Read the Holy Gospel of Matthew with interpretation. John Chrysostom
The Gospel of Matthew (Greek: Ευαγγέλιον κατά Μαθθαίον or Ματθαίον) is the first book of the New Testament and the first of the four canonical gospels. It is traditionally followed by the gospels of Mark, Luke and John.The main theme of the Gospel is the life and preaching of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The features of the Gospel stem from the book’s intended use for a Jewish audience - the Gospel often contains references to Messianic prophecies Old Testament, with the purpose of showing the fulfillment of these prophecies in Jesus Christ.
The Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, going in an ascending line from Abraham to Joseph the Betrothed, the named husband of the Virgin Mary. This genealogy, the similar genealogy in the Gospel of Luke, and their differences from each other have been the subject of much study by historians and biblical scholars.
Chapters five through seven provide the most complete exposition of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, presenting the essence of Christian teaching, including the Beatitudes (5:2-11) and the Lord's Prayer (6:9-13).
The evangelist sets out the speeches and deeds of the Savior in three sections corresponding to the three sides of the Messiah’s ministry: as Prophet and Lawgiver (chap. 5 - 7), King over the visible and invisible world (chap. 8 - 25) and High Priest sacrificing himself for sins all people (chap. 26 - 27).
Only the Gospel of Matthew mentions the healing of two blind men (9:27-31), a mute demoniac (9:32-33), as well as an episode with a coin in the mouth of a fish (17:24-27). Only in this Gospel are there parables about the tares (13:24), about the treasure in the field (13:44), about the pearl of great price (13:45), about the net (13:47), about the unmerciful lender (18:23), about the workers in the vineyard (20:1), about the two sons (21:28), about the wedding feast (22:2), about the ten virgins (25:1), about the talents (25:31).
Genealogy of Jesus Christ (1:1-17)
Nativity of Christ (1:18-12)
Flight to Egypt of the Holy Family and return to Nazareth (2:13-23)
The Preaching of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus (chapter 3)
The Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness (4:1-11)
Jesus comes to Galilee. The beginning of the sermon and the calling of the first disciples (4:12-25)
Sermon on the Mount (5-7)
Miracles and preaching in Galilee (8-9)
The calling of the 12 apostles and their instructions for preaching (10)
Miracles and parables of Christ. Preaching in Galilee and surrounding lands (11-16)
Transfiguration of the Lord (17:1-9)
New parables and healings (17:10-18)
Jesus goes from Galilee to Judea. Parables and miracles (19-20)
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (21:1-10)
Sermon in Jerusalem (21:11-22)
Refutation of the Pharisees (23)
Jesus' Predictions about the Destruction of Jerusalem, His Second Coming, and the Rapture of the Church (24)
Proverbs (25)
Jesus' anointing with chrism (26:1-13)
Last Supper (26:14-35)
Gethsemane Controversy, Arrest and Trial (26:36-75)
Christ before Pilate (27:1-26)
Crucifixion and burial (27:27-66)
Appearances of the Risen Christ (28)Church tradition
Although all the Gospels (and Acts) are anonymous texts, and the authors of these texts are unknown, ancient church tradition considers the apostle Matthew, a tax collector who followed Jesus Christ, to be anonymous (9:9, 10:3). This tradition is attested by a church historian of the 4th century. Eusebius of Caesarea, who reports the following:
Matthew originally preached to the Jews; having gathered to other nations, he handed them his Gospel, written in native language. Recalled from them, he left them his Scripture in return.
Eusebius of Caesarea, Church history, III, 24, 6
Quoted by the same Eusebius, a Christian writer of the first half of the 2nd century. Papias of Hierapolis reports that
Matthew recorded Jesus' conversations in Hebrew and translated them as best he could.
Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, III, 39, 16
This legend was also known to St. Irenaeus of Lyons (II century):
Matthew issued to the Jews on their own language the writing of the Gospel while Peter and Paul preached the gospel in Rome and founded the Church
St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, III, 1, 1
Blessed Jerome of Stridon even claims that he had a chance to see the original Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew, which was in the Caesarea library, collected by the martyr Pamphilus.
In his lectures on the Gospel of Matthew, Bishop. Cassian (Bezobrazov) wrote: “For us, the question of the authenticity of the Gospel of Matthew is not of significant importance. We are interested in the writer because his personality and the conditions of his ministry can explain the writing of the book.”
Modern researchersThe text of the Gospel itself does not contain any indication of the identity of the author, and, according to most scholars, the Gospel of Matthew was not written by eyewitnesses. Due to the fact that the text of the Gospel itself does not contain the name of the author or any obvious indication of his identity, many modern researchers believe that the first of the four Gospels was written not by the Apostle Matthew, but by another author unknown to us. There is a two-source hypothesis, according to which the author of the Gospel of Matthew actively used material from the Gospel of Mark and the so-called source Q.
The text of the Gospel has undergone a number of changes over time; it is not possible to reconstruct the original text in our time.
