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{{Gospels}} [[Image:Lisdisfarnematthew.jpg|right|thumb|The opening page of the Gospel of Matthew from the eighth-century [[Lindisfarne Gospels]].]] The '''Gospel of Matthew''' (literally, "according to Matthew"; Greek, Κατα Μαθθαίον or Κατα Ματθαίον) is the first [[Gospels|Gospel]] in the [[New Testament]]. Traditionally, it was written by the [[Apostle Matthew]], a former tax-collector who became one of the twelve [[apostles]] who witnessed the earthly ministry, [[crucifixion]], and [[Resurrection]] of our Lord [[Jesus Christ]].

Although the document is internally anonymous, the authorship of this Gospel has been traditionally ascribed to St. Matthew. The surviving testimony of the [[Church Fathers]] is unanimous in this view, and the tradition had been accepted by Christians at least as early as the 2nd century up to modern times. In addition, the title "According to Matthew" is found in the earliest codexescodices, which date to the fourth century.{{<ref>[[w:Gospel of Matthew|1}}''Gospel of Matthew'' at Wikipedia]]</ref>

According to Tradition, after [[Pentecost]] St. Matthew preached the [[gospel|Good News]] of the Lord's Resurrection throughtout throughout Palestine. Then, "at the request of the Jewish converts at Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew wrote his Gospel describing the earthly life of the Savior before leaving to preach the Gospel in faraway lands." {{<ref|2}} name="OCA">[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103313 Apostle and Evangelist Matthew] ([[OCA]])</ref> He then left to preach his Gospel in Syria, Media, Persia, Parthia, before being martyred in Ethiopia.

Because it was first recorded in Palestine, there is some speculation and evidence that Matthew's Gospel was originally written in [[Aramaic]], though the earliest surviving version now in existence is in Greek. According to the [[OCA]], "many of the linguistic and cultural-historical peculiarities of the Greek translation give indications of it [the Gospel's original Aramaic form]." <ref name="OCA" /> It was probably written somewhere from AD 60-65, though more liberal scholars put the date at 80-100.

#Containing the [[Genealogy of Christ|genealogy]], the birth, and the infancy of Jesus (Matthew Matt. 1; Matthew -2). #The discourses and actions of [[John the Baptist]] preparatory to Christ's public ministry (Matthew Matt. 3; Matthew 4:11). #The discourses and actions of Christ in Galilee (Matt. 4:12–26:1). ##The [[Sermon on the Mount]], concerning morality (ChMatt. 5–7) .##The [[Missionary ]] Discourse, concerning the mission Jesus gave his Twelve Apostles. (Matt. 10–11:1) . ##The Parable Discourse, stories that teach about the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 13). ##The "Church Order" Discourse, concerning relationships among Christians (Matt. 18–19:1). ##The Eschatological Discourse, which includes the Olivet Discourse and Judgement of the Nations, concerning his Second Coming and the end of the age (Matt. 24–25). #The sufferings, death and Resurrection of Jesus, the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16–20).

The one aim pervading the book is to show that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah — &mdash;he "of whom [[Moses ]] in the law and the prophets [[prophet]]s did write" — &mdash;and that in him the ancient prophecies had their fulfillment. This book is full of allusions to passages of the [[Old Testament ]] which the book interprets as predicting and foreshadowing Jesus' life and mission. This Gospel contains no fewer than sixty-five 65 references to the Old Testament, forty-three 43 of these being direct verbal citations, thus greatly outnumbering those found in the other Gospels. The main feature of this Gospel may be expressed in the motto "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matt. 5:17). The Apostle Matthew preached among people who were awaiting the Messiah. His Gospel manifests itself as a vivid proof that Jesus Christ is the Messiah foretold by the [[prophet]]sprophets, and that there would not be another (MtMatt. 11:3).  The preaching and deeds of the Savior are presented by the [[evangelist]] in three divisions, constituting three aspects of the service of the Messiah: as Prophet and Law-Giver (Matt. 5-7), Lord over the world both visible and invisible (Ch. 8-25), and finally as High Priest offered as Sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (Matt. 26-27).

The preaching and deeds theological content of the Savior are presented by Gospel, besides the [[evangelist]] in three divisionsChristological themes, constituting three aspects includes also the teaching about the Kingdom of God and about the service of Church, which the Lord sets forth in parables about the inner preparation for entering into the Messiah: as Prophet and Law-Giver Kingdom (ChMatt. 5-7), Lord over about the worthiness of servers of the Church in the world both visible (Matt. 10-11), about the signs of the Kingdom and its growth in the souls of mankind (Matt. 13), about the [[humility]] and invisible simplicity of the inheritors of the Kingdom (ChMatt. 818:1-35; 19:13-30; 20:1-16; 25-27; 23:1-28), and finally as High Priest offered as Sacrifice for about the eschatological revelations of the Kingdom in the Second Coming of Christ within the sins daily spiritual life of all mankind the Church (ChMatt. 2624-2725).

The theological content of the Gospel, besides the Christological themes, includes also the teaching about the Kingdom of God Heaven and about the Church, which the Lord sets forth are closely interconnected in parables about the inner preparation for entering into the Kingdom (Ch. 5-7), about the worthiness of servers spiritual experience of Christianity: the Church in is the world (Ch. 10-11), about the signs historical embodiment of the Kingdom and its growth of Heaven in the souls of mankind (Ch. 13)world, about and the [[humility]] and simplicity Kingdom of Heaven is the inheritors Church of the Kingdom Christ in its eschatological perfection (MtMatt. 16:18:1-35; 19 13-30; 2028:118-16; 25-27; 23:1-28), and about the eschatological revelations of the Kingdom in the Second Coming of Christ within the daily spiritual life of the Church (Ch. 24-2520).

The Kingdom ==Liturgical use==In general, the text of Heaven and the Church are closely interconnected gospel of St. Matthew is used most consistently in the spiritual experience liturgical worship of Christianity: the Orthodox Church is . This may be because it was the most common gospel in the historical embodiment of very early Churches. It contains the Kingdom version of Heaven in the world, [[beatitudes]] and the Kingdom of Heaven [[Lord's Prayer]] that is the Church of Christ used in its eschatological perfection (Mt. 16:18-19; 28:18-20)services.

==Sources and External links==*{{noteOnly this gospel contains the post-resurrection order of the Lord to his apostles, "to make disciples of all nations, [[baptism|1}} baptizing]] them in the name of the [[w:Gospel God the Father|Father]], and of Matthewthe [[Jesus Christ|Wikipedia articleSon]]*{{note|2}} and of the [[httpHoly Spirit]]" (Matt. 28://ocafs19).oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103313 OCAAnd it contains the longest and most detailed record of Christ's Life of Matthew]*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=1&version=31 biblegateway.com:Full text of teachings in the Sermon on the Gospel in numerous different translations]*[http://wwwMount (Matt.newadvent5-7).org/cathen/10057a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article]

==Reference==<references /> ==Sources==*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201%20;&version=9; Full text of the Gospel in numerous different translations] (biblegateway.com)*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10057a.htm Gospel of St. Matthew] ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' ==External links==*[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.toc.html St. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew] (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)*[http://www.voskrese.info/spl/matthom15.html St. John Chrysostom: Homily 15 on St. Matthew: On the Beatitudes]*[http://www.voskrese.info/spl/matthom19.html St. John Chyrsostom: Homily 19 on St. Matthew: On the Lord's Prayer]*[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chromatius_prologue_matthew_01.htm Chromatius of Aquileia: Sermons on the Gospel of Matthew - Prologue] [[Category:TextsGospels]]