The Gospels of Matthew and Luke

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The Gospels of Matthew and Luke

• Tuesday, January 23, 2007

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REVIEW

• Learned that NT gospel writers were interpreters
  and not historians
• Learned that there is a literary relationship
  between the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and
  Luke)
• According to the four-source hypothesis (see next
  slide) the Gospel of Mark was written first and
  Matthew and Luke copied from it when writing
  their own versions
• Mark was written to offer hope during crisis of
  the Fall of the Temple and subsequent persecution
  and to counter criticism against Jesus as
  messiah

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THE FOUR-SOURCE HYPOTHESIS
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AGENDA

• The Gospel According to Matthew
• Authorship and Date
• The Literary Structure
• The Theological Themes
• The Gospel According to Luke
• Authorship and Date
• The Literary Structure
• The Theological Themes
• Tutorial Healing of the Leper (Form criticism)

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• Authorship and Date
• Unlike Mark, Matthew was attributed to one of the
  actual disciples of Jesus
• The traditional answer Matthew, the apostle of
  Jesus (aka Levi), ex-tax collector
• Earliest witness Irenaeus (end of 2nd century)
  Against Heresies 3.1.1
• Matthew edited a writing of the Gospel among the
  Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and
  Paul were preaching the Gospel in Rome and
  founding the Church

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• Authorship and Date
• Unlike Mark, Matthew was attributed to one of the
  actual disciples of Jesus
• The traditional answer Matthew, the apostle of
  Jesus (aka Levi), ex-tax collector
• Fifty years later Origen (3rd century) quoted in
  Eusebius History 6.25
• The first Gospel is written according to
  Matthew, the same that was once a publican, but
  afterwards an apostle of Jesus Christ, who having
  published it for the Jewish converts, wrote it in
  Hebrew.

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• Authorship and Date
• Unlike Mark, Matthew was attributed to one of the
  actual disciples of Jesus
• The critical answer an unnamed Jewish-Christian
• Look at the call of Matthew (see next slide)

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THE CALL OF THE TAX COLLECTOR THE CALL OF THE TAX COLLECTOR THE CALL OF THE TAX COLLECTOR
MATTHEW 9 MARK 2 LUKE 5
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called MATTHEW sitting at the tax booth and he said to him, Follow me. And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? 12 But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." 14 As he was walking along, he saw LEVI SON OF ALPHAEUS sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, Follow me. And he got up and followed him. 15 And as he sat at dinner in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples-- for there were many who followed him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." 27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named LEVI, sitting at the tax booth and he said to him, Follow me. 28 And he got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? 31 Jesus answered, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick32 I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.
Critical question Why does an eyewitness copy
his story?
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THE NAMES OF TWELVE APOSTLES THE NAMES OF TWELVE APOSTLES THE NAMES OF TWELVE APOSTLES
MATTHEW 102-4 MARK 316-19 LUKE 613-16
These are the names of the twelve apostles 1. first, Simon, also known as Peter, 2. and his brother Andrew 3. James son of Zebedee, 4. and his brother John5. Philip 6. and Bartholomew 7. Thomas 8. and Matthew the tax collector 9. James son of Alphaeus, 10. and Thaddaeus 11. Simon the Cananaean, 12. and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. So he appointed the twelve 1. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter)2. James son of Zebedee and 3. John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder) 4. Andrew, 5. and Philip, 6. and Bartholomew, 7. and Matthew, 8. and Thomas, 9. and James son of Alphaeus,10. and Thaddaeus, and 11. Simon the Cananaean,12. and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles 1. Simon, whom he named Peter, 2. and his brother Andrew, 3. and James, 4. and John, 5. and Philip, 6. and Bartholomew, 7. and Matthew, 8. and Thomas, and 9. James son of Alphaeus, 10. and Simon, who was called the Zealot,11. and Judas son of James, 12. and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• Authorship and Date
• Unlike Mark, Matthew was attributed to one of the
  actual disciples of Jesus
• The critical answer an unnamed Jewish-Christian
• Eighty percent of Matthew has been copied from
  either Mark or Q
• Which begs the critical question Why would an
  eyewitness tell his story by copying someone else?

