Volume IV
The Gospel According to Saint Matthew.
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. IV, p. ?
Nothing is of more importance, nothing more deserves a plain and fully-attested account, than the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Redeemer, on which the eternal honour of God and the salvation of men so marvellously depend, and in which the scope and principal predictions of the Old Testament are so manifestly fulfilled. In the four Gospels now before us these things are plainly related, fully attested, and the accounts all deeply marked, not only with the utmost candour of the writers, but with the infallible direction and infinite authority of the Holy Ghost. Matthew and Luke trace our Saviour's history from his conception in the womb to his glorious ascension. Mark and John begin their accounts with his public appearances at his baptism and as a minister of the circumcision. Matthew and Mark (who often shortens, but sometimes adds to Matthew's accounts) chiefly insist on his acts; Luke, and especially John, on the divine discourses which he delivered. But, in all, the miracles which he wrought, the instructions which he inculcated, the conduct which he uniformly pursued, and the manner in which he endured his sufferings, plainly demonstrate him the Son of God and Saviour of the world. Matthew, Mark, and Luke seem to have written their histories of Christ about thirty years after his death, without having previously seen one another's narrative.
[The inspired title is not 'Gospel,' but 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ.' The word 'Gospel,' however, beautifully expresses the import of the sacred narrative. 'Gospel' is derived from the Saxon god, good, and spel, a history or message; and is a translation of the Greek εὐαγγέλιον, from εὐ, good, and ἀγγελία, a message.
Matthew, also called Levi (Lu. 5. 27), was a native of Galilee. He was a 'publican,'—in modern language, a collector of rates or taxes; or, perhaps (see ch. 9. 9), he might receive the more dignified title of 'custom-house officer.' He was one of the twelve who were early called to the service and companionship of our Lord. He preached the gospel of his kingdom during our Lord's ministry, ch. 10. 3; saw him after his resurrection; received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; and afterwards preached with much success, especially in Judea. His Gospel is believed to have been written about A.D. 41, or about eight or ten years after our Lord's ascension. As he wrote immediately for the Jewish converts, it has been conjectured that he wrote originally in Hebrew, and that his Gospel was translated into Greek about A.D. 60, while the evangelist was yet living; and there is no doubt that in very early times there were two copies (or MS. editions) of his Gospel, the one in Hebrew, the other in Greek. Nevertheless, from Matthew's interpretation of Hebrew words into Greek (see ch. 1. 23; 27. 33), and the perfect accordance of his phraseology, in such cases, with that of the other evangelists, who unquestionably wrote in Greek (comp. Mar. 5. 41; 15. 22, 34; Jn. 1. 38), the legitimate conclusion seems to be that Matthew, as well as the other evangelists, originally wrote in the Greek tongue. That he may have given an edition in Hebrew is no doubt possible; but the existence of such a Hebrew original rests upon no authority of MSS., can never rise beyond the level of conjecture, and is therefore inadmissible as an item in legitimate Scripture criticism. C.
The Gospel of Matthew might be termed the Bible in miniature. The object of the Bible is to present an all-sufficient Saviour and a complete scheme of saving truth to a sinful world. This is done by Matthew. No essential doctrine is omitted; no essential duty is overlooked; no essential ordinance is left out. The plan of the Gospel is systematic and logical. The genealogy of our Lord is traced from Abraham; and he is thus connected with the revelations and promises made to patriarchs and prophets. The mystery of his conception is explained; and he is thus proved to be God Incarnate. The story of his infancy, growth, wants, and sufferings is told; and he is thus proved to be man. The descent of the Divine Spirit upon him at baptism is narrated; and he is thus shown to have been specially consecrated and prepared for his great work. His temptation and triumph are recorded; and he is thus shown to have power over Satan, man's enslaver. His sermon on the mount and his parables are given; and he is thus shown to be the great Teacher. A series of stupendous miracles wrought by him is detailed; and he is thus shown to be very God. His passion and death upon the cross are described; and he is thus shown to have borne for us the curse of a broken law. His resurrection from the grave and his assumption of universal sovereignty are recorded; and he is thus shown to have completed redemption work, and to have become 'Head over all things to his church.'
Every fundamental doctrine of Christianity is embodied in this Gospel:—human depravity, repentance, faith, the incarnation, substitution, and sacrifice of Christ, the trinity, the judgment, heaven and hell. Every duty we owe to God, to ourselves, and to others is unfolded:—worship, prayer, Sabbath observance, implicit obedience to God, honour to parents, love to the brethren, charity to mankind, holiness of life and language, purity of thought. Matthew records the institution of the sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper. He relates the appointment and commission of a gospel ministry, and he closes his Gospel by that solemn charge given by our Lord to his church:—'Go ye and teach all nations, . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.'
It is well to note that the word gospel (with its Greek equivalent) is not used in the text of the New Testament in the same sense in which it is used in the title of this book. In the Greek text the term Euangelion is confined to the 'glad tidings' of the Messiah's coming, and the salvation preached in his name. Thus in Mat. 11. 5, 'The poor have the gospel preached unto them;' that is, the advent and doctrine of the Messiah. So in Ro. 1. 1: 'Separated unto the gospel of God.' We also read of the 'gospel of salvation,' Ep. 1. 13; the 'gospel of peace,' Ep. 6. 15; the 'gospel of glory,' 1 Ti. 1. 11. Early ecclesiastical writers used the word in a more strictly technical sense, namely, as a proper name of the Lives of Christ. Justin Martyr is the first, so far as we now know, who employs it in this sense. The sacred narratives of the life and sufferings of Christ were then called 'Gospels,' and their authors 'Evangelists.'
Matthew was son of Alphæus, Mar. 2. 14; and as it is probable that James, the son of Alphæus, was a son of Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and sister of the mother of our Lord, Jn. 19. 25, Matthew was thus a near relative of Jesus. He was a native of Galilee; and his family must have been poor, as otherwise he would not have accepted the office of publican. From the time of his call he remained a close attendant upon Jesus, and witnessed nearly all the great events of his life. After the ascension he appears to have confined his ministry chiefly to the Jews, and to have laboured in Palestine. His Gospel was specially adapted to the wants of those among whom he laboured; and the fullest and most recent researches show that it could scarcely have been written before the year A.D. 60. P.]