LanguageIf we consider the testimony of the Church Fathers about the Hebrew language of the original Gospel to be true, then the Gospel of Matthew is the only book of the New Testament, the original of which was not written in Greek. However, the Hebrew (Aramaic) original is lost; the ancient Greek translation of the Gospel, mentioned by Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch and other Christian writers of antiquity, is included in the canon.
Features of the language of the Gospel indicate the author as a Palestinian Jew; the Gospel contains a large number of Jewish phrases, the author assumes that readers are familiar with the area and Jewish customs. It is characteristic that in the list of apostles in the Gospel of Matthew (10:3), the name Matthew is marked with the word “publican” - probably this is a sign indicating the author’s humility, for publicans were deeply despised by the Jews.
He was an apostle of the Twelve. Before turning to Christ, Matthew served as a publican, a tax collector for Rome. Hearing the voice of Jesus Christ: “Follow Me” (Matthew 9:9), he left his position and followed the Savior. Having received the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Matthew first preached in Palestine. Before leaving to preach in distant countries, at the request of the Jews who remained in Jerusalem, the apostle wrote the Gospel. Among the books of the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew comes first. Written in Hebrew. Matthew sets out the speeches and deeds of the Savior in accordance with the three sides of Christ’s ministry: as Prophet and Lawgiver, King over the invisible and visible world, and High Priest, Offering Sacrifice for the sins of all people.
Evangelist Matthew
The Holy Apostle Matthew went around with the gospel to Syria, Media, Persia and Parthia, having completed his preaching works martyrdom in Ethiopia. This country was inhabited by cannibal tribes with rude customs and beliefs. The Holy Apostle Matthew, with his preaching here, converted several idolaters to faith in Christ, founded the Church and built a temple in the city of Myrmen, and installed his companion named Plato as bishop. When the apostle earnestly prayed to God for the conversion of the Ethiopians, during the prayer the Lord Himself appeared to him in the form of a young man and, giving him a staff, ordered him to place it at the door of the temple. The Lord said that a tree would grow from this rod and bear fruit, and a source of water would flow from its root. Having washed in the water and tasted the fruits, the Ethiopians will change their wild disposition and become kind and meek. When the apostle was carrying the staff to the temple, he met on the way the wife and son of the ruler of this country, Fulvian. possessed by an unclean spirit. The holy apostle healed them in the name of Jesus Christ. This miracle converted many more pagans to the Lord. But the ruler did not want his subjects to become Christians and stop worshiping pagan gods. He accused the apostle of witchcraft and ordered his execution. They laid Saint Matthew face down, covered him with brushwood and set him on fire. When the fire flared up, everyone saw that the fire did not harm Saint Matthew. Then Fulvian ordered to add brushwood to the fire, dousing it with resin and placing twelve idols around it. But the flame melted the idols and scorched Fulvian. The frightened Ethiopian turned to the saint with a plea for mercy, and through the prayer of the apostle the flames subsided. The body of the holy apostle remained unharmed, and he departed to the Lord (60). Ruler Fulvian bitterly repented of his deeds. but he did not leave his doubts. He ordered the body of Saint Matthew to be placed in an iron coffin and thrown into the sea. At the same time, Fulvian said that if the God of Matthew preserves the body of the apostle in water, as he preserved it in fire, then this One True God should be worshiped. That same night, the Apostle Matthew appeared to Bishop Plato in a dream vision and commanded him to go with the clergy to the seashore and find his body there. Fulvian and his retinue also came ashore. The coffin carried out by the wave was honorably transferred to the temple built by the apostle. Then Fulvian asked Matthew for a petition, after which Bishop Plato baptized him with the name Matthew, which he gave him at the command of God. Fulvian subsequently accepted the bishopric and continued the work of enlightening his people.
The Life and Suffering of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, son of Alphaeus, otherwise called Levi (Mark 2:14. Matt. 9:9. Luke 5:27), lived in the Galilean city of Capernaum. He was a wealthy man and held the position of publican. His compatriots despised and shunned him, like everyone else like him. But Matthew, although he was a sinner, at the same time was not only no worse, but also much better than the Pharisees who were proud of their imaginary external righteousness. And so the Lord fixed His Divine gaze on this despised publican. One day, during His stay in Capernaum, the Lord left the city and went to the sea, accompanied by the people. On the shore He saw Matthew sitting at the Mytnitsa. And he said to him:
Come after me!
Hearing these words of the Lord not only with the ears of the body, but also with the eyes of the heart, the publican immediately rose from his place and, leaving everything, followed Christ. Matthew did not hesitate, was not surprised that the Great Teacher and Wonderworker was calling him, the despised publican; he heeded His words with all his heart and unquestioningly followed Christ. In joy, Matthew prepared a great meal in his house. The Lord did not refuse the invitation and entered Matthew’s house. And many of his neighbors, friends and acquaintances, all publicans and sinners, gathered at Matthew’s house and reclined at the table with Jesus and His disciples. Some of the scribes and Pharisees also happened to be there. Seeing that the Lord does not disdain sinners and publicans, but reclines next to them, they grumbled and said to His disciples:
How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?
