Matthew addresses Jewish readers, familiar with the Old Testament, who were awaiting the coming of a messiah-king. For them, this messiah-king was to establish a kingdom of peace and justice. And as the evangelist shows, Jesus is this king. However, he is a very different monarch from the one his contemporaries expected: he surpasses and outclasses all the kings who preceded him, and in every domain. He overturns the perception that men had of divine justice and grace, clarifies, renews, and fulfills all the divine promises of the past. Jesus is Emmanuel, “God among us.”
This verse-by-verse commentary highlights the narrative framework and organizational structure elaborated by Matthew around the five major discourses of Jesus, in particular the Sermon on the Mount, the parables of the kingdom, and the eschatological discourse.
A very relevant teaching for us today!
From Switzerland, Daniel Arnold taught at the Emmaus Bible and Missionary Institute for more than 30 years, before retiring in 2014. Fascinated by the narrative texts of the Bible, he has published nine biblical commentaries, including this one, as well as a reference work on Christian ethics and two collections of plays for Christmas.
ISBN: 9782826040187