Mattiyahu

"Matthew among the Hebrews issued a written version of the Gospel in their own tongue, while Peter and Paul were preaching the Gospel at Rome and founding the church. After their decease Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also handed down to us in writing what Peter had preached. Luke also, the follower of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel as it was preached by him. Finally John, the disciple of the Lord, who had also lain on his breast, himself published the Gospel while he was residing in Ephesus in Asia."
- Irenaeus, citing Papias, in Against Heresies 3:1:1 (late Second Century)

Introduction

This means the original "Gospel of Matthew" is a text now lost. It may well have been lost even by the time of Irenaeus.

Becasue of its vocabulary, structure, and relationship to the other synoptic gospels, modern scholars agree that our "Gospel of Matthew" was the last synoptic gospel written. Its author(s) used the texts of Mark and Luke, as well as other sources.

Since tradition also names its author Mattiyahu (Matthew), this text was most likely written pseudepigraphically by early followers of Yeshua who considered themselves part of the "school of Mattiyahu": custodians of Mattiyahu's teachings. (These teachings, of which that original text from Mattiyahu himself would have been only a part, are probably what many modern scholars have nicknamed Q.)

This makes the "Gospel of Matthew" (which we will henceforth simply call Mattiyahu) a uniquely interesting account of the good news. It contains the earliest teachings and writings about Yeshua while also making use of later, well-researched sources.

Before we look at the text of Mattiyahu itself, we have two more introductary essays. One describes the books of commentary used in our research. The other explains why Mattiyahu has reliable authenticity.

May you enjoy and benefit from our exploration of this text!