English 116B: New Testament Literature

The image is of St. Matthew writing his gospel from the Lindesfarne Gospels, an illuminated Latin manuscript of the Gospels written before 700.

Passages Unique to Gospel of Matthew:

Narrative episodes:

Entire infancy narrative (1:18-25, 2:1-23)

Peter walks on water (14:28-33)

Judas' remorse, suicide, purchase of Field of Blood (27:3-10)

Dream of Pilate's wife (27:19)

Pilate washes his hands (27:24-25)

Opening of tombs of patriarchs at crucifixion (27:52-53)

Guarding of Jesus' tomb (27:62-66)

Bribery of guards to ensure their silence (28:11-15)

Appearance to eleven (28:16-20)

Parables:

Kingdom of Heaven likened to field sown with weeds (13:24-30)

Interpretation of same parable (13:36-43)

Net that gathered fish of all kinds (13:47-50)

Treasure hidden in field, pearl of great price (13:44-46)

The unforgiving servant (18:23-35)

The Laborers in the vineyard (20: 1-16)

The two sons (21:28-32)

The wise and the foolish virgins (25:1-13)

Teachings:

Beatitudes on meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers (5:5-9)

On continued force of Law of Moses (5:17-20)

Against anger toward brother (5:21-24)

Against oaths (5:33-37)

Against hypocrisy in almsgiving and prayer (6:1-8)

Against hypocrisy in fasting (6:16-18)

[To disciples] Go not to Gentiles and Samaritans but to "lost sheep of Israel" (10:5-7)

The persecution to come (10:17-23)

"Come to me all who labor . . . for my yoke is easy, my burden light" (11:28)

Every scribe trained for the kingdom like the householder with things new and old (13:51-52)

The primacy of Peter among the apostles (16:17-19)

Teaching against scribes and Pharisees (23:1-36) [far milder versions in Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:45-47]

The Last Judgment (25:31-46)

Appearance to the eleven, their commissioning to preach and baptize all the world (28:16-20)

Explicit Prophecies:

[Several explicit prophecies contained in infancy narrative]

Prophecy of Isaiah to Zebulun and Naphtali (4:13-16)

Prophecy of (Deutero)-Isaiah of silence and hiddenness of God's servant (12:18-21)