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• Authorship and Date
• Author was likely a Jewish-Christian writing in a
  Jewish environment (perhaps the city of Antioch)
• The most likely date of writing 80-95 C.E.
• Writers use of Mark (written ca. 70 C.E.)
• Writer assumes the existence of a church (1618
  1815, 17, 21)
• Writers polemic against the Pharisees (esp. ch.
  23)

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Literary Structure
• As a carefully constructed narrative . . .
• It begins with the book of the genesis . . .
  (11) and ends with . . . until the end of the
  age. (2820)
• Clearly setting the story of Jesus in a wide
  framework
• It is firmly rooted in the OT with its multiple
  prophecy fulfillments
• Jesus is tied to Abraham (one nation) then his
  church is sent to all nations

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Literary Structure
• As a carefully constructed narrative . . .
• Two main sections
• Jesus life and ministry in Galilee
• Jesus move from Galilee to the cross and
  resurrection at Jerusalem
• The turning point is Peters confession in
  chapter 16
• from this time on Jesus explains his mission to
  suffer, to die and to be raised to life (1623)

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Literary Structure
• As a carefully constructed narrative . . .
• Five significant discourse each followed by when
  Jesus had finished these saying
• 5-7 The Sermon on the Mount
• 10 Instructing the Twelve
• 13 Parables of the Kingdom
• 18 Church life and order discourse
• 24-25 Mount of Olives discourse

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Literary Structure
• The authors style
• His Greek is more literary and less disjointed
  that that of Mark

MATTHEW MARK
1246 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. 331 Then his mother and his brothers came and standing outside, they sent to him and called him.
131 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 41 Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Literary Structure
• The authors style
• He writes more concisely

MATTHEW 828-34 MARK 51-20
When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time? Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine. . . . They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces and no one had the strength to subdue him. . . .
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Literary Structure
• Evidence of literary interdependence (micro-level
  intertextuality) and willingness to edit

MATTHEW 31 MARK 14 LUKE 33
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
MATTHEW 2628 MARK 1424 LUKE 2220
For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. He said to them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Thoroughly Christological in presentation of
  Jesus
• Jesus fulfills the OT story with formula
  quotations (122-23 215, 17-18, 23 414-16
  817 1217-21 1335 214-5 279-10, perhaps
  25-6)
• Unique to Matthew
• Introduced by typical formula this took place to
  fulfill what was spoken . . .
• Often use translations that differ from LXX
• Ignores the context of the original text (pesher
  technique of interpretation)
• One (223 he shall be called a Nazorean) not in
  OT

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Thoroughly Christological in presentation of
  Jesus
• Jesus fulfills the Law
• Key verse (517) not come to destroy the law and
  the prophets but to fulfill them
• He affirms even the details of the law (518-19)
• For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth
  pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a
  letter, will pass from the law until all is
  accomplished.
• Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of
  these commandments, and teaches others to do the
  same, will be called least in the kingdom of
  heaven but whoever does them and teaches them
  will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Thoroughly Christological in presentation of
  Jesus
• Jesus fulfills the Law
• He demands a level of righteousness that goes
  beyond the letter of the Law

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Thoroughly Christological in presentation of
  Jesus
• Jesus brings a higher righteousness
• Term (righteousness) is a key term for Matthew
  (and it is completely absent from Mark)
• Jesus baptism fulfils all righteousness (315)
• Disciples must hunger and thirst for
  righteousness (56)
• The Kingdom of Heaven (32x) is for those
  persecuted for righteousness sake
• Unless righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes
  and the Pharisees one cannot enter heaven

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Thoroughly Christological in presentation of
  Jesus
• Matthew has a particular bias against the
  Pharisees
• Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (70 C.E.)
  created a leadership vacuum
• Both Matthew and the Pharisees (Rabbis) were
  vying for that leadership role
• Matthews most effective weapon was to have Jesus
  categorically denounce them (see next slide)

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• Both Matthew and Luke use Q material to provide
  the words of John the Baptist
• But, as with most if not all oral material, the
  context must be constructed by the author
• How does Matthew demonstrate a polemic against
  the Pharisees?

