the blessing pronounced upon Peter and the prophecy of founding the church (16:17–19); the greater
part of the discourse on humility and forgiveness (Matt. 18); the rejection of the Jews (21:43); the
denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23); the description of the final judgment (25:31–46);
the great commission and the promise of Christ’s presence to the end of time (28:18–20).- Ten Parables: the tares; the hidden treasure; the pearl of great price; the draw-net
(13:24–50); the unmerciful servant (18:23–35); the laborers in the vineyard (20:1–16); the two sons
(21:28–32); the marriage of the king’s son (22: 1–14); the ten virgins (25:1–13); the talents
(25:14–30). - Two Miracles: the cure of two blind men (9:27–31); the stater in the fish’s mouth
(17:24–27). - Facts and Incidents: the adoration of the Magi; the massacre of the innocents; the flight
into Egypt; the return from Egypt to Nazareth (all in Matt. 2); the coming of the Pharisees and
Sadducees to John’s baptism (3:7); Peter’s attempt to walk on the sea (14:28–31); the payment of
the temple tax (17:24–27); the bargain of Judas, his remorse, and suicide (26:14–16; 27:3–10); the
dream of Pilate’s wife (27:19); the appearance of departed saints in Jerusalem (27:52); the watch
at the sepulchre (27:62–66); the lie of the Sanhedrin and the bribing of the soldiers (28:11–15); the
earthquake on the resurrection morning (28:2, a repetition of the shock described in 27:51, and
connected with the rolling away of the stone from the sepulchre).
The Style.
The Style of Matthew is simple, unadorned, calm, dignified, even majestic; less vivid and
picturesque than that of Mark; more even and uniform than Luke’s, because not dependent on
written sources. He is Hebraizing, but less so than Mark, and not so much as Luke 1–2. He omits
some minor details which escaped his observation, but which Mark heard from Peter, and which
Luke learned from eye-witnesses or found in his fragmentary documents. Among his peculiar
expressions, besides the constant use of "kingdom of heaven," is the designation of God as "our
heavenly Father," and of Jerusalem as "the holy city" and "the city of the Great King." In the fulness
of the teaching of Christ he surpasses all except John. Nothing can be more solemn and impressive
than his reports of those words of life and power, which will outlast heaven and earth (24:34).
Sentence follows sentence with overwhelming force, like a succession of lightning flashes from
the upper world.^918
Patristic Notices of Matthew.
The first Gospel was well known to the author of the "Didache of the Apostles," who wrote
between 80 and 100, and made large use of it, especially the Sermon on the Mount.^919
The next clear allusion to this Gospel is made in the Epistle of Barnabas, who quotes two
passages from the Greek Matthew, one from 22:14: "Many are called, but few chosen," with the
significant formula used only of inspired writings, "It is written."^920 This shows clearly that early
(^918) For particulars on the style of Matthew and the other Evangelists see my Companion to the Study of the Greek Testament
(third ed., 1888), pp. 43 sqq.
(^919) See my book on the Didache (N. York, third ed., 1889), pp. 61-88.
(^920) Ep. Barn., c. 4, at the close:προσέχωμεν, μήποτε, ὡς γέγραπται, πολλοὶ κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοὶ εὑρεθῶμεν. Since the
discovery of the entire Greek text of this Epistle in the Codex Sinaiticus (1859), where it follows the Apocalypse, there can be
no doubt any more about the formula γέγραπται(scriptum est). The other passage quoted in Matt. 5 is from Matt. 9:13: οὐκ
ἧλθεν καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλά ἁμαρτωλούς. The Ep. of Barnabas dates from the close of the first or the beginning of the second
century. Some place it as early as a.d. 70, others an late as 120. The Didache is older.
A.D. 1-100.