The Lord, hearing their words, said to them:
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
From that time on, Matthew, leaving all his property, followed Christ (Luke 5:28) and, as His faithful disciple, after that he was no longer separated from Him. Soon he was awarded membership among the 12 chosen Apostles (Matt. Chapter 10; Mark 3:13–19; Luke 6:13–16). Together with other disciples of the Lord, Matthew accompanied Him on travels through Galilee and Judea, listened to His Divine teaching, saw His countless miracles, and went preaching to dead sheep house of Israel, witnessed the suffering on the cross and the atoning death of the Savior and His glorious ascension into heaven.
After the Ascension of the Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, Saint Matthew first remained in Palestine, together with the other Apostles, preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem and its environs. But now the time has come for the Apostles to disperse from Jerusalem to different peoples, to convert them to the faith of Christ. Before the Apostle's departure from Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem asked him to hand over for them the writings of the deeds and teachings of Jesus Christ. The other Apostles who were in Jerusalem at that time also expressed their consent to the fulfillment of this request. And Saint Matthew, fulfilling a common desire, wrote the Gospel 8 years after the Ascension of Christ.
Having retired from Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew preached the Gospel in many countries. Preaching the gospel of Christ, he passed through Macedonia, Syria, Persia, Parthia and Media and went around all of Ethiopia, to which his lot fell, and enlightened it with the light of the mind of the Gospel. Finally, guided by the Holy Spirit, he came to the land of cannibals, to a black, bestial people, entered a city called Myrmene, and there, turning several souls to the Lord, appointed his companion Plato as their bishop and created a small church; He himself ascended a nearby mountain and remained on it in fasting, earnestly praying to God for the conversion of that unfaithful people. And the Lord appeared to him in the form of a beautiful young man, having a rod in his right hand, and greeted him. Holding out right hand and giving that rod to the saint, He commanded him to come down from the mountain and place the rod at the door of the church he had built.
“This rod,” said the Lord, “by My power will grow into tall tree, and that tree will bear abundant fruit, surpassing in size and sweetness all other garden fruits; and from its root will flow a spring of pure water. Having washed in the water of the spring, the cannibals will receive a beautiful face, and anyone who tastes of that fruit will forget their brutal morals and become a kind and meek person.
Matthew, having received the rod from the hand of the Lord, came down from the mountain and went into the city to do what he was commanded. The prince of that city, named Fulvian, had a wife and son possessed by demons. Having met the Apostle on the way, they shouted at him in wild, threatening voices:
Who sent you here with this rod to our destruction?
The Apostle rebuked the unclean spirits and cast them out; those healed bowed to the Apostle and meekly followed him. Having learned about his arrival, Bishop Platon met him along with the clergy, and Saint Matthew, entering the city and approaching the church, did as he was commanded: he planted the rod given to him by the Lord - and immediately, in the sight of everyone, the rod became great a tree spreading many leafy branches, and beautiful fruits appeared on it, large and sweet, and a source of water flowed from the root. Everyone who saw this was amazed; the whole city came together for such a miracle, and they ate the fruit of the tree and drank clean water. And the holy Apostle Matthew, standing on high place, preached the word of God to the assembled people in their language; and immediately everyone believed in the Lord, and the Apostle baptized them in a miraculous spring. And all the baptized cannibals, according to the word of the Lord, came out of the water with beautiful faces and white skin; they received not only physical, but also spiritual whiteness and beauty, putting off the old man and putting on the new man - Christ. Having learned about what had happened, the prince at first rejoiced at the healing of his wife and son, but then, according to the teachings of the demons, he became angry with the Apostle because all the people were coming to him, leaving their gods, and planned to destroy him. But that same night the Savior appeared to the Apostle, commanding him to take courage and promising to be with him in the coming tribulation. When morning came, and the Apostle in the church together with the believers sang the praises of God, the prince sent four soldiers to take him; but when they came to the temple of the Lord, darkness immediately enveloped them, and they could hardly return back. When they were asked why they did not bring Matthew, they answered:
We heard him talking, but we could not see or take him.
Fulvian became even more angry. He sent even more soldiers with weapons, commanding them to bring Matthew by force, and if anyone resists and defends Matthew, to kill them. But these soldiers also returned with nothing, for when they approached the temple, heavenly light shone on the Apostle, and the soldiers, being unable to look at him, fell into great fear and, throwing down their weapons, ran back half-dead from fear and told about former prince. Fulvian was terribly furious and went with all his many servants, wanting to seize the Apostle himself. But as soon as he managed to approach the Apostle, he suddenly became blind and began to ask to be given a guide. Then he began to beg the Apostle to forgive him his sin and to enlighten his blinded eyes. The Apostle, having made the sign of the cross in front of the prince, gave him insight. The prince regained his sight, but only with his physical eyes, and not with his spiritual ones, for malice blinded him, and he attributed such a great miracle not to God’s power, but to sorcery. Taking the Apostle by the hand, he led him to his palace, as if wanting to honor him, but in his heart cunningly plotting to burn the Apostle of the Lord like a sorcerer. But the Apostle, foreseeing the secret movements of his heart and crafty plans, denounced the prince, saying:
Flattering tormentor! Will you soon do what you plan to do to me? Do what Satan put in you your heart, and as you see, I am ready to endure everything for my God.
