Introduction
To better understand the Bible and the New Testament specifically, one should thoroughly explore their content. A way of doing so is by focusing on the Book of Matthew. Although one cannot accentuate the significance of one book over others, and Matthew is not the longest one or earliest in chronological order, it reflects important matters of life, death, and resurrection (Powell, 2018). Analysis of the Book of Matthew provides more insight into Jesus and raises essential discussions.
The Author and the Recipient
First, to examine the Book of Matthew, one should identify the Author and investigate their personality. Although the book is also known as “the Gospel according to Matthew,” many people believe that Matthew did not write it (Powell, 2018, pp. 60-61). The Book of Matthew has its differences from previous books, as it is perceived to be written by a Jewish Christian familiar with the Roman culture (Powell, 2018). Moreover, as the book is one of the Gospels, its Author was influenced by the Old Testament’s stories (Powell, 2018). With that being said, one should analyze the Author’s identity based on the Bible. In general, the book tells the story of Jesus and his ministry, showing the Author’s knowledge about Christ and interest in details, such as genealogy (King James Bible, Matt. 1:1-17). Overall, while the Author’s actual identity in the Book of Matthew is unknown, he is thought to be a Jewish Christian devoted to Jesus.
Second, the Recipient of the Book is as important as its Author. Powell (2018) states that all books of the New Testament were written because of Jesus, so one can assume that the Recipient is any person who needs to learn more about Christ. However, the Book of Matthew is written in Greek and is perceived to be more appealing to those in urban areas, which may have initially narrowed the audience (Powell, 2018). Despite that, the book implies that the Recipient can be anyone who needs Jesus, as he heals people and has followers in Galilee, Jerusalem, Jordan, and many other places (King James Bible, Matt. 14:24-25). Therefore, the Recipient of the Book of Matthew can be any person who is in need to realize the significance of Jesus.
The Central Theme
The central theme of the book of Matthew centers on Jesus and through his journey can teach valuable lessons. On Jesus’s example and based on his words, one can learn to resist the devil, find good in sorrows and peace, and realize the significance of having true faith (King James Bible, Matt. 4:1-11, 5:3-12, 17:20). Furthermore, research shows that the Book of Matthew is meant to teach people to be compassionate to all humankind (Ukeachusim et al., 2021). While the book focuses on the story of Jesus, it raises several questions about life and can provide support to those in need.
Scriptural Passages
Although there is a deep meaning behind scriptural passages in the Book of Matthew, some of them strike me more than others. In particular, Jesus’s words listing blessed people appealed to me the most upon my very first reading and still come to my mind (King James Bible, Matt. 5:3-12). I was and still am impressed by the presented possibilities for people regardless of their position. However, I also think that some passages should not be emphasized above others, as their true value is in unity.
Conclusion
To summarize, the Book of Matthew shows the importance of Jesus in the lives of people. Although the Author of the book is unknown, one can assume that he was a person invested in Christ and his teachings. Those teachings can be perceived to be oriented to a wide range of followers who are supposed to have strong faith and demonstrate compassion towards each other.
References
King James Bible. (n.d.). The King’s Bible. Web.
Powell, M.A. (2018). Introducing the New Testament: A historical, literary, and theological survey (2nd ed.). Baker Academic.
Ukeachusim, C. P., Ituma, E. A., & Uroko, F. C. (2021). Understanding compassion in the Gospel of Matthew.Theology Today, 77(4), 372-392. Web.