This collection of essays is centred on the Gospel according to Matthew. It treats contemporary discussions of Matthew's origins, character, and place in the canon of the New Testament. It also discusses texts from the major sections of the Gospel: the Infancy narrative, the Sermon on the Mount and other parts of the public ministry, and the Passion narrative. It addresses major themes: the kingdom of God, revelation, the Sabbath, spirituality, ecclesiology, and the birth of Easter faith. It also includes aspects of Matthew's broader context: Qumran literature, the letters to the Galatians and of James, and John's reception of Matthew. In contrast to several recent studies which present Matthew and his community as gloomy and beleaguered, this work reveals a confident, cheerful evangelist.
