Matthew's Gospel contains several references pointing towards its author being a Jewish Palestine and being well versed in Jewish traditions.
Jewish Authorship:
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Fulfillment Citations:
Matthew frequently uses the phrase "that it might be fulfilled" or similar formulations to show that the events in Jesus' life are fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies. This is a unique feature of Matthew's Gospel and reflects a conscious effort to demonstrate continuity with the Hebrew Scriptures. Examples include Matthew 1:22-23 (cf. Isaiah 7:14) and Matthew 2:15 (cf. Hosea 11:1) (France2007-mp, Kingsbury1991-kt). -
Alignment with Hebrew Text:
Matthew sometimes aligns his quotations with the Hebrew text rather than the Greek Septuagint (LXX). An example is Matthew 2:18 (cf. Jeremiah 31:15), where the wording is closer to the Hebrew version. The use of the Hebrew text supports the notion that the author had an intimate knowledge of Jewish religious tradition. To see example for yourself you can look into Old Testament Quotes In The New Testament. It could also indicate that the intended audience of the Gospel was more familiar with or receptive to the Hebrew version of the Scriptures. This might suggest that Matthew was writing primarily for a Jewish-Christian audience that valued continuity with the Hebrew tradition (Albright1995-nf).
This may also align with a quote about His writing from Papias, a disciple of John. Papias says here the Matthew first composed the Hebrew language. There is no known manuscripts of Matthew in Hebrew. However, it is most likely that the word "language" better translates to "style". This means that Papias is not referring to the written language of Hebrew, but means the usage and style that the language uses (Gundry1982-xk, Orchard1988-no).
- Hebraic Style:
The Gospel is written for a Jewish audience, evidenced by its frequent references to Jewish law, phrases and customs without extensive explanation. Aiming to convince Jewish readers of Jesus' messianic role, Matthew's genealogy of Jesus is traced back to Abraham, emphasizing Jesus' Jewish lineage. Matthew frequently cites Old Testament prophecies as being fulfilled in Jesus (Keener2009-hv, Hagner1993-qo).
The Gospel's five major discourses deliberately resemble the five books of the Torah
| Torah Book | Content | Matthew Parallel | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis | Creation, Beginnings, Patriarchs | Matthew 1-4 | Birth and Early Life of Jesus |
| Exodus | Deliverance, Lawgiving, Covenant | Matthew 5-7 | Sermon on the Mount (Teachings) |
| Leviticus | Priestly Laws, Holiness | Matthew 8-9 | Miracles and Healings (Authority) |
| Numbers | Wilderness Journey, Conflicts, Census | Matthew 10-15 | Mission of the Disciples and Conflicts |
| Deuteronomy | Review of Law, Final Instructions | Matthew 16-28 | Passion, Resurrection, and Great Commission |
- Use of Typology:
Matthew's Gospel often employs typology, drawing parallels between events or figures in the Old Testament and those in the life of Christ. This technique serves to show Jesus as the new Moses (Allison2012-kp), emphasizing continuity and fulfillment of the Scriptures.
- The Escape From Egypt: Jesus' escape from Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15) is reminiscent of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 12:31-42).
- Baptism in the Jordan River: Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17) is akin to the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31).
- 40 Days Spent in the Wilderness: Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) mirrors Moses' 40 days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18; 34:28).
- Giving Law from a Mountain: Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:20 - 20:26) is paralleled by Jesus giving the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7: 5:29).
- Timelines and Travel Descriptions: The Gospel offers detailed accounts of travel, festivals, and timelines that align with the historical context of the time. For example:
Palestine Authorship:
- Festivals: The mention of specific Jewish festivals and customs (Matthew 26:2, 26:17).
- Travel Routes: Descriptions of travel between cities and towns (Matthew 4:12-13; 15:29).
- Temporal Coordination: Coherence in the timelines for different events (Matthew 2:1-23; 3:1-17; 4:1-11).
- Geographical Descriptions: The precise portrayal of the terrain, cities, towns, and roads in Galilee and Judea implies firsthand knowledge:
- Cities and Towns: The mention of specific locations like Capernaum, Nazareth, and Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1, 2:23; 4:13; 9:1).
- Local Geography: Descriptions of geographical features, such as the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18) and the wilderness areas (Matthew 3:1).
These details go beyond what might be readily available from secondary sources. The accuracy and specificity of the descriptions support the claim that the author of the Gospel of Matthew had intimate knowledge of the regions he wrote about, reinforcing the credibility of the traditional attribution to Matthew, a local tax collector.