Then the prince ordered the soldiers to grab Saint Matthew and stretch him face up on the ground, and nail his hands and feet tightly. When this was done, the servants, at the command of the tormentor, collected a lot of branches and brushwood, brought resin and sulfur and, placing it all on Saint Matthew, lit it. But when the fire flared up with a great flame and everyone thought that the Apostle of Christ had already burned, suddenly the fire cooled and the flame died out and Saint Matthew found himself alive, unharmed and glorifying God. Seeing this, all the people were horrified by such a great miracle and gave praise to the God of the Apostle. But Fulvian became even more furious. Not wanting to recognize the power of God in what happened, which preserved the preacher of Christ alive and undamaged from the fire, he brought a lawless accusation against the righteous man, calling him a sorcerer.
By magic,” he said, “Matthew extinguished the fire and remained alive in it.
Then he ordered to bring even more firewood, branches and brushwood and, laying it on Matthew, lit it, and poured resin on top; in addition, he ordered to bring twelve of his golden idols and, placing them in a circle of fire, called on them for help, so that by their power Matthew could not get rid of the flame, and would turn to ashes. The Apostle, in the flames, prayed to the Lord of hosts, so that He would show His invincible power, reveal the powerlessness of the pagan gods and shame those who trusted in them.
And suddenly a fiery flame with terrible thunder rushed towards the golden idols and they melted from the fire like wax, and in addition, many of the infidels standing around were scorched; and from the melted idols a flame came out in the form of a serpent and rushed towards Fulvian, threatening him, so that he could not escape and get rid of the danger until he cried out with humble prayer to the Apostle for deliverance from destruction. The Apostle rebuked the fire, and immediately the flame went out and the likeness fire snake disappeared. Fulvian wanted to honorably deliver the saint from the fire, but he, having made a prayer, gave up his holy soul into the hands of God. Then the prince ordered to bring a golden bed and lay on it the honorable body of the Apostle, undamaged by the fire, and, dressing him in precious clothes, he lifted him up together with his nobles and brought him into his palace. But he did not yet have perfect faith, and therefore he ordered an iron ark to be forged, filled tightly on all sides with tin and thrown into the sea, and he said to his nobles:
If the One who preserved Matthew whole from the fire will also preserve him from drowning in water, then truly He is the One God, and we will worship Him, leaving behind all our gods who could not save themselves from destruction in the fire.
After this iron ark with the holy relics was thrown into the sea, the saint appeared to Bishop Plato at night, saying:
Tomorrow go to the seashore east of the princely palace and there take my relics, which were brought to land.
In the morning, the bishop, accompanied by many believers, went to the shown place and found an iron ark with the relics of St. Matthew the Apostle, as he had been told in a vision.
Having learned about this, the prince came with his nobles and, this time having fully believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, loudly confessed that He is the One true God, Who preserved His servant Matthew unharmed - both during his life in the fire and after death - in the water. And falling to the ark, with the relics of the Apostle, he asked the saint for forgiveness for his sins against him and expressed heart desire be baptized. Bishop Plato, seeing Fulvian's faith and zeal, announced him and, having taught him the truths of the holy faith, baptized him. And when he laid his hand on his head and wanted to name him, a voice was heard from above saying:
Call him not Fulvian, but Matthew.
Having thus accepted the name of the Apostle in baptism, the prince tried to be an imitator of the life of the Apostle: he soon transferred his princely power to another, completely abandoned worldly vanity, devoted himself to prayer in the Church of God and was awarded the priesthood by Bishop Plato. And when, after three years, the bishop died, the holy Apostle Matthew, who had left the princely presbyter Matthew, appeared in a vision and exhorted him to accept the episcopal throne after blessed Plato. Having accepted the episcopacy, Matthew worked well in the gospel of Christ and, having turned many away from idolatry, led them to God, and then he himself went to Him, after a long godly life, and, standing with the holy Evangelist Matthew to the throne of God, he prays to the Lord for us, so that we were heirs of the eternal kingdom of God. Amen.
Troparion, tone 3:
Diligently from the tollhouse to the Lord Christ who called, I appeared on earth as a man for goodness, following this, you appeared as the chosen Apostle, and the evangelist of the Gospel to the universe was loudly spoken: for this reason we honor your honorable memory, Matthew, God-speaking. Pray to the Merciful God to grant forgiveness of sins to our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4:
You rejected the yoke of ordeal, you harnessed the yoke of truth, and you appeared as a most excellent merchant, bringing wealth, and from on high wisdom: from there you preached the word of truth, and you raised up sad souls, writing the hour of judgment.
