The Gospel of Matthew : A Contextual Introduction for Group Study

Two of the primary aims of most Bible teachers, expecially those in colleges and seminaries, are very nearly contradictory: 1) the teacher wants the student to gain perspective, to learn the limitations of his or her own understanding of the biblical text by encountering divergent viewpoints and 2) the teacher wants the student to gain confidence in his or her own ability to interpret the biblical text responsibly. This introduction to the book of Matthew assists the instructor with these two primary aims by: 1. Introducing the student to the wide variety of claims that are being made about the meaning of the Gospel of Matthew. 2. Introducing the student to ways of assessing these claims. 3. Leading the student to take responsibility within a group context for the choices he or she will make between these competing claims as an interpreter of the biblical text (church leader, preacher, or teacher). The book introduces the main themes and issues in the interpretation of the Gospel of Mathhew in a student- (and Instructor-) friendly format. This Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew also exemplifies a new direction in biblical interpretation being used at seminaries in the U. S. The method is comparative cultural and religious interpretation, using existing scholarly and popular interpretations as exemplars for study and student discussion.