The Book of Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the promised Messiah and King, with the Sermon on the Mount at its heart. Written for a Jewish-Christian audience, it links Jesus to the Old Testament promises at every turn.

Testament

New (28 chapters)

Type

Gospel

Date

Probably 70-85 AD.

Jesus as fulfillment

Matthew repeatedly says 'that it might be fulfilled which was spoken' — quoting the Old Testament more than any other Gospel. Jesus is presented as the new Moses (the Sermon on the Mount echoes Sinai), the son of David, the king of the Jews.

The Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew's preferred phrase — 'the kingdom of heaven' — appears thirty-two times. Jesus' teaching unfolds the shape of this kingdom: the Beatitudes, parables, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Great Commission ('Go ye therefore, and teach all nations' — 28:19).

Key verses (KJV)

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (KJV)

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” — Matthew 28:19 (KJV)

How to read Matthew

Read the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7) slowly and often — it is the heart of Jesus' teaching. The Passion narrative (26-28) deserves slow reading at Easter. Matthew's five great teaching blocks (5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25) give the book its shape.

Read Matthew on your iPhone

Read the full book of Matthew in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.

Popular chapters in Matthew

• Matthew 5
• Matthew 6
• Matthew 7
• Matthew 28

More New Testament books

• The Book of Mark
• The Book of Luke
• The Book of John
• The Book of Acts
• The Book of Romans

From the blog

Frequently asked questions

What is the Book of Matthew about?

Matthew is a book of Gospel, running to 28 chapters. Its main threads: Jesus as fulfillment; The Kingdom of Heaven.

Who wrote the Book of Matthew?

Traditionally Matthew (also called Levi), one of the Twelve; modern scholarship debates this. The Gospel itself is anonymous.

Where does Matthew come in the Bible?

Matthew is one of the 27 books of the New Testament in the Protestant canon, grouped with the Gospel books. You can walk the canon in order using the previous and next links on this page.