Textual Criticism and Exegesis of the Gospel of Matthew

1: 18-23
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And you shall bring forth a Son and call His name "JESUS" and He shall save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled  which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, bear a Son, and they shall call His name "IMMANUEL," meaning, 'GOD WITH US.' (Cp. Isaiah 7: 14 )

NOTE: Read Isaiah 7: 1 through 8: 10; esp. 10-11, 14-15; 8: 8b, 10b??). Also, this prophesy doesn't mention the name "JESUS." Also, why didn't Mary tell Joseph that she was carrying the Holy Seed inside of her?

2: 1-2, 7
Wise men ["Magi, Astrologers'] from the East inquired of Herod the King after following His "Star" about the birth of One King of the Jews.

NOTE: Was it a brilliant star in the heavens, the Planet Jupiter, a unique constellation configuration, cosmic phenomenon, or truly an inexplicable 'supernatural' event?

2: 4-5
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the "Christ" was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: Micah 5: 2.

NOTE: Curiously, Matthew doesn't include the part in Micah that mentions "Whose goings forth are from of old, from Everlasting," and in Matthew 6b, "Who will shepherd My people Israel" is found in II Samuel 5: 2??

2: 13-15
Take the Child and depart to Egypt (Cp. Hosea 11: 1).

2: 20
Those [Herod the Great??] who sought the Child's life are dead.
NOTE: The King probably died around 4 BCE, according to 'Wikipedia.'

2: 22
Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod [The Great], and Joseph and his family were warned in a dream by God and turned aside into the regions of Galilee.

NOTE: according to "Wikipedia,"  Herod Philip I ruled Judea, Samaria, and Edom; but in Luke 3: 1 it states that Philip was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis (around Syria). 

2: 23
He came and dwelt in Nazareth that it might be fulfilled as spoken by the Prophets, "HE SHALL BE CALLED A NAZARENE."

NOTE: This prophetical utterance is not found in Scripture.

3: 16-17
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well leased."

NOTE: The Scriptures do not say if anyone else heard the voice but Jesus, and as far as seeing the Spirit of God descend as a dove, outside of Jesus, John the Baptizer was the only other person who could (Cp. John 1: 31-32). This is not all that surprising, considering the account in Luke 1: 15, 26-41.

4: 12-16, 17
Jesus heard that John was put in prison and departed back to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth He came and dwelt in Capernaum, by the Sea [of Galilee/Tiberius] in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali (Cp. Isaiah 9: 1-2; 42: 7). From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

NOTE: Jesus continued what John the Baptizer started (Cp. 3: 1)

4: 24
Then His fame went throughout all of Syria.
NOTE: Why not throughout Judea, Samaria, or Galilee?

5: 17-19
I did not come to destroy ['loosen'] the law ["Torah"] and Prophets but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth shall pass away, one Yodh [smallest letter] or one small stroke will by no means pass from the Law ["Torah"] till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

NOTE: Loosen might convey a better sense of the verse than destroy. Now what are those commandments?

11: 2-3
And when John in prison had heard of the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

NOTE: Is it not strange that although John the Baptizer heard of the things Jesus did, still his understanding of the prophesied "Messiah" or 'Anointed One' and what He would do to usher in the expected kingdom of heaven was at odds with what was actually being done. If indeed, John the Baptizer was an Essene from the Qumran community that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls, then the role of Messiyah bringing about the Apocalyptic battle between the "Sons of Light" and the "Sons of Darkness" would have left him a little puzzled, indeed.

11: 4-5
Jesus answered and said to them, "Go tell John the things which you hear and see. The blind see and the lame walk (Cp. Isaiah 35: 5a, 6a); the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear (Cp. Isaiah 35: 5b), the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

NOTE: Isaiah's prophesy mentions about the tongue of the dumb singing ["loosened"], but nothing about the dead being raised and the poor having the gospel preached to them, or the poor mentioned at all.

11: 10
For this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You (Malachi 3: 1)

NOTE: The rest of Malachi 3: 1 reads: And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, says the Lord of Hosts [YHVH Sabaoth].

11: 12
The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force (Cp. Luke 16: 16??). The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

NOTE: It seems as though the people looked on this as a real political, social, religious and civil governmental entity as opposed to a spiritual one.

12: 23-24
The multitudes asked if this was the Son of David but the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub, ruler of the demons.

NOTE: If this entity is over the demonic hordes then where does Satan fit in all of this?

12: 27
By whom do your sons cast them (demons) out?

NOTE: Does Jesus' statement mean that the Jews practiced exorcism and where in the Law [Torah] are the instructions in this rite mentioned? There is of course the incident mentioned in Acts 19: 13-19.

