The Matthew Commentary Collection: An All-In-One Commentary Collection for Studying the Book of Matthew

The Matthew Commentary Collection

An All-In-One Commentary Collection for Studying the Book of Matthew

Michael J. Wilkins, Grant R. Osborne, Scot McKnight

Clinton E. Arnold, Tremper Longman III, Scot McKnight

General Editors

ZONDERVAN

The Matthew Commentary Collection

Matthew from The NIV Application Commentary series—Copyright © 2004 by Michael J. Wilkins

Matthew from the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series—Copyright © 2010 by Grant R. Osborne

Sermon on the Mount from The Story of God Bible Commentary series—Copyright © 2013 by Scot McKnight

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Matthew ePub Edition: ISBN 978-0-310-57190-2

Matthew ePub Edition: ISBN 978-0-310-32370-9

Sermon on the Mount ePub Edition: ISBN 978-0-310-59901-2

ePub Collection Edition: ISBN 978-0-310-53280-4

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.® The commentary on Matthew from The NIV Application Commentary series uses the 1984 translation.

Scripture quotations marked TNIV are taken from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International® Version TNIV®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society.® Used by permission of International Bible Society®. All rights reserved worldwide. TNIV and Today’s New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society®.

Contents

Matthew: The NIV Application Commentary

Matthew: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament

Sermon on the Mount: The Story of God Bible Commentary

MATTHEW

THE NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY

From biblical text … to contemporary life

THE NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY SERIES

EDITORIAL BOARD

General Editor

Terry Muck

Consulting Editors

New Testament

Eugene Peterson

Scot McKnight

Marianne Meye Thompson

Klyne Snodgrass

•

Zondervan Editorial Advisors

Stanley N. Gundry

Vice President and Editor-in-Chief

Jack Kuhatschek

Senior Acquisitions Editor

Verlyn Verbrugge

Senior Editor

MATTHEW

THE NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY

From biblical text … to contemporary life

MICHAEL J. WILKINS

For

Barbara and Stuart Campbell

Margaret and John Melia

Leon and Mary Wilkins

Parental figures in our lives who have modeled discipleship to Jesus for us

Contents

Series Introduction

General Editor’s Preface

Author’s Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction

Outline of Matthew’s Gospel

Bibliography

Text and Commentary on Matthew

Matthew 1:1–17

Matthew 1:18–25

Matthew 2:1–12

Matthew 2:13–23

Matthew 3:1–17

Matthew 4:1–11

Matthew 4:12–25

Matthew 5:1–2

Matthew 5:3–16

Matthew 5:17–20

Matthew 5:21–48

Matthew 6:1–18

Matthew 6:19–34

Matthew 7:1–12

Matthew 7:13–29

Matthew 8:1–9:8

Matthew 9:9–38

Matthew 10:1–42

Matthew 11:1–30

Matthew 12:1–50

Matthew 13:1–52

Matthew 13:53–14:36

Matthew 15:1–39

Matthew 16:1–28

Matthew 17:1–27

Matthew 18:1–35

Matthew 19:1–30

Matthew 20:1–34

Matthew 21:1–46

Matthew 22:1–46

Matthew 23:1–39

Matthew 24:1–35

Matthew 24:36–25:46

Matthew 26:1–46

Matthew 26:47–27:26

Matthew 27:27–66

Matthew 28:1–20

Notes

Scripture Index

Subject Index

The NIV Application Commentary Series

When complete, the NIV Application Commentary will include the following volumes:

Old Testament Volumes

Genesis, John H. Walton

Exodus, Peter Enns

Leviticus/Numbers, Roy Gane

Deuteronomy, Daniel I. Block

Joshua, Robert L. Hubbard Jr.

