Book Review: Matthew (Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible)

Written by Anna Case-Winters and Reviewed by Lloyd Southwick

Matthew’s presentation of the life and teachings of Jesus is related to the struggles that his addressee church is wrestling with, at the time when Matthew probably wrote his gospel, probably between 70 and 107 a.d. Matthew’s community of believers is thought to have been Jewish, and was likely located in Syrian Antioch. These issues resonate “remarkably with challenges we face today.” They can be categorized as follows: conflict and division were problems for the community of faith; some members were insiders and others were outsiders; political and religious leaders were distrusted and discredited; most of the common people were powerless; cultures clashed. These issues allow an outline of the gospel that Matthew has given us.