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Messiah
• The Christ
• He uses this title 14 times and insists on the
  the in order to preserve it as a title and not
  a last name
• The Son of David
• Matthew has a preference for this title (see next
  slide)

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11 An account of the genealogy of Jesus the
Messiah, the son of David,
219 The crowds were shouting, Hosanna to the
Son of David!
927 two blind men followed him, crying loudly,
Have mercy on us, Son of David!
1522 a Canaanite woman shouting, Have
mercy on me, Lord, Son of David
2030 two blind men sitting by the roadside
shouted, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of
David!" they shouted even more loudly, "Have
mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!"
2115 the children crying out in the temple
Hosanna to the Son of David,
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• A more powerful and majestic version than Marks

MATTHEW 317 MARK 111
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved with you I am well pleased."
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• A more powerful and majestic version than Marks

MATTHEW 1433 MATTHEW 1616
And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• Jesus personal references to God as his father
  (unique)

MATTHEW
1810 Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.
1819 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
2653 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• Jesus personal references to God as his father
  (unique)

MATTHEW 721 LUKE 646 (Q)
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you?
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• Jesus personal references to God as his father
  (unique)

MATTHEW 2629 MARK 1425
I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• Matthew drops references to Jesus emotions

MATTHEW 129-14 MARK 35
. . . Then he said to the man, Stretch out your hand. He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. He looked around at them with anger he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man,Stretch out your hand. He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• Matthews Jesus questions less than Marks Jesus

MATTHEW 2618 MARK 1414
He said, Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, The Teacher says, My time is near I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples. and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• Matthews Jesus questions less than Marks Jesus

MATTHEW 2818-20
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Matthews particular Christology
• Jesus, the Son of God
• A less human and more kingly Jesus

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The traditional answer a physician and a
  companion of the apostle Paul
• The Anti-Marcionite Prologue (end of 2nd century)
• Luke, a Syrian of Antioch, doctor by profession,
  was the disciple of the Apostles. At a later date
  he was the disciple of Paul until the death of
  the latter. After having served the Lord without
  fault and never having married, he died, full of
  the Holy Spirit, at Boeotia, aged eighty-four. As
  gospels had already been written by Matthew in
  Judea and by Mark in Italy, Luke, under the
  impulse of the Holy Spirit, wrote his gospel in
  the region of Achaia. In the prologue he shows
  that the other gospels had been written before
  his, but that it was necessary to present to the
  faithful converted from paganism an exact account
  of the economy of salvation, lest they should be
  impeded by Jewish fables or caused to stray from
  the truth by the deceits of heretics.

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The traditional answer a physician and a
  companion of the apostle Paul
• Irenaeus (end of 2nd century)
• Luke, the companion of Paul, wrote the latters
  gospel in a book

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The traditional answer a physician and a
  companion of the apostle Paul
• Yet there is no significant Pauline influence
  detectable in any of the gospel
• There are no references to or quotations of
  Pauls letters

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The critical answer an anonymous Christian
• Presupposes Mark
• Expands Mark 13 (Jesus last days prophecy)
• By mentioning Jerusalem

LUKE 2124
they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The critical answer an anonymous Christian
• Presupposes Mark
• Expands Mark 13 (Jesus last days prophecy)
• By replacing desolating sacrilege with
  desolation to emphasize the city

MARK 1314 LUKE 2120
But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be . . . , then those in Judea must flee to the mountains When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
40
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The critical answer an anonymous Christian
• He pushes the Parousia further into the future

LUKE 1911
As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately
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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• Authorship and Date
• Like Mark not attributed to original apostle
• The critical answer an anonymous Christian
• He demonstrates unfamiliarity with Palestine and
  does not appear to have lived there
• The date of writing is likely 80-95 C.E.