– Gospel of Matthew .
The other three evangelists also mention him -, and. The book of the apostles also speaks of him. From this we conclude that Matthew was a unique person among the disciples of Jesus. His kindness and deep faith in Jesus were already evident in the fact that he refused without fear worldly life collector and followed the “voice of the Lord.”
Eva?angelie, translated from Greek - "good news" - the biography of Jesus, transmitted by the evangelists. For believers, this is, first of all, a collection of books that describe the divine nature of Jesus, his birth, life, miracles performed by him, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ.
The term " Gospel ", is also used in the books themselves: in (Matt. 4:23, Matt. 9:35, Matt. 24:14, Matt. 26:13); and in Gospel of Mark(Mark 1:14, Mark 13:10, Mark 14:9, Mark 16:15), as well as in other books of the New Testament, not in the meaning of “book”, but in the meaning of “ good news »:
“And (Christ) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”(Mark 16:15).
Later, the chronicles, which contain the biography of Jesus Christ and His deeds, began to be called the Gospels.
The hypothesis that the Gospel of Matthew is truly an eyewitness account has been established since the middle of the second century. From the contents of the Gospel it is clear that it was written by a Jew, an educated person familiar with all spheres of life.
After all, only an Israeli could understand so much difficult situations and traditions of their people; know it completely, quote it in the original language, as the Evangelist Matthew knew it and quoted it. It was clear that the Old Testament for Matthew was a book close in spirit. In addition, he knew perfectly well the political and government systems Judea and Palestine, the administrative and judicial system, and he was a Palestinian.
It can be seen that Matthew was an executive employee of the Roman bureaucratic machine, had the talent of a writer, had a keen eye and a strong memory. Such positive traits contributed to the fact that Matthew wrote his Gospel entertainingly, talentedly, on a realistic basis and in pure Aramaic.
Matthew knows many facts about Jesus. He knows about His unusual birth, serving the people, the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, the emergence of rumors of the theft of the Body of Jesus for the money of the Pharisees; knows earthly life Jesus Christ, whom he sacredly served before last day; knows about the terrible betrayal that led to the death of Christ and his Resurrection.
Matthew will later recount this tragic story in detail:
“Then Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned and, repenting, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying: I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They said to him: What is that to us? take a look yourself. And, throwing away the pieces of silver in the temple, he went out, went and hanged himself. The high priests, taking the pieces of silver, said: it is not permissible to put them in the church treasury, because this is the price of blood. Having held a meeting, they bought a potter's land with them for the burial of strangers; Therefore that land is called “land of blood” to this day" ( Matthew 27:3-8).
The Evangelist Luke wrote that this story is real in his book “The Acts of the Apostles.” He conveys this event through the mouth of the Apostle Peter and interprets it somewhat differently than Matthew. ( Acts 1:15-19 ). The crime of Judas and the fate of the traitor became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all of Judea.
Historian Alexander Men and Bishop Kassian Bezobrazov established that Matthew’s religion - Christianity - is considered as a model of ideal Israel.
History of the creation of the gospel
For church historians, there is simply no problem with the authorship of the book “The Gospel of Matthew”. They consider it fictitious and absurd. Therefore, historians rely on such ancient authors as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin the Philosopher, Tertullian, Origen and others.
The book was written in Hebrew, and it was translated into Greek by none other than the author himself. Centuries later, the original Gospel was lost; the peculiarities of the book’s language reveal in it a Palestinian Jew, an expert in the Old Testament, like the tax collector Levi.
The exact time of creation of the book is impossible to determine.
Since the 18th century, a significant part of famous theologians (Harnack, Bultmann, Reuter) believe that Matthew's Gospel was written in the period between 70-80 – years . After much thought, checking and double-checking, modern historians consider this dating to be final.
The Gospel of Matthew differs in its writing style. It can be called solemn. At the same time, it contains significantly less of the bright colors that abound in the Gospel of Mark. It is not at all like simple memories or retellings.
Four Gospels – The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are called canonical books , meaning that they passed Long procces truth checks.
Many hypotheses have been put forward regarding the original language of the Gospels. But it's still like that question not resolved about the Aramaic scrolls from which our Gospels were translated, meanwhile, they are of paramount importance.
However, the language of Matthew's Gospel receives considerably less attention than the others. In the language of the Gospel of Matthew usually considered Hebrew translated into Greek and most theologians agree with this.
Interpreter W. F. Howard called Matthew's language “correct, or rather colorless Greek, avoiding euphemisms and colloquialisms, and not demonstrating a brilliant command of syntax" .
