The Bible begins by introducing the main character, God, and the New Testament begins by introducing the main character, Jesus.¹ The New Testament records the fulfillment of the promises God made to Israel, beginning with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity. Four books, called the Gospels, record these core events, and each gives a slightly different perspective.

None of the Gospels identifies the author. But the early church attributed them to Matthew and John (two of the apostles), John Mark (a disciple of Peter and Paul), and Luke (a disciple of Paul).² Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector until Jesus called him as a disciple.³ His profession required him to speak and write Greek, the common language used when the Israelites interacted with the Romans, who controlled the region.⁴ He certainly could have written the book of Matthew, but whether he did remains an open question.

Whoever wrote the book, scholars agree Matthew reflects the strongest Jewish perspective of the four Gospels. It contains more Old Testament quotations and references and focuses more on Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and on the arrival of God’s eternal kingdom. The early church struggled with its relationship with Judaism, and Jewish believers faced rejection and persecution from their own people. In response, Matthew categorically denies accusations that followers of Jesus had rejected the God of Israel. On the contrary, Jesus and the kingdom he inaugurated fulfilled all the promises God made to Abraham and his descendants.