| Detailed content of Matthew |
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| 1. Birth Stories |
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Genealogy (1:1–17) |
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Nativity (1:18–25) |
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Biblical Magi (2:1–12) |
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Flight into Egypt (2:13–20) |
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Jesus in Nazareth (2:21-23) |
| 2. Baptism and early ministry |
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John the Baptist (3:1–12) |
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Baptism of Jesus (3:13–17) |
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Temptation of Jesus (4:1–11) |
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Capernaum (4:12–17) |
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First disciples of Jesus (4:18–22) |
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Galilee preaching tour (4:23–25) |
| 3. Sermon on the Mount (5–7) |
| 4. Healing and miracles
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| Healing many (8:1–17) |
| Foxes have holes (8:18–20) |
| Let the dead bury the dead (8:21–22) |
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Calming the storm (8:23–27) |
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Gadarene demoniacs (8:28–34) |
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Healing a paralytic (9:1–8) |
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Calling of Matthew (9:9–13) |
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On fasting (9:14–15) |
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New Wine into Old Wineskins (9:16-17) |
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Daughter of Jairus (9:18–26) |
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Two blind men (9:27–31) |
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Exorcising a mute (9:32-34) |
| Good crop but few harvesters (9:35–38) |
| 5. Little Commission (10:1–11:1) |
| 6. Responses to Jesus |
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Messengers from John the Baptist (11:2-19) |
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Cursing Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (11:20–24) |
| Praising the Father (11:25–30) |
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Lord of the Sabbath (12:1-8) |
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Man with withered hand (12:9-14) |
| Chosen servant (12:15–21) |
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Blind-mute man (12:22–28) |
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Strong man (12:29) |
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Those not with me are against me (12:30) |
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Unforgivable sin (12:31–32) |
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The Tree and its Fruits (12:33–37) |
| Request for a sign (12:38–42) |
| Return of the unclean spirit (12:43–45) |
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Jesus' true relatives (12:46-50) |
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Parabolic Discourse (13:1–52) |
| 7. Conflicts, rejections, and conferences with disciples |
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Hometown rejection (13:53–58) |
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Death of John the Baptist (14:1-12) |
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Feeding the 5000 (14:13–21) |
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Walking on water (14:22–33) |
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Fringe of his cloak heals (14:34–36) |
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Discourse on Defilement (15:1–20) |
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Canaanite woman's daughter (15:21–28) |
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Healing on a mountain (15:29-31) |
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Feeding the 4000 (15:32–39) |
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Sign of Jonah (16:1-4) |
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Beware of yeast (16:5–12) |
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Peter's confession (16:13–20) |
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Jesus predicts his death (16:21-28,17:22-23,20:17-19) |
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Transfiguration (17:1–13) |
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Possessed boy (17:14–21) |
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Coin in the fish's mouth (17:24-27) |
| 8. Life in the Christian community |
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The Little Children (18:1–7) |
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If thy hand offend thee (18:8–9) |
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The Lost Sheep (18:10–14) |
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Binding and loosing (18:15–22) |
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Unmerciful Servant (18:23–35) |
| 9. Journey to Jerusalem |
| Entering Judea (19:1–2) |
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Divorce (19:3–9) |
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Celibacy (19:10-12) |
| Little Children Blessed (19:13-15) |
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Jesus and the rich young man (19:16–30) |
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Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (20:1–16) |
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Son of man came to serve (20:20–28) |
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Blind near Jericho (20:29-34) |
| 10. Jerusalem, cleansing of the temple, debates |
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Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (21:1–11) |
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Temple incident (21:12–17) |
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Cursing the fig tree (21:18–22) |
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Authority questioned (21:23-27) |
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The Two Sons, The Wicked Husbandman, Parable of the Wedding Feast (21:28–22:14) |
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Render unto Caesar... (22:15–22) |
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Resurrection of the Dead (22:23–33) |
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Great Commandment (22:34–40) |
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Is the Messiah the son of David? (22:41–46) |
| 11. Woes of the Pharisees (23:1–39) |
| 12. Judgment day |
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Little Apocalypse (24) |
| Parables of the Ten Virgins, Talents (25:1–30) |
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Judgment of the Nations (25:31–46) |
| 13. Trial, crucifixion, resurrection |
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Plot to kill Jesus (26:1–5) |
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Anointing of Jesus (26:6–13) |
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Bargain of Judas (26:14-16) |
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Last Supper (26:17–30) |
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Denial of Peter (26:31–35,69–75) |
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Agony in the Garden (26:36-46) |
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Kiss of Judas (26:47-49) |
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Arrest (26:50–56) |
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Before the High Priest (26:57–68) |
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Pilate's court (27:1–2,11–26) |
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Death of Judas (27:3-10) |
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Soldiers mock Jesus (27:27-31) |
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Simon of Cyrene (27:32) |
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Crucifixion (27:33–56) |
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Entombment (27:57–61) |
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Guarding the tomb (27:62–66,28:11-15) |
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Empty tomb (28:1–6) |
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Appearance to the women (28:7-10) |
Great Commission (28:16–20)
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Most scholars believe the Gospel of Matthew was composed between AD 80 and 90, with a range of possibility between AD 70 to 110 (a pre-70 date remains a minority view). The anonymous author was probably a male Jew, standing on the margin between traditional and non-traditional Jewish values, and familiar with technical legal aspects of scripture being debated in his time. Writing in a polished Semitic "synagogue Greek", he drew on three main sources: the Gospel of Mark, the hypothetical collection of sayings known as the Q source, and material unique to his own community, called the M source or "Special Matthew".
The divine nature of Jesus was a major issue for the Matthaean community, the crucial element marking them from their Jewish neighbors; while Mark begins with baptism and transfiguration, Matthew goes back further still, showing Jesus as the Son of God from his birth, the fulfillment of Old Testament messianic prophecies. The title Son of David identifies Jesus as the healing and miracle-working Messiah of Israel (it is used exclusively in relation to miracles), sent to Israel alone. As Son of Man he will return to judge the world, a fact his disciples recognise but of which his enemies are unaware. As Son of God he is God revealing himself through his son, and Jesus proving his sonship through his obedience and example.
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