Some historians, writes D. Guthrie, laughed at many critics when they insisted in their studies that all the gospels were written in Aramaic and were translated into Greek. But they were right. Bernie, Torrey, M. Black and F. Zimmerman think so. The first two - Bernie and Thorey, are considered the original language of the original Gospels - Aramaic . They base their arguments mainly on a poor translation of the Gospel of Matthew. Black, who believes that the original was Greek and the sources Aramaic, extended Torrey's approach and attempted to attribute the grammatical features to Aramaic influence. This approach is considered the most acceptable. According to another interpreter, Vagani, the earliest was the Gospel of Matthew, written in Aramaic. It was from him that all the canonical gospels were translated.
Characteristic feature The Gospel of Matthew, compared, for example, with the Gospel of Mark, is the brevity of his stories . This was noticed in such episodes as the descriptions of the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14.3-12), the healing of a demoniac (Matthew 17.14-21; Mark 9.14-20) and others. This feature, as well as the order of presentation of the material, were main reason wide application of this Gospel by the early Church, both for liturgical and preaching purposes.
The early Christians were of great interest messianic expectations . Many were waiting for a new God who would protect them from violence, hunger, volcanoes and earthquakes, and give them hope for a different life, more joyful and meaningful than the present one. Their hopes were truly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew largely reflects popular interest and people's problems. It was written for the people, and not for the scribes and Pharisees. Quotes from the Old Testament make a great impression on believers. Matthew is not at all afraid to take quotes and words from the Jewish Old Testament, which are indicated by a separate wording: “what was spoken will come true” , and in its different variants. Apparently, such “sayings” were part of the existence of various “testimonies” that circulated freely among believers. All this gave the right to some church historians to speak confidently about the close connection between Christianity and the Old Testament.
Interpretation of the Holy Gospel of Matthew
Matthew's main purpose was to show that important events in the life of Jesus occurred in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
The book begins with the genealogy of Jesus to show Christ's descent from Abraham.
Matthew provides a detailed account of Jesus' Galilean ministry. It is to this period that Matthew devotes half of his book - 14 sections out of 28. This time is the fruitful life of Jesus Christ. He is in the prime of His physical and mental strength, He is the Preacher, Teacher and Son of Man. Matthew cites facts from the biography of Jesus that we will not find in other evangelists. These are travels, preaching, healing of the sick, even groups of people, miracles and glory, recognition of him by the people and the apostles as the Son of God.
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
The pinnacle of Jesus' ministry was the Sermon on the Mount, which the Lord delivered on the Mount of Olives. Covering Jesus' sermon, Matthew put into it his apostolic mind and the greatness of the soul of Jesus Himself. He concentrated in it all his knowledge received from Christ while traveling with Him through the cities and villages of Galilee. That is why, in the mouth of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount became the pinnacle of Christian linguistic art. The preaching of Jesus, as all historians of Christianity admit, became the basis of the teachings of Christ, the canon of Christian ethics, in holidays it is read in all churches of the world.
“And Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Matthew 4:23).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,” says Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, “for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven; Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted; Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth; Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they will be satisfied; Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy; The blessed are pure in heart, for they will see God; Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God; Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven; Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unjustly because of Me" ( Matt. 5:3-11).
After delivering his sermon, Jesus addresses his disciples with these words:
“You are the salt of the earth. If the salt loses its strength, then what will you use to make it salty? It is no longer good for anything except throwing it out there for people to trample underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city standing on top of a mountain cannot hide. And having lit a candle, they do not put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (4:12-17).
The salt of the earth and the light of the world became symbols of the activities of the Disciples of Jesus.
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was delivered just after the election of the Twelve Apostles. It was intended for the people, but primarily for His disciples-apostles, because it was they who needed to be taught and prepared for such a responsible task as preaching the Word of God throughout the world. During the Galilean ministry of Christ, the calling of the Apostle Matthew took place.
“But I say to you: love your enemies”
In the Evangelist Matthew, Jesus treats his enemies with love.
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
The position of the Evangelist Matthew - be on Jesus' side , contribute not to the incitement of war, but to its destruction. So that there is peace in the family, team and society.
Theologians believe that the Evangelist Luke used the Gospel of Matthew. Apparently because of Jesus’ words about reconciliation and love for his enemy, he made a whole sermon, which includes the following words: “To the one who slaps you on one cheek, offer the other also; and do not prevent the one who takes away your outer clothing from taking your shirt too.”
“And if you lend to those from whom you hope to get it back, what gratitude are you for that? For even sinners lend to sinners. To get the same amount back. But you love your enemies. And do good and lend, expecting nothing; and you will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” (OK. 6:27-49).
In the course of time it happened that the moral principles of Christ became diametrically opposed in ours. modern life, which has become so violent and cruel that a person will not solve his problems with just muttering a prayer without faith in a wonderful future.
Great efforts must be made to calm your soul, your heart and your will, and prayer must come from the depths of the heart. Exactly prayer from the heart has enormous all-conquering power. She heals our souls and pacifies enemies and aggressors.