14: 1-2
Herod the Tetrarch heard the report about Jesus whom he thought was John the Baptizer whom he beheaded had risen from the dead (Cp. Luke 3: 1).

16: 13-17
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So the said, "Some say John [The Baptizer], some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ ["Anointed"], the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

NOTE: Did the people as well as the disciples believe that Jesus was one of the Prophets who died centuries ago, and God has miraculously brought back to life? Even Herod the tetrarch thought that Jesus was John the Baptizer risen from the dead (Cp. Matthew 14: 1-2), so is this belief in the doctrine of Reincarnation or the Transmigration of Souls?

16: 20
Jesus commanded that His disciples should not tell anyone that He was the "Christ".

NOTE: What about Matthew 14: 30??

17: 1-4
Jesus, Peter, James, and John go up on the Mountain of Transfiguration where Moses and Elijah appeared and talked to Jesus.

17: 9
Jesus told them not to tell the "vision" until the Son of Man is risen from the dead; why?

18: 10
Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

NOTE: According to Jesus, children do indeed have "Guardian Angels."

19: 28
Assuredly, I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

NOTE: Not judging the nations or the world, but just the Twelve tribes of Israel??

20: 20
Then the mother of Zebedee's son's came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something of Him.

NOTE: It would seem that these sons were not yet men, and most likely teenagers to have their mother intercede for them.

21: 9-11
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying, "HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! Hosanna in the highest!" (Cp. Psalms 118: 26a) And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved [stirred up with excitement, anticipation, confusion, anxiety, etc.??], saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.

NOTE: The Old Testament doesn't say anything about the "Prophet" coming from Galilee (Cp. Deuteronomy 18: 15, 18a; John 7: 40, 52; Matthew 2: 4-5)

21: 12-13
Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold [practiced extortion and usury] in the temple precincts; He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves, as it is written, "MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER, 'BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF
THIEVES. '

22: 29-30
Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven."

NOTE: This refutes the teaching of some who believe in conjugal rights and family planning in the hereafter.

23: 1-3,
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and His disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say and do not do."

23: 13-34 "Jesus pronounces woes"

NOTE: The most serious and profound denunciation of any group or person in the New Testament Gospels; and perhaps in the entire Bible.

23: 35b
Zechariah the son of Berechiah, who you murdered between the temple and the altar.

NOTE: This incident is recorded in II Chronicles 24: 20-22, but it is Zechariah son of Jehoiada. The only other mention of a name close to that of "Berachiah" is, Zechariah son of Benaiah in II Chronicles 20: 14.

24: 1-3, 6b, 22, 24, 31, 33-34
Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Now as He sat on the Mount of Olivet, the disciples came to Him privately saying, "Tell us, (1) when will these things be and (2) what will be the sign of Your coming and (3) the end of the age?" For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. For false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near; at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away until all these things take place.

COMMENTARY: The first thing is to read the entire chapter, keeping in mind the 'context,' which is predicated upon the three questions the disciples wanted Jesus to answer. Jesus mentioned "these things" as events which the disciples would seemingly be alive to see ['the end is not yet; when you see all these things; this generation will by no means pass away until. . .']. Lastly, the 'Elect' is usually thought of as being the Christian Church, and while some aspect of that may be true, but in this particular instance, Jesus may have more nationalistic interests. God's Elect would appear to be "Israel" foremost (Cp. Isaiah 45: 4; 65: 22; Romans 11: 7, 28; I Peter 1: 1-2; II John 1: 1, 13??; Revelation 7: 4-8 & 14: 1-5??)

26: 17-18, 20
Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, "The Teacher says, 'My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'" When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.

NOTE: John's Gospel shows Jesus instituting the ordinance of "Foot-washing," probably as an example of humility and demonstration of Love; as opposed to The Lord's Supper ("Eucharist") as mentioned in the others, including the Apostle Paul's instructions in I Corinthians 11: 17-34.

27: 32-44 "The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ"

NOTE: It is puzzling that Jesus could have been have been publicly executed between 12PM and 3PM by the hated Romans without the people rioting and committing insurrection because according to Matthew 21: 9, 11, 45-46, Jesus was highly esteemed by the people as a prophet.

28: 16-17
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them (Cp. Matthew 28: 10; Mark 16: 7). When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted.

Note: It is curious why this narrative mentions some disciples were doubtful; was it such a shock and they were so traumatized as this event was beyond belief, and they just could not rationally accept the impossible feat of seeing Jesus having been raised from the dead? Mark 16: 12-14 seems to be a record of what is mentioned in Luke 24: 13-38. Also, in Luke 24: 34, it mentions about the Lord appearing to Simon [Peter], but here in verse 12 it doesn't mention any such thing.

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 29, 2009
pbks@hotmail.com