The gospel of matthew remains one of the most studied and most influential books of the New Testament. Although a few matters remain controversial, there is generally more agreement among scholars regarding fundamental critical questions concerning Matthew than would be the case with Mark, Luke, or John, and this allows for a breadth of discussion that does not get stalled before it has a chance to begin. Furthermore, Matthew's Gospel probably had more influence on the development of Christian theology than the other Synoptic Gospels, and for this reason it continues to be a primary text for ecumenical and doctrinal discussions.

ACADEMIC STUDY OF MATTHEW'S GOSPEL

The academic field of New Testament study has developed into a discipline that encompasses different approaches and employs a variety of methods. Thus, students of Matthew's Gospel will discover that interpretive claims regarding the book have been arrived at by different avenues. Sometimes, at least, what appear to be conflicting interpretations of the book are simply responses to different questions.

To illustrate this, let us imagine that a student asks, “What is the meaning of Matthew 5:5 (‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth’)?” Three scholars might answer this question differently. One might try to explain what Jesus meant when he said this to a group of Galilean peasants sometime around c.e. 30. Another might seek to explain why the author of Matthew's Gospel included this “Jesus quote” in the book that he composed for Christians living in the city of Antioch around c.e. 85.