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• The Literary Structure
• In comparison with Matthew
• Like Matthew, begins with birth narrative but
  from a very different perspective
• Ends with a full description of Jesus
  resurrection appearances
• Like Matthew, it combines Mark, Q and unique
  material
• Unlike Matthew, who uses most of Mark, Luke uses
  little more than half
• He omits Mark 645-826 Big Omission
• He omits Mark 941-1012 Little Omission
• Lukes unique (1/2) cf. Matthews unique (1/3)

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• The Literary Structure
• Greek is richer than both Mark and Matthew
• 261 unique words employed
• Clear Hellenistic style of imitating the Greek of
  the LXX
• A much longer journey to Jerusalem section
  (915-1927) and then Acts continues to Rome
• Much of this section contains stories unique to
  Luke
• Only Gospel to contain example stories
• The Good Samaritan (10)
• The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16)
• The Pharisee and the Publican (18)

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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

• The Literary Structure
• Luke sees history in three parts (Conzelmann)
• The period of Israel (OT)
• The period of Jesus (Luke) free of Satans
  activity
• The period of the church (Acts)

LUKE 413
When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
LUKE 223
Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve
45
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Salvation is a major theme
• The noun salvation (Gk soteria, soterion) 7x
  (not in Mark nor Matthew
• God and Jesus are called Savior (soter) but not
  in Mark nor Matthew
• The verb save (sozo) 18x (15x in both Mark and
  Matthew)
• But then Luke uses this word group another 27x in
  Acts

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Salvation is universal but Luke does focus on
  Gentiles, Samaritans and the marginalized
• Compare Matthews Beatitudes
• Matthew 53 and Luke 620

MATTHEW 53 LUKE 620
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
47
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Salvation is universal but Luke does focus on
  Gentiles, Samaritans and the marginalized
• Compare Matthews Beatitudes
• Matthew 56 and Luke 621

MATTHEW 56 LUKE 621
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
48
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• The Holy Spirit is very prominent in Acts and
  therefore is highlighted in Luke
• John the Baptist and parents are filled with the
  Spirit (115, 41, 67)
• Simeon is a man of the Spirit (225-27 threefold
  reference!)

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• The Holy Spirit is very prominent in Acts and
  therefore is highlighted in Luke
• Jesus is the man of the Spirit
• Conceived by it (135)
• Empowered by it (322 41, 14, 18)
• Baptizer of others with the Spirit (316)
• Teaches that Father gives the Spirit (1113, cf.
  Matt 711)
• Warns against blasphemy against the Spirit
  (1210)
• Promises disciples to be instructed by the Spirit
  (1212, cf. Acts 48 610 72, 55)
• Promises Spirit to come after resurrection (2449)

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THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

• The Theological Themes
• Jesus and Women
• Ch 1-2 parallels men and women (Mary Zachariah
  Anna Simeon)
• Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, Mary and Martha
  (81-3 1038-42)
• Healing the widow (711-15), the woman with the
  alabaster jar (737-50) the woman with
  hemorrhage (843-48) the crippled woman
  (1311-13)
• Story of the women with 10 coins (158-10), the
  widow seeking justice (181-8), widow with copper
  coins (211-4), daughters of Jerusalem
  (2327-31), women witnesses (2349, 55 compared
  to Peter 2254-62)
• Women witnesses to the resurrection (241-12
  compare reactions of the men and women)

51
TUTORIAL

• Read and compare the story of the Healing of the
  Leper as given in Mark 140-45 and Matthew 81-4.
  
• What details are the same?
• What details are different?
• What significance can you find in these and other
  details?
• Can you suggest why Matthew makes the changes
  that he does?