Live in love. Enjoy life.
The Gospel of Matthew was written at the end of the first century. The main leitmotif is the preaching and life of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The text contains great amount references to the Scriptures of the Old Testament.
The story begins with a listing of the Lord's genealogy. Thus, the writer shows the reader that the Lord is a descendant of Abraham and King David. The time for all the prophecies has come and they have been fulfilled.
Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
In Orthodox theology there are various methods Bible interpretation. The most famous theological schools are Alexandrian and Antiochian. Many Holy Fathers interpreted the inspired text.
Among the famous interpreters: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Maximus the Confessor, Gregory the Theologian, Theodoret of Cyrus, Theophylact of Bulgaria.
Each of them found amazing things in Scripture and, inspired by the Holy Spirit, interpreted the text according to Orthodox theology and Sacred Tradition.
In the fifth century, the text was divided into chapters to make it easier to navigate. The Gospel of Matthew consists of 28 chapters. Very summary Each chapter is presented in the form of abstracts below.
Chapter 1
The reader becomes acquainted with the genealogy of the Lord. Next, the evangelist talks about Joseph’s reaction when the righteous elder learned that Holy Virgin pregnant. His desire to let go of the Most Pure One was stopped by an Angel. Having to go to Bethlehem for the census. Birth of the Infant God.
Chapter 2
The Magi discovered a star in the sky that foreshadowed the birth of the Savior of the world. It describes how they came to Herod with congratulations. The ruler of Judea wants to kill the born King.
The Magi bring gifts to the Infant God. The Lord reveals to the Magi the plan of the wicked ruler of Judea. Herod destroys children in Nazareth. Flight of the holy family to Egypt.
Chapter 3
Sermon of John the Baptist. The last Old Testament prophet calls for repentance. He points out to the Pharisees and Sadducees the need for moral purification. Repentance is not just a ritual, but a holistic change in everything internal state. The Lord comes to John. The Forerunner is trying to refuse the Baptism of the Savior Himself. The word is that Jesus Himself will baptize with fire and spirit.
Chapter 4
After Baptism, the Lord retires to the desert, where he remains in fasting and prayer. A forty-day fast in the desert, which ends with the incredible exhaustion of the Savior. Temptations come from the Devil, who is trying to tempt Christ with the power of this world. The calling of the apostles. The first miracles, healings of sick, blind people.
Chapter 5
Pronunciation of the Sermon on the Mount. The perfection of the new moral law. A parable about the salt of the earth. The Lord calls not to be angry, to live in peace, to try not to offend or be offended. Try to pray for your enemies. Never swear by heaven, earth, or the name of God.
Chapter 6
Continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. Giving the Lord's Prayer. A lesson about the need for fasting and forgiveness of offenses.
The word is about the birds of the air, which neither sow nor reap, but the heavenly Father feeds them. The true treasure is not on earth, but in heaven. It is necessary to make a choice between earthly goods and faith in God.
Chapter 7
Continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. The Lord reveals to his listeners the perfect law, expressed in the Beatitudes. He says Christians are the salt of the earth. A word about the beam in one's own eye. Pronunciation of parables that had a huge influence on people.
Chapter 8
Many miracles of the Lord were performed by Him and described in sacred text. This chapter tells about the healing of a leper and talks about the faith of a Roman soldier. Control of the earth's elements, wind and sea. Jesus has nowhere to sleep, not a single house sheltered Him. The healing of the demoniac in Capernaum, the expulsion of Christ from the city.
Chapter 9
Temptation by the Pharisees and Sadducees, healing of a paralyzed man. Forgiveness of sins. Various parables. Sharing food with sinners is a response to lawyers. Resurrection of a dead girl. Healing of a woman who had suffered from an unknown disease for 40 years.
Chapter 10
The Lord gives his disciples power and sends them to preach. Instructs them to preach everywhere and not be afraid to go anywhere. Evangelism of the Gospel is a special work that should not be paid.
All hard work will be rewarded in heaven. The Lord also repeatedly says that the apostles will suffer a lot for preaching his teachings.
Chapter 11
John the Baptist sends his disciples to the Lord. Jesus Christ calls John a true prophet. After this, the Lord rebukes the proud. Reveals the teaching about the heavenly Jerusalem that infants and people who are struggling with their passions, sins and lust can go there. Proud people are deprived of the opportunity to go to heaven.
Chapter 12
God the Father does not need sacrifice. Instead, love and mercy should dominate. Teaching about the Sabbath. Parables and denunciations of the lawyers and other Jews. It is necessary to live not according to the law, but according to the call of the heart, according to the law God's love. He talks about the sign of the prophet Jonah. The Lord says that the disciple John the Theologian will be taken to heaven, just like the Most Holy Theotokos.
Chapter 13
Parables need to be understood simply, because they speak about very complex things, in a language understandable to all people around them. A series of parables about wheat: tares, sowers, weeds. The doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven is revealed. The Lord compares the word of the Good News to a grain that has fallen into the ground and begins to sprout.
