What did Saint Matthew accomplish?

Answer 1

Matthew wrote the Gospel which bears his name as a bridge between the two Testaments or covenants. Much of his work relates specifically to Jews, and he includes many of the prophecies which Jesus fulfilled. The first verse of the book outlines some of its chief purpose and themes:

1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Jesus is thus in Matthew of the line of David as a King of the Jews who has come to set up the 'kingdom of heaven'. He is also of Abraham an obedient son unto death. The Gospel of Matthew is unanimously attested as genuine by no less than seventeen independent witnesses of the first four centuries. Had the work been truly anonymous or uncertain, there would be some doubt expressed or some other author proposed by some of these witnesses.

There has been some suggestions that Matthew may have written an original Gospel in Aramaic which is now lost and he wrote later in Greek. Scholars would place the Aramaic original in the years 40-45, and the Greek version we now have somewhat later, in the 50's. Since the fall of Jerusalem is not mentioned it must have been either written before or a long time after. The latter is extremely unlikely and so scholars generally place Matthew well before AD 70. This includes even some of the liberal scholars, normally tending to put everything late, and including the liberal J. A. T. Robinson in his work Redating the New Testament.

The early date of course includes the likelihood of its having been written by Matthew, otherwise known as Levi, the tax collector and son of Alphaeus. Many have seen the purpose of Matthew as one of reassuring Jewish believers under persecution, that Jesus Christ was indeed the fulfillment of their OT prophecies and their promised Messiah. As such He also stood in the line as a fulfillment of both the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants with Israel. In the tradition of Jewish rabbis Jesus had a close group of followers who He taught and some of His great teachings are recorded in the Sermon on the Mount, which many admire for its own sake, especially the Beatitudes: 1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew records many other memorable sayings and events, especially specific details surrounding the crucifixion, as well as prophecies concerning Jerusalem, both into the near and more distant future. Matthew closes with Jesus' ' great commission' perhaps echoing what tradition records he himself did in going to foreign lands to preach the Gospel.

18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.