Judges/Ruth, K. Lawson Younger

1-2 Samuel, Bill T. Arnold

1-2 Kings, Gus Konkel

1-2 Chronicles, Andrew E. Hill

Ezra/Nehemiah, Douglas J. Green

Esther, Karen H. Jobes

Job, Dennis R. Magary

Psalms Volume 1, Gerald H. Wilson

Psalms Volume 2, Jamie A. Grant

Proverbs, Paul Koptak

Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs, Iain Provan

Isaiah, John N. Oswalt

Jeremiah/Lamentations, J. Andrew Dearman

Ezekiel, Iain M. Duguid

Daniel, Tremper Longman III

Hosea/Amos/Micah, Gary V. Smith

Jonah/Nahum/Habakkuk/Zephaniah, James Bruckner

Joel/Obadiah/Malachi, David W. Baker

Haggai/Zechariah, Mark J. Boda

New Testament Volumes

Matthew, Michael J. Wilkins

Mark, David E. Garland

Luke, Darrell L. Bock

John, Gary M. Burge

Acts, Ajith Fernando

Romans, Douglas J. Moo

1 Corinthians, Craig Blomberg

2 Corinthians, Scott Hafemann

Galatians, Scot McKnight

Ephesians, Klyne Snodgrass

Philippians, Frank Thielman

Colossians/Philemon, David E. Garland

1-2 Thessalonians, Michael W. Holmes

1-2 Timothy/Titus, Walter L. Liefeld

Hebrews, George H. Guthrie

James, David P. Nystrom

1 Peter, Scot McKnight

2 Peter/Jude, Douglas J. Moo

Letters of John, Gary M. Burge

Revelation, Craig S. Keener

To see which titles are available, visit our web site at www.zondervan.com

NIV Application Commentary

Series Introduction

THE NIV APPLICATION COMMENTARY SERIES is unique. Most commentaries help us make the journey from the twentieth century back to the first century. They enable us to cross the barriers of time, culture, language, and geography that separate us from the biblical world. Yet they only offer a one-way ticket to the past and assume that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. Once they have explained the original meaning of a book or passage, these commentaries give us little or no help in exploring its contemporary significance. The information they offer is valuable, but the job is only half done.

Recently, a few commentaries have included some contemporary application as one of their goals. Yet that application is often sketchy or moralistic, and some volumes sound more like printed sermons than commentaries.

The primary goal of The NIV Application Commentary Series is to help you with the difficult but vital task of bringing an ancient message into a modern context. The series not only focuses on application as a finished product but also helps you think through the process of moving from the original meaning of a passage to its contemporary significance. These are commentaries, not popular expositions. They are works of reference, not devotional literature.

The format of the series is designed to achieve the goals of the series. Each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning, Bridging Contexts, and Contemporary Significance.

Original Meaning

THIS SECTION HELPS you understand the meaning of the biblical text in its first-century context. All of the elements of traditional exegesis—in concise form—are discussed here. These include the historical, literary, and cultural context of the passage. The authors discuss matters related to grammar and syntax, and the meaning of biblical words. They also seek to explore the main ideas of the passage and how the biblical author develops those ideas.¹

After reading this section, you will understand the problems, questions, and concerns of the original audience and how the biblical author addressed those issues. This understanding is foundational to any legitimate application of the text today.

Bridging Contexts

THIS SECTION BUILDS a bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, between the original context and the contemporary context, by focusing on both the timely and timeless aspects of the text.

God’s Word is timely. The authors of Scripture spoke to specific situations, problems, and questions. Paul warned the Galatians about the consequences of circumcision and the dangers of trying to be justified by law (Gal. 5:2–5). The author of Hebrews tried to convince his readers that Christ is superior to Moses, the Aaronic priests, and the Old Testament sacrifices. John urged his readers to test the spirits of those who taught a form of incipient Gnosticism (1 John 4:1–6). In each of these cases, the timely nature of Scripture enables us to hear God’s Word in situations that were concrete rather than abstract.

Yet the timely nature of Scripture also creates problems. Our situations, difficulties, and questions are not always directly related to those faced by the people in the Bible. Therefore, God’s word to them does not always seem relevant to us. For example, when was the last time someone urged you to be circumcised, claiming that it was a necessary part of justification? How many people today care whether Christ is superior to the Aaronic priests? And how can a test designed to expose incipient Gnosticism be of any value in a modern culture?

Fortunately, Scripture is not only timely but timeless. Just as God spoke to the original audience, so he still speaks to us through the pages of Scripture. Because we share a common humanity with the