Chapter 14
Herod seizes the prophet John the Baptist, puts him in prison, and then executes him. The Lord feeds many people with five loaves.
Jesus Christ walks on the sea, the Apostle Peter wants to move on the sea on foot. However, after leaving the boat, Peter begins to drown. Convicting the apostles of lack of faith.
Chapter 15
Convicting the Jews of hardness of heart and deviation from the instructions of God. The Lord intercedes for the pagans. Repeatedly He points out that for the Pharisees and Sadducees the law became just a set of rules. It is necessary to fulfill the will of God not only externally, but also internally. He feeds 4,000 people and then performs many signs and wonders. Healing a man born blind.
Chapter 16
He begins to warn the apostles that He will soon be betrayed and crucified on the cross. The ardor of the Apostle Peter and praise from the Lord. The Apostle Peter will become the new foundation of the Church. Disciples need to remember the deceit of the Pharisees. Only those who follow the Savior to the end can save the soul.
Chapter 17
Casting out demons is possible only through fasting and prayer. Journey of Jesus Christ to Mount Tabor. Transfiguration. The apostles witness the miracle and run away in fear. The Lord forbids them to talk about what they saw and heard, but they still tell people, and word quickly spreads throughout Judea.
Chapter 18
It's better to lose part of your body than to seduce someone. It is necessary to forgive a person who has sinned many times. A story about a king and a debtor. God the Father cares for every person. Nothing bad will ever happen to lovers of God and those who follow Him. Salvation of the soul - the main objective human life.
Chapter 19
Teaching about the life of the righteous. Blessing people to create families. Husband and wife are one flesh. Divorce is possible only if one of the spouses cheats. People's material well-being makes the path to God difficult. The people who follow Christ will judge with Him in heaven.
Chapter 20
The Lord tells a parable about the winegrower's workers who came to different time, but received the same salary. He tells His followers directly that He will be killed on the cross. Seeing hesitation in the disciples, He convicts them of lack of faith.
After this, Jesus Christ heals two blind people.
Chapter 21
The Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The joy of the people and the bitterness of the Savior. The teaching is about the need not only to speak, but also to do pious deeds. A story about the evil workers of a winegrower. The answer to the question - what is the main stone of God? It is necessary to fulfill the law not in words, but by doing good deeds.
Chapter 22
Jesus Christ tells the apostles about the Kingdom in heaven. It is necessary to separate the responsibilities of a believer and a citizen of the country. The answer to the question: to Caesar - what is Caesar's, to God - what is God's. Man has a mortal nature and therefore must always be ready to stand before the judgment of God. People don’t come to a wedding in dirty clothes; you also need to prepare your soul by cleansing it to stand before the Lord.
Chapter 23
All apostles are brothers; there is no need to try to stand out from everyone else and then command. It is necessary to have a righteous court, give alms and believe in God. Inner beauty is more important. The Jews should not be arrogant and proud that they were chosen by God the Father, because they have the blood of the prophets on them, whom they mercilessly killed.
Chapter 24
You must always be prepared for death. The Lord reveals to the apostles that the end of the World is already near. Soon the earth will plunge into darkness, the sun will darken, there will be epidemics, the earth will stop bearing fruit and yielding crops. Animals will begin to die, rivers will dry up. Terrible wars will begin, people will turn into wild animals.
Chapter 25
A parable about smart maidens. All good people will be rewarded. The Lord told his followers a parable about a good and a bad servant. A good, conscientious slave will be rewarded according to his merits, and an unscrupulous worker who evades his obligations will be very severely punished.
Chapter 26
Establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Betrayal of Judas. Journey to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayer for the Cup. Taking Christ into custody. The Apostle Peter defends Jesus Christ and attacks one of the High Priest's servants. Christ heals the victim and orders the disciples to lay down their arms.
Chapter 27
Pilate's trial. The speech of Pontius and the choice of the people of Barrabas. The scourging of Jesus Christ. Iscariot comes to the high priests and returns the money, but they refuse to take it back. Suicide of Judas.
Crucifixion of the Lord. Two thieves on crosses and the repentance of one of them. Burial of Jesus Christ. Security at the tomb.
Chapter 28
Resurrection. The soldiers guarding the coffin fled in fear. The myrrh-bearing women go to the burial place to anoint the body of the Lord with incense. An angel announces a miracle to Mary. At first, the disciples do not believe in the miraculous uprising of the Teacher. The apostles saw the Savior. Unbeliever Thomas. Ascension of the Lord.
Conclusion
The Scriptures indicate the major milestones in the life of Christ. Reading the Good News is possible in Russian thanks to the Synodal translation.
You can read the Gospel of Matthew online in Russian here http://www.biblioteka3.ru/biblioteka/biblija/ev_matf/index.html. Reading Holy Scripture is very important for every Christian and is obligatory for him.