old Testament prophecies
   • Genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17)
   • Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25)
   • Early childhood (Matthew 2:1-23)
2. Jesus’s preparation for ministry (Matthew 3:1-4:11) — the anointing of Jesus by the Holy Spirit, declared sonship by God, and testing by the devil
   • Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-3:17)
   • Temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)
3. Jesus’s authority (Matthew 4:12-10:42) — Jesus begins ministry following the arrest of John, demonstrating authority over the law, the prophets, physical illness, demons, and nature, as well as authority to call disciples into participation in the Kingdom
   • Jesus as the light (Matthew 4:12-17)
   • Calling of first disciples (Matthew 4:18-22)
   • Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 4:23-7:29)
   • Stories demonstrating Jesus’s authority (Matthew 8:1-9:34)
   • Preparing disciples for participation (Matthew 9:35-10:42)
4. Jesus as prophet (Matthew 11:1-13:58) — stories of Jesus taking on the role of prophet in John’s stead by calling God’s people to repentance, challenging the religious leaders, and engaging in prophetic imagining of the Kingdom
   • Calling people to the Kingdom (Matthew 11:1-30)
   • Contending with religious leaders (Matthew 12:1-50)
   • Jesus describes the nature of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:1-53)
   • Jesus rejected in his hometown (Matthew 13:54-58)
5. Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 14:1-20:34) — following the death of John, Jesus prepares disciples for his own death and subverts expectations of what it means to be Messiah; disciples recognize Jesus’s divinity.
   • Some topics addressed in this section are as follows (these stories are mixed throughout this section):
     • Jesus’s death and resurrection
     • Jesus identified as the Messiah and Son of God
     • Upending expectations of wealth, greatness, compassion, forgiveness, holiness/purity, and inclusivity (e.g. ministering to Gentiles as part of the Kingdom)
     • Communal responsibility and accountability
   • Tensions escalate in this section as Jesus’s ministry brings him closer toward Jerusalem.
6. Jesus in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-25:46)
   • Jesus’s triumphal entry (Matthew 21:1-11)
   • Jesus rebukes and warns God’s people (Matthew 21:12-22:14)
   • Jesus challenged by the religious leaders (Matthew 22:15-23:39)
   • Jesus foretells destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-28)
   • The faithful and the unfaithful (Matthew 24:29-25:46)
7. Jesus’s betrayal, death, and resurrection (Matthew 26:1-28:20)
   • Betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 26:1-27:10)
   • Jesus’s trial and crucifixion (Matthew 27:11-66)
   • Jesus’s Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-20)

What Stories Are in the Gospel of Matthew?

Stories in the gospel of Matthew are listed below and divided into sections according to my outline above.

Jesus’s Genealogy, Birth, and Early Childhood (Matthew 1:1-2:23)

Story	Chapter : Verse
Genealogy of Jesus	1:1-17
Birth of Jesus	1:18-25
Magi Visit Jesus	2:1-12
Jesus’s Family Flees to Egypt	2:13-15
Herod Has Children Killed	2:16-18
Jesus’s Family Return from Egypt	2:19-23

Jesus’s Preparation for Ministry (Matthew 3:1-4:11)

Story	Chapter : Verse
John Foretells About Jesus	3:1-12
John Baptizes Jesus	3:13-17
Jesus Tempted by the Devil	4:1-11

Jesus’s Authority (Matthew 4:12-10:42)

Story	Chapter : Verse
Jesus Begins Ministry	4:12-17
Jesus Calls First Disciples	4:18-22
Jesus Ministers to Many	4:23-25
Sermon on the Mount	5:1-7:29
Jesus Heals a Man with a Skin Disease	8:1-4
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant	8:5-13
Jesus Heals Many at Peter’s House	8:14-17
On Following Jesus	8:18-22
Jesus Calms a Storm	8:23-27
Jesus Casts Out Two Demons	8:28-9:1
Jesus Heals a Paralytic Man	9:2-8
Jesus and Matthew	9:9-13
Jesus Questioned about Fasting	9:14-17
Jesus Raises a Girl From the Dead and Heals a Woman	9:18-26
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men	9:27-31
Jesus Casts Out a Demon	9:32-34
Jesus Appoints, Sends, Warns, and Encourages Twelve Apostles	9:35-10:42

Jesus as Prophet (Matthew 11:1-13:58)

Story	Chapter : Verse
Jesus and John the Baptist	11:1-19
Jesus Rebukes Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum	11:20-24
Jesus Gives Thanks and Invites the Weary	11:25-30
Picking Grain on the Sabbath	12:1-8
Jesus Heals a Man with a Withered Hand and Others	12:9-21
Jesus Accused of Serving Beelzebul	12:22-37
The Sign of Jonah	12:38-45
Kingdom Family	12:46-50
Parable of the Sower	13:1-23
The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like… (incl. Weeds among Wheat, Mustard Seed, Yeast, Hidden Treasure, Merchant Searching for Pearls, Net, New and Old Treasure)	13:24-53
Jesus Rejected in Nazareth	13:54-58

Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 14:1-20:34)

Story	Chapter : Verse
Death of John the Baptist	14:1-12
Feeding the 5000	14:13-21
Jesus Walks on Water	14:22-33
Jesus Heals Many in Gennesaret	14:34-36
Commands, Traditions, and Holiness	15:1-20
Jesus Heals a Canaanite Woman’s Daughter	15:21-28
Jesus Heals Many	15:29-31
Feeding the 4000	15:32-39
The Sign of Jonah	16:1-4
Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees	16:5-12
Peter Declares Jesus Is the Messiah	16:13-20
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (a.k.a. Jesus Rebukes Peter)	16:21-28
The Transfiguration	17:1-13
The Demon the Disciples Can’t Cast Out	17:14-21
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (Second Time)	17:22-23
On Paying the Temple Tax	17:24-27
Children, the Kingdom, and Sin (incl. Lost Sheep)	18:1-14
Sin and Forgiveness (incl. Parable of Unforgiving Servant)	18:15-35
On Divorce and Fidelity	19:1-12
Children and the Kingdom	19:13-15
The Rich Young Man and Discipleship	19:16-30
Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Landowner	20:1-16
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (Third Time)	20:17-19
Greatness In the Kingdom	20:20-27
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men	20:29-34

Jesus in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-25:46)

Story	Chapter : Verse
Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem	21:1-11
Jesus Drives Merchants from the Temple	21:12-17
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree	21:18-22
Jesus’s Authority Questioned	21:23-27
Parable of the Two Sons	21:28-32
Parable of the Wicked Tenants	21:33-46
Parable of the Wedding Banquet	22:1-14
Jesus Questioned about Taxes	22:15-22
Jesus Questioned about the Resurrection	22:23-33
Jesus Questioned about the Greatest Commandment	22:34-40
Jesus Questions the Pharisees about the Son of David	22:41-46
Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees	23:1-36
Jesus Laments for Jerusalem	23:37-39
Jesus Foretells Destruction of Temple and Jerusalem	24:1-28
Warnings to Watch for Signs (incl. Parable of the Bridesmaids, Parable of the Talents)	24:29-25:30
Warning and Encouragement Concerning Judgement	25:31-46

Jesus’s Betrayal, Death, and Resurrection (Matthew 26:1-28:20)

Story	Chapter : Verse
Jesus Foretells His Death (Fourth Time)	26:1-2
Plot to Kill Jesus	26:3-5
A Woman Anoints Jesus	26:6-13
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus	26:14-16
The Passover (incl. Lord’s Supper)	26:17-30
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial	26:31-35
The Garden of Gethsemane (incl. Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus)	26:36-56
Jesus Before the High Priest, Caiaphas	26:57-68
Peter Denies Knowing Jesus	26:69-75
Jesus Brought to Pilate	27:1-2
Judas Commits Suicide	27:3-10
Jesus Before Pilate	27:11-26
The Mocking and Flogging of Jesus	27:27-31
The Crucifixion of Jesus	27:32-44
The Death of Jesus	27:45-56
The Burial of Jesus	27:57-61
The Guarded Tomb	27:62-66
The Resurrection of Jesus	28:1-10
The Chief Priests and the Guards	28:11-15
The Great Commission	28:16-20

Disclaimers

As always, these FAQ posts aren’t exhaustive. They’re just brief introductions to questions and topics — jumping off points to help you on your journey. You can contact me if you’d like to ask a question or request a more in-depth look at a particular topic, and you can check out some of the Bible Study or